Anxiety is an adaptive response of the body, which prepares to flee in the face of imminent danger. In the midst of an anxiety attack you will feel a intense fearaccompanied by symptoms such as difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, chest pain, dizziness, or numbnessamong others. In many cases, anxiety appears so abruptly that those who suffer from it may think they are about to die, due to the similarity of its symptoms to those of a heart attack.
However, the appearance of an anxiety attack does not always represent a problem. When the Center for Sociological Research asked Spaniards about their mental health during the pandemic, 15.8% of respondents reported having suffered at least one anxiety or panic attack in the last year. In many cases, anxiety occurs punctually, in the face of a danger that may or may not be real. However, when you experience anxiety attacks so regularly that they begin to hinder your daily performance, you are most likely facing a anxiety disorder which should be treated by a psychologist.
During the day, anxiety attacks usually appear during moments of relaxation, when you let your guard down and it is impossible to predict them. That is why it is not strange that they also appear at night, when your body is completely relaxed, but Your mind is still working, trying to eliminate the tension accumulated during the day.. You may have woken up shaky and disoriented, with your heart racing, sweating profusely, and even with pain all over your body. Nighttime anxiety attacks often begin while you are asleep, so it is normal for you to wake up scared and not understanding what is happening.
The fear of having an anxiety attack can make you feel fear of fear: This will cause even higher levels of stress, which can lead to more anxiety. Also, having anxiety attacks at night can make you feel your brain associates anxiety with sleepwhich can lead to problems such as insomnia or night terrors. Other factors such as genetics, stressful events, or some diseasessuch as hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism, can promote the onset of anxiety attacks.
Is it possible to control a nocturnal anxiety attack?
When anxiety stops being a one-off episode and becomes something cyclical, It hinders your daily life and attacks you when you least expect it.you may start to fear the onset of annoying anxiety attacks. Although it is normal to be afraid of them, since they immerse your body in a multitude of unpleasant symptoms, Fear will only fuel the vicious circle. of anxiety.
Controlling anxiety may seem like a difficult challenge, but it is not impossible. The first step is Understanding the mechanism of anxiety: Your body uses anxiety as a weapon that activates defense mechanisms against danger and that disappears once you are safe. Therefore, It is essential to understand that anxiety is a temporary state.: keeping it in mind will help you not to succumb to panic, keeping you calm.
Once you understand why anxiety appears, you can speed up its disappearance. You are in your room and You are completely safe: be aware of it and repeat it to yourself.out loud if necessary. Knowing that you are in a safe environment will help you relax. Also, doing relaxation exercises, such as control your breathingcan help you stay calm.
Techniques such as mindfulnesswhich involves focusing all your attention on the present moment, can also help you deal with anxiety. Our psychologists can help you get started with this technique.
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How to prevent the onset of a nocturnal anxiety attack
Anxiety is a complex mechanism that is not always possible to control without professional help. However, you can deal with nighttime anxiety attacks by putting in place healthy practices related to your sleep routine.
- Maintain a regular sleep schedule: Your body is intelligent and knows how to adapt to your routines. That is why if you get it used to always sleeping at the same time, for the same number of hours, It will be easier for you to fall asleep and you will avoid ruminating on unpleasant thoughts before sleeping.
- Avoid caffeine, alcohol and nicotine, especially in the hours before sleep.
- Exercise, the sooner the better: Exercising is a healthy habit with numerous benefits. If you exercise, your body will need to rest and therefore it will be easier for you to sleep. However, Exercising in the late afternoon or at night will activate your body and prevent you from sleeping properly..
- Light dinner, since heavy dinners will make you feel heavy, prevent you from sleeping well and can even cause heartburn.
- Use the bed to sleep: It may seem obvious, but it is necessary for the body to associate the bed with sleep, solely and exclusively. Studying or teleworking from bed can be an obstacle to have good sleeping habits. In addition, it is also recommended that the room be dark and avoid electronic devices before sleeping.
If you do not feel able to control your anxiety, at we can help you through online therapy.
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- We have been leaders in online psychological care since 2012.
- First informational appointment free.
- Online therapy from 40 euros per session.
- Team of senior psychologists, with decades of experience.
- All the therapy we offer is via videoconference. 100% confidential.
- The same psychologist will attend to you throughout the treatment.
- At you do not lose the money for the sessions. If you cannot connect or are not there, the session is postponed to another day.
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