Sleep Panic Attacks
What does a panic attack feel like? The symptoms of a panic attack are usually a racing or pounding heartbeat, difficulty breathing, fear of dying, stomach pains, nausea, loss of control, numbness in your hand and fingers, and pure absolute terror. Imagine having these symptoms when you’re supposed to be at your most relaxed state, when you’re sleeping. Panic attacks usually happen as a climax to all the stress you’ve accumulated. Panic attacks are signs that your body and mind has crossed their capacity and reached their limits. Panic attacks coincide with anxiety over load and can happen anytime, even when you are sleeping.
Sleep Sound without Panic Attacks
Over half of the people diagnosed with panic disorders suffer from nocturnal or sleep panic attacks. A lot of people who suffer from sleep panic attacks start to get anxious around nighttime or before they go to bed. Their symptoms closely resemble a heart attack and they’re more likely to injure themselves when they are in a comatose state. During sleep panic attacks, you are awoken right in the middle of a panic attack without the escalations of symptoms leading to that attack.
There are ways to control your sleep panic attacks. Your doctor can prescribe you with anti-anxiety pills, antidepressant, or beta-blockers. Beta-blockers help keep your heart rate and adrenaline down. You can take beta blocker before a stressful activity like a speech or even before bed to minimize sleep attacks. Some other ways you can control your panic attacks without the help of medication is to keep your stress levels down.
Here are some tips for a panic-free night’s rest:
- Learn what your limits are and know when to say “no”. Pushing yourself to the limit will only stress you out even more.
- Take an hour everyday just for yourself. You can read a book, go for a walk, or workout; anything that sets time aside for you to relax.
- Talk to someone. Having someone to talk to about your stressful day or anxiety is very therapeutic.
- Avoid drinking any stimulants before bed such a coffee or soda.
- Abstain from eating 4 hours before bed.
- Follow guidelines for preventing panic attacks in general. This will help you at night as well as it does during the day.
- Have a nighttime routine that includes calming activities like reading in bed or writing in a journal. Sleep panic attacks often happens when you are traveling, stressed or feeling out of sorts.
- Control your breathing. Controlling your breathing can play a big role in stopping panic attacks. It will help gain you control of your mind which will help subside a panic attack.
Sleep Sound without Panic Attacks