Nocturnal Panic Attacks

Nocturnal panic attacks are a very terrifying thing for anyone who has had them. Typically, they occur out of nowhere and provide a good scare for the person who endured it. Nocturnal panic attacks are very similar in definition, yet when you wake to the disorder you have added elements that make it harder to calm yourself back down.

It might be important to know exactly what a panic attack actually is. One way to describe this terrible disorder is being taken over by a rush of anxiety. While a typical episode lasts no more than 20 minutes, this can feel like forever when you are overcome with fear and physical complications like difficulty breathing.

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So what makes a panic attack at night any different? For starters, nocturnal panic attacks are better defined as anxiety attacks occurring while the sufferer is sleeping. Not that a panic attack is necessarily happening at night. So, in daytime or coherent panic attacks, the person can be aware of their surroundings and a little more able to assess what is going on.

When you are woken from sleeping to hyperventilation and a fear of dying (which is common among those with panic attacks) you cannot react as easily which makes it all the more terrifying.

One thing people who experience panic attacks from sleep attempt to do is remove sleep from their activities. Unfortunately, this is impossible. It is documented how unhealthy it is to willingly or unwillingly pursue insomnia as an option to cope with the condition.

Since panic attacks are directly correlated with anxiety already present in the person, stressing yourself out to try and stay awake will surely feed negatively into the condition. So the best thing to do is to keep sleeping as you normally would, but there are things you can do to help ease the tension of a potential attack.

If you do have nocturnal panic attacks, you do have some things you can do to ensure you don’t lose control of the situation. For one, creating and perfecting a calming breathing regiment is recommended so you can get back to breathing normally when you are suffering an attack.

Preparing for this technique is crucial when you are far from an attack, and practicing it regularly is also very important. If you can train your body to begin this process when you wake up in the middle of a panic attack, you can get yourself back to normal much more quickly. Slow, steady breathing into your nose and out your mouth is a recommended method, as well as counting your breaths.

But some people swear by controlling the condition by slowing your body down before you go to sleep. For example, if you provide relaxing and calming activities for yourself, you could thwart a potential panic attack later. Common suggestions: hot baths, Sleepytime tea, and a relaxing book.

Panic attacks are scary in general, let alone when you wake to the symptoms. You can try any of these methods, but you might find that medical assistance is required to get a good handle on the condition. Most importantly remember that you are not the only one with this condition, and there are people that can help.

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