Fear death upon sleeping...

[Don'tPanicAaah!]

It is 4:18 a.m...I need sleep and am scared awake by the fear of my death if I fall asleep. True, this sounds dramatic, but my symptoms are overwhelming me, even after I have "simmah'd down now" ...I am uncertain as to if it anxiety because despite being down a little, I feel pretty chill mentally...

My Symptoms :rolleyes: (I am 26yr old F 1/2pack a day smoker)

*stiffness, tightness, burning in upper back and under left breast
*major light headedness-kinda pressure...somewhat dizzying not really tho
*left ear kinda rings and feel funny, jaw kinda does too
*lungs feel stiff when breathing, having to take gasps for air
*experiencing random tingling sensations
*tired as all hell

[gtrgrl3369]

Sorry to ear you are feeling this doom. The symptoms you described sound like anxiety. The tingling you get is from not taking a deep breath when you breath. If it is too shallow and coming from the upper chest it will cause tingling. The stiff jaw is probably caused by grinding your teeth even f you are unaware that you are doing it. Fear of death is common in anxiety. I had alot of sleepless nights because of this and the more tired I got the worse it got. Have you had a sleep aid? You can get them over the counter. Once you can get a good nights sleep alot of this will disappear. When you lay down to sleep try to do deep breathing for a sloid fifteen minutes. That usually puts me right to sleep because it helps to relax all of my muscles. I hope this helps some. Take care.

[AntiLove_SuperStar]

This is really interesting...I think I dislike going to sleep because its a "rehearsal for death". urghghhg

As for the fear of it keeping you awake, one strategy might be to "forget" about sleeping, get up and do something absorbing but not too exciting, and you might just fall asleep where you drop, if you get me.

[Granny Primark]

My mum died suddenly in her sleep at the age of 60 of a heart attack.
Ive got a horrible fear of doing the same.

[Cathy V]

Hi there. Its such a shame that this has overwhelmed you so much. You are very young to fear this though. I worked for many years for a doctor and i have never, ever, heard of anyone as young as you dying in their sleep.

For people who are anxious, sleeping can sometimes feel like they are not in control...its a bit like going into the unknown. But sleep is when your body repairs and rests. Your body does a good job for you, it carries you around and keeps you nourished and gets rid of the bad stuff if you let it, and anxiety is really down to our reactions and our bodies are only doing what theyre programmed to do when we are anxious.

Trust your body ok? its really not going to let you down when you sleep...it needs you to sleep, if you deny yourself the sleep then your anxiety will only increase...viscious circle. I have a heart attack phobia. Im 55 now and have been waiting for my heart attack for 33 years. Please sleep ok?

Best wishes
Cathy xxx :)

[turtleonaleash]

I have been afraid of dying in my sleep since I was a child. I am now 21 and every night when I go to sleep I am convinced it will be my last.