Anxiety during sleep: It wakes me every AM from sleep.

Posted by esikora @esikora, Nov 13, 2021

Hello,
As stated above,every AM at around 5, I start having uncomfortable adrenaline-like waves throughout my body. If I try to sleep, the waves cause weird dreams and then I wake up. This has been going on for about eight months. There has been considerable stress in my life during this time, but now things are improving, but the waves are just as bad.
Has anyone ever experienced this?
Thanks.

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Profile picture for nitalisa @nitalisa

This has been happening to me for the past 2 years. I am now taking 25mg of Trazadone at night and it has helped for the 1st 2-3 hrs of sleep. Anxiety thoughts and dreams start around 3- 4 am and continue through until I get up. I accidentally took a whole 50mg tablet last night and this morning I woke up a little groggy and I noticed that I had slept most all night and when the pre-dawn anxiety started to arrive, I was lucid enough to realize that it was anxiety and was able to rationalize in the dream state what was happening and I was able to relax and stay easy in the moments.
I am highly sensitive to drugs. The littlest dose goes a long way with me. I manage anxiety and panic attacks during the day with very small doses of .5mg lorazepam as needed. I don't take the lorazepam every day. Some days I can manage panic and anxiety with breathing and other refocusing tools. It just depends on what triggers a panic anxiety episode.

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Good to hear that you've been able to keep this misery under control. I have (so far) resisted the meds that have been suggested, but that may change. Natural supplements and mindfullness tricks have been somewhat effective during the day, but not at night.

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Profile picture for esikora @esikora

For over a year, I've had waves of creepy anxiety starting around 5 am. Starts with weird uncomfortable dreams, then progresses to awful adrenaline-like rushes. Now I'm starting to experience this during the night, every few hours. I can fight my anxiety fairly well during the day, but at night I feel helpless and scared.
Has anyone had similar symptoms? Did anything help?These feelings are not like worry; more like deep sickening fear...
Thanks for listening.

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I share the same as you and I feel so bad. Anxiety at nighttime is difficult to struggle…

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Profile picture for esikora @esikora

For over a year, I've had waves of creepy anxiety starting around 5 am. Starts with weird uncomfortable dreams, then progresses to awful adrenaline-like rushes. Now I'm starting to experience this during the night, every few hours. I can fight my anxiety fairly well during the day, but at night I feel helpless and scared.
Has anyone had similar symptoms? Did anything help?These feelings are not like worry; more like deep sickening fear...
Thanks for listening.

Jump to this post

Have your cortisol levels checked. My therapist and I talked about the “adrenal rushes” when I wake up in anxiety. He also suggested taking a supplement for that. If I find the notes on that I’ll post what he suggested. A good naturopath or holistic doctor can help diagnose what western medicine doctors miss.

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Profile picture for trishplace @trishplace

Have your cortisol levels checked. My therapist and I talked about the “adrenal rushes” when I wake up in anxiety. He also suggested taking a supplement for that. If I find the notes on that I’ll post what he suggested. A good naturopath or holistic doctor can help diagnose what western medicine doctors miss.

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Thank you. I'd certainly be interested to know what supplements were suggested.

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Profile picture for nitalisa @nitalisa

This has been happening to me for the past 2 years. I am now taking 25mg of Trazadone at night and it has helped for the 1st 2-3 hrs of sleep. Anxiety thoughts and dreams start around 3- 4 am and continue through until I get up. I accidentally took a whole 50mg tablet last night and this morning I woke up a little groggy and I noticed that I had slept most all night and when the pre-dawn anxiety started to arrive, I was lucid enough to realize that it was anxiety and was able to rationalize in the dream state what was happening and I was able to relax and stay easy in the moments.
I am highly sensitive to drugs. The littlest dose goes a long way with me. I manage anxiety and panic attacks during the day with very small doses of .5mg lorazepam as needed. I don't take the lorazepam every day. Some days I can manage panic and anxiety with breathing and other refocusing tools. It just depends on what triggers a panic anxiety episode.

