How to Calm Nighttime Panic Attacks

Imagine jolting awake in the middle of the night, heart pounding, sweat-soaked, and enveloped in an overwhelming wave of terror. This is the haunting reality for those enduring nighttime panic attacks. But what if there were strategies to help calm the chaos of these midnight monsters?

Experiencing a panic attack can be unsettling at any time of the day, but it’s particularly distressing when it interrupts your slumber. Nighttime panic attacks, a distressing occurrence where panic symptoms manifest while you are asleep, can lead to sleep disruption, increased anxiety around sleep, and even exacerbate the cycle of panic attacks[1].

Understanding what triggers a panic attack while sleeping can be crucial in managing them. Panic attacks can be initiated by various factors including chronic stress, certain medications, and underlying health conditions such as heart disorders or respiratory problems[2].

It’s also important to recognize that sleep disorders themselves could potentially induce panic attacks. Conditions like sleep apnea, insomnia, and restless leg syndrome have been associated with an increased likelihood of panic disorders, creating a challenging loop of sleep disruption and anxiety[3].

Being able to identify panic attack symptoms during sleep is a significant part of the battle. Physically, you might experience a racing heart, excessive sweating, or trembling. More than these somatic symptoms, it’s the psychological ones that often intensify the ordeal. You might feel an intense wave of fear, a sensation of losing control or experiencing a catastrophe, even when there’s no actual danger.

Before plunging into the heart of darkness that can be a nighttime panic attack, it’s essential to equip oneself with an arsenal of calming strategies. With this knowledge at your disposal, you’ll have a toolkit to face the night, combating panic attacks and reclaiming your peace.

Read on and try these methods to discover which strategies resonate with you and your experiences.

✨ To help you create a relaxing sleeping environment we created a series of peaceful lullabies like the one below. Try it out as background music for reading this post!

🧘‍♀️ Strategy 1: Grounding Techniques

One of the most effective ways to manage panic attacks is through grounding techniques. Grounding helps you shift your focus from your internal, emotional world to the physical world around you. It’s a strategy that can distract you from what you’re feeling and help you manage your symptoms.

There are two primary types of grounding: mental and physical.

• Mental grounding involves engaging your mind to keep it from spiraling into panic. You can do this by identifying and naming objects in the room, describing what you see, or even playing a memory game in your head[4]. One of the popular exercises in Mind Ease, Fear Spiral, is specifically designed to help break this negative thinking loop and get more mentally grounded.

• Physical grounding, on the other hand, is about using your senses to draw your attention away from your internal distress. This could involve holding a comforting object, focusing on the feeling of your feet on the floor, or paying attention to the physical sensations of a cooling fan or a cozy blanket[4]. Grounding works by redirecting your attention away from the source of your distress and towards something more neutral or positive[5].

😮‍💨 Strategy 2: Breathing Exercises

Another beneficial strategy in calming nighttime panic attacks is engaging in controlled breathing exercises. Deep, intentional breathing can influence your nervous system and provide relief from panic symptoms[6].

Different breathing techniques can be useful, but two stand out for their effectiveness:

• The 4-7-8 breathing method. The 4-7-8 method involves inhaling for 4 seconds, holding the breath for 7 seconds, and exhaling for 8 seconds.
• Box breathing, on the other hand, is about breathing in, holding the breath, exhaling, and holding the breath again, each for a count of four.

These exercises work by regulating your heart rate and inducing a relaxation response, both of which can help subdue the intense sensations that come with a panic attack. In addition, they serve as a form of grounding by shifting your focus from your symptoms to your breath. The Breathing Tool in Mind Ease is designed to guide you through different breathing patterns, including the two mentioned above.

It’s essential to practice these techniques regularly, not just when you’re experiencing a panic attack. With practice, you can harness these techniques’ full power and benefit from them when a nighttime panic attack strikes.

😴🌙 To help create a peaceful environment for breathing exercises consider listening to our soothing lullabies.

You can find more sleep audio meditations in the Mind Ease app.

