waking up having a panic attack

[koala]

I have had anxiety for about 12 years and last night for the first time ever I woke up having a panic attack. I had a dream where someone had built a corridor infront of my bedroom door meaning I couldn't easily escape my room to get to the toilet. I had to go a massive long detour and it paniced me and made me feel claustraphobic. Then I woke up, panicing. I knew there was no way this corridor was real but I couldn't calm myself down until I got out of bed to check this dream corridor didn't actually exist. Once I had checked I did settle down and get back to sleep quickly but I have never woke up having a panic attack before and I just wondered if it has happened to anyone else?

I have had a stressful few weeks so I don't know if that has caused it but things have started to settle down again and the last few days I have felt quite relaxed so I am not sure what has triggered it?

[Elle__4]

Dreams and nightmares.. they can play havoc with us can't they?!

I often wake up with my heart hammering but I don't know if it is due to a dream. I just seem to go from a deep sleep to instantly opening my eyes, feeling totally refreshed, wide awake, totally switched on, alert, focused and ready to go, with my heart racing and thudding like a jackhammer.

Weird.

On the bright side, it's good for when when I need to be up and about!

[jennywren13]

I'm not 100% sure the panic attack wakes us up. I personally believe we wake up and then our mind starts racing and we interpret physical feelings as a threat and start panicking.

But yes, it has happened to me a few times. Mostly I can talk myself down and stay in bed and eventually drift back to sleep. A few times I have been so wound up I haven't been able to sleep again.

It's horrible isn't it?