Are nocturnal panic attacks a thing?

[WorriedOlive]

I have anxiety and sometimes get daytime panic attacks but when I’m anxious I’ll wake up during the night by jumping out of my bed and shouting/panicking because it feels like my hearts stopped beating, followed by a major panic attack. I keep scaring my partner half to death with these weird episodes and I have no idea what’s cause them. Has anyone else experienced this? I’m worried maybe it’s not anxiety and I have sleep apnea or something, but I’m a 26 y/o female who is slim so I don’t really fit the usual criteria.

Help please! :(

[Scass]

Yes, why not. Panic is a sh1thead and doesn’t care whether you’re awake, asleep or canoeing.


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[Midnight-mouse]

This is how my anxiety first showed itself when I was a child. It still happens every now and again.


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[JulieJay92]

mine for many years were only during the day, then all of a sudden for afew years they only happened while i was asleep, now i get them in a mixture of the 2

[ankietyjoe]

Very common.

[WorriedOlive]

That’s a relief to hear this is a common thing. I was worried something might be wrong with my heart. Thanks everyone

[MRS STRESS ED]

oh yes had this so often its scary jump up like your taking your last breath ANXIETY its a bitch and then you can't sleep totally empathise with you xx


best wishes xx

[glassgirlw]

Some of my worst panic attacks were at nighttime. Was really odd. Knock on wood, haven’t had one in a long time. When I did though, I would try to just ride it out and tell myself it wouldn’t last long. Get up, get a drink of water, pull out a book to read, something to put your mind elsewhere.

[NoraB]

99.9% of my panic attacks happen at night. They can wake me up with 30 minutes of going to sleep or anytime during the early hours. For years I was convinced I had sleep apnoea because I wake up not breathing properly, but I was tested last year and my oxygen levels are fabulous. I have a LOT of anxiety dreams and I think that they are triggering the stress response because the brain cannot distinguish between what is real and what is imagined. It's flared up again after a good period but I'm just doing what I did before - which is to watch what I ingest during the day (body and mind) and to breathe my way calm when it happens. I've also learned that it's better to get up after a panic attack rather than try to go back to sleep with all those stress hormones whirling round my body - all this does is to keep me stuck in a wake/panic cycle. It's better to get up and work off the adrenalin...

[WiredIncorrectly]

NoraB's comment above sounds similar to mine. Let me expand on my experience.

I've had nocturnal panic attacks a fair bit. My first one was during my exams at University about 11 years ago. They always happen during stressful periods - this includes after a heavy exercise session too.

I'll explain what they feel like for me.

I'll suddenly wake up from a sleep feeling completely lost and disorientated. Part of me is still asleep, the other part awake. I can't move when this happens. It's not sleep paralysis because I don't have the old lady, or other figure, sitting on my chest. But my attacks are similar to sleep paralysis.

It's hard for me to explain them because there's no real words that can explain them. They're thee most horrific experiences I've ever had; and I've had over 1000 easily in my life time.

While I'm frozen still I will be full of impending doom. I'm convinced my heart beat will either stop, or burst out of my chest. Sometimes I have a fast heart rate, other times a slow heart rate. The paralysis is almost me scared to move. My body will be tense all over. Internally I'm having a massive panic attack, externally I'm lay on the pillow with my eyes open not moving. To an observer they wouldn't know a thing.

But to me, it feels like I'm about to die. Like Nora, I thought it was sleep apnea, but it wasn't that.

Once I snap out of it I spend 5 minutes recovering and usually drop straight off to sleep. Most of the times I wake up and forget it happened. There's been times that I've been unable to sleep and have blogged about them on here right after having one.

I'm not sure if a nocturnal panic attack feels like this for others, but that's my experience.

Oh, there was one time that freaked my girlfriend out. I had been working from home and hardly sleeping for 2 days while I was finishing a project. This was about 8 years ago. I eventually fell asleep. But a short time later I shot bolt upright, as white as a ghost, and was staring and the wall. My partner was so freaked out she ran to cuddle me. My heart rate was off the charts. I felt like I'd been hit by a lorry. I jumped up ran to the toilet. My legs felt like lead. I thought "I'm going to die here". Took me a day to recover from that and it sticks in my mind today.

Another nocturnal panic attack due to heavy stress.

I avoid all stress these days. It's not healthy.

[NoraB]

While I'm frozen still I will be full of impending doom.

Yes, I get this. It's like a feeling that of being outside of myself but not in an OBE way. It's a sensation. Hard to describe, but it feels like part of me has separated from my body, but I am awake, and something horrific is about to happen - despite a feeling of 'calmness'. It's almost 'too calm' - like in horror movies, you know? Then the symptoms kick in....
I prefer to wake up with my heart going nuts tbh - I can deal with that.

I have had sleep paralysis - once. TERRIFYING. Give me a million panic attacks over that brain-shittery!:scared15:

[WiredIncorrectly]

Yes, I get this. It's like a feeling that of being outside of myself but not in an OBE way. It's a sensation. Hard to describe, but it feels like part of me has separated from my body, but I am awake, and something horrific is about to happen - despite a feeling of 'calmness'. It's almost 'too calm' - like in horror movies, you know? Then the symptoms kick in....
I prefer to wake up with my heart going nuts tbh - I can deal with that.

