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    Thread: Anxiety and racing heart at night?

    1. #1
      And Dream of Sheep. isthisit's Avatar
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      Anxiety and racing heart at night?

      Ok, so first of all, I have a history of being an emotional wimp, so depression / anxiety is not unusual for me. However it's not common either. So here's what's been happening.

      A few months ago, I went through a phase of having panic attacks. I knew they were panic attacks and controlled them with breathing techniques, calming thoughts, etc etc

      Haven't had anything since, but the night before my first LD (not the same night) I couldn't get to sleep because my heart was pounding, LOUD. So much that I thought I might be about to die (I'm such an idiot :/) however I fell asleep and woke up fine.

      Occasionally during the day, I get a racing heart and a bit dizzy, goes away after a few minutes though.

      Last night, my heart was MAD CRAZY! Racing fast, pounding, I was hot and scared. I kept telling myself it was all in my head, and slowed my breathing down (I was breathing fast)

      I didn't die, obviously, and now I am fine.

      This prevents me from WILDing properly, as I worry I'm ging to have a heart attack.
      Apart from telling me to grow a pair, does anyone have any suggestions or advice? It's not really been a problem before, and it's only occasionally now. But it is scary / annoying.


      Could it be that concentrating on LDing, saying mantras and focusing my thoughts on dreaming is making me on edge and giving me anxiety attacks?


      Cheers
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    2. #2
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      Are you on any medication?
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      Don't practice WILD then, there are other methods around that are useful too.
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      And Dream of Sheep. isthisit's Avatar
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      Quote Originally Posted by Phion View Post
      Are you on any medication?
      No, I'm not. It's not a day to day issue, it has just started recently.

      I had it again this afternoon, intense heart beat so fast and loud I thought it would jump out of my chest! As I was taking a power nap. I figured it must be anxiety from thinking about LDing. It isn't there unless I'm trying to sleep.
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      Quote Originally Posted by isthisit View Post
      No, I'm not. It's not a day to day issue, it has just started recently.

      I had it again this afternoon, intense heart beat so fast and loud I thought it would jump out of my chest! As I was taking a power nap. I figured it must be anxiety from thinking about LDing. It isn't there unless I'm trying to sleep.
      I'm familiar with the sensation and subsequent inability to rest the mind. My suggestion would be to limit your focus to other things like the happenings of the course of your day, activities your attuned to visualizing or participating in, or other natural extensions of yourself and what you associate effortlessly with in your mind instead of concrete ideas that force to into an anticipatory or stressful state--basically, meditate on the benign. By actively avoiding thinking about whatever is making you anxious and changing that process or pattern of thought you should feel more comfortable during the transition into sleep. It's interesting that concentrating on the idea of lucid dreaming makes you feel that intensely.
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    6. #6
      And Dream of Sheep. isthisit's Avatar
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      Quote Originally Posted by Phion View Post
      I'm familiar with the sensation and subsequent inability to rest the mind. My suggestion would be to limit your focus to other things like the happenings of the course of your day, activities your attuned to visualizing or participating in, or other natural extensions of yourself and what you associate effortlessly with in your mind instead of concrete ideas that force to into an anticipatory or stressful state--basically, meditate on the benign. By actively avoiding thinking about whatever is making you anxious and changing that process or pattern of thought you should feel more comfortable during the transition into sleep. It's interesting that concentrating on the idea of lucid dreaming makes you feel that intensely.

      Thanks for the advice. Yeah, it definately is the thoughts of lucid dreaming. Last night I went to bed without any plans to LD, and didn't get any of the symptoms, I woke early and tried to WILD, and got the craziest, fastest heartbeat as I got closer to falling asleep. I think I over think things sometimes, clearly WILD is not a technique that is working for me!
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      Ooh, their breath is warm
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      Like poppies heavy with seed
      They take me deeper and deeper

    7. #7
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      That is very interesting. Does the thought of LD-ing stress you out or scare you? Do you get Sleep Paralysis and does the thought of it scare you? What about your mantras to get to sleep TO LD? Do you use such thoughts at other times (are they the same you used when having panic attacks)?

      When I try to LD the quality of my sleep GREATLY suffers. I don't get enough proper rest which makes the anxiety worse. So, how well are you sleeping at other times?
      Are there any other concerns- obesity, high/low blood pressure, high/low blood sugar?

      I started taking Prozosin for "nightmares" a good few months ago. It's typically used as blood pressure med, so when I started taking it my blood pressure bottomed out and I felt like I was dying because my pulse was acting as you described.

      I have a hard time believing LD-ing itself is causing your attacks. Look at all the other factors if you haven't yet.

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      Quote Originally Posted by isthisit View Post
      Occasionally during the day, I get a racing heart and a bit dizzy, goes away after a few minutes though.
      That you get these during the day, might mean that you suffer from Cardiac Dysrhytmia (ie Irregular heartbeat), possibly Tachycardia. Next time you get one, measure you'r pulse. If it is over 100 beats per minute, it's most likely irregular heartbeat!
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