Trouble breathing while asleep

I've been living in a new house with my boyfriend for a week or two, and ever since, I've been feeling like there isn't enough oxygen getting into my lungs while sleeping.

After I've been sleeping for a while, I feel somewhat like I'm suffocating. My chest hurts and I feel a desperate need to breathe. I feel thirsty, but when I try to take a drink of water I feel like I'm suffocating because I'm not breathing while drinking it.

We've had a dehumidifier on, which his dad has said we have to keep on full blast until a hot water heater leak is fixed. We're sleeping in the basement, in the room next to the dehumidifier. I don't know if it would happen in the basement while I wasn't sleeping, since I only go down there for prolonged periods to sleep. After leaving it for only a few minutes, I already feel my lungs getting back to normal. I've taken up smoking in the last 2-3 months, but I doubt that has anything to do with it since this started happening suddenly only a couple weeks ago.

I've never experienced anything like this before, have no history of asthma and it only seems to be getting worse. My boyfriend isn't experiencing the symptoms at all. Could the dehumidifier be the culprit, or is there something else it could be? Google isn't being my friend in this case.

In Texas we run the A/C all the time. It also tends to dehumidify the air, drying out the room. It can easily make you feel like you're having breathing difficulties, and it can mimic symptoms of asthma.

Lack of humidity in the air hurts, particularly during sleep when you're either breathing in deeply or sleeping with your mouth open. Everything gets dried out on the inside.

It may be time to relocate your sleeping spot. That, or find a plumber today.





*If it's just the pipe leaking it's not a difficult fix. It can be a great do-it-yourself project. Tell those men to get on it, pronto!! :D

I forgot to thank you for this. The problem was fixed, the dehumidifier is off and my problem has vanished too. :)

You're welcome!

I am so glad you feel better. Any issue that affects breathing or sleep (or both) really lowers energy levels and makes life no fun.


I'm just happy you feel better! :D

Thank you for updating me/us.

I had the same problem . Realized it was the relationship that was suffocating me...(kidding, not really)....