Restricted breathing in supine position

[Stefan]

Hi all, I have self diagnosed POTS symptoms plus Dysautonomia which are generally worse at night. When I’m sleep deprived I notice more tension around chest and upper back. When I lie down in bed with a single pillow my. I’m a nasal breather and breathing feels restricted - as though the airways have narrowed. I get to sleep and some nights wake up (often following an intense dream) with palpitations (pounding heart) needing more air and with an adrenaline surge and heart beat is racing. This can happen 2-3 times. It’s an unpleasant cycle of events which I ultimately put down to a burn out / PTSD sequence of the events relating to building our family home. I often need to apply vagal nerve techniques such as Valsalva to reset more extreme heart rate increases E.g. from 60 to 120 BPM. Other peculiarities: This appears to be a winter phenomenon which eases in spring and summer as I spend more time outside working in nature. My diet has switched to a plant based Keto and I’m a long term Yoga practitioner so I have some useful tools and understanding however I’d appreciate any suggestions on how to open the airways (I know how to breathe slowly) and other helpful tips? I’ve read that upping salt intake to 6gM per day is good and drinking 3 litres of water. 

[Macho319]

Interesting. My breathing becomes restricted almost immediately after I lie down. Then after about 5-10 mins it goes away. Sometimes it's quicker and sometimes longer.