Panic Attacks During Sleep
Panic attacks while sleeping are common for some people.
Although they may seem to have no apparent cause, they are usually the result of stress during the day.
Like any form of panic and anxiety, there is a root cause, whether it be a traumatic event, ongoing stress, or change in life like moving house.
It is likely that this cause is being ignored while awake and not faced up to and so they are upsetting the sleep and causing panic at night.
Other complications can develop in a person who begins to suffer from sleep panic attacks regularly.
It may be that they become afraid of going to sleep and start to then suffer sleep deprivation and insomnia.
It could be that the sleep attacks are disturbing their routine of sleep already.
In turn, leading to more tiredness and stress and so increased chance of feeling anxious.
First, it is important to realize that you are in no physical danger.
It is strange and disorientating when you wake up in the middle of a panic attack.
You need to quickly remember you cannot be hurt by this.
Next, calm down in the same way as if the attack had occurred during the day with deep breathing and relaxation exercises.
It is possible to feel a bit paralyzed as you are not fully awake, but it is nothing to worry about.
When the body is in REM sleep, it is normal for some muscles to become inactive as they undergo the natural repair process.
It is abnormal for a person to ever notice this effect of paralysis but it is not a great concern.
To stop sleep panic attacks, the root cause of the anxiety needs to be addressed, just like with any other type of attack.
The risk of an attack happening can be reduced with some immediate actions.
One benefit to your mental state is to exercise a little in the evening and stretch afterwards.
It is good for everyone to stretch out the leg muscles and helps you to relax in preparation for sleep.
There are similar symptoms experienced by those with sleep apnea and other conditions.
If the attacks only ever come about while sleeping then you need to think about whether it may not be panic attacks but one of the other sleep-related conditions.
It is advisable to talk to your doctor about this.
Although they may seem to have no apparent cause, they are usually the result of stress during the day.
Like any form of panic and anxiety, there is a root cause, whether it be a traumatic event, ongoing stress, or change in life like moving house.
It is likely that this cause is being ignored while awake and not faced up to and so they are upsetting the sleep and causing panic at night.
Other complications can develop in a person who begins to suffer from sleep panic attacks regularly.
It may be that they become afraid of going to sleep and start to then suffer sleep deprivation and insomnia.
It could be that the sleep attacks are disturbing their routine of sleep already.
In turn, leading to more tiredness and stress and so increased chance of feeling anxious.
First, it is important to realize that you are in no physical danger.
It is strange and disorientating when you wake up in the middle of a panic attack.
You need to quickly remember you cannot be hurt by this.
Next, calm down in the same way as if the attack had occurred during the day with deep breathing and relaxation exercises.
It is possible to feel a bit paralyzed as you are not fully awake, but it is nothing to worry about.
When the body is in REM sleep, it is normal for some muscles to become inactive as they undergo the natural repair process.
It is abnormal for a person to ever notice this effect of paralysis but it is not a great concern.
To stop sleep panic attacks, the root cause of the anxiety needs to be addressed, just like with any other type of attack.
The risk of an attack happening can be reduced with some immediate actions.
One benefit to your mental state is to exercise a little in the evening and stretch afterwards.
It is good for everyone to stretch out the leg muscles and helps you to relax in preparation for sleep.
There are similar symptoms experienced by those with sleep apnea and other conditions.
If the attacks only ever come about while sleeping then you need to think about whether it may not be panic attacks but one of the other sleep-related conditions.
It is advisable to talk to your doctor about this.