A person is very vulnerable during a night's rest. He is subject to insomnia, nightmares, unexpected cardiac arrest, apnea/hypopnea syndrome and other night terrors. Often these disorders are accompanied by panic attacks during sleep. They are often confused with a heart attack, stroke, or even death.
But in fact, these are sudden attacks of anxiety, accompanied by unpleasant sensations: lack of air, profuse sweating, a feeling of electric shock or a sharp fall, hypnotic convulsions. When attacks occur regularly, they are called panic disorder. This disease forces people to live in constant fear and stress, because it is impossible to predict when the next attack will begin.
Why do panic attacks happen at night?
At night, we are left alone with our fears. It is easier to escape from worries and unpleasant thoughts during the day than at night. If a person is prone to anxiety and has a number of accumulated problems, or is experiencing stress, then the likelihood of nighttime panic attacks increases.
In this state, our brain is in “defense mode,” constantly monitoring for threats, including any changes it senses in the body. So if you go to bed feeling tense, when your body begins to relax, it may perceive it as something dangerous and trigger a stress response. Panic attacks are your body's way of protecting you.
general information
Physiologically, this condition resembles real paralysis. Therefore, a person is attacked by a feeling of fear. Sometimes he “hears” strange sounds or “sees” things that do not exist in reality.
A panic attack at night is a sign that indicates an imbalance in the psychological state, emotional overstrain or everyday stress. In itself, it does not cause harm to a person. But the horror it provokes can be real and cause stress-related pain in the back, shoulders and head.
At night there is additional psychological stress that increases the severity of the attack. In an environment of darkness, silence and complete silence, the human subconscious begins to draw terrifying pictures. Anxiety becomes more intense, the attack drags on.
The dangers of nighttime panic attacks
Nighttime panic attacks often cause insomnia or nightmares. Some of the dreams are so real that a person cannot come to his senses for a long time after waking up. “I wake up and can’t sleep,” they say. Some people fear that the nightmare will repeat itself. Frequently occurring scary dreams can lead to adverse consequences.
Obsessive thoughts appear that an attack could be caused by:
- sudden death;
- respiratory arrest;
- loss of control over oneself.
A person does not get enough sleep, his mental abilities decrease, and it becomes difficult for him to move in society. Often panic attacks at night lead to exacerbation of chronic diseases.
Causes of panic attacks
In ancient times, sleep paralysis was called “old witch syndrome.” Our ancestors believed that a witch comes to a sleeping person at night and drinks his life energy.
Modern somnologists believe that panic attacks at night appear against the background of:
- Hereditary predisposition.
- Addictions to alcohol or drugs.
- Constant stress.
- VSD.
For some people, panic attacks at night while sleeping are the result of a traumatic event that occurred in childhood or adolescence.
At-risk groups
A sudden awakening, accompanied by strong irrational fear, is characteristic of suspicious and anxious people. Most often, the pathology occurs in children, adolescents and women. This is explained by the instability of the psychological background and hormonal changes.
If your child frequently has panic attacks during sleep, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible. Children cannot independently adequately assess their psychological well-being. Pathologies of the nervous system develop very quickly in them.
Nightmares
Panic attacks that occur during sleep are usually caused by nightmares. Nightmares are considered a form of sleep disorder that affects the nervous system, causing unusual behavior.
Nightmare
Nightmares are episodes of intense fear during sleep, usually occurring in the first third of the night. You may wake up terrified with a frantic intensity of physical symptoms that trigger a panic attack.
Medicines
No one, of course, has canceled drug treatments for insomnia. But, in any case, such drugs should not be prescribed to yourself without consulting a specialist. We'll look at each of the most popular drugs so you know roughly how beneficial or harmful they can be.
Why is Afobazole used for VSD?
VSD and insomnia always go hand in hand due to the characteristics of the nervous system in this pathology. If you answer the question whether Afobazol helps with insomnia in this case, then you can answer yes. Its main effect is to relieve irritation and unnecessary anxiety. The main positive aspect of this drug is the absence of dependence, which occurs with many sedative drugs.
How to take Phenibut for insomnia
Phenibut certainly helps with insomnia. It improves brain activity, and was developed by Soviet scientists. The drug is usually taken in a course of 2-3 weeks. A consultation with a doctor is required, who will be able to more accurately, depending on the condition, adjust the dosage and, possibly, extend the course of treatment.
What to do when attacks occur before bed?
