Scared to fall asleep

[kelseyt]

So recently I've developed a new symptom of anxiety, one I haven't actually heard many people talking about.

It's fairly "normal" for us with anxiety to be scared to fall asleep, like the feeling like you won't wake up. But my fight or flight response has actually started kicking in the second before I fall asleep now. I'll just be laying there with my eyes closed and as soon as I get relaxed I'll get a huge rush of adrenaline that makes me wide awake.
It's sort of like that feeling you get of falling then you jolt awake sometimes when you're about to fall asleep but worse, because it completely alarms me as I go from relaxed to that much adrenaline in a split second. I then can't get back relaxed enough to try again because of all the adrenaline in my system. This can go on for hours until I'm so completely exhausted that I pass out and get about 2 hours sleep as I need to wake up early.

Has anyone else ever experienced this?
I'd really like some advice.

[NixonRulz]

I used to get the exact same feeling

I remember dozing off to a trip to New York and my eyes shot wide open forum the rush.

My anxiety/ panic wasn't really scaring me that much at that time so i didn't freak out. Just thought, wow, that was powerful

Funny you bring this up, yesterday after work I started drifting off on the couch and I don't know if I was dreaming something or what but the adrenaline hit me for a second. Haven't felt that in a few years.

Fortunately, my anxiety doesn't really scare me so I just chalked it up to anxiety and went to sleep.

I do understand why it would bothers you though. Certainly is scary if your emotions are heightened.

Sleep well tonight!