What You Need to Know about Nocturnal Panic Attacks

Have you ever woken up at night finding yourself feeling out of breath, gasping for air, sweaty and scared? You might think that you just experienced a heart attack but it can actually just be nocturnal panic attacks. While the latter and heart attack may have the same symptoms, panic attacks are generally not harmful to your body. 

Although of course, when you do experience this, you might still want to seek help from the doctor. Actually, nocturnal panic attacks are very much the same as your regular panic attacks. The only difference is the time and moment that the attack happens.

If you are one of those people who suffer from anxiety disorders or depression, there is a great chance that at some point in your life, you will experience nocturnal panic attacks or panic attacks in general. Thus, it is always advised that you seek out help immediately if you feel something is emotionally and physically not right in your body.

Nocturnal panic attacks are experienced when the body transitions from a light sleep to a deep sleep. Thus, you might think wrong again that it could possibly be a nightmare since you are awoken feeling anxious and restless. But when you try to remember you dream, you don’t recall anything – not a single glimpse. This is because dreams occur during the deepest stage of sleep and panic attacks occur during the transition from light to deep. 

If you can’t recall any dream and find yourself constantly being awoken in the middle of the night with the same symptoms over and over again, there is a great chance that it is a panic attack. This transition from light to deep sleep happens 90 minutes after falling asleep. No one can really tell for sure why this stage of transition causes panic attacks but it has often been associated with other diseases and illnesses that patients may have.

Causes of nocturnal panic attacks have not been firmly established yet since sleeping disorders are really hard to diagnose and treat. But some experts have associate panic attacks that happen during the night to sleep apnea. If you are also suffering from sleep apnea, chances are you might experience panic attacks as well. A panic attack might be triggered by gasping for air and feeling breathless which is the same fight and flight response as hyperventilating. Other experts have also associated panic attacks with GERD or gastroesophageal reflux disease. 

When you suffer from GERD you gastric juices becomes too acidic at times that causes chest pains which can then trigger anxiety in your body thus a panic attack. But if you are not suffering from of the diseases mentioned above yet still have episodes of panic attacks it might just because your body cannot fully surrender to the state of relaxation causing the panic attacks.

Generally speaking, nocturnal panic attacks are not harmful to the body but prolonged episodes and attacks can cause devastation to your health. It can leave feeling scared to sleep or have lack of sleep every night. It can cost you productivity, focus and memory hence when you experience panic attacks consult with your doctor immediately.