Waking up gasping for breath can be alarming, but this usually subsides within a few minutes. Several conditions can cause this, such as asthma, anxiety, and sleep apnea.
Waking up suddenly and feeling as though you’re struggling to take a full breath can be distressing. It can also make for a difficult start to your day.
In most instances, this isn’t something to be concerned about, and the feeling will subside after a few minutes. Still, various health conditions can cause you to wake up feeling short of breath. This includes conditions the following conditions.
1. Asthma
Drew West/Stocksy United
Asthma is a long-term health condition that can affect your airways. When you have asthma, you experience inflammation of these airways, which can restrict the airflow in your lungs.
If you have asthma and you are struggling to manage symptoms, you may wake up gasping for air.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in every 13 people in the United States has asthma. The factors that may trigger your asthma can vary from person to person. For example, some asthma triggers include:
pollen
viral infections
cold air
dry air
dust mites
In some instances, asthma symptoms can be worse at night and cause you to experience shortness of breath and tightness in the chest before or during sleep. This is known as nocturnal asthma.
This is because your airways follow your circadian rhythm. According to a review from 2016, your airways naturally constrict in the early hours of the morning. During this time, you can experience more resistance in your airways, which can worsen asthma symptoms.
Bronchodilators, which can help you breathe easier. Examples include albuterol (Proair HFA, Ventolin HFA) and metaproterenol (Alupent).
Corticosteroid inhalers can treat asthma symptoms and help you breathe easier. Examples include fluticasone (Flovent HFA) and budesonide (Pulmicort Flexhaler).
Consider speaking with a doctor if your medications stop working and you notice more severe symptoms. They will work with you to decide the next steps in finding the best treatment for you.
Need a diagnosis or prescription quickly? Optum Perks offers personalized on-demand care in as little as 15 minutes with no video or appointment required. For $25, answer a few questions online and receive a diagnosis and treatment plan from a board certified healthcare professional. Get started here.
100% online care
Treatment plans in 15 minutes or less for 40+ conditions.
Anxiety disorders can result in several symptoms such as panic attacks. When this happens at night, it can sometimes cause you to wake up gasping for air. Panic attacks can happen even while you are asleep and without any clear cause.
According to a review of 30 studies from 2021, poor-quality sleep, where you frequently experience nightmares and intermittent waking, can increase anxiety symptoms. Receiving effective treatment to help you sleep can prevent the condition from worsening.
Several treatment options available for anxiety can also improve your sleep quality.
Examples include:
Reducing stress: Incorporating stress-relieving practices such as meditation and exercise into your day can help decrease anxiety before bedtime.
Avoiding or limiting caffeinated drinks: It may be helpful to try avoiding or limiting caffeine for a few days to see if this reduces your anxiety symptoms.
If you need help covering the cost of medications, Optum Perks’ free Discount Card could help you get up to 80% off prescription medication. See how much you can save on your medication here.
Free prescription coupons
Seriously … free. Explore prices that beat the competition 70% of the time.
Sleep apnea, specifically obstructive sleep apnea, causes your breathing to sporadically start and stop while you are asleep. It can result in your throat muscles relaxing to the extent that they block your airways and stop your breathing. This causes you to jolt awake and gasp for air.
Other symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea include:
This can cause involuntary movements or hypnagogic jerks. These can happen with no specific cause.
It’s important to know that obstructive sleep apnea can be dangerous. If you suspect you are experiencing sleep apnea, you should speak with a healthcare professional immediately.
Maintaining a moderate weight, and quitting smoking if you do smoke, are both likely recommendations from a doctor to help manage sleep apnea.
If you have severe sleep apnea, a machine that performs positive airway pressure can help deliver oxygen to your lungs at a slightly higher pressure than usual. This can help keep your airways open and prevent shortness of breath or disturbed sleep.
4. Acid reflux
Acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) happens when the lower esophageal sphincter, located at the end of the esophagus where the stomach begins, is not able to stop stomach acid from flowing back into your esophagus. This can result in heartburn.
During the day, when you are sitting or standing up, gravity can help keep stomach acid from leaking into your esophagus. But this isn’t the case at night as you lie down. This can make you more likely to experience heartburn while you are sleeping, which causes you to wake up feeling short of breath.
If you have acid reflux or GERD, it can be helpful to implement some of the following measures into your life:
avoid eating too soon before bed. For example, not eating anything for 3 hours before you plan on sleeping.
Medications like antacids are available over the counter (OTC) or by prescription if your symptoms are severe.
Heartburn medications available OTC include calcium carbonate (Tums) and aluminum hydroxide (Mylanta).
5. Heart failure
When your heart does not pump blood around the body as efficiently as it should, this is known as heart failure. It can happen for various reasons, like an abnormal heart structure or coronary heart disease.
You may feel the need to sit up straight and take deep breaths. This can cause you to cough and spit frothy saliva.
Other symptoms of heart failure can include:
tiredness
fatigue
swollen legs
loss of appetite
If a doctor diagnoses you with a type of heart failure, you will require long-term treatment. Some medications can help your heart work more efficiently. Examples include:
You may need surgery to treat certain more severe causes of heart failure, such as blocked arteries which require a coronary bypass procedure.
When should you be worried?
If you find yourself waking up occasionally short of breath, and show no other symptoms you probably have nothing to worry about.
If you regularly find yourself waking up gasping for breath, this could be a sign of something more serious. If you experience other symptoms, such as chest pain or an inability to go back to sleep and catch your breath, you should seek medical support as soon as possible.
By identifying the cause of your symptoms, a doctor can prescribe the best treatment to help you sleep comfortably again.
Summary
While fairly common, waking up gasping for air can be stressful and disrupt your sleep. If it happens regularly, it may be a sign of an underlying condition.
If you experience additional symptoms, such as chest pain, or loss of consciousness, you should speak with a doctor immediately.
