panic attack + Insomnia

You're right Rion - you're overthinking things!

You're also right about the cortisol that's released in a panic attack or any other stressful situation. It does indeed affect your brain and stop you from sleeping at the time. However, it has no permanent effect whatever and can't damage your brain or your long-term ability to sleep.

What's happened here is that you've simply got yourself into a panic over your sleep problems, and your anxiety is keeping you awake - even if you don't feel particularly anxious when you go to bed. Anxiety can run under the surface without you being aware of it, which can be just as harmful.

Please don't believe that stuff you've read on-line about losing your ability to sleep. I know which disease you're talking about. It's a vanishingly-rare neurological condition, of which only about 100 cases have been diagnosed worldwide since it was first identified more than 60 years ago. It also involves all kinds of severe neurological symptoms - symptoms that would make it completely impossible for you to physically type posts if you really had it. (I'm a former specialist neuro nurse by the way, as well as a chronic insomniac, so I know what I'm talking about.) Unfortunately, young men suffering from sleep anxiety - and quite a few trolls too - have taken to discussing this condition on-line as if it was as common as the flu!

The truth is no one ever died from simple insomnia. It can make you feel exhausted but it won't kill you and you won't permanently lose your ability to sleep either. What about parents of young children, who often go through several years of poor sleep?

One thing it is quite safe to google is Sleep State Misperception. This is the one where you're convinced you haven't closed your eyes all night but you actually got a reasonable amount of sleep. I used to have this myself. I went through 40 years of poor sleep, starting in my mid-20s and continuing till I retired from paid employment nearly 10 years ago. In the early days I was convinced I wasn't sleeping at all, but partners and room-mates would often tell me I'd slept for several hours on these nights, and even snored.

Just calm down, stop reading on-line horror stories, and you'll find your sleep will return. If you're having frequent panic attacks you might want to see a doctor. However, I'd advise staying away from regular use of sleeping pills - they all stop working in the end and leave you in an even worse position. If your doctor prescribes them it's safe to take them just for a few days, to restore your confidence in your ability to sleep, but not on a permanent basis. If the panic attacks persist, see if you can get yourself referred for some cognitive behavioural therapy, which is the best treatment for anxiety.

Thank you Lily! Your response is such a relief! I'm really overtaken by anxiety and it keep getting worse as I continue to get no sleep, it's getting to the point I'm going crazy. At this point, I'm trying hard to convince myself that I didnt lose the ability to sleep, I spoke to my doctor about this, he proscribed me some herbal medicine called passionflower, I'll give it a try

sorry to hear that you are having a bad time

Did you ever have a panic attack? Did you cause you insomnia?

so relate to this!!! A basic sleeping routine will help as in I feel tired then I brush my teeth and shower and make way to bedroom. Meditations help. Sometimes that voice still panics and ironically that feeling of uncontrollable panic from a lack of a soothing voice keeps me awake!! The voice in my head created the very thing it so dreaded. I find having a simple routine and helping other people who tend to overthink really helps strengthen my own internal soothing voice. Try to share a positive message with others if you fancy. Hope this helps 😃