Someone having a panic attack while they sleep will wake up in the middle of regular panic attack symptoms or when they awake in the morning. There is no rhyme or reason why; he or she will just wake up panicking. They may have chest pains, feel dizzy or be lightheaded. They can also have breathing difficulty and a rapid heartbeat. Waking up during a panic attack is its own special nightmare and sufferers can feel like they are losing control, or even dying. It is a very terrifying experience to wake up like this.
What Causes Nighttime Panic Attacks
What do you do to stop nighttime panic attacks? Actually, it isn’t that much different than treating them when a person is awake and having panic attacks. The problem with overnight panic attacks is that a person cannot easily identify the stressor that is causing the problem as they can during the daytime hours. Nighttime attacks are often brought on by things that are causing sufferers stress in the daytime like a loss in the family, injuries and accidents as well as problems at work. Whether the panic attack happens at night to during the day the best thing to do is remain calm.
How To Prevent Nighttime Panic Attacks – Three Treatments for Panic Attacks When Sleeping
Treatment 1 – Self Massages
Giving yourself a massage is actually a great treatment for night time panic attacks. Having a massage first thing in the morning is also a good idea. When a person has a massage, their body becomes further relaxed, which allows them to handle stress that creeps up into their sleep whether it’s through dreams or their subconscious.
Treatment 2 – Techniques for Relaxation
Deep breathing relaxation techniques are also a good way of helping someone with nighttime panic attacks. By learning to breath correctly a person utilizes the diaphragm more than their chest. Air is breathed in deeply and breathed out the same when breathing properly. When a person is able to do this, they’ll focus on their breathing instead of the things that are stresses them out. This treatment for panic attacks when sleeping, when done right before bedtime, allows them to stay relaxed throughout the nighttime hours.
Treatment 3 – Meditation and/or Prayer
The third way to treat panic attacks at night is to meditate before going to sleep. Why does this help? This makes you more relaxed and also puts you in a positive frame of mind before getting into the bed.
For more information on panic attacks at night, Anxiety, Panic Attacks and related mood disorder issues visit Anxiety Panic Resources – get our free Downloadable 40-Part Video and MP3 Audio Mini Course.
