I've had this happen to me but only about 3-4 times in my life... It could be sleep apnea but I'm no doctor. I know plenty of people with sleep apnea. I don't know enough about it to make a comment, but I believe you can do the sleep test at home now. It seems worth checking out. It is best to stay off google. This will only cause you more anxiety
What you're describing sounds like Obstructive Sleep Apnea. I know because I had a very serious case of it. It is easily corrected, but it requires a sleep study so technicians can measure the degree of your problem, and then apply corrective measures. I sleep great now. No more bolting up in bed and gasping for breath.
Did you get an answer to your problem