Jump to this post

Both my mom and I have been on lorazepam for years to help with sleep. I am trying to taper off slowly and find that both depression and anxiety have worsened. My mother has been prescribed lorazepam 3 x a day which is of great concern and now can’t be without it because her anxiety level is unmanageable.

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Profile picture for trishplace @trishplace

Have your cortisol levels checked. My therapist and I talked about the “adrenal rushes” when I wake up in anxiety. He also suggested taking a supplement for that. If I find the notes on that I’ll post what he suggested. A good naturopath or holistic doctor can help diagnose what western medicine doctors miss.

Jump to this post

I’m interested in the supplements that you were told about if you can find the info. Thanx.

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Profile picture for nitalisa @nitalisa

This has been happening to me for the past 2 years. I am now taking 25mg of Trazadone at night and it has helped for the 1st 2-3 hrs of sleep. Anxiety thoughts and dreams start around 3- 4 am and continue through until I get up. I accidentally took a whole 50mg tablet last night and this morning I woke up a little groggy and I noticed that I had slept most all night and when the pre-dawn anxiety started to arrive, I was lucid enough to realize that it was anxiety and was able to rationalize in the dream state what was happening and I was able to relax and stay easy in the moments.
I am highly sensitive to drugs. The littlest dose goes a long way with me. I manage anxiety and panic attacks during the day with very small doses of .5mg lorazepam as needed. I don't take the lorazepam every day. Some days I can manage panic and anxiety with breathing and other refocusing tools. It just depends on what triggers a panic anxiety episode.

Jump to this post

For a minute I thought I wrote this. I get the same panic attack at 3 AM. Wake up really scared of something I can't define. I live alone with an old dog (canine, not man). I take 1 mg of ativan (lorazepam) and magnesium at 8:30 PM and get right to sleep. At 3 AM at the anxiety wake up, I take .5 ativan and start reciting the Rosary or measured breathing to calm myself. It is very troubling indeed to know this syndrome has a life of its own. I am also highly sensitive to medications and today cancelled the rheumatologist's order for generic Lyrica because the side effects will compound other issues I have. Just amazing how your comments sounded like I might have written them except for the trazadone which I have never taken. M.E.

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Profile picture for esikora @esikora

For over a year, I've had waves of creepy anxiety starting around 5 am. Starts with weird uncomfortable dreams, then progresses to awful adrenaline-like rushes. Now I'm starting to experience this during the night, every few hours. I can fight my anxiety fairly well during the day, but at night I feel helpless and scared.
Has anyone had similar symptoms? Did anything help?These feelings are not like worry; more like deep sickening fear...
Thanks for listening.

Jump to this post

Both my mother and I have anxiety worsen by taking lorazepam.

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Profile picture for marjou @marjou

Both my mother and I have anxiety worsen by taking lorazepam.

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Sorry to hear that. I hope you find better answers.
I take Klonopin it knocks me out for sleep but side effects including anxiety are awful. I’ll keep you and your Mom in my thoughts.

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Profile picture for tarmansbks @tarmansbks

For a minute I thought I wrote this. I get the same panic attack at 3 AM. Wake up really scared of something I can't define. I live alone with an old dog (canine, not man). I take 1 mg of ativan (lorazepam) and magnesium at 8:30 PM and get right to sleep. At 3 AM at the anxiety wake up, I take .5 ativan and start reciting the Rosary or measured breathing to calm myself. It is very troubling indeed to know this syndrome has a life of its own. I am also highly sensitive to medications and today cancelled the rheumatologist's order for generic Lyrica because the side effects will compound other issues I have. Just amazing how your comments sounded like I might have written them except for the trazadone which I have never taken. M.E.

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I’m sorry about what’s happening to you. I’ll keep you in my thoughts.

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