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I Keep Gasping For Breath When Falling Asleep; It Feels
Question: I keep gasping for breath when falling asleep; it feels like I’m stopping breathing and is sometimes accompanied by heart palpitations. I’m 19 years old, female and otherwise healthy,
Brief Answer:
If you are concern about this problem and it bothering you long term you may see your doctor to do evaluation and rule out the serious problem.
Detailed Answer:
Hello and thank you for your question Charlottejames . Hope I can be of help for you today. Through reading your query I would like to help you with this question. Gasping for breath when falling asleep and waking up from it, can be cause by many problems. Some causes, such as post nasal drip, are easily to treated but other causes may require medical work up to rule out a serious problem. You have been told that you are healthy and 19 years old, The serious problem should be less. But for obstruction sleep apnea which is know by someone informs you that you snore and gasp for air while asleep. Anxiety also can lead to panic attacks, and when this occur at night you may wake up with gasping for air and palpitation. Heart disease also can cause gasping problem. If you are concern about this problem and it bothering you long term you may see your doctor to do evaluation and rule out the serious problem.
I hope that can help you, and please let me know if you have any clarification or question about that, and I would be welcome to discuss it with you further.
Best regards,
Dr. Heang Chan Raksmey, General and Family Physician
If you are concern about this problem and it bothering you long term you may see your doctor to do evaluation and rule out the serious problem.
Detailed Answer:
Hello and thank you for your question Charlottejames . Hope I can be of help for you today. Through reading your query I would like to help you with this question. Gasping for breath when falling asleep and waking up from it, can be cause by many problems. Some causes, such as post nasal drip, are easily to treated but other causes may require medical work up to rule out a serious problem. You have been told that you are healthy and 19 years old, The serious problem should be less. But for obstruction sleep apnea which is know by someone informs you that you snore and gasp for air while asleep. Anxiety also can lead to panic attacks, and when this occur at night you may wake up with gasping for air and palpitation. Heart disease also can cause gasping problem. If you are concern about this problem and it bothering you long term you may see your doctor to do evaluation and rule out the serious problem.
I hope that can help you, and please let me know if you have any clarification or question about that, and I would be welcome to discuss it with you further.
Best regards,
Dr. Heang Chan Raksmey, General and Family Physician
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
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