have you ever woken up in the middle of the night in a panic attack?
when i sleep in the dark sometimes i wake up suddenly, in a full blown panic attack,i guess its a panic attack cause it feels likei m panicing.i have to get up and turn all the lights on and take really deep breaths and a couple of times ive even had to go outside because i felt like i was too closed in or somthing.so now i sleep with a night light and the t.v. on.so it doesnt happen any more.it almost happened to me in a movie theatre one time but i controlled it.has this ever happened to you and did you get help for it?what is it called?
thanks!
People with anxiety disorders can sometimes be awakened at night by panic attacks. We know that most nighttime panic attacks aren’t caused by dreams.Records of sleep polysomnographia show that most panic attacks take place during the early sleep phase (phase II), not during the REM phase associated with dreams.This is different from nightmares. Nightmares happen during the second half of the
night, so we’re often able to remember the content of these dreams.
If you wake with a panic attack, implement the One Move—that should help you significantly drop your anxiety level. It’s important not to go to bed fearing you might have a panic attack. Go to bed confident that if one should arise, you’ll successfully deal with it. That way, you don’t put yourself under pressure to not have a panic attack. Many panic attacks are experienced at the very moment of falling asleep. Here’s a description a woman gave of her experience:Getting to sleep is a real problem. Just as I’m about to drop off to sleep, my body seems to jolt awake, like an electric shock, which then frightens me and keeps me awake for hours.This jolt is called a hypnic jerk, or hypnagogic massive jerk. A hypnic jerk usually occurs just as the person enters sleep. People often describe it as a falling 120 sensation or an electric shock, and it’s a completely normal experience. It’s most common when we’re sleeping uncomfortably or overtired. There’s been little
research on the subject, but there are some theories as to why hypnic jerks occur.When we drift off into sleep, the body undergoes changes in temperature,breathing, and muscle relaxation. The hypnic jerk may be a result of the muscles relaxing. The brain misinterprets this as a sign of falling, and it signals our limbs to wake up, hence the jerking legs or arms.People turn hypnic jerks into panic attacks because they already feel nervous about their condition and the jolt scares them into thinking something bad is happening.Again, it’s a fearful reaction to a sensation. Usually when these people wake up,they gasp for air, and this can also turn into a fear of a breathing problem while sleeping. If you jolt awake with panic, then simply understanding the nature of a
hypnic jerk can strip away the anxiety from the experience. Reassure yourself that you’re safe and that the jerk isn’t something to worry about. It doesn’t disrupt your bodily functions, and it doesn’t put you in any danger.
Comments
Comment from chopsaw
Time October 8, 2009 at 6:37 pm
That is a panic attack and yes a lot of us have had them…………are you doing or taking any drugs at all…………….if so what…………I don’t want to know……..but you need to…………..alcohol, weed, something that is foreign to your body………pills…………..you can figure it out. In most cases it will be something else like that………….but later on it can be a death in your family or a close friend , or a scary book, or a bad movie………….but take a look at what you are consuming first.
References :
Comment from LOveToDance
Time October 8, 2009 at 7:01 pm
yes it has happend to me and sometimes bad because sometimes i stop breathing for a few seconds when i suddenly get up!! but ive learned to cope with it and try to be more calm and not panic alot..it happends every so often.
References :
Comment from Tayce M
Time October 8, 2009 at 7:44 pm
yes – it’s night terrors. I get them too 
I don’t know if you can get rid of them, I just live with it.
I usually always sleep better if I have someone with me – also if I have the radio on or something – makes me feel kind of like someone is there, you know?
References :
Comment from George F
Time October 8, 2009 at 8:34 pm
Many times but I have used supplements to help me. Look at the ehow below I wrote. Good luck
References :
http://www.ehow.com/how_4671181_help-anxiety-panic-supplements.html
Comment from is it 5 yet?
Time October 8, 2009 at 9:11 pm
People with anxiety disorders can sometimes be awakened at night by panic attacks. We know that most nighttime panic attacks aren’t caused by dreams.Records of sleep polysomnographia show that most panic attacks take place during the early sleep phase (phase II), not during the REM phase associated with dreams.This is different from nightmares. Nightmares happen during the second half of the
night, so we’re often able to remember the content of these dreams.
If you wake with a panic attack, implement the One Move—that should help you significantly drop your anxiety level. It’s important not to go to bed fearing you might have a panic attack. Go to bed confident that if one should arise, you’ll successfully deal with it. That way, you don’t put yourself under pressure to not have a panic attack. Many panic attacks are experienced at the very moment of falling asleep. Here’s a description a woman gave of her experience:Getting to sleep is a real problem. Just as I’m about to drop off to sleep, my body seems to jolt awake, like an electric shock, which then frightens me and keeps me awake for hours.This jolt is called a hypnic jerk, or hypnagogic massive jerk. A hypnic jerk usually occurs just as the person enters sleep. People often describe it as a falling 120 sensation or an electric shock, and it’s a completely normal experience. It’s most common when we’re sleeping uncomfortably or overtired. There’s been little
research on the subject, but there are some theories as to why hypnic jerks occur.When we drift off into sleep, the body undergoes changes in temperature,breathing, and muscle relaxation. The hypnic jerk may be a result of the muscles relaxing. The brain misinterprets this as a sign of falling, and it signals our limbs to wake up, hence the jerking legs or arms.People turn hypnic jerks into panic attacks because they already feel nervous about their condition and the jolt scares them into thinking something bad is happening.Again, it’s a fearful reaction to a sensation. Usually when these people wake up,they gasp for air, and this can also turn into a fear of a breathing problem while sleeping. If you jolt awake with panic, then simply understanding the nature of a
hypnic jerk can strip away the anxiety from the experience. Reassure yourself that you’re safe and that the jerk isn’t something to worry about. It doesn’t disrupt your bodily functions, and it doesn’t put you in any danger.
References :
Comment from Chandler A
Time October 8, 2009 at 9:40 pm
There are 2 programs out there that are famous for treating Panic Attacks and Anxiety successfully.
They are: Panic Away and The Linden Method.
You may wonder, "Which one is better?" Don’t worry, you’re not the only one with that question.
The Panic Away program is more appropriate for people who can cope with their Panic Attacks or Anxiety well.
Linden Method is more for those who aren’t really good in coping their Panic Attacks or Anxiety well.
Check out the reference for the full comparison.
References :
http://PanicAwayLindenMethod.blogspot.com
Comment from Samantha H
Time October 8, 2009 at 6:02 pm
this defintally happens to me and i also just started falling asleep with the tv on, and it helps to sleep with someone. i have found the name of it but its more of just a fear so its more like you have to face it and hopefully it goes away or u have to learn how to fix it
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