Bad chest pain only at night

[emmielou00]

Hi,

I have Generalised Anxiety disorder and usually it's okay, but every now and then I wake up in the middle of the night with a sharp pain in my chest and i am unable to go back to sleep due to the discomfort. I am also a massive hypochondriac so I have already looked up all the possible reasons for the pain but have been told by my doctor and my mum that it is just my anxiety. The pain is sharp but not sharp enough to be extremely painful, but it stops me from being able to get comfortable while lying down or falling back asleep. I was just wondering if there is anyone else who also experiences this and how they manage it. I usually just have to stay awake until it passes but I am in year 12 right now and need to sleep so i can study for my exams.

Any help is useful.

[Doolhof]

Hi emmielou00,

Anxiety can do weird and wonderful things to our body. I presume the Dr has explained some of this to you. It also sounds like the Dr and your Mum have told you the heart pain is just the anxiety and nothing to woryy about.

When our minds get carried away with themselves, they tell us all kinds of stories! You just have to learn to change that story!

hen you wake up with the pain in your chest, tell yourself it is just your mind playing tricks on you. Accept the pain is there, tell yourself it is not serious, than distract your mind with maybe some deep breathing exercises.

Tell yourself to breathe in than slowly breathe out. This helps to calm me and I fall back to sleep again.

I do actually have a bit of a heart condition that wakes me at night in pain. My Dr explained that when lying on my left side I will generally experience more chest pain, so I try to sleep on my right side. I also find that hugging a pillow helps, kind of like a comfort thing and also a support for the other arm and shoulder so there is less pressure on the chest.

All the best with year 12! Would you like to share your favourite subjects with us?

Cheers from Dools

[kanga_brumby]

emmielou occasionally I get pains in the chest as well it come at any time I have been checked over by GP's and cardio doctors as well. As Dools has said "Anxiety can do weird and wonderful things to our body. " It is just your body reacting to what is happening in your head. It might be your anxiety kicking in over nothing but it has kicked in throwing extra hormones about ( ok it might not be hormones but extra something) which upsets the muscles around your heart giving you discomfort which you interpret as pain. You start thinking heart attack which gives you something to be anxious about. When it's just another anxiety attack, over the price of eggs in china. Nothing to do with you or your family or friends your street, suburb, city, state, country. Just like the last meal you had. It will pass.

Kanga. ( I was not looking to put a joke in it just crept in sorry)