issues falling asleep

Posted , 6 users are following.

i get this on and of a lot lately my sleep pattern is awful i tend to sleep on the sofa until like 4/5am which isnt deep sleep i also wake up here and there as i leave the tv on. anyway when i am nodding of i get like a jolt or missed breath and gasp for air and when i sit up it goes away. it doesnt do it when i am laying in bed falling asleep though which i find a bit weird. any ideas?

cheers guys

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • Posted

    Hi Ashley - yes I am v familiar with this one. It's a comfort to me to have the tele on to stop me spiralling off the planet with bad thoughts. The problem as you say is that long sleeps are a thing of the past. The breathing issue is likely just that, probably obstructed airway, maybe caused by the different head - neck angle on the couch. I get jolted by bad dreams, but gasping for air will surely do that too. If you can get back into a 'bed sleeping' pattern it will be better for you I reckon. What do you think ?
  • Posted

    Although i have a very good nights sleep i have waves of tiredness energy sapping tirrdness that comes and goes i don't know if this is due to anxiety or to the fact i was in hospital for an operation recently.
  • Posted

    hi david yes i think the first thing to do is get in to a proper sleep patern. with health aniety the slightest thing sets me of and i think its something serious and i go to the doctor but my therapist is trying to get me out of that habbit. its hard though. thanks for the comment
  • Posted

    Hi Ashley...

    The jolting awake sensation (bit like an electric shock) is a symptom of anxiety, and has been mentioned before on this site.  It is important to try to get a regular pattern of going to bed/sleeping....TV is not  considered good as it is keeping your mind active.  Likewise lap- tops.  Keep posting as you will get other helpful replies.  Good Luck.

  • Posted

    Obvious answers are turning off the TV and sleeping in your bed. I was taught that if youre not tired to not lie down in bed as it can cause you to associate laying in bed with not being tired. If you need more help I would be glad to help you can contact me at mrfriendly20 at gmail.
  • Posted

    Hello Ashley, sounds to me like you have sleep apnoea. I suffer with it. I'll tell you my symptoms and if you think it like what's happening to you then see your doctor. When I sleep on my back the throat relaxes and shuts off the airway. Self preservation kicks in and wakes me up. I may wake with a gasp. I immediately fall asleep and don't remember these interruptions. The last sleep study I had showed that I stopped breathing 360 times for approx 30secs each time. This amounts to a lot of oxygen starvation. Hence when I sat down in the day to relax or watch tv I fell asleep. The Nhs provided me with a machine that provides pressurised air to stop my airway closing whilst sleeping. This made a massive difference to my energy levels. Hope this is some help.

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.