Why do I wake up and panic for no reason?!

Why do I wake up and panic for no reason?

I have so many sleep disorders it's a joke. Sometimes I wake up seeing spiders above my head, which has turned into previously unhad arachnophobia. Sometimes after the first 40 minutes of dreamless sleep i will wake up and panic and be worried or afraid of nothing in particular. Sometimes i'm afraid that something will fall from the sky and hit my bed(???) In my sleepy delerium im certain that this will happen, so I can't get back in to bed until I wake myself up properly, or go to the kitchen and eat. I've been facing my fears of spiders and im not afraid of them unless they are above me??(so strange i never had any problems before this). I excersize at the gym 3 days a week. That helped for a bit but not recently. I'm 23 years old, not diabetic, i'm healthy and fit. I work hard from 9-5.
Is this Anxiety or Panic Attacks or mental instability or worse?

2 weeks ago
I have so many sleep disorders it's a joke. Sometimes I wake up seeing spiders above my head, which has turned into previously unhad arachnophobia. Sometimes after the first 40 minutes of dreamless sleep i will wake up and panic and be worried or afraid of nothing in particular. Sometimes i'm afraid that something will fall from the sky and hit my bed(???) In my sleepy delerium im certain that this will happen, so I can't get back in to bed until I wake myself up properly, or go to the kitchen and eat. I've been facing my fears of spiders and im not afraid of them unless they are above me??(so strange i never had any problems before this). I excersize at the gym 3 days a week. That helped for a bit but not recently. I'm 23 years old, not diabetic, i'm healthy and fit. I work hard from 9-5.
Is this Anxiety or Panic Attacks or mental instability or worse?

Edit: I'm not currently on any medications at all. I'm depressed sometimes about my past relationships issues.

Hello! You could try Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. CBT is proven to be the most effective thing for panic attacks, anxiety, depression, phobias and a long list of other things. It takes a bit of work, but I’ve found it super effective.

You can take a course for free online at: http://www.livinglifetothefull.com/elear... It has been funded by NHS Scotland and has had great results thus far.

You could also try relaxation exercise tapes 2 or 3 times every day for a year. They can especially help you sleep well at night if practised long term. The relaxation exercises should be ‘progressive muscular relaxation’. See http://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/resource... for instructions on how to do it without a tape.

Also remember this: control your breathing and you control panic. If you manage to regulate your breathing it is impossible to get a panic attack. Breathe in slowly through your nose pushing your tummy out. Breathe out slowly and for a bit longer through your mouth. Do not breathe rapidly or shallowly (in the chest area).

Good luck!