Feel like I’m dying when falling asleep

i feel the same way. i often try to stay up as long as i could because im scared to fall asleep. i get up several times during the night because of palpitations. my cycle is near too and i normally get horrible anxiety before it comes.

hello,

im struggling as i type this message, ive never had anything like this before, im quite scared to be honest, im so tired and so i try to fall asleep and as im on the edge of "being asleep" my body panics and wakes up, it feels horrible like im on the edge of dieing, i feel so mentally ill right now!

I have just come upon this while searching for why this is also happening to me. I'm getting it frequently and it's terrifying. It's very physical, with rapid and irregular heartbeat, a pounding head, hot flushes, shaking and, as you say, generally feeling like I'm dying. Also, on one occasion, I heard a tremendous bang, even getting up and looking out the window to see if something had happened outside. It wasn't, so obviously that was in my head too.

I do have a complicated medical history with autoimmune diseases and am currently reducing my dose of steroids but have never experienced anything like this before. I'm getting frightened to go to sleep now.

im lying in bed googling why this is happening to me now......this happens to me a lot mostly i wake up at around 3-4am and then cant get back to sleep until around 6 and have this happen..... sometimes its like i gasp for breath (even though my breathing is fine) and sometimes its like a click in my head or like im being pulled out of my body...... stress and anxiety is all ive found so far!!

im looking for answers too. I just nearly fall asleep then it feels like my body is shutting down and if I dont wake myself up out of it its the end sometimes I break out of it gasping for air to breathe..its been happening for a while of and on but it scares me when it happens and I dont end up sleeping. I remember mentioning it to a Dr when it 1st started and he said it was nothing to worry about..but Im not so sure..

finally relate and engage with other people

experiencing this sudden "drowning" or falling off an infinite deep dark depth just when about to fall asleep...really scary!!

finally relate and engage with other people

experiencing this sudden "drowning" or falling off an infinite deep dark depth just when about to fall asleep...really scary!!

Hello everyone! A few years ago, symptoms similar to the ones you describe here began to bother me. When I was falling asleep, I felt like I was dying or unconscious. This "sensation" automatically woke me up and resulted in my sleep disorder. I would also have trouble with heart skipping and breathing. I went to various doctors and no one gave me a specific answer except that most of my problems were related to panic attacks or neurological problems. However, I was persistent and found a solution to my problem. A blood test showed that my potassium level was lower (it was not below the limit). The cardiologist referred me to a drug that raises potassium levels in my blood. For the first couple of days I didn't feel any change, but after a couple of days all my symptoms disappeared completely. I do not want to give anyone a false hope here, but I advise you to check your blood potassium level as it can cause all sorts of neurological and heart problems. I know how frustrating sleep deprivation is and how powerless you feel in those moments, so I sincerely hope this helps at least someone. Good luck!

I have been having the same problem for quite a while. I thought it might have something to do with anxiety. Then I thought maybe heart related? I don't know but my doctor will think I'm a weirdo if I bring it up. I already have a small laundry list of problems.

I can't believe I found this discussion... I have been looking for answers to this for years, or at least, to find someone else who knew what I was I was trying to describe. I feel much less crazy now. I have had this issue off and on for many years. Sometimes I go months with no occurrence, and then, out of nowhere, it comes back for weeks. It's back for me now. I am so tired and so miserable and so panicked. If anyone finds out anything about this condition, please post. I had a seizure once years ago, and something about this has always reminded me of that. Also, as some others have said, I experience this during the day while awake too.