As mentioned above, at night we often begin to process all the stresses of the day or worry about the day ahead. Panic attacks before bedtime usually occur during stressful moments in life, when our head is filled with problems. Maybe these are quarrels in relationships, conflicts at work, a period of painful changes.
After we've had a panic attack, worrying about it happening again can create a vicious cycle in which we become afraid to fall asleep. Although this type of reaction is considered normal, it often causes even more concern.
Prevention
A person can always be afraid of something, this is a normal property of the psyche. In the event of attacks, the body's protective reaction is pathological. Each person can experience a panic attack for different reasons.
A healthy lifestyle helps keep the body in good shape
Proper nutrition, giving up bad habits, and reducing stress have a beneficial effect on a person. Physical activity makes it possible to sleep well and soundly.
With a high level of suspiciousness, it is necessary to reduce the amount of traumatic information. Therefore, you should not watch the news, read newspapers; in general, you should protect yourself from negative information.
Falling asleep should be made comfortable: silence, darkness in the room, no TV on. You can listen to relaxing music or meditate. In such conditions, sleep will be sound and restful.
What to do if you have a panic attack at night
If you are having a panic attack, experts advise taking the following steps:
- Close your eyes and inhale slowly and deeply through your nose.
- Then exhale slowly and deeply through your mouth.
- If you can, continue this process as long as it lasts, counting 1 - 5 on each inhalation and exhalation.
Try to accept that you are experiencing a panic attack without any resistance. When we try to fight anxiety, we only make it worse. It can be scary, but try to move towards the anxiety rather than away from it.
Panic attack
Once you feel better, the worst is over. Just remember – your body is on high alert right now, so it will likely take some time to calm down again. So sleep is out of the question for a while.
Causes
The main sources of panic attacks during sleep are not fully understood. But the basis for such violations is failures in the functioning of biologically active substances. This category includes norepinephrine and gamma-aminobutyric acid.
Heredity is the main factor in the development of the disease, which occurs in 15% of cases.
Therefore, if relatives have problems in this area, one should not exclude such a disease in children.
A psychotherapist and a somnologist are involved in diagnosing and treating symptoms of panic in a dream.
Tips on what to do after an attack
- Go to the bathroom and splash some cold water on your face. The cold causes a shock in the system, which prompts the body to go into survival mode, ultimately lowering the heart rate.
- Then try to find a simple activity that will calm you down. Wash the dishes, sweep the floor, clean out the refrigerator. Whatever you choose, do it in such a boring and mundane way that it requires minimal mental effort. Remember, you are not trying to distract yourself here, you are just doing normal, run-of-the-mill activities while your symptoms begin to subside.
- If you wake up sweaty, take a warm shower, put new sheets on your bed, and put on your comfiest pajamas. Having removed the physical evidence of a panic attack, we will start over and return to sleep as quickly as possible.
- Gradually you will begin to feel your body begin to relax. Return to bed only when you are ready. If it's not time yet, try meditating or taking a few deep breaths until your body begins to calm down again.
Remember the main thing, no matter how terrible panic attacks are, they cannot cause us physical harm.
Approaches to the treatment of panic disorder
The most effective is the combined treatment of panic disorder - a combination of drug treatment with psychotherapy
.
Selection of an individual treatment regimen
is possible only after a thorough examination and is carried out taking into account all
the characteristics of the disease
.
When determining therapeutic tactics
the following factors are taken into account: duration of the disease, the patient’s attitude to pharmacotherapy, previous treatment experience, the nature and severity of emotional disorders, the nature of the psychogenic situation, the degree of social maladaptation, the presence of concomitant somatic disease.
Benzodiazepine tranquilizers are most effective for relieving PA.
.
Antidepressants are also effective in treating panic disorder
. It is recommended to use SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) or SNRIs (selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors).
An integral component of the treatment of panic disorder is psychotherapy, which is used both independently and in combination with pharmacotherapy. It is known that in a high percentage of cases the effect can be achieved only with the help of psychotherapy. The most important goal of psychotherapy is to gradually bring patients to an awareness of the essence of their psychological conflict and then to a gradual modification of previous inadequate schemes and attitudes and, ultimately, the development of a new, more harmonious and flexible system of views and relationships, more mature adaptation mechanisms, restoration of self-control and adequate response.
Non-medicinal products are also used
(physiogenic, psychotherapeutic)
methods for relieving
panic attacks:
- regulation of breathing (breathing into folded palms, breathing with the stomach - exhale longer, slower than inhale)
- distraction (concentrating attention on surrounding objects and events; physical activity; singing; walking; counting; auto-training)
- massage (shoulders, neck, little fingers, base of thumbs).
