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A member asked:
What is the difference between nocturnal panic attacks and sleep apnea?
7 doctors weighed in across 2 answers
Different problems: Sleep apnea is a breathing-related sleep disorder involving brief periods that a person stops breathing while sleeping. This triggers an alarm system in the brain to wake the person up so he/she will start breathing again. Nocturnal panic attacks are discrete periods involving extreme anxiety associated with physiological changes in heart rate, breathing, sweating, etc. That occur at night.
Answered 8/22/2012
5.7k views
Two main things: Anxiety feelings while lying flat on one's back, can be a problem with the heart or lungs. One is still breathimg, just not getting enough oxygen. That is called orthopnea. Sleep apnea- obstructve type- the person stops breathing while asleep. A sleep study is something to talk to your doctor about. Obsructive sleep apnea is ofteb associated wih being overweight. Orthopnic folkz may not be.
Answered 9/1/2012
5.7k views
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