What Should You Do if You Suffer from Panic Attacks in your Sleep?
Millions of Americans suffer from panic attacks; the stress of our daily lives coupled with poor diets, too many stimulants and other factors lead to our bodies not being able to cope. Although less common than normal panic attacks, many people also suffer from sleep panic attacks.
Panic attacks occur when a person becomes overly fearful of a situation. The mind and body react as though there is serious danger when in fact it may be nothing at all. The brain sends messages to the body to this effect; adrenaline starts pumping, the heart beats faster, you begin to sweat, limbs start to tingle etc.
The physical symptoms of a panic attack can be so bad that many people only find out they had a panic attack after going to the hospital because they thought they were having a heart attack. While people who suffer from frequent panic attacks learn to recognize the signs of them, sleep panic attacks often take people by surprise.
The mind and body can react the same way during sleep as they do during the day. If a person is having an intense or frightening dream the brain and body may begin to send panic signals out. Often people wake up startled from a sleep panic attack. Many people report jumping out of bed, feeling as though they can’t breathe, feel their heart racing or being covered in sweat.
People who have frequent panic attacks and alter their lives to avoid them are commonly diagnosed as having Panic Disorder or some other form of anxiety disorder. For these people there are many treatment options available. They can take medication to lessen their reactions to stress and anxiety, preventing attacks. Sufferers can also be taught methods to identify the early signs of an attack and deal with it appropriately.
Unfortunately, a lot of the methods used to stop or moderate daytime panic attack simply don’t work for sleep panic attacks. By the time you are aware of the attack you are right in the middle of it. Medication taken daily can help people change their brain chemistry but little can be done on a conscious level while asleep.
If you suffer from panic attacks, day or night, and they are frequent or are forcing you to change the way you live your life then you need to seek treatment. Medication isn’t always required, so don’t feel as though a doctor is going to dope you up if you go to them. Request non-medication therapy if that’s what you want to do and they will work with you to help you through this in a way you feel comfortable.
Your therapist will show you methods of controlling your reactions to these attacks. This might include deep breathing, relaxation exercises, meditation or other forms of deep concentration. Using these same treatment methods to deal with your sleep panic attacks should have a lot of success as well.
When you wake up from a sleep panic attack try to lay still, breathe deeply and remind yourself about what is going on. Don’t let yourself panic more by focusing on the symptoms; understand what is going on and that you will get through it fine by simply relaxing and letting it pass.
The elimination or reduction of certain stimulants and additives from your diet may also go a long way in helping to reduce sleep panic attacks. Caffeine, alcohol, MSG and processed sugars should be avoided. These have all been shown to have a serious effect on the body and may play roles in panic attacks and anxiety disorders.
