I involuntarily stop breathing during certain phases of sleep...why is this happening to me?

Question

I go to sleep without thinking about anything before I go to bed. Then, in the middle of the night, while I'm still asleep, I can't breathe at all. I subconciously stop breathing all together like I'm holding my breathe underwater or something. Even as I am sleeping, I keep telling myself in my mind to breathe, but my body won't listen to me. I try my hardest to open my eyes, or yell for help, but I can't move my body at all as if my motor skills have been paralyzed or something. It's as if my body is fully sleeping, but my mind is fully awake, as I clearly know for a fact at the moment it's happening that if I don't breathe, I'm going to die. I really fear that I will die in my sleep this way someday. What is wrong with me, and what can I do? I feel like I'm being smothered with a pillow, or drowning underwater. Please help me. 10 points for best, thorough answer! Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

I often wake up not breathing.  it always happens when I am really tired and in sleep become overly relaxed.

If it only happens when you are having dreams of not being able to breath then you might consider going to a sleep specialist. Lucid dreams seam completely real so that is probably what you are having.And you are probably having them due to a fear of suffocation or drowning. Try sleeping on a different side. Ive heard that that affects dreaming. You really should go to a sleep specialist if this persists. If it seams so real you could really hurt yourself. I hear, dont know if it is true, of someone dying from dreaming they were falling off a cliff because it caused them to have a heart attack. I thought that was interesting. Hope I helped.

                        Lolly

Answer 2

could be sleep apnea...but i have narcolepsy and it has a disorder involved called sleep paralysis, where you are awake but can not move at all it may last just seconds or minutes, it feels like you can not breathe and makes you panic cause you wonder if you are dying but really you are not you should read about narcolepsy and see if the symptoms fit - good luck !

Answer 3

You need to be checked out by a sleep clinic asap. You can die, have a heart attack or stroke..call your MD and make an appt with him/her or ask for a referral to a sleep clinic.

Answer 4

you MAY have sleep apnea, depending on the severeness of the case it can be dangerous to your health.

something you can do is go to a sleep specialist and have them observe you.

if they determine that you do in fact have it, you might be eligible for a surgery, or there is a device that can assist you breathe during the night.

i know this because my father suffers from sleep apnea, after he found out what was wrong he got the breathing device and has been sleeping soundly ever since!