Very very strange symptoms
First post on here and I am desperate to see if anyone has ever experienced something similar. For the past 2 weeks I have been having a lot of trouble falling asleep. It used to be on and off and not every night but now it’s every time I try and sleep. When I am lying there relaxed and I feel my body getting ready to transition to sleep I can only describe it as I get an intense rush through my chest and my body holds my breath and my chest becomes really tight. This is every time I try and sleep. It’s so horrible and I don’t know what to do anymore. It’s like an intense adrenaline rush it’s so strange. I have also been waking up gasping for air if I eventually do get to sleep. Has anyone else experienced anything similar? I really hope this goes away soon
Hi
. Welcome to the community! We are not medical experts, so keep that in mind. But many people in this community who describe your experience later learn they are actually having the equivalent of a panic attack when they try to sleep. Often, we are too busy during the day to acknowledge and address stress, so it comes out as a chemical reaction at night when we try to relax. It also feeds off itself. If stress prevents you from sleeping one night, you might worry about having the same experience the next night. The added stress makes the nighttime anxiety worse. That is just one possibility. It could something else entirely. Given that your chest becomes tight, it would really be best to see your doctor for an evaluation. Panic attacks can cause tightness in the chest and breathing problems, but so can cardiac issues. Best to play it safe and rule cardiac issues out. Here is a wonderful article from one of our advocates that might interest you: https://insomnia.sleep-disorders.net/clinical/anxiety-comorbidities. I hope this helps and that you get some relief. Please keep us posted, if you don't mind. I will be thinking of you. - Lori (Team Member)
