Coping with Anxiety 101

It has been reported that up to 50% of all anxiety disorder sufferers will develop panic attacks while sleeping which may account for up to 10% of their episodes. It is scary enough to have panic attacks while you are wide awake, more so when they occur while in a deep sleep.

Turning on the lights can quickly dispel the feeling of doom as soon as you recognize familiar surroundings, for others it can take a lot more.

Panic attacks while sleeping encompasses several symptoms which are present in other sleep disorders making a reliable diagnosis difficult. During the onset of the night panic attacks, you will not be able to sleep well or much for that matter. This will obviously cause you much discomfort and make you very weary the for the rest of the day. When such a situation is encountered, it is recommended to seek a professional help. You want to be able to rule out physical ailments or sleep disorders like sleep apnea.

The general symptoms of panic attack during sleep are insomnia, drowsiness during the day and intermittent sleeping patterns. Insomnia is more dominant than the other two symptoms in the initial stages. Also panic attacks during sleep are common with people having unpredictable sleeping behaviors.

One side effect of panic attacks while sleeping disorder is the fear of sleeping the sufferers develop which heightens their anxiety making things that much worse and complicated. Word of caution: do not try to address or resolve these problems with sleeping pills. They won’t work and what you may end up with is an addiction that will complicated your situation.

Nocturnal anxiety disorder cannot be associated with dreams as the attacks occur at the earlier phases of Rapid Eye Movement or REM. Therefore, dreams cannot be held accountable for setting off panic attacks. Interestingly, most people with nighttime panic attacks don’t recall having a nightmare preceding or accompanying the attack.

You usually wake up with similar symptoms of a racing heart, dizziness, nausea with disorientation since you were sleeping. You may also have a feeling of impending doom.. as if you are about to die.

The uncovering of the causes of night panic attacks has not been made. The buildup of carbon dioxide in the body that takes place while we are sleeping has been suspected, by some, to be the cause. This is known to be the “false suffocation alarm.”

Panic attacks can be treated and medications can completely eradicate the signs of such attacks. Taking into consideration that these disorders can be cured with restrictions and behavior modifications, the use of medications should only be used as a last resort.

A very central part or beginning to your intervention is for you to make peace with yourself. . Before you try to explain your situation to anyone else you must first understand it Apart from that you must make certain lifestyle changes as well – quit smoking, caffeine and alcohol. These substances trigger the intensity of the attack. Additionally I would say that self help is the best help to cure sleep panic attacks.

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Coping with Anxiety