Thoughts?

[samanthaistired]

Okay. Fourth night in a row this has happened to me.

I am almost asleep and then I stop breathing (or at least think I've stopped breathing) which jolts me awake but not enough to actually be awake yet. But then I go through this process several more times and become convinced that I'm not going to breathe anymore if I fall asleep.

Then I start being anxious then my body starts shaking uncontrollably. Like crazy shaking. The first three night's I was really disoriented and sweaty. Tonight no sweat and fairly level headed.

Maybe just excess anxious energy? I've also been on vicodin this week for a bad jaw infection and I think I read somewhere that anxiety can be a side effect of vicodin?

Sorry. I know this is crazy. But
Anyone think I've had a brain tumor the last 18 months and I'm finally shutting down starting with my breathing ;) or just excess anxiety??
I'm kind of serious. I do actually think the first thing is almost a possibility.
But I'm crazy and sleep deprived so who knows anything anymore.

[needtogetwell]

Okay. Fourth night in a row this has happened to me. I am almost asleep and then I stop breathing (or at least think I've stopped breathing) which jolts me awake but not enough to actually be awake yet. But then I go through this process several more times and become convinced that I'm not going to breathe anymore if I fall asleep. Then I start being anxious then my body starts shaking uncontrollably. Like crazy shaking. The first three night's I was really disoriented and sweaty. Tonight no sweat and fairly level headed. Maybe just excess anxious energy? I've also been on vicodin this week for a bad jaw infection and I think I read somewhere that anxiety can be a side effect of vicodin? Sorry. I know this is crazy. But Anyone think I've had a brain tumor the last 18 months and I'm finally shutting down starting with my breathing ;) or just excess anxiety?? I'm kind of serious. I do actually think the first thing is almost a possibility. But I'm crazy and sleep deprived so who knows anything anymore.

Good morning Samantha,

What you are experiencing is actually quite normal. I've been studying sleep cycles and as you start to go to sleep and move through the fist 2 stages of sleep you can feel several strange sensations, falling, bells ringing, people calling your name, even seem like you stop breathing. How often have you just started to fall asleep and be startled awake for some odd sensation? Quite often I would guess.

You, and many of us with heightened anxiety, have somewhat over active nervous systems. This normal experience is just taken to an extreme level and then our anxious mind kicks in and all sorts of thoughts start racing through our brains.

Have you tried any strategies to relax before bed? A warm bath, great sex, meditation, guided progressive relaxation are all good to get you to focus on relaxing and going to sleep. My personal favourite right now (besides the great sex lol) is a self hypnosis app I have on my phone. I have several, but the ones I have for anxiety and panic attacks are excellent. I just put the headphones on and off I go.

Part of the struggle is turning your brain off. With practice you will find a way to do it.

You are not going crazy and the likeliness of a brain tumour is about zero.

Hope this helps a little.
Cheers!
Pam

[samanthaistired]

Good morning Samantha,

What you are experiencing is actually quite normal. I've been studying sleep cycles and as you start to go to sleep and move through the fist 2 stages of sleep you can feel several strange sensations, falling, bells ringing, people calling your name, even seem like you stop breathing. How often have you just started to fall asleep and be startled awake for some odd sensation? Quite often I would guess.

You, and many of us with heightened anxiety, have somewhat over active nervous systems. This normal experience is just taken to an extreme level and then our anxious mind kicks in and all sorts of thoughts start racing through our brains.

Have you tried any strategies to relax before bed? A warm bath, great sex, meditation, guided progressive relaxation are all good to get you to focus on relaxing and going to sleep. My personal favourite right now (besides the great sex lol) is a self hypnosis app I have on my phone. I have several, but the ones I have for anxiety and panic attacks are excellent. I just put the headphones on and off I go.

Part of the struggle is turning your brain off. With practice you will find a way to do it.

You are not going crazy and the likeliness of a brain tumour is about zero.

Hope this helps a little.
Cheers!z
Pam

Pam
This was really good for me to read. I definitely have experienced the feeling of falling and being jolted awake So it's good to think of the breathing thing in the same way.

Also, I don't really have a good bedtime routine. I do have one app that does guided meditations and I need to start using it more often. Sadly, my fiance is out of town, So no good sex for me. ;) I will try reading and then the meditation before bed tonight and hope that it'll help! (:

[Dragons]

As Samantha said, I think that's pretty common. When you're falling asleep there's a point where your body is trying to get rid of excess adrenaline from the day and that's what causes sudden panicky feelings before you fall asleep. I sometimes am on the edge of sleep and then have this sudden and terrifying sensation that I've fallen off a cliff; I wake up really suddenly with my heart pounding. But apparently this is something that happens to a lot of people. I haven't experienced it much recently, and I think it's because I've been exercising more often; I usually take a few walks a day and that seems to help. :)

[samanthaistired]

As Samantha said, I think that's pretty common. When you're falling asleep there's a point where your body is trying to get rid of excess adrenaline from the day and that's what causes sudden panicky feelings before you fall asleep. I sometimes am on the edge of sleep and then have this sudden and terrifying sensation that I've fallen off a cliff; I wake up really suddenly with my heart pounding. But apparently this is something that happens to a lot of people. I haven't experienced it much recently, and I think it's because I've been exercising more often; I usually take a few walks a day and that seems to help. :)

Dragons,
Exercise is totally another thing I need to be better about doing daily. I currently am on vicodin until I have surgery on my mouth Tuesday but once all of this teeth business is over and healed I want to get back to working out. (: I miss running. I used to do that a lot pre-anxiety and haven't picked it back up over the last 18 months... maybe It's time. (: