NOCTURNAL PANIC ATTACKS: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment Options

All panic attacks can be terrifying, but they can be even more terrifying if they wake you up in the middle of the night. These attacks, known as nocturnal panic attacks, might potentially contribute to sleep disruptions and leave you exhausted during the day. Let’s look at the symptoms, causes and treatment of nocturnal panic attacks in this article.

Nocturnal Panic Attacks

Nighttime (nocturnal) panic attacks might occur without a clear trigger and wake you up. Sweating, high heart rate, shaking, shortness of breath, heavy breathing (hyperventilation), flushing or chills, and a sense of impending doom are all symptoms of a panic attack. These concerning signs and symptoms can be mistaken for those of a heart attack or another significant medical illness. Although panic attacks are unpleasant, they are not harmful.

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They often last only a few minutes, although it may take some time to calm down and return to sleep following one. People who suffer from nocturnal panic attacks are more likely to suffer from panic attacks throughout the day.

Nocturnal Panic Attacks Symptoms

Nocturnal panic attacks can occur without a clear cause and wake you up in the middle of the night. Sweating, heart palpitations, and chest pain are all frequent somatic feelings. Strong emotions, paired with distressing bodily sensations, may contribute to the anxiety that the attack would result in a loss of control over oneself.

Similarly to daytime panic attacks, nocturnal panic attacks occur when a person suffers four or more of the following symptoms:

Chest ache
Feelings of chills or hot flushes
choking sensation
Depersonalization or derealization
Dizzy, lightheaded, or faint?
The fear of dying
Concern about loosing control
a sense of being suffocated
Nauseousness or stomach discomfort
Feelings of numbness or tingling
Palpitations or a rapid heartbeat
Breathing difficulty
Sweating
Shaking or trembling

Although panic attack symptoms normally peak within a few minutes before gradually dissipating, the ramifications of the attack can last much longer. So, excessive worry and fear linked with this event frequently result in insomnia.

Panic attacks are most typically associated with panic disorder, although they have also been connected with depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), agoraphobia, and specific phobias.

Nocturnal Panic Attacks, What Causes Them?

Researchers are still working to figure out the causes of nocturnal panic attacks. What they do know is that nocturnal panic attacks are common among panic disorder patients. Up to 71% of people who have daytime panic attacks have had a nocturnal panic attack at least once.

Having said that, doctors have found numerous characteristics that can increase a person’s risk of having nocturnal panic attacks:

Chemical imbalance in the brain,.
Panic attacks run in the family
Significant life stress
Traumatic occurrences
Depression or social anxiety disorder are examples of underlying disorders.

The majority of nocturnal panic attacks occur during non-REM sleep, primarily in stages 2 and 3. This means that they aren’t a reaction to Stage 4 sleep terrors. This also distinguishes these panic attacks from nightmares, which typically occur during REM sleep.

Nocturnal Panic Attacks Treatment

Help is available if you are having panic attacks that are interfering with your sleep or that occur during your waking hours. Many patients begin their rehabilitation by making an appointment with their primary care physician. Your doctor can help you by ruling out any other medical or sleep issues. They can also talk to you about your treatment options, which usually include psychotherapy, drugs, or a combination of the two.

#1. Psychotherapy

CBT (cognitive-behavioral therapy) has been shown to be useful in treating both daytime and nocturnal panic attacks.

In CBT, a therapist assists a client in understanding and confronting their symptoms in a secure setting. So, CBT teaches people how to better regulate their panic-induced anxiety and create better sleep habits.

#2. Medications on prescription

A doctor may prescribe one or more drugs to assist manage anxiety in addition to or instead of treatment. Treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or benzodiazepines has been demonstrated to be particularly beneficial in managing nocturnal panic attacks.

Medication is frequently used to treat panic attacks. Antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications may also help to reduce the frequency and severity of panic attacks.

Other Treatment options

Medication, as well as cognitive behavioral therapy, talk therapy, or mindfulness-based therapies, can assist if sleep panic attacks occur frequently. The one thing you don’t want to do is turn to alcohol for relief.

Alcohol can cause our hearts to race and our bodies to become stimulated. If you drink alcohol late at night, this could be a highly predisposing factor for panic. When persons who are nervous and panicky overindulge in alcohol, they frequently wake up feeling quite anxious. As a result, drinking may be a contributing cause of panic attacks in some people.

Coping with Nocturnal Panic Attacks

The main issue with these panic attacks is that you can’t prepare for them or “talk yourself down” because they arrive without warning. Though it may appear that you have no control over the situation, there are various things you can do to manage your attack and get back to sleep:

Learn how to regulate your breathing.
Use positive self-talk.
Speak with a friend or family member.
Relax your muscles.

Though these techniques can be beneficial, it is critical that you get professional help if your panic attacks are becoming more regular or are interfering with other elements of your life.