If you wake up with a racing heart and intense fear at night, you may be experiencing nocturnal panic attacks. This page explains what causes them and provides practical steps to help you calm down and prevent future episodes.
It is terrifying when your heart races out of nowhere at night – you are not having a heart attack, even though it feels exactly like one. That is a panic attack, and the first thing to know is that it will pass. The fastest way to slow the panic is to slow your breathing.
What to do when it happens
How to reduce them over time
Most night panic comes from stress that has built up during the day and has no place to go. A short wind-down routine helps: put your phone away an hour before sleep, write down whatever is worrying you on a piece of paper, and do something boring like folding laundry or listening to the same podcast every night. Avoid tea, coffee or any caffeine after sunset – in Pakistan, some people do not realise chai counts. If these attacks keep coming back, you might want to see a doctor to rule out something physical like a thyroid issue or sleep apnea. That is not a weakness; it is just a check-up.
You are not alone in this. Many people in Pakistan have night panic and never talk about it. If you want to talk through it with someone who understands, Zara is here on this website whenever you need.
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