1. Community
  2. Symptoms
  3. Sleep Problems

Wake up with the feeling that I am suffocating, several times during the night.

Posted , 6 users are following.

chronicling
chronicling

For the past month or so, I have been experiencing a terrifying and uncomfortable occurance. I'll wake up several times during the night with a tight feeling in my chest, feeling as though I'm suffocating or having a heart attack. In the midst of it, I genuinely feel as though I'm going to die and my actions usually reflect a desperate bid to seek help (such as fumbling to my mum's room or banging on the wall to alert my brother in the next room). Not only am I woken up by this feeling, but it also occurs as I'm drifting off into sleep. Although the tight feeling in my chest lingers for a while, the belief that I'm in the midst of death is short lived (I assume this is because my initial judgement is clouded by the disorientation of having just woken up - an 'in a daze' state).

I'm wondering if anyone else experiences this, what they think causes it and what might help?

I did used to experience it in the past (a few years ago) but to a much lesser extent - it wasn't so fear-driven and death-orientated).

Thank you.

1 like, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • apu91247
    apu91247 chronicling

    Posted

    I too experience same.

    I am just waking up while experiencing symptoms and drinking glass of water and going back to sleep.

    Going to doctor is not my option because there is no proper medicines for sleep problems

    More over there is a system called tapering medicines that we cannot stop sleeping medicines when ever we want.

    If we stop medicines without tapering that will be hell of experience.

    Read surviving antidepressants site to know about sleep medication induced life threatening problems.

  • ann82027
    ann82027 chronicling

    Posted

    I experience this with my heart racing and have done for at least 10 years.  I sleep badly anyway, I envy people who have a good nights sleep.
  • ellebi
    ellebi chronicling

    Posted

    me too, Doc said it was panic attacks in my sleep ??
Back to top

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.