Waking up with attacks

momto3 · Post by **momto3** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 2:49 pm

Does anyone out there experience drifting off to sleep and about 30 mins to an hour later you wake up panic stricken like something is wrong. Maybe even jump out of bed and notice your heart is racing so fast? Is this a panic attack happeniing in your sleep? I almost feel like my body must stay so tense all day that when I finally get to sleep and start to relax my body freaks out like hey what is this you're suppose to be on guard. Anyway -it usually subsides within 30 minutes but I just wanted to know is any one else like me!!! I use to experience this and just go right back to sleep but now since I am very aware of my heart-it scares me again-I hate it!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 3:23 pm

You are not alone. I have had panic attacks wake me up and it usually scares me quite a bit! I jump out of bed and usually run to wherever my husband is at the time since I go to bed so much earlier than him. My heart races and I feel as if I am going to faint or black out. Thankfully it always goes away, but it always takes me a while to get back to sleep afterwards since I am afraid of it happening again.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 3:39 pm

been having this lately myself, in fact this morning I woke up at 1:40 sweating, heart racing, jumped out of bed to go pee, and I was dizzy. Thankfully I was able to fall right back asleep. I guess I was just so exhausted from panicking during the day, and then this attack. But every morning here lately i have been waking at 3:30 wide awake and just anxious wondering what the day will bring. Kinda hard to follow some of the steps people preach, when you are SLEEPING, and really have no control over your though process.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 3:47 pm

I too wake up like that and I have to do my breathing and sometimes listen to the relaxation tape to fall asleep again. Mornings are the worst for me too. If anyone can figure it out I'd be grateful.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 4:18 pm

For all of you who have had these attacks out of sleep AMEN. I started get them every so often. eventually they started happening every night. I started sleeping in a diffrent room than my husband...I would be in a deep sleep then wake up with my heart racing as though I had just had a vigurous work out. I could feel my heartbeat throughout my body especially my arms. I would be so alarmed by this I would stand straight up put of bed and feel like I was going to pass out. It was VERY scary and I had to start taking my Xanax just to get some sleep. I am a fighter though and don't like dependency on anything especially meds. About a year earlier I had bought a portable biofeedback device. I hadn't really used it much. I also have been seeing a therapist and asked her what the deal was. She said improper breathing throughout the day. It leads to hyperventillation in your sleep. I thought can it really be that simple that it has to do with my breathing? So I started using my biofeedback device faithfully for a month. Every night before bed I would use it for about 15 min. I started having no problems at all with waking up. I slept through the whole night no problems. It really was as simple as my breathing. The biofeedback device I bought was called the stress eraser its about 175.00. You can go to the website <A HREF="http://www.stresseraser.com" TARGET=_blank>www.stresseraser.com</A>. It really helped me so much. Yes you can just do your breathing without the biofeedback device but it gives you feedback and that has been monumental in teaching me the proper technique to breathing. Good luck to all of you. I know what it feels like and it isn't fun. If you have any questions please feel free to send me a message.

JayBee7 · Post by **JayBee7** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 12:31 pm

Thank you all for responding-this is such a wonderful place to be able to share your fears with others and they share some of the same things you do-it helps you to feel you are not crazy and alone with these problems. I have recently tried listening to my relaxation cd before I fall asleep amd i think it is helping me. Thanks AGAIN to all!!!!!

"BE ANXIOUS FOR NOTHING , BUT IN EVERYTHING BY PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION WITH THANKSGIVING LET YOUR REQUESTS BE MADE KNOWN TO GOD. AND THE PEACE OF GOD,WHICH SURPASSES ALL COMPREHENSION,SHALL GUARD YOUR HEARTS AND YOUR MINDS IN CHRIST JESUS. PHILLIPIANS 4:6-7

Angie S · Post by **Angie S** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 6:34 pm

Yes I wake up in the middle of the night like that also and I hate it. I feel like one day I am going to have a heart attack or something from it. These waking up attacks started happening a month or so ago on top of my other issues and I hate it

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Oct 19, 2008 4:24 am

alright, any advise for this, I too wake up during the night, it is mostly when I know there are open issues at work that need to be addressed with our customers. I panic thinking the worse and don't know how to stop that part"this is not my fault" and no one is blaming me but I feel the need to fix these problems. I awake at 3:30 most every night sweating and in great panic, I usually keep myself in check not to jump up out of bed right away, but I do have issues with getting back to sleep. I have used the stoplight visualization and breathing, but they are only working in small amounts. How do you cope with real issues at work, not just daily worry, which I also do.

Thanks,
Scott