Gasping and Choking during Sleep
No one wants to wake up with the feeling as though they are suffocating. That’s awful. Some wake up and feel as though they have a shortness of breath. Maybe they have a feeling as though there is a weight sitting on their chest. Which ever way you can describe it, that’s not how a person should wake up.
What Causes It?
There are many things that can affect your breathing. Sometimes it’s temporary, and sometimes it could lead to a more serious injury.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea could be a cause of this choking or gasping feeling. OSA is when the structural muscles in your throat temporarily relax which causes a blockage in the airway, waking a person up with a choking feeling. If you experience excessive daytime sleepiness, snoring, morning headaches, heightened blood pressure, mood swings, or even difficulty concentrating, you may be experiencing Obstructive Sleep Apnea. For correction of OSA, there are various treatment options; speak with your doctor to find the best plan for your personal journey to wellness.
Anxiety can also lead to panic attacks which can happen during the night. A person experiencing an anxiety or a panic attack may encounter the intense feeling of waking up gasping for a breath. Those who struggle with anxiety or depression have troubling thoughts throughout the day which can make it quite difficult falling asleep at night. Anxiety is known to cause palpitations or pounding beat of the heart, increased rate of heartbeat, trembling, smothering, shaking, shortness of breath, feelings of loss of control.
“People with panic disorder have recurrent unexpected panic attacks. Panic attacks are sudden periods of intense fear that come on quickly and reach their peak within minutes.” - nihm.nih.gov
Many of those struggling with Anxiety or Depression may experience the following: Restlessness, the constant feeling of worry, increased heart rate, the temporary feeling of intense panic, or disturbance while attempting to concentrate.
A postnasal drip is when fluids from your nasal cavity move down your throat and can get trapped in your airways, especially if the person is lying on their back. Those who struggle with this often feel as though they feel like they are suffocating and can lead to a sore throat, headaches due to their sinus, or possibly a bad taste left in their mouth. For correction of postnasal drip, there are over the counter treatments such as nasal saline sprays or a neti pot to help take care of the abundant mucus.
Another condition that could affect a person while trying to sleep is Asthma. Those who suffer from Asthma may have the possibility of Nocturnal Asthma. When someone struggles with asthma while sleeping, that is when it is diagnosed as Nocturnal Asthma. When asthma is poorly treated or controlled, often times nocturnal asthma will develop. Symptoms of asthma are the following: throat irritability, uncontrollable cough (without use of inhaler), wheezing noise made from lack of air, feeling of inability to catch breath, or strained or tight chest.
Heart Failure can occur when the heart is not pumping blood as it regularly should. The heart is not as efficient as it should be which can be caused by abnormal heart valves, heart attacks, or even coronary heart artery disease. Being short of breath is a largely known symptom of heart failure. Heart failure can escalate to a worse condition where the person will be short of breath while sleeping or even just resting. Someone with heart failure may also observe issues such as fatigue throughout the day, leg and feet swelling, pain in the chest or swelling in the abdomen.
Treatment
If you are experiencing one or more of any of the the previously stated symptoms, it may be caused by a serious health condition.
Please contact a health care professional or a primary care physician for treatment.
As far as a brief summary of the different treatments, there are many routes that can be taken. Medication, Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), Dental Devices, Saline Nasal Sprays, Proper Sleep Hygiene, or speak with your doctor to see the most beneficial path for your health journey.
More information
www.healthline.com - Causes and Treatment Options
www.medicalnewstoday.com- Causes, Treatment, and When to See a Doctor
www.nimh.nih.gov - Anxiety