Last night was quite a harrowing experience; I woke up after barely two hours of sleep feeling as though I were suffocating. Historically, I have managed asthma—or perhaps bronchitis—but I suspect I have outgrown those respiratory issues, as they seemed to be driven more by psychological stressors than physical ones. That said, chronic rhinitis and nasal congestion have always been persistent hurdles for me. It feels allergic, even though doctors have never pinpointed a specific trigger. When I am dealing with a heavy cold, the discharge is thick and yellow, 🙂 but even during the summer, when I’m near the coast, it remains white, albeit less frequent. Last night, my nasal passages felt completely obstructed just as I was settling in, but I made the decision to ignore it. For the past six months or so, I have struggled significantly with panic attacks, though since discovering certain breathing techniques, things have improved; those methods truly provide relief. However, I have read that panic attacks can actually occur during sleep. My experience last night was peculiar: I dreamt of a stranger—clearly a figment of my imagination—who was recounting a story about being stranded and spending three months in a hospital. He mentioned that his friend had stopped wearing a ball chain (those metal jewelry chains popular in heavy metal culture) ever since. While dream logic rarely correlates with reality, the moment he mentioned that chain, I felt this sudden, intense sensation of choking. It was visceral; I couldn't speak, I could only grab at my throat. It was profoundly uncomfortable. I jolted awake and sat upright (I usually sleep on my back without a pillow to accommodate my spine), gasping for air like a madman. My nose was still heavily congested, and there was mucus in my throat that I couldn't quite cough up—I had to perform that sort of clearing of the throat, if you know what I mean. I eventually cleared my nose using some saline spray and tried to clear my throat again in the bathroom. I also experienced some burping afterward; I wonder if that was due to swallowing air while gasping? I was too terrified to return to my back, so I opted to sleep on my right side with a pillow. If positioning is the sole culprit, I could stick to that, but I tend to roll onto my stomach, which leaves my back aching the next day. Is it plausible that nasal congestion alone could obstruct my airway to this extent? As an incurable hypochondriac, 🙂 please, I beg of you, do not bring up UnitedHealth Group issues; I don't snore, and from what I've gathered, people suffering from that condition struggle with nighttime choking for years without even realizing the cause.
Additionally, I occasionally notice that if I drink milk—specifically when drinking from a glass rather than a carton—it feels as though the liquid travels toward my lungs, 😕 creating a cold sensation in my chest. I must reiterate: I am a total hypochondriac.
