Startled awake in the middle of night!!

[Blessed]

Has this happened to anyone and why? I was asleep for maybe 30 minutes then felt this rush of shear terror and adrenalin sweep all over me. I sat straight up in bed my heart beating very hard and fast, I got up not knowing where I was heading with intentions of going to ER. I thought this was it. Looked at myself in the mirror and just about lost it. I finally calmed down but woke up extremely jittery and nauseous,. I haven't had a panic attack that severe in a while, what the heck?????

[onebreathatatime]

I woke up startled last night as well.. although for me, I have been focusing on my vision a lot lately and my eye doctor told me to keep an eye if I see flashes, etc... so I woke up and with my eyes still closed I felt like a light flashed and I could see like a shadow of my whole eye. It scared me so much that I almost had a panic attack. I think a lot of the issues during the night are our sub-conscious fears, worries coming to light. I used to have panic attacks almost every night and it was the same thing you are describing. I usually have water by my bed, and when I wake up and realize it wasn't "real" as such, I talk myself out of it, do some deep breathing and start thinking happy thoughts. :) Hang in there!

[Blessed]

When your does this does you heart rate stay elevated thru the next day ???

[petrified]

This has happened to me a few times its horrible I think mines due to not switching off at night properley so mind is still working overtime plus I'm tired quite abit lately. Often when it happens I am panicky all the next day and can't settle. It's like a viscous circle :-(

[onebreathatatime]

When your does this does you heart rate stay elevated thru the next day ???

Hi Blessed, my heart rate only stays elevated if I focus on it. If I have the attitude that it happened and I don't care, it seems to fade a lot quicker. If my mind wants to keep going back to that situation, I keep changing my thoughts to other happy/calmer things, if I have to work on changing my mind set 100 times a day, I will..lol.. I don't like when I allow myself to give in to my anxiety!! Drives me batty! You will get there, just keep your mind on other things. :):)

[kelseyt]

Has this happened to anyone and why? I was asleep for maybe 30 minutes then felt this rush of shear terror and adrenalin sweep all over me. I sat straight up in bed my heart beating very hard and fast, I got up not knowing where I was heading with intentions of going to ER. I thought this was it. Looked at myself in the mirror and just about lost it. I finally calmed down but woke up extremely jittery and nauseous,. I haven't had a panic attack that severe in a while, what the heck?????

It's strange how much I can relate to this. It's also happened to me and I've sat straight up in bed with my heart beating so fast I thought I was dying. When this happens to me I find it helps to get up and walk around the room. As hard as it is to do it because you feel like you want to curl up in a ball and wait for the attack to be over, it helps because you aren't giving in. Just keep repeating to yourself that its your anxiety and you will not let it beat you. Deep breathing as you walk. I hope this helps. :)

[Cobra]

I do this, but its usually from sleep apnea. You stop breathing for a second and you're body jerks you awake. Usually happens when I'm exhausted.