About 6 months ago I kept having panic attacks right before going to sleep at night, and immediately when I woke up in the morning. Forget about naps. I had panic attacks when I tried to nap. It was terrible. I went to the library and took out guided meditation tapes, and listened to them for an hour every day. I did this every day for about six weeks and gradually the panic attacks went away. I might feel a little anxious when I wake up every now and then, but the heart pounding went away. Some other tricks when a panic attack comes on...drink a glass of cold water, if it is possible take a hot bath or shower, do deep breathing, listen to guided meditation tapes, or make a cup of herbal tea. My heart pounded so hard I really thought there was something physically wrong with me. But there wasn't. It was caused by anxiety and I had to reduce the anxiety. It is really frightening, and my heart goes out to you. PS My sister died two years ago this month so yes, I have thought more about death. Has someone close to you recently died? That can definitely cause us to feel anxious, but once the grief settles so does the anxiety, I find.