Feel like I'm stopping breathing when I fall asleep

Posted , 56 users are following.

Hi has anyone ever experience d the feeling oif stopping breathing just as falling asleep? It wakes me up and then I darent go to sleep in case I do stop breathing completely. Its just happened again now but I've been ok past couple of nights prior to this episode c

6 likes, 73 replies

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  • Posted

    The first time this happened to me I was under a lot of stress...  quit my job and it went away until recently. But I try taking magnesium at night but that didn't help and then I started taking amino acid's and glutamine and oh my god what a difference it hasn't happened since I started taking these vitamins  and I feel better and more rested. 

    • Posted

      Hey mariav1011,

      I am 24y old male. Had this problem first time after taking Levoflox for my sinus. Had very bad experience. I just took one pill but this problem is haunting me now even after months. Had really stressful time as my dad was in ICU for 3 months. Do you think this problem is just because of deficiency? Really want my life back. Started with multivitamin tab and glutamine.

  • Edited

    YES OMG THIS IS HAPPENING TO ME. Right in the verge of when i go to sleep & then ill gasp for air

    • Posted

      I started taking Sarovital vitamins that have amino acids in it plus I take an extra L glutamine and it went away I suggest you try it!
  • Edited

    With me it’s like for the last 4 nights, just as I’m about to drift to sleep it feels like my heart stops for a second and jolts me awake, called 111 to ask about it and they didn’t even have an answer only that it could be because of anxiety 
    • Edited

      Yes! This is precisely what is happening to me every time I try to relax! It's so frustrating because it's riiiiight before I'm about to really fall asleep and suddenly I'm jolted awake with a strange sensation in my chest and I feel like I stopped breathing. Recently it's been doing it when I'm awake too, like I'm just relaxed and suddenly that feeling and I gasp for air. I've started taking melatonin to sleep and that helps speed up the forcing myself to sleep thing but it doesn't stop it altogether and I still have to fight for air and sleep.

    • Posted

      Yes L glutamine which is an amino acid calms you down and gets rid of your anxiety I had the same issue and started taking that before I go to sleep plus I take my Saro vital vitamins they're all amino acids! What a difference I don't have that problem anymore very strange

    • Edited

      This is exactly what's happening to me. It feels like one huge panic attack

    • Posted

      omg this is exactly what ive been feeling for the oast few months.. its a very scary feeling.. have u found anything that helps?

  • Edited

    I know this post is a couple years old but I've been having this same thing happen to me and it's been worrying me a ton, I keep thinking my breathing will stop once I finally fall asleep and keep waking up in the middle of the night scared to go back to sleep because when I'm on the verge of passing out I instantly realise my mouth isn't breathing then start gasping for air. Does anyone know why this is happening, because I can't get any sleep at night anymore.

    • Posted

      Hi Jacob, I too am new to this thread. I’m experiencing the same thing! It’s very scary. I do have some anxiety currently since my mom died recently, plus I’m on the verge of menopause, so my issues are probably different than yours. I will say, however, that someone posted two years ago that her doctor prescribed Anti-vertigo medicine since it was related to the inner ear. Did you have a sinus infection recently? Anyway, let me know what you needed up doing to help yourself.
  • Posted

     OK everyone I cured myself from that horrible feeling of trying to fall asleep and then realizing that you're not breathing don't know if it was anxiety or what it was but I started to take amino acids especially L glutamine and I never had that problem again! Maybe y'all should Taking amino acids especially L glutamine. I take Sarovital vitamins which has a combination of amino acids plus I take an extra L glutamine and it never happened to me again.

    • Posted

      Thank you for this info mariav1011!! I have been going thru this for my fourth night in row. I recently had a stroke (2/04) and i actually was about to go to the emergency room in the middle of the night becuz i thought it was happening again. In addition to all the anxiety issues everyone has mentioned in this thread i feel like my left ear is plugged shut. Also the left side of my neck feels swollen (muscle tightness). I get so worked up thinking i'm going to stop breathing, i get sweaty, nausea, my heart races, my head hurts...it's awful. I am going to the store to get some L glutamine and i'll let you know if it helps me too. Thank you!!

    • Posted

      Hi Pamela! Just wanted to add that I think you should have your hormones checked. I’m guessing that your progesterone is low. Although good vitamins may help, perimenopause is at the root of a lot of our issues. Be sure to look for a gyno who is open to “bioidentical hormones”.  Traditional doctors may perscribe HRT meds that can cause blood clots. Im having a saliva testing done and hope to start a program to balance my hormones in the next month. I’ll let you know if it helps.

      Take care! Remember that you are not alone! We are all in the same boat.

    • Posted

      When it happened to me I was afraid to go back to sleep as well I would be up till 4 AM but the next day I always seem to wake up that's why I stopped worrying. I thought maybe it was that my brain was so active and I was so tired that as I was falling asleep your breathing goes into the sleep mode which is your shallow breathing but because we are so alert in our brain if feels like we stop believing and it wakes us up that's what I thought it was but L glutamine saved me!

    • Posted

      Hi I hope you read this i know its been three years since you had this problem. How many units of this amino acid do you take?

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