Waking up crying

This is so weird to describe but it’s happened twice and it kind of scary. So basically I’m sleeping whatever and then I just remember waking up and crying and I know I’m in my room with my boyfriend right beside me but I’m still scared and I can’t breath and I wake him up to turn on the lights then once there on I can calm down a bit idk why but it’s like my body wakes up and panics because it’s dark but I’m fine with the dark at any other time and I feel bad because I wake him so suddenly but if I don’t I can’t breath or nothing. I’m not even sure what I would call this but I’d like to avoid it