It may be GERD, or better known as Acid Reflux. Try some over the counter omeprazole and see if it improves!
Asthma Flares
It is quite possible that gasping episodes in the middle of sleeping is caused by an asthma flare. Usually, it is accompanied by wheezing, shortness of breath and a sense of tightness in the chest. During an asthma attack, the lining of the airway becomes swollen and thick mucus is produced, which in turn can be the culprit of air shortage. These episodes can be tamed by an inhaler, having regular exercise or medication from the doctor.
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I started getting severe post nasal drip all of a sudden at age 20 and my breathing and mucus have been bad ever since. I am now 62 and have excessive mucus all day, all night. It NEVER goes away....ever. I am very frustrated to say the least. I go to sleep usually very easily (probably because I am sleep deprived as a result of this condition) even when I do sleep, it is not a good deep sleep. I wake up every night at 3:00 a.m. on the dot, because I cannot breath. I have to get up, get dressed, and let it drain while I am in an upright position. This takes several hours and, although I NEVER get rid of the mucus completely, it does drain enough so that I can go back to bed and sleep a bit longer. I usually get about 6 hours of sleep a night. I often get headaches when I sleep, I am guessing it is from a lack of oxygen. I have had my lungs tested several times (every time I move and see a new doctor) and they are fine. I have no doubt that this is a throat issue. I am now trying to avoid all dairy and see if that helps. Sounds like I need to do the same with wheat! Oh, the dread!!!! From all I have read, I know that there are many different things that can trigger this type of problem......I just need to experiment and figure out my trigger. It is a scary and very frustrating condition for sure and my heart goes out to all of you who suffer from it. I hope you can all find some relief!