Chitika

fredag 30 oktober 2009

How to Deal with Sleep Panic Attacks

By Sarah Wilson

Sleep panic attacks afflicts between 50 and 75 percent of people who have daytime panic attacks. Having a panic attack during broad daylight is awful, but having an attack at night is even scarier.

In the dark, things can often be more disturbing, especially if you are by yourself. I reckon that most people, even those who do not suffer from panic attacks, have had their night's sleep troubled by some fear.

Under normal circumstances, the person has to switch on the lights and just look around the house to realize that there is nothing to feel afraid of. However, sleep panic attacks are different. This simple method does not do anything to drive away the fear.

The symptoms of this form of panic attack are similar to the ones that people experience during the day. This means that a person suffering from nocturnal panic attack will also experience rapid heart beats, shallow fast breathing, tingling sensation in the arms and legs, and a feeling of impending disaster.

For some people the panic attack might occur just as they start to doze. For others, the panic comes out of nowhere while they're soundly asleep.

If you experience panic attacks at night, you should be aware that you can control the symptoms. However, to do this, you need some tips and help.

The first step should be getting a thorough physical examination done by a doctor. Some physical conditions have the same symptoms as a panic attack. This way you can rule out any physical disorder. With night panic attacks, certain sleep issues like sleep apnea could be a cause for concern. It is quite possible that your doctor may recommend further tests done in a sleep lab.

The next thing to do is to make sure that your habits at night help you get a restful night's sleep. This means avoiding or reducing stimulants like caffeine. Keep your bedroom for sleeping and indulging in romantic activities. Do not read or watch television in your bedroom. Also, try not to watch the news or dramatic and distressing movies and television shows before you retire to bed. If you have panic attacks, the last thing you need is to have all these disturbing images floating in your mind just before you go to sleep.

The last step that you need to take is start an appropriate treatment program for your panic attacks.

A night time anxiety episode is like any other panic attack except it occurs at night. Because it happens at night it may be more terrifying, but that doesn't affect the treatment plan. One thing that is slightly different is that if the night time episodes are fairly frequent, a physician may recommend a sedative at bedtime as a temporary measure while longer term treatments have a chance to take effect.

One problem with prescription "sleeping pills" is that they interfere with normal sleep patterns. A night's sleep after you've taken Ambien isn't as restorative as a night's sleep without the sedative.

Another problem is that people tend to become habituated to sedatives. Therefore, you need to understand that sedatives are just for a short duration. And, when you start your treatment for sleep panic attack, you should have a plan to that will show you how long you should be on sedatives, and what steps you will take to get off them.

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