Sleeping problem

[BoostLikeWoa]

Hey im a healthy and active male 20 year old. Last night when i was able to fall asleep like right away i woke up surprised sorta scared like when someone scares you in the middle of the night and took my breath away. This happened about 4 times. After that, i was able to fall asleep normally. There were sounds around the house due to windy climate so im not sure if my body was reacting to those sounds. What could be the cause and remedy for this?

[BoostLikeWoa]

its not a night to night thing and i dont drink alcohol. it was when i was laying on my back.. it was actually the first time this has happened. it hasent happened to me anymore since that one time but just incase for future, what do you think was the cause and any preventions?

[Steven Y Park, MD]

From what you describe, your symptoms can be due to a number of things. From a sleep-breathing standpoint, however, you could be suffering from sudden breathing pauses due to obstruction. It's probably nothing serious, but if it keeps happening even when it's quiet, I recommend that you not ignore it. Is it happening on your back, side or stomach? Is it worse when you eat late, just before bedtime? Did you drink any alcohol before bedtime?

Imagine if this happened to  you night after night. You might begin to feel anxious and even frightened about going to bed. These feelings can carry over into the daytime. Instead of going to see a therapist, consider seeing a sleep medicine doctor instead.