Night Panics

[bluebirds2005]

Does anyone else only suffer panic attacks at night because apart from the odd one or 2 all my panic happens at night its got to a point where i dread it going dark is this abnormal i mean even as i type this im having a huge panic attack im just at a loss as to why they only happen at night

[Tom_M]

Night times where the worst for me, when I used to suffer from panic. What I used to do was to take a radio to bed with an ear piece, then I didn't feel alone and isolated.

Tom

[bluebirds2005]

i take my laptop to bed with my music on that sometimes helps

[Paddington]

Hi Gareth :hugs: i think what is happening here is the old expecting fear syndrome..it is the same whether it is the night time ,a shop ,a tunnel etc etc..because you had the attack at night time this is when they come back:mad: If you can change your routine or your bed time rituals this may break the chain..personaly i think Paul mckenns cd's are the way forward mate..the anxiety one is wonderful and also the sleep one..give it a go..look on amazon or even e-bay to buy them..It is the fear cycle that is causing it so you have to break that cycle hun:hugs: good luck.Love Paddie.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[bluebirds2005]

thanx paddie will deffinatley give them a look coz at the moment im getting by on maybe 2 hours sleeps a night and i know its not helping my anxiety whatsoever

[tamo]

Hi Gareth. I am in exactly the same position as you,having panics or at best bad anxiety at night. I seem to sleep from about 11 till 3 then thats it.From 3 till 6 its tossing and churning.Could we maybe try and get up and do something for half an hour? It seems harder to calm down this night anxiety than the stuff during the day which i manage quite well.Maybe thats cause im at work. Anyway i hope you can overcome this.Be positive and you will,I'm sure.

[happyone]

Hi,
I used to suffer a lot from night panics. I would often find that they would come even after having a brilliant day.
My dad used to tell me the mind was like a filing cabinet and your sub conscious is like a messy one! At night time your brain tries to sort through it all and it can come out in dreams, or in your case, panics.
I found the most helpful thing for me was to accept it had happened, remember I am not going to die, and accept that it will take at least an hour until I am ready for sleep as the adrenalin takes that long to get out of your system.
On saying that, I know how unpleasant they are when they happen. I don't know how to stop them, other than possibly facing your demons during the day?
I still get them on a fairly frequent basis, but I don't know what it is that I have to face, unless it is acceptance of my illness:shrug:
Hopefully you know yours?

happyone
x

[bluebirds2005]

cheers guys yeah during the day i am almost always ok but as soon as it starts to grow dark i can feel the anxiety starting to build and then i find it hard to control.its got so bad now i find myself stood out the back garden at 3 in the morning punching the punch bag to try and get rid of all the adrenaline its either this or take a valium which i will only do as a very last resort

[nomorepanic]

Gareth

Try these as well...

AM/PM Panic & Sleep

Night panic
Nothing like a panic attack at 3:30 am (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2701)
Sudden nighttime attacks (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=24)
Waking Up With A Panic Attack In The Night (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5211)
Bad Morning !!!!!!!!!!! (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5692)
Panic attacks during sleep. (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5796)
It's Back! (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5769)
Waking Startled at Night (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5951)
Panic Attacks....During Sleep (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6385)
panic attack in sleep (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7118)

[bluebirds2005]

thanx nic any help always appreciated but here we go again another night another fight

[nomorepanic]

Gareth

It is also about your thoughts on this.

For eg you have already told yourself that you are going to have a bad night and guess what? I bet you will.

Try to be more positive - hard I know - about going to sleep.

Make sure you are relaxed and chilled and listen to a relaxation tape etc.

Don't see bed time as the time to panic - it doesn't have to be that way. Try positive thoughts and if that doesn't work then let it happen and wash over you.

Sleep well I hope.

[bluebirds2005]

thanx nic will try and have a good nights sleep just a case of mind over matter

[Zanxiety]

Panic is like my worst enemy at night time. While only 50% of the nights I actually get panic attacks, or longer spells of anxiety/fear, I find compared to when I panic during the day time it's much more unpleasant. I often find when my panic starts to actually feels too uncomfortable, I have to get up from bed and read a book, watch some TV, practice my breathing or even think about snow, (my favourite weather) to make myself calm down a bit. The symtoms of shakyness is the most common one at night times for when I get panic and panic attacks and it sure is unpleasant.

Distracting yourself like some of the things I've and what other members have probably mentioned is often beneficial when you get very panicky, but although these things can help, you'll find the panic does go away on it's own.

And bluebird2005, good luck for tonight. I hope you have an unpanicky night, particularly with all of this helpful advice from the members.:flowers::)

[bluebirds2005]

thanx guys will take it all on board and see what happens

[groovygranny]

Hi Bluebirds,

Long time since I had a PA at night - but when I was really bad I can't remember a night not having one, or six!

Used to sleep from about 12.00midnight and then wake between 3 and 4 in a horrendous episode.

I got over it one night by staying awake all night . I thought 'if I can get past the time I would normally wake with panic and not have any, then I know I've cracked it' !!

Well, one night I did just that. I stayed up and forced myself to stay awake until way past 4.00am. Distracted myself by watching 'easy to watch' tv programmes and listening to music.

I finally went to bed at about 8.00am and slept for England! I haven't had a night panic since. Episodes yes, but nothing like I used to have.

Don't know if this helps you at all but it certainly helped me, along with Citalopram.

Hope you get sorted soon cos I know how ruddy horrible it is.

:hugs::hugs:

[bluebirds2005]

well im working on it im thinking about starting the citalopram again after a 9 month break but i cant remember the last time ive been asleep b4 5am then im up at 9 and am fine for the rest of the day until it gets dark then its another restless night until about 5am again its a vicious circle im desperate to get out of