sorry you're feeling bad, not having such a good night myself

Thanks, i hope you feel better.

It is really common for panic attacks to be triggered by sudden changes in perception or thought. Especially when you are really relaxed. When you are really relaxed, you aren't thinking anxious thoughts . You are just laying there kind of "lulled" and not worrying about anything, and it feels really nice. But all it takes is for you to shift your thinking ever so slightly, and you sort of come out of your relaxation for a moment and come out of your inner little cozy nest and become really aware of what is going on around you. This sudden shift in thinking can feel strange and distorted and make you feel a bit like you are out of your mind if you allow yourself to run with it. It is totally normal and nothing to be scared of.

This happens to everybody. I used to fall half asleep in my hammock in the back yard and when I would open my eyes 15 minutes later, I would be filled with terror. I wouldn't know where I was or what my name was. It took me a full thirty seconds to figure out what was going on. Scary stuff! But it was just because I was disoriented from being half asleep and that I had been brought, very suddenly, out of my cocoon and into the bright light of day. Its that sudden shift in perception and the combination of being really relaxed/half asleep that makes us feel so strange.

I think headphones make a difference too. One of my worst panic attacks was when I had a headset in my ear at work. I will never forget it. It was a doozy. You will be fine! This happens to everybody. The only difference is that we fear the distortion and other people just immediately understand why it is there and just make themselves wake up a bit so they feel better. Hang in there!