CryingDutchman
05-19-2008, 08:53 AM
I've been having nocturnal anxiety attacks lately.
Until very recently I didn't even know it existed - I had it before and thought I had sleep apnea (the condition where you stop breathing in your sleep).
I wake with a terrible fright either right after falling asleep or in the middle of the night. It's a truly horrendous experience; I often feel as if I've just escaped death. It's a very physical sensation and it can reverberate through my body for the rest of the day.
The interesting thing is that I have virtually no anxiety attacks in the day time at the moment - instead I now have them in my sleep and I dread going to bed (I stay up later than I should, and my sleep is vital for my health).
I discovered the existence of nocturnal anxiety attacks in a book ('Working through Panic'). Quote:
'Researchers described them (nocturnal anxiety attacks) as 'an upward surge of indescribable nature, an electric sort of feeling ascending from the abdomen to the head sometimes followed by bodily jerks, or a violent explosion and/or a flash of light'
The researchers also note that a 'sense of alarm', together with a cold sweat, labored breathing and tachycardia often follow.
(...)
Our study shows that 71% of people who experience this type of attack reported that they find it difficult to link these sensations to that of adrenalin and the flight-or-fight response. The study also showed that 69% of people with panic disorder reported they experienced an attack while going to sleep, and 86% reported that an attack wakes them from sleep.
Though I am sort of relieved to find it is a known symptom of anxiety disorders, I am also dreading it every night. My daytime attacks I have now got a handle on (most of the time), but if they happen in your sleep... what can you do about it?
Does anyone else experience nocturnal anxiety attacks? How do you handle them?
Until very recently I didn't even know it existed - I had it before and thought I had sleep apnea (the condition where you stop breathing in your sleep).
I wake with a terrible fright either right after falling asleep or in the middle of the night. It's a truly horrendous experience; I often feel as if I've just escaped death. It's a very physical sensation and it can reverberate through my body for the rest of the day.
The interesting thing is that I have virtually no anxiety attacks in the day time at the moment - instead I now have them in my sleep and I dread going to bed (I stay up later than I should, and my sleep is vital for my health).
I discovered the existence of nocturnal anxiety attacks in a book ('Working through Panic'). Quote:
'Researchers described them (nocturnal anxiety attacks) as 'an upward surge of indescribable nature, an electric sort of feeling ascending from the abdomen to the head sometimes followed by bodily jerks, or a violent explosion and/or a flash of light'
The researchers also note that a 'sense of alarm', together with a cold sweat, labored breathing and tachycardia often follow.
(...)
Our study shows that 71% of people who experience this type of attack reported that they find it difficult to link these sensations to that of adrenalin and the flight-or-fight response. The study also showed that 69% of people with panic disorder reported they experienced an attack while going to sleep, and 86% reported that an attack wakes them from sleep.
Though I am sort of relieved to find it is a known symptom of anxiety disorders, I am also dreading it every night. My daytime attacks I have now got a handle on (most of the time), but if they happen in your sleep... what can you do about it?
Does anyone else experience nocturnal anxiety attacks? How do you handle them?