Nocturnal panic attacks: what are they? Advice for handling

The attacks that occur at night are known as nocturnal panic attacks. Deep sleep may sometimes cause us to suddenly awaken with intense, overpowering feelings and a sudden bodily unease. These panic episodes are comparable to those we experience during the day; only the nocturnal ones cause us to awaken from sleep. Have you ever had a panic attack when you woke up in the midst of a deep sleep? Therapist Alison Seponara wrote, “There’s a purpose behind this. She went on to say that while they don’t physically harm us, nocturnal panic episodes may leave us feeling totally helpless.

A few signs of nocturnal panic episodes include abruptly waking us up from slumber and depriving us of sleep. It also gives us a sense of bewilderment and approaching dread. Hot flushes, shaking, nausea, dizziness, and shortness of breath are a few signs of nighttime panic episodes.

The therapist also gave us some advice on how to deal with panic episodes that happen at night:

Don’t fight it: Giving up on nighttime panic episodes is one strategy for managing them. Rather, we should accept that it is just transient and allow the range of emotions to pass through us.

Breathe: Managing panic episodes may be achieved with deep breathing. Ensuring that the exhale lasts longer than the inhale is important. This aids in muscular relaxation and helps the mind dwell on constructive ideas.

Get out of bed and do something. Rather than lying in bed, we should get out of bed and read a book, take a shower, or go outside for some fresh air. This aids in diverting attention from the panic episode and restoring positivity and energy.

Return to bed when you’re ready: We should attempt to get some sleep whenever we start to feel a bit better. Since nocturnal panic episodes sometimes result in sleep deprivation, it’s critical to make an effort to obtain enough rest.