How to stop nighttime panic attacks
Talking to a therapist can help you address the root of your anxiety and find tools to create real, lasting, positive changes in your life. At the same time, performing nightly exercise can help create a nurturing environment for your body to naturally calm down and prepare you for sleep.
- Try talking to your partner, family member or friend about what's bothering you. Take a bath or warm shower before bed. The heat will help relax your muscles and body.
- Keep a pen and paper handy. If you start to worry about things or tasks, write them down (or add them to a list on your phone). Worrying at night when you can't do anything about them is useless. Once you write it down, you can return to it at a more convenient time.
- Eliminate alcohol from your life for a while. While alcohol can temporarily numb our worries, it is also a serious stimulant for anxiety. The same goes for caffeine. Make sure you don't drink tea or coffee after 6pm.
- Be active. Never forget the importance of exercise.
- The next time you're trying to sleep, try taking your mind off the dream and focusing it on your physical sensations instead. Think about how good it feels to be in bed.
- When negative thoughts arise, imagine locking them in a small box and throwing away the key. Remind yourself: now is not the best time to think about it.
- Set yourself a designated “worry time.” It's half an hour of the day where you allow yourself to worry about as many things as you want. When you start worrying outside of these times, remind yourself so you can forget about it until next time.
- If you have trouble falling asleep for a long time, get out of bed and do something until you start to feel sleepy again. Your bed should be your sanctuary for sleep and it is important that you do not start associating it with any anxious, sleepless nights.
- Some people find that certain foods can cause anxiety. The next time you have a panic attack at night, try writing down what you ate before bed. And as soon as you make a list, start removing these products one by one until the panic attacks stop.
If you suffer from panic attacks, then your anxiety level is very high. Please remember: You do not have to go through this alone. Seek support if panic attacks begin to interfere with your ability to enjoy everyday life.
Symptoms of an upcoming attack
What happens to a person during an outbreak?
At the first stage, a protective function is activated, by which the body is, as it were, separated from the outside world. This is where the “flight or fight” signal is sent to the brain, releasing increased amounts of adrenaline. The latter, in turn, is regarded by the individual as dangerous.
Common symptoms of the disease include sweating, nausea, trembling, and a feeling of detachment.
But the most obvious sign of a panic attack is uncontrollable fear.
How to behave during an attack
The alarmist should be able to determine the onset of an attack. Muscle twitching appears, the legs become as if they are made of cotton, and coldness passes through the body. Shortness of breath appears, consciousness narrows, attention is fixed at one point.
When you feel the first warning signs, try to leave the room where you were attacked. It's best to go outside. You can take out your phone and call someone, distract yourself with information on the Internet.
If you cannot change your location, for example, this happened on a bus, try to switch your attention. The best way is to count any objects you find at hand:
- buttons and other clothing items;
- trees;
- machines, and you can use different variations. How many red or black cars have passed? How many cars move in one direction, and how many in the other;
- pillars;
- if you are in a crowd, count how many men and how many women you see;
- windows in houses.
Take one position. Stand, or better yet, sit down. Take a comfortable position. Lean on something solid and stable.
You can distract yourself by changing your bodily sensations. Pinch, lightly pull the hair, hit yourself with little force. Try to actively change your facial expressions: puff out and deflate your cheeks, pinch and spread your lips in a smile, close and open your eyes.
Perhaps, instead of a frozen pose, physical exercise will bring you out of horror. Squat, jump, you can run lightly, imitate jumping rope.
Another way to shift attention is to sing a song, out loud and loudly, or recite a verse also loudly and with expression. The text should be positive and not evoke gloomy emotions.
Actress Megan Fox discovered an interesting method of dealing with a panic attack. Usually they started on the plane. After she started playing Britney Spears songs and listening to them in headphones throughout the flight, the attacks stopped.
Be sure to control your breathing. You need to eliminate excess oxygen in the blood. To do this, try to breathe deeply. Take a deep, long breath and a loud, long exhale. Try to get all the air out of your lungs.
The most effective way to restore respiratory calm is to breathe into a bag or folded palms.
If a panic attack strikes you at home, take a contrast shower.
Of course, if the attack happened to a person for the first time, it will be difficult for him to control it. But, having learned how to deal with it, if it happens again, he will give it a worthy rebuff.
