Racing Heart

[j2]

Last night was horrible. I must have woken up 10 times in full panic mode. My heart was racing and skipping beats and scaring me to death. I couldn't go back to sleep as I was terrified and even after I felt better, the sound of my heartbeat was freaking me out. I was sweating and felt ill. My calves are having sharp pains, I feel like I am in a fog and the left side of my face feels slightly numb. I can't take another night like this. Does anyone have any advice?

Thanks

[Carys]

In the past if I've had night time panics, I didn't bother lying there and getting more worked up - I got up and did something, even if it was the dead of night. Make a cup of tea, reading a book, even some night-time cleaning !

[j2]

Did your panics wake you up from a sleep? This is something that really scares me as I have never had an attack wake me up.

[Carys]

I can't recall if they woke me, as such, but I was aware they were happening from the moment I woke up...if that makes sense. It could be that you are not fully and deeply asleep and are so aware of your body and so intensely anxious that your panic attack starts before you are fully awake ?!

[j2]

I am not sure what it is but I know that I am not sleeping and this is leading to intensifying my symptoms and thus making think there is something else wrong with me and them making me anxious and the cycle worsens.