Waking up unable to breathe very scary

I’m really worried about this and wondered if anyone else has ever experienced this?

Last night I woke up suddenly about 2 hours after I fell asleep and my throat felt closed and I couldn’t get any air in or swallow, it was very frightening and I felt like I was being strangled and choking. I was still half asleep but I remember rolling onto my front and trying to get up but was unable to breathe for what felt like so long but I think it lasted a few seconds and then went back to normal. Then straight after I started panicking and my heart began racing and I was in a cold sweat and I felt so awful and now really anxious about it. I felt ok last night before I fell asleep so I don’t know what’s going on.

I have had these episodes during my sleep in the past, but this is the first in about a year and I forgot how scary they were. It’s almost 3am and I’m forcing myself to stay awake as I’m too afraid to go to sleep and all I can focus on is my throat and my breathing. I felt scared to eat today and only has small, easy to eat meals.

I don’t know if I can contact my gp about this because of covid, I don’t know what to do and really freaking out right now :weep:

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Originally Posted by Marie89

I’m really worried about this and wondered if anyone else has ever experienced this?

Last night I woke up suddenly about 2 hours after I fell asleep and my throat felt closed and I couldn’t get any air in or swallow, it was very frightening and I felt like I was being strangled and choking. I was still half asleep but I remember rolling onto my front and trying to get up but was unable to breathe for what felt like so long but I think it lasted a few seconds and then went back to normal. Then straight after I started panicking and my heart began racing and I was in a cold sweat and I felt so awful and now really anxious about it. I felt ok last night before I fell asleep so I don’t know what’s going on.

I have had these episodes during my sleep in the past, but this is the first in about a year and I forgot how scary they were. It’s almost 3am and I’m forcing myself to stay awake as I’m too afraid to go to sleep and all I can focus on is my throat and my breathing. I felt scared to eat today and only has small, easy to eat meals.

I don’t know if I can contact my gp about this because of covid, I don’t know what to do and really freaking out right now :weep:

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Hi Marie, this could be me as i’ve had exactly the same for a couple of nights, last night was ok. Never had this before, just woke me up out of the blue felt like i was choking couldn’t get my breathe, really scared, my focus is always on my throat at the best of times now i’ve got this to worry over as well. One thing was that i was lying on my back when it happened & last night on my left side when it didn’t, i’m sticking to side sleeping for a while to see how it goes. Sorry i can’t be much help just wanted you to know you’re not alone.

Hi Redsmun, thanks for your message and I’m so sorry you are also experiencing this. I think it happens more when I’m lying on my back too so I try to sleep on my side. I felt a little better yesterday and managed to get some stuff done round the house and watched a film, but the worry is still in the back of my head. I’m all out of routine because of lockdown and I’ve been staying up until 4 or 5 in the morning and getting up at lunch time. I’m hoping I can get into a better routine in the next week, which hopefully will help me focus on other things. Hope you’re feeling ok x

This could also be post nasal drip, or even sleep apnea. I have night terrors which can cause similar symptoms. The night terrors occur during times of stress, medication changes, or lack of sleep. My partner says when I sleep on my back I snore and sometimes stop breathing for up to 30 seconds. You can have a sleep study done but I'm not sure if they'd be available during the pandemic.

I now sleep facing the wall on my side with a large pillow behind my back which seems to stop me rolling over onto my back :winks: