Sleep panic attacks affect between half and seventy-five percent of folks who are afflicted with panic disorder. Having a panic episode in daylight is bad enough. Having one in the middle of the night is even worse.

Things always seem more upsetting in the dark. This is especially true if you're alone. I would guess that most people, even someone who don't suffer from, has had a night's sleep disturbed by fear.

Usually people just switch on the lights, look around the house and feel better. However, this same thing does not work with people who suffer from panic attacks at night.

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 treatment 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.

The only issue with taking sedatives to sleep is that they can affect your normal sleep patterns. Sleeping at night after taking an Ambien is not as relaxing as sleeping without a sleeping pill.

Another concern is that people can become dependent on them. You need to realize starting using these pills that it should only be short-term. Part of beginning therapy should include a plan of how long you're going to take the medicine and how you're going to come off it.

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