🌷 Strategy 3: Self-Soothing Strategies

Self-soothing strategies are another line of defense against the paralyzing fear and uncertainty of nighttime panic attacks. These tactics engage your senses and mind, promoting relaxation and reducing the intensity of the panic.

• Positive affirmations and reassurances can be a powerful tool in combating the invasive thoughts that often accompany panic attacks. Saying things to yourself like “I am safe”, “This will pass”, and “I am in control” can help anchor you in the midst of the storm[6].

• Visualization techniques. By picturing a calm and peaceful place, perhaps a favorite vacation spot or a serene landscape, you redirect your focus away from your anxiety and towards something soothing. This method can create an internal retreat when the outside world feels too overwhelming[7].
• A mindful body scan is another useful self-soothing strategy. By focusing on different parts of your body and consciously releasing tension, you can induce a relaxation response. This technique not only distracts you from the panic but also directly combats one of its most common symptoms: muscle tension[8].

These strategies can help you regain control during a panic attack and lessen its intensity. The efficacy of each strategy will vary between individuals, and it may take some trial and error to find what works best for you.

Nighttime panic attacks can be a frightening experience, but having an arsenal of effective calming strategies at your disposal can make them significantly more manageable. Grounding techniques, breathing exercises, and self-soothing strategies each offer a unique approach to combat the onslaught of panic, and a combination of these methods could provide the relief you need. You can give all these strategies a quick try in Mind Ease!

While the strategies discussed here can provide immediate relief during an attack, they are not a substitute for professional help. If you are regularly experiencing nighttime panic attacks, it’s important to reach out to a healthcare provider who can guide you to more personalized strategies and treatments[9].

Nighttime panic attacks can feel like an insurmountable hurdle, but with knowledge, strategy, and action, you can reclaim your peace and your nights.

Footnotes:

[1]: Shear, M. K., & Maser, J. D. (1994). Standardized assessment for panic disorder research: A conference report. Archives of General Psychiatry, 51(4), 346. https://doi.org/10.1001/archpsyc.1994.03950040078012

[2]: American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: Author.

[^3^]: Kung, S., Espinel, Z., & Lapid, M. I. (2012). Treatment of Nightmares with Prazosin: A Systematic Review. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 87(9), 890–900. doi: 10.1016/j.mayocp.2012.05.015

[^4^]: Bader, K., & Schäfer, V. (2019). Grounding – Theoretical Background and Clinical Application. Verhaltenstherapie, 29(1), 37–44. https://doi.org/10.1159/000495045

[^5^]: Teixeira, R. J., Pereira, A., & Pinto-Gouveia, J. (2021). Grounding Techniques for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology

6. Meuret, A. E., Rosenfield, D., Seidel, A., Bhaskara, L., & Hofmann, S. G. (2010). Breathing biofeedback as a tool to increase heart rate variability: a preliminary study using resonance frequency breathing biofeedback. Applied Psychophysiology Biofeedback, 35(1), 71–80. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10484-009-9119-3
7. Copeland, W. E., Shanahan, L., Worthman, C., Angold, A., & Costello, E. J. (2012). Cumulative depression episodes predict later C-reactive protein levels: a prospective analysis. Biological Psychiatry, 71(1), 15–21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2011.09.023
8. Muto, V., Jaspar, M., Meyer, C., Kusse, C., Chellappa, S. L., Degueldre, C., Balteau, E., Shaffii-Le Bourdiec, A., Luxen, A., Middleton, B., Archer, S. N., Phillips, C., Collette, F., Vandewalle, G., Dijk, D. J., & Maquet, P. (2016). Local modulation of human brain responses by circadian rhythmicity and sleep debt. Science, 353(6300), 687–690. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aad2993
9. Couyoumdjian, A., Sdoia, S., Tempesta, D., Curcio, G., Rastellini, E., De Gennaro, L., & Ferrara, M. (2010). The effects of sleep and sleep deprivation on task-switching performance. Journal of Sleep Research, 19(1-Part-I), 64–70. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2869.2009.00774.x