I have had sleep paralysis - once. TERRIFYING. Give me a million panic attacks over that brain-shittery!:scared15:

They sound very similar to what I have. The feeling of being outside your body, but being in it, is kinda like you exist in an emptiness. I get it, it's really hard to describe in words. Pure terror is all I can say.

[WiredIncorrectly]

Wanted to update this. I fell asleep this morning at about 6am. I awoke in the state I explained in the other response. Haven't had one of these in a while, but I know it's because at the moment I am not taking one of my medications. Absolutely frighting though and took me 30 mins to calm down.

I've not long woke up, my partner woke me up saying I'm speaking outloud and she thought I was joking. I said "It's your own fault what are you even crying for?". In my dream I was telling my nephew off (oddly one I just mentioned in other post Nora .. the wee one). He punched his sister so I sent him to his bed to think about what he just did and he started crying in my dream. No idea why or how it came out loud though.

[NoraB]

Wanted to update this. I fell asleep this morning at about 6am. I awoke in the state I explained in the other response. Haven't had one of these in a while, but I know it's because at the moment I am not taking one of my medications. Absolutely frighting though and took me 30 mins to calm down.

Do you mean you went back to sleep at 6am?

Because it's no good going back to sleep at this time when your body is ramping up the cortisol - you are more likely to have vivid (and anxious) dreams and wake up with a panic attack. Your body is preparing to wake up - not fall back to sleep.


I've not long woke up, my partner woke me up saying I'm speaking outloud and she thought I was joking. I said "It's your own fault what are you even crying for?". In my dream I was telling my nephew off (oddly one I just mentioned in other post Nora .. the wee one). He punched his sister so I sent him to his bed to think about what he just did and he started crying in my dream. No idea why or how it came out loud though.

My husband and son both talk in their sleep. Hilariously, one of Hub's sleep-liners was, 'What have you been ordering now?'.

Well I do use Amazon a lot...:roflmao:

[WiredIncorrectly]

Do you mean you went back to sleep at 6am?

Because it's no good going back to sleep at this time when your body is ramping up the cortisol - you are more likely to have vivid (and anxious) dreams and wake up with a panic attack. Your body is preparing to wake up - not fall back to sleep.
My husband and son both talk in their sleep. Hilariously, one of Hub's sleep-liners was, 'What have you been ordering now?'.
Well I do use Amazon a lot...:roflmao:

Nooo. I don't fall back to sleep at 6am. I was going to bed at 6am. I've been having constant nocturnal panic attacks the past couple of days. Had 3 last night that I counted. I couldn't sleep until 4am, woke up hour later in an actual panic attack. Heartrate was so fast that I had to sit up and watch something for 10 minutes and tell myself "You're fine". But all 3 times drenched in sweat. Had one about 7am and another at 9am. Then woke up at 11am and couldn't sleep.

4 days with no diazepam that's why. They'll be available at my pharmacy Thursday :(

[WiredIncorrectly]

Yes I get them today! I called my doctor I told her I have ran out sooner than expected. I told her I've been dealing with flu since last Monday and it's made me more anxious that I have COVID. Which is true. My anxiety has been sky high the past 2 weeks in general since the numbers started rising. She said it is understandable and she'll put more through for today.

[NoraB]

Nooo. I don't fall back to sleep at 6am. I was going to bed at 6am. I've been having constant nocturnal panic attacks the past couple of days. Had 3 last night that I counted. I couldn't sleep until 4am, woke up hour later in an actual panic attack. Heartrate was so fast that I had to sit up and watch something for 10 minutes and tell myself "You're fine". But all 3 times drenched in sweat. Had one about 7am and another at 9am. Then woke up at 11am and couldn't sleep.

4 days with no diazepam that's why. They'll be available at my pharmacy Thursday :(

Sorry, I'm getting confused here. So, you've been taking diazepam and you ran out?

[WiredIncorrectly]

Sorry, I'm getting confused here. So, you've been taking diazepam and you ran out?

I have noctoral panic attacks and have done since my first University exams. The medication I take (Diazepam) stops me having them. When I don't have my medication I am prone to them. I got my medications yesterday and didn't have a nocturnal attack last night.

Sorry for the confusion he he.

[NoraB]

I have noctoral panic attacks and have done since my first University exams. The medication I take (Diazepam) stops me having them. When I don't have my medication I am prone to them. I got my medications yesterday and didn't have a nocturnal attack last night.

Sorry for the confusion he he.

How long have you been on the Diazepam? It's short-term drug isn't it? Also, suddenly stopping this medication will absolutely make your symptoms worse, and then some! :scared15:

[LittleMissSleepy]

All but my first PAs are during the night. Just trying to relax today after my longest episode last night. It's due to anxiety/ stress - mainly covid19 threat (hard to avoid) and from waking with heat and elevated heart rate. I'm so exhausted by this.
During my PA I'm frozen to one spot in bed usually, while shaking. Couldn't get up if I tried.
How does it affect everyone else?

[Solarbind]

Yes, definitely and is very scary if you had it while asleep. :S