No idea where to post this .. But recently, as I try to sleep I experience a strange feeling in my head. Like I'm fading away and losing power in my brain. Normally I either fall asleep normally and it's ok, but sometimes I won't be able to sleep and the feeling makes me panicked and therefore waking me up. After these episodes I tend to be very shaky and my heart is pounding. Does anyone know what this could be? It makes me very worried.
Emily, sounds to me like anxiety. I suspect what you're feeling is what we all feel as we fall asleep, but something has happened to make you suddenly become aware of it. Putting attention on any natural phenomenon of this kind will always result in it being blown out of all proportion. Concentrating too much on breathing, swallowing or your heartbeat is another one that can cause alarming symptoms.
Try asking your pharmacist for some kind of mild sleeping remedy. Make sure too that you're in a relaxed state before you go to bed, and that you neither stay up to late nor get too much sleep during the day. So no coffee in the evening and no computer, texting, play station etc. in the last hour before going to sleep.
Once you start calming down a bit you'll find that this will stop. However, it could take a couple of months. If you're really desperate you could ask your doctor for sleeping pills but I really wouldn't recommend this, as they bring their own problems.
The main thing is not to worry about this. You're just noticing something that's always happened to you and everyone else.
Try going to sleep with a meditaion or some talk show to keep your mind busy with relaxation or listening to a talk show. You might be overthinking too much.even an audiobook would work. Your brain is strong and doing well its just in overdirve and would probably be very grateful to get sidetracked.
Sounds like you are experiencing what many others experience by becoming anxious as you try to end the day. Your mind is probably making lists of things to do, more things to do & that feels like losing control over everything? That's what I feel at times. The others are right as they posted to find something that relaxes you at bedtime like a hot decaf tea or hot chocolate & think only plesant positive thoughts. Think of a favorite vacation spot & imagine yourself there, breathing in & breathing out and relaxing.
Hi Emily I had something similar happen to me today as to why I ended up here lol it was so scary I was at work and all of a sudden as I was walking my brain just completely shut down and I was aware it was happening? then my body felt as though I was in an elevator not fainting it was just a weird sensation then my feet felt heavy I went straight to the nearest chair and had to sit down can’t understand why but it was very scary and not just once today every other time it happend throughout the day was my brain shutting down quickly and not my body then it passes I’m so confused and scared as to why this is happening all of a sudden. It happend one or two times in the past but not this bad, as I’m writing this it is happening?? I will be consulting in my doctor tomorrow I would hate to be driving and it becomes far worse could be very dangerous.
Hi pxds,
You're right to go and see your doctor, just to check there's nothing seriously wrong.
However, I have to say you've described a classic panic attack in your post. Panic attacks don't always happen because you're particularly anxious about something that's going on at the moment they happen. They can come out of the blue as well, and in that case the anxiety is quite understandably directed at the odd sensations the sufferer is experiencing.
Panic attacks are often treated by prescribing drugs of the benzodiazepine group (Valium, Xanax etc.) but long-term CBT can produce better results.
Hi Emily, have you gone for a sleep study test? Do you have a partner that sleeps (tries to sleep) with you and complains about your snoring or periods that it doesn't look like you're breathing?
My husband and I both have sleep apnea and have to wear the breathing machine!
I wonder if your body is waking you up during the apnea periods?
What do you think about this? Good luck Susan
Hi, I agree with some of the others! There's not many things that take you off guard and comes totally out of the blue!
I have Anxiety Panic Attacks that come out of the blue! So very, very scary! I try to relax and try to just concentrate on my breathing! Breathe in and out, in and out until I either feel better or need to take my anti-anxiety pill!
Not a fun experience at all, good luck, Susan
My GP said that if you have a neck size of 19inches (48cm) or more there's 50% chance you'll have obstructive sleep apnoea. I use a CPAC device (a complex air pump) and the difference it made was great and fairly quick too. Lack of sleep has so many short-term impacts on my life, and to some extent are easily missed as they creep on me. I suffer depression too, and know others for whom this brings sleep problems. My experience is this can be more difficult to resolve.
As lack of sleep aggravates depression and increased depression aggravates insomnia it's important to see your GP before depression 'locks' itself into your consciousness, and worse, your subconscious. Obviously, there's a point where feeling down for a few days merges into suffering depression, a guess the point is the longer its the latter the harder it can be to resolve.
I have the exact same experience. It literally feels like if I dnt fight to stay awake, my brain will die! I notice too that if I let it happen I become paralized n unable to talk and start to hallucinate. Its very scary and happens randomly.
Hi again, was just reading all the reply posts!
Sounds like you have a few followers basically in the same boat!
I'm finding life particularly rough right now with either not sleeping or sleeping too long! Yesterday I slept from about 12:00 am to 11:30 am, went to the bathroom, took my pain pills then sat in my chair & fell right to sleep again until 4:30pm! Could all be due to stress, have had to take my anti anxiety pills more often lately (not enough to make me sleepy). This is particularly bad as I have Diabetes 2 and on Insulin injections 4 times a day!
The suggestions the others made were exactly what my Specialist had said, except listening to a talk show as they can unexpectedly get your mind going!
I'm extremely concerned as I go tomorrow for my next CPAP appt.! I'm going to have to tell them I can't use mine! I've really tried but my nights are a thousand times worse! I also have to wear a muzzle to keep my mouth shut! I want to see if the muzzle is enough on it's own!? Man I really hope the Specialist is actually in town tomorrow instead of a teleconference on the computer! The staff knew that I didn't really care for that kind of venue!
