Sensation of losing your breath,when falling asleep.

Idaly158 · Post by **Idaly158** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 1:57 am

I've been having trouble sleeping for the past 3 weeks. The weirdest thing happens to me, right when i'm falling asleep i feel like i'm going and right then and there i loss my breath.I sit up try to breath slowly and when i try to go to sleep again , it happens again. If this happen to any of you please let me know. Everynight i'm scare to go to sleep

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 2:20 am

it happens to me too. I just try to talk myself into calming down, reposition myself, and try to go to sleep. There are so many wierd things the mind can do to the body during these acute anxiety episodes. Just know you are not alone.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 5:51 am

This happens to me too, but I've managed to find an answer for myself. In addition to following the "Sleepless in Seattle..." by Carolyn Dickman suggestions at the back of session 3 in the workbook and addressing my physical health issues (hormones/thyroid/pain/etc.) with herbal therapy, I started using "Healthful Sleep" guided imagery CD by Belleruth Naparstek found at <A HREF="http://healthjourneys.com/Product_Detai ... d=-1&id=13" TARGET=_blank>http://healthjourneys.com/Product_Detai ... 1&id=13</A>. I'm slowly but surely overcoming this sleep trouble that I've been dealing with for some time now and it was the CD that really started to plug it in. It's working for me, I hope it's a helpful suggestion for you.

Eileen

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 8:27 am

OH MY GOSH you have NO idea how much this is me. That was one of my biggest issues ever. It stopped for me (not all the way) last week because before bed i take Ativan and also i would try to not let it scare me so much. I had to go through it to get better with it. I would wake up in the middle of the night or right when I'd go to sleep id feel like i was jolted up by something and felt like i was going to stop breathing. I would wake up with complete fear and panic and had a lot of bad nights. I feel for you so much and wish i could be there for you because i know EXACTLY what you're going through. Do you have the program?? PM me anytime too. This is just anxiety i swear. it is a terrible feeling but the more fear we give it the more it fuels. . Remember, breathing, swallowing, heart beats, blinking. . is all automatic and no matter how much we think we control it our body is so much smarter than us and works to survive. You will not stop breathing no matter how much you think you will. My therapist had to tell me this every session and finally i got it. when i'd feel that way i would say to myself "Holly you cannot stop breathing its automatic" PLUS even if we did stop breathing you wouldn't wake up in panic. You wouldn't wake up at all. But you wont stop breathing. You should read some of my posts. Most of them are about my breathing issues (and swallowing issues) and the replies were great. Youre post just sounds exactly like something i would have written. . or wrote. I read your post to my boyfriend and he was like that sounds exactly like you. I was like I KNOW!!! If i have gotten over this (still some issues but instead of giving them fear i just think its annoying and it goes away fast and without panic. so yes i have felt exactly what you feel and im sorry youre going through this. mine last about 3 weeks too. . sometimes i was scared to sleep i would just stay up all night. it was awful. the program and posting on here will help. . . I do have to give a lot of credit to my friends here who have helped me and my therapist telling me all the time that i wont stop and how its automatic etc etc. . sometimes we need to reassured a lot while dealing with this. I am here for you!

crayzikat · Post by **crayzikat** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 10:06 am

I just really want to thank all of you for your kind words. I feel so much better that i'm not the only one going through this . It's amazing what anxiety can do to us. Yes holly i do have the program it has helped me , but for the past 3 weeks i've been having this trouble sleeping. I just hope it stops soon cause is so scary.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 10:42 am

Hello I am new to this too and also have the breathing problem. I have learned that you have to just say "oh it's anxiety oh well it's not going to ruin my day or sleeping" Thet has worked for me. I still get the problem but it doesn't last very long because I forget about it. I also suggest reading something happy like a stupid magazine or a good funny book or something until you can't keep you eyes open any longer then it gets your mind off of thinking about it. Good luck.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 2:15 am

holy ....! this happends to me too! i'm up right now looking for some post in the forum that has anything to do with whats keeping me up like now! its been happening to me and it creeps the hell out of me and when i try to ignore it and go back to falling asleep... boom! it happens! its late where im at and i want to get some sleep but this thing you guys discribed keeps messing around!

sablan.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 7:03 am

This used to happen to me when my panic was at its worst.

Right before I would dose off and RELAX (key term), something would trigger a sensation of stopped breathing, and I would GASP and wake up in a panic.

I talked to my Doctor about it at the time, and he knoddingly informed that it was all a symptom of panic disorder.

After getting that reassurance and knowing what was going on, for me it did not bother me anymore.