A person who experiences nocturnal attacks is woken up by the heavy thumping of the heart rapidly. A lot of people aggravate this attack by confusing it to be a heart attack. They experience the same symptoms that a person would if he was having a cardiac arrest. He begins to feel short of breath and an unknown blanket of fear envelopes him. Some people have gotten up with a feeling that they have just experienced one of the dreaded nightmares ever in their life.

A few doctors are of the opinion that sleep apnea may be one of the reasons for these panic attacks at night. A person suffering from sleep apnea experiences high blood pressure and rapid heartbeats since they breathing gets interrupted. This leads to lesser amount of oxygen in the body and leads to panic attacks.

A few physicians feel that Gastroesophaegal Reflux Diseas (GERD) and Laryngospasm also cause nocturnal panic attacks that need immediate medical intervention.

First of all, you have to understand that panic attacks are caused due to the excessive build up of stress in the body. Hence, the first step is to de-stress regularly. This is possible only when you embrace yoga and meditation. It has been proven that one can easily relieve themselves of stress by performing yoga and meditation regularly.

Meditation also helps train your mind and keep it in control. You will be able to concentrate better and perform your chores well. This, in turn, will lead to lesser anxiety which will reduce the chances of panic attacks.

You can also consider a few counseling sessions with a good psychiatrist. There are various therapies available that can help you overcome this problem without you having to gulp down a single tablet.

There are relaxation techniques that have proven to work wonders on people suffering from panic attacks. The first relaxation technique is “yoga”. Yoga has a profound impact on the mind and body of the person who performs it. This is an ancient technique which is a combination of deep breathing and bodily movements. It has a very soothing effect on the mind and helps it stay calm even in the toughest and most challenging situations.

The second relaxation technique is the deep breathing exercises. This is extremely simple and needs just a few minutes of your time. Lie straight with your arms and legs stretched. Let all your muscles relax and take a deep breath. Hold the breath for three to five seconds and release. A few repetitions of this each day can help you stay well in control.

In addition to these two techniques you can also consider other forms like meditation, Tai Chi and visualization to free yourself of stress and keep panic attacks at bay.

A mother who leaves home to attend her child’s annual function at school suddenly feels dizzy. She begins sweating excessively and has an unbiased fear gripping her heart. She quickly retraces her steps and locks herself at home.

A man, who dreamt of being a big actor one day, now does not want to leave his house under any circumstances.

Do these situations sound familiar to you? It is not surprising if they do. A recently conducted survey has proven that close to 20% from the people in various parts of suffer from panic attacks. What is alarming is that this number is sure to increase consider the high stress work environment.

Women, who juggle work between home and office on a daily basis, are more prone to these attacks as compared to men. Unfortunately, most people choose to ignore this issue and do not take timely action. As a result, in certain people, it tends to manifest itself as agoraphobia which is an extreme condition of panic attacks.

Hence, it is imperative to seek medical help on time to take measures to overcome this problem.

Children too go through many traumatic situations. For instance, a simple phenomenon of separating from the mother could be very traumatic for children. Many children, like elders have their own way of coping with situations. While some are able to overcome their fears, some get affected by it to a great extent leading to panic disorders. Common panic disorders in kids are separation anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorders, fear to go to school etc.

Though difficult, it is possible to help children out of panic attacks. This would require great patience from the caretakers and a belief that the child will be able to overcome it. There are many treatments for such disorders in psychotherapy and following it for a while would help your children get much better. The whole point is that panic attacks are not the end of the world, but children experiencing it require a great amount of reassurance from the caretakers. Their fears must be dealt with in as rational a method as possible.

Put across simply, it can be said that it is a case of very high anxiety. Physically, you will see symptoms such as heavy perspiration, a rapid heart beat, chest pain, headache and such related complaints. The very mention that it is a mental disorder need not be a reason for worry. Many of us experience anxiety at some point of time or other. The only time panic attacks become a cause of concerns is when they affect your day to day life.

Once you develop irrational fears to a great extent, it leads to another phenomenon known as phobias and this may disturb your day to day life. Any mental illness is not be taken lightly and needs immediate concern. Panic attacks are seen in children too, at times. Research, however suggests that panic attacks develop due to life circumstances and does not have much to do with hereditary factors.

Pregnancy brings about a lot of changes in the woman’s body. A lot of hormones are produced during this phase, a few of which may cause undue stress. This stress tends to manifest as unbiased fears which results in panic attacks.

The symptoms of panic attacks in pregnant ladies are similar to that of what the others experience. She may experience dizziness, shortness of breath, hot flashes and rapid heartbeats. Psychologically the woman may feel that she is losing control over herself and that she may die any moment.

It is important for the pregnant lady to reach out to a doctor as soon as she experiences the first attack. Medical assistance is required in this crucial phase of life. If needed, the physician may prescribe mild medication that will not adversely affect the child’s growth.

There are ways to recognize a person who is suffering from this fear. They refrain from doing certain activities and going to certain places. A person suffering from agoraphobia will think twice before stepping out of the house. Even if he/she does go out, they will always request the company of a person close to them so they can feel secure.

It will need a great amount of coaxing to visit a restaurant, theater, super markets and shopping malls. They will even fear travelling in public transportation.

If you notice these symptoms in a particular person, it is imperative to seek medical assistance at the earliest. It is possible to overcome agoraphobia with just behavioral therapy is assistance is sought early on.

Studies have shown that cognitive therapy is one of the most useful approaches to over any anxiety disorder, including panic attacks. About 85% of the people who underwent this treatment were successful in overcoming panic attacks. Significant changes were visible in about six to eight sessions.

There are two aspects that come together to form cognitive therapy. The first aspect is to identify and change the patterns of thinking which give rise to unbiased fears. The other aspect is the exposure of the person to fearful situations in a controlled environment so he/she can learn to cope with it easily. The former is referred to as cognitive therapy while the latter is called exposure therapy.

Depending on the intensity and severity of the panic attacks, the doctors recommend a particular therapy. Most of the times, exposure therapy is sufficient enough to restore the person back to normal behavior; however, in cases like agoraphobia, cognitive therapy in conjunction with exposure therapy is recommended.

Experts in the field of medical sciences say that in most people, panic attacks are hereditary. They also say that changes that impact life significantly can also cause panic attacks. Some people tend to fall prey to these attacks after stepping into college, getting married or having a child. The loss of anyone close to your heart is also considered to be a reason for these attacks to surface.

What is surprising is that there are also some medical conditions that may trigger these attacks. People suffering from hypoglycemia, hyperthyroidism and mitral valve prolapse may experience these attacks most often than the others. Also, people who intake excessive caffeinated drinks and medical withdrawal will experience these attacks.

However, if you are frequently falling prey to the attacks often don’t hesitate in getting yourself checked. It is always better to seek medical guidance at the earliest.