There are other options but either so expensive or means surgery (No Way)! I wish someone could investigate why all the accessories etc. are so down right expensive, almost highway robbery!
I'm so worried about my app't is because they can have my drivers license removed! I don't have narcolepsy but that may not matter!
Anyhow, I'm sorry that I've gone on & on, I guess it kinda shows how I'm doing!
I hope that you're getting help as it sounds like a little much for 1 person to cope with! Thinking of you! Susan
Hi this has been happening to me while I was driving I had to pull to the side and park as my boyfriend witness me asking what happen I told him my brain felt like it just shut down like I'm about to faint but I can feel my body still and I try to control it n start breathing calming me down right now I am still feeling it and it happen to me today as I drove it's raining really bad it happen to me at a red light and this time I was alone now I'm trying to calm down....should I go to doctor for this?
Hi, sounds like panic. I have anxiety and this happened to me when driving in the fog. Freaked me out and it threatened to do it again when just driving in the car, especially in the rain. It was anxiety. I tend to put on load music and it turns my attention away from it.
The same thing recently happened to me but it was in my sleep… I was having a dream n then all of a sudden my brain felt fuzzy my eyes went blind I could feel power leaving from the top of my head and my brain was shutting down… it was scary I thought I was dying
Hi i have the same feeling, its like my brain wants to shut down. It mainly happens when i,m driving alone. some days its worse than others and it scars me. I normally start to yawn heaps when it happens and after i feel tied from it. Is there anything i can do? thankyou!
I recently experiences this out of nowhere mainly at night. I was thinking that maybe i had a brain tumor , or some kind of cancer. I was so paranoid I went to the hospital and got myself checked , giving every detail to the doctors and nurses.
Got a CAT scan and EKG test. I was suprised when they told me nothing at all was wrong with me.
I went home telling myself “I know something is wrong with me.” Then I found this page , others experiencing it as well. I can’t believe its just anxiety. Wow , what a relief , thank you guys.
Hey I just experienced the same feeling…like my brain is all shutting down and my soul is leaving the body through the back of my head…And I just found out it’s all just anxiety…I just recently quit smoking cigarettes which I’ve been smoking for 3 years and I also used to smoke weed then and there…And after quitting i was constantly thinking about other health related problems like having a heart attack, breathing problems,Nerve damage like that and I was constantly getting into depression and anxiety for more than 4 days straight…I think I just experienced an anxiety attack
I cant believe I’ve found people who could describe exactly what’s been happening to me! This has only happened twice but each time I have been terrified, last night I actually cried afterwards wondering what this could be and telling God that I have too much to live for.It happens right after I fall asleep and im just reaching the deep sleep phase. Then its like I can feel my body and brain powering down and my entire body feels slowed, my feet and legs feel extremely heavy so my reaction is to jump up immediately out of bed and walk around until I regain control. I drink water and just sit upright and focus on not drifting away until I feel normal again…never thinking it could be anxiety. It feels like I have some type of terminal disease and I the afterlife is really pulling me away, I instantly begin to plead inwardly because I have no breath to speak. Last night I scared my partner because of how I shot up from the bed, she asked me what was wrong but I couldn’t speak because I had to use all of my energy to concentrate and walk around like a robot until I felt normal. I see a therapist next week and I will definitely mention this to her, I also snore so I will try and sign up for and sleep study as well. Thank you all for explaining your experiences, Its makes me feel better not to be alone.
Hi, I feel your plight. I’m going through the same thing right now as I type this comment. I did get to sleep about 5 hrs. yesterday, but I’ve now been nearly 24 hrs awake. I tried to sleep tonight but these attacks wouldn’t let me sleep. I sometimes can take about 2x10 mg of amitriptiline (antidepressant) to help me overcome this sleeplessness. The worse part of my attempt is that my mind drifts as I try to sleep but am startled and then comes a heart palpation or two and fully awake. A couple of deep breaths get me back to felling normal but not to sleep. Sometimes these attacks could continue for hours each time I nearly drift off. I’m 63 now and was diagnosed with sarcoidosis a few years ago and the VA put me on Hydroxyclorocline (the med Trump was pushing for covid treatment. )to help offset some of the effects. Sarcoid can attack any part of the body including all organs, brain, skin and eyes. I would mostly get bumps on my nose. I think my sleep issues started with the Hydroxyclorocline.
It seems that my brain is on guard duty to make sure I don’t get to sleep, and it seems that I have to sneak past my brain in order to enter dreamland. I mostly drink alcohol at night to help me close down. It hasn’t worked tonight. I don’t drink during the day and my drinking acts as a medicine as well. Another thing that is “jacked” up is that I can’t take naps at all and when I’m drifting, if my brain detects any attempt of a snore; it slaps the hell out of me a make me stay awake. My primary tried to switch me to Melatonin but it didn’t seem to work. It is a horrible condition. I’m open for any suggestions or comments.
hi
I have the same feeling, started two years ago and still comes from time to time. It’s so scary. I am trying with my doctor to find out the problem, but so far, I have found nothing. I am trying to read on web to find something about my case, till i found this page. I can’t believe it’s “anxiety”. thanks for your help.
My husband kept telling me that this problem is mental issue, , not physical, but I didn’t believe him. 
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