Feeling like my heart is going to stop whilst going sleep

[gunblast_thinkfast]

Hi everyone, this is my first post although I have been through anxiety for a good year and a half now since having my first panic attack, but I am much much better than I was. Every now and again a new symptom will arise and this is what I wanted to ask you about.

Last night I awoke at 2am and was absolutely wide awake. If I didnt know how to stop my racing thoughts Im sure I would have had them, but as it happened I just had this really weird feeling everytime I was close to nodding off. It was kind of a jolt, where I would awaken suddenly after say 2-3 seconds of sleep. It continued until I was too exhausted. It just felt like my mind was playing tricks on me and saying 'DONT GO SLEEP!' and kept zapping my body, waking me back up.

Anybody else had this weird sensation?

[Knawx]

This is very common. I do this from time to time. It gets easier to deal with the more times you have them because your brain starts to realize it's no big deal.

I have also had "sleep paralysis" which is where you wake up and can't move. You are totally aware of everything around you, but you can't talk, or even move your fingers. It's wild. It freaked me out the first time, but now I almost find it kind of a cool experience since I know I will be fine. :)

[MorningGlory]

After seeing this topic I had to join the forum. Looking on this forum as helped me abit with my anxiety.
I'm glad im not alone this happens to me all the time. But like Knawx said it gets easier to deal with i dont think to much of it anymore. I have also had "sleep paralysis" once and that was freaky i tried to shout for help but couldn't my body wouldnt respond. Then suddenly my body snapped out of it.

[gunblast_thinkfast]

Great, just your two replies alone have helped me put my mind at rest tonight, and I think just doing that is 90% of the battle.
I also struggle with sleep paralysis, but once heard a great tip and it helped it become very rare in my life. Never sleep on your back.

[Knawx]

Great, just your two replies alone have helped me put my mind at rest tonight, and I think just doing that is 90% of the battle.
I also struggle with sleep paralysis, but once heard a great tip and it helped it become very rare in my life. Never sleep on your back.

Yeah, to be honest I found sleep paralysis absolutely facinating. I couldn't believe our bodies could do such a thing. The first time I had it I was sure I was having a seizure, but like I mentioned before I almost find it amusing now, and kinda cool. :D haha.

When it comes to anxiety at night, your best weapon is not putting pressure on yourself to sleep. Don't worry all day long if you are going to sleep that night. Allow yourself to know that it's okay to miss out on some sleep and sooner or later you will fall back into a normal pattern.

Something that helps me is watching episodes of Futurama on my laptop as I fall asleep. I turn the volume down so that I can barely hear it, and I'm almost always sleeping within the frist 10 minutes of the episode. :D

[NigelWalmsley]

My wife is traveling in Europe and visiting her family now. She's going to be over there for about 8 weeks and I'm not sleeping well at all alone in the house. I agree with the poster above that you just have to take the attitude that you'll go to sleep eventually. You can't force it. I have had panic attacks and anxiety once in a while during stressful situations. As I've gotten older (I'll be 50 in a year and a half), I've noticed that meditation and prayer tends to help. That is meditation, not medication. Medication can help too but I think I'd rather go without if possible. I was never a religious person but I've found that if you just let yourself accept that there is a higher purpose for all of this it helps to calm. Also, spend some time doing things for other people. It sounds trite but start small and I'm telling you, it takes you out of your head. Build something for your kid, buy flowers for a loved one. Communicate your feeling through a different mode like a letter or a poem. Just some ideas..