At night sometimes get the sensation of numbness, like the feeling when an arm falls asleep. i feel this in my whole body. could this be circulation related or nocturnal panic attacks?

Sleep Paralysis is neither a circulation problem nor a nocturnal panic though it might be triggering the latter. When we fall asleep there is a natural disconnection that occurs between the brain and skeletal muscles to facilitate dreaming. This disconnect prevents flailing and self-injury as a result of what's occurring in our dreams. We usually notice it when falling asleep or upon awakening.