Feels like my autonomic system is on high all the time.

Age 65, normal weight and fit, Non smoker non drinker and on no drugs at all. A type personality.

2015 Wanted to dive and did course in pool and was reasonably relaxed. Once at sea, I decided it's a bit too stressful. Got goggles and snorkel and enjoyed the day in the water.

2018 Went to a spot beach and took my snorkel. Put the my head under the water and absolutely panicked. Holding my breath caused a sever fight flight response. After some coaxing, I relaxed enough to enjoy the day. My autonomic system was wired ??

2021 Balance was sometimes off and felt disconnected with what I was doing at occasions. (I do precision machining) I felt that my autonomic system was being triggered during the day without reason. After a ear test I was diagnosed with quite far off vestibular issues. Started squash and found I could play reasonably well with the vestibular issues. Sometimes pausing before a serve, helped me stabilize the court.

Feeling more anxious as time went on, I found the Buteyko Breathing method and put that into practice. For a month I was back to normal. So excited. Then the anxiety seemed to creep in again. Went to whole foods, no coffee or tea. Best way to describe the 'anxiety' is, my flight flight is being triggered and my frontal cortex was not operating as per usual. Feels like brain fog and memory and thinking becomes impaired. Often thought the anxiety was food related but cannot pinpoint anything.

2022 March on 3 occasions where I woke at night thinking I was not going to live and started to list who I was going to give what to. I felt emotionally dead. I could think but felt dead. Like I was poisoned. Only other time I felt like that before was with a raging temperature from a bladder infection.

All my blood tests came back normal but my cortisol was 15% above the suggested maximum in the morning. This has remained high and consistent throughout the year.

I started running every morning as soon as I woke and slowly I began to get back to normal. Also 'reset my circadian clock' up early and bed early with little computers after 8PM. Started a diary and meditating after the run. Seriously cut down on work and commitments. I was so good in August that I felt like running a ½ marathon.

I got covid in October and could not run any more. My mental state went down. I did have some recovery post covid but on 26 Dec had another episode where I nearly booked myself into hospital but the only reason I didn't, was, I could not describe how I felt other than being poisoned.

2023 very careful food with no dairy no grains and regular exercise. I also noticed that I was carrying a lot of stress in my body and learned to let go. Bit like cowering in the rain, you get just a wet as when relaxed, so why do it. Felt somewhat better as time went on for a few months. It now seems to be slowly degenerating and now really living day by day as planning ahead is hard. I'm normally a very driven person and this is so frustrating. April 2023, now almost living hour by hour. For some reason, I do feel bit better at night.

I get to sleep in 15 min when in bed and sleep through with 2 wee breaks. Aim for 8+ hours every night.

PS done 500+ hours research on this so far, changed a lot of things but still stuck in the woods.

Appreciate any help.