If you've ever happened to wake up gasping for air in the middle of the night, then please read the information below. I have here collected the main reasons for why this can happen sometimes.
Don't worry, you will soon get some clarity.
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Even though you might find understanding and help online, you should ALWAYS go see a doctor about this symptom. Some causes can be very serious and it's always best to get an experts opinion. In general, the reason why you suddenly wake up the way you do is that your air passage has become too small for a sufficient amount of air to pass through. The cause of this can be many so let's take a look at the potential reasons: |
Sleep apnea is a breathing disorder where the person suffering has pauses in breathing, especially during sleep. They can be just a few seconds longer, but in worse case they can last over a minute. This can very easy turn into a long-lasting disorder if you leave it untreated so it's always best to perform a sleep test.
Some behaviors that can ease the passage of air are to sleep on the side and avoid all types of alcohol, sleeping pills or other drugs.
If you know that you suffer from allergies, then this might well be the core reason to why you wake up gasping for air.
In short, if you sleep on your back and have heavy nasal drip, then all this secretion can end up blocking your throat. When blocked too much, you will typically wake up by heavy couching and breathing.
If you're unsure if you have allergies in the first place, then I strongly recommend that you perform a safe and simple online allergy test right away at personalabs.com. You might just find the root of all your problems.
If you have asthma, then you're very familiar with the feeling of shortage of breath as the air passage clams up. If this happens during the night, then you will suddenly wake up trying to regain some air.
If you notice that you also tend to wake up sweating, feeling worried etc. then you might suffer from severe panic or anxiety attacks. This psychological worry can then also cause you to wake up suddenly with heavy breathing as a result.
This amount of stress is a clear sign that you're burning yourself out and need to relax. If it has come to this level where you're unable to get a good nights sleep, then it's time to act.
So if you're suspecting that stress is the cause, then start to try some relaxation exercises to see if they have any affect on your situation. If you're not able to handle it yourself, then please seek professional help.
So these are the 4 main areas that can cause you to wake up gasping for air. The doctor I spoke to about this topic also stressed the importance to always seek a doctors opinion when suffering from this symptom.
Also, if you really want to take good care of yourself and your family, then there's no better investment than an air purifier. I have this exact Blueair air purifier at home right now and it's really giving me some certainty that my loved ones won't suffer from any lung or breathing problems. This is the type of action that fortunately can be taken immediately.
Waking up gasping for air can indeed be very serious and is not be taken lightly. I just hope you're able to get some clarity as fast as possible in order to sleep better in the future.
Early Riser > Sleep Problems > Wake Up Gasping For Air
Thanks for reading! By Matthew M. McEwan
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