Even though this is an old thread and the first post I'm about to quote is from 2006., many people are dealing with
panic attacks and it seems they should be talked about more.
My first horrifying, big panic attack happened about 10 years ago. Since then I have been constantly reading and researching about panic attacks, their causes, and ways to heal. When they were happening, I couldn't see a definitive reason as to why, there could have been a number of causes to them, but I wanted to get to the root of the problem. I am still accumulating knowledge but as I learned a lot and managed to stop panick attacks and control anxiety, I would like to share my knowledge to help others. As I was going through the worst periods I often told myself that there must be a reason for this happening to me, everything happens for a reason, and that if I were able to help only one person with my experience in the future - that would be reason enough. That has kept me going.
It is well known that anxiety and panic attacks happen because of a certain trauma, loss of control in life, constant stress, ptsd, certain mental conditions, and spiritual questions, but should they last so long, for years, decades? I have always felt that there must be a physiological element to them. Maybe even physiological conditions are the cause of them. In my experience and research, it seems to be the truth or at least a part of it. (Maybe one side of the coin is spiritual and the other physiological, but they are true
at the same time which also means that the problem can be approached from both sides, spiritual and physical for healing).
Does anyone know if having a panic attack is possible during sleep?
They are
very common, triggered by stress, excitement, very emotional day, exhaustion, food one ate (sugars, processed food, msg...), alcohol, caffeine, certain physiological conditions. Sometimes it is hard to find the exact trigger because they can happen a few days or weeks after the event, which can leave a person confused as to why they happened 'out of nowhere'.
These panic attacks can wake you up from deep sleep in a state of terror without a cause, unable to breathe, heart racing... Sometimes they can go on all night, waking you up just as you are about to fall asleep, feeling like you cannot breathe which can be due to a sensitized nervous system (also can be due to sleep apnea).
I’m not sure whether my experience of what I called asphyxiating attack is as a result of external influences or as a consequence of doing the three-stage breathing
One physiological cause of panic attacks can be an
inflamed vagus nerve. When that happens, breathing exercises can make panic attacks worse. (Also, if you have health anxiety, concentrating on your breathing, when you are already afraid of hyperventilating or stopping to breathe, is not helpful at all.)
When I stumbled upon books by Medical Medium, who says viruses and toxic heavy metals in the brain are the cause of panic attacks, it all just clicked for me, it made sense. Here is what he says on vagus nerve inflammation and paic attacks:
I woke up about 4 am this morning, with a horrible shock, completely startled and unable to breathe, I was in a terrible panic.
The same source says that people could have problems with sleeping and nighttime panic attacks because of liver problems.
"
One possible cause stems from a liver that’s overheated, stagnant, or sluggish from toxins and a diet too high in fat or processed foods. The best way to have a full understanding of your liver and how to support it is to read Liver Rescue. The liver could also be inflamed because it is trying to fight one or more pathogens (viruses and bacteria) that have nested in the liver for many years, even decades, and they are releasing neurotoxins and dermatoxins. Research and science have not yet discovered that pathogens releasing these toxins are the cause of many symptoms and illnesses.
When you go to sleep for the night, your liver shuts down operation and runs on autopilot. By around three or four in the morning (it’s different for everyone), your liver starts to wake up again and once more begins to process poisons, viruses, and debris (such as dead cells, including dead red blood cells.). If you have a sluggish liver, then as the liver tries to do its job at this time, it goes into subtle spasm. Most of the time, it’s not anything you can feel, but for some people it’s enough to wake them up. This accounts for those nights when you fall asleep normally, then suddenly you’re up again in the early morning hours, and after a certain period of time, you’re able to nod off again. This can also explain those miserable nights of sleep where you drift in and out the whole time."
Source:
Insomnia & Sleep Issues
Foods and supplements that help me have a good, anxiety-free sleep: mango (before going to bed), cherries, potatoes, lemon balm tea (or alcohol-free tincture), vitamin c, and magnesium glycinate.
