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Related: Culture Forums, Support ForumsDoes anyone ever experience "Hypnic Jerks" or "Myoclonic Jerks" when they are trying to fall asleep?
And no, they are not Republicans who try to sneak into your room at night to steal all your money.
They are very disturbing and only happen to me every now and then, but lately they have started up again and I think it's due to anxiety or stress. However, it makes it very hard to sleep, even if you are very tired. Here is a description from Wiki:
"A hypnic jerk, hypnagogic jerk, sleep start, sleep twitch, myoclonic jerk or night start is a brief and sudden involuntary contraction of the muscles of the body which occurs when a person is beginning to fall asleep, often causing the person to jump and awaken suddenly for a moment. Hypnic jerks are one form of involuntary muscle twitches called myoclonus.
Physically, hypnic jerks resemble the "jump" experienced by a person when startled, sometimes accompanied by a falling sensation. Hypnic jerks are associated with a rapid heartbeat, quickened breathing, sweat, and sometimes "a peculiar sensory feeling of 'shock' or 'falling into the void'". It can also be accompanied by a vivid dream experience or hallucination. A higher occurrence is reported in people with irregular sleep schedules. Moreover, when particularly frequent and severe, hypnic jerks have been reported as a cause of sleep-onset insomnia.
Hypnic jerks are common physiological phenomena. Around 70% of people experience them at least once in their lives with 10% experiencing it daily. They are benign and do not cause any neurological sequelae."
The problem is that you are jerked awake and feel extremely anxious and start to become afraid to go back to sleep because you don't want to have the experience again. The last few nights, I just got up and went online or watched a movie until about 5 am and was so exhausted I couldn't keep my eyes open. It NEVER happens when I am awake or occupied. Only when I am falling asleep or trying to fall asleep.
Anyway, just wondered if anyone has had this experience, and if so, if you have found a way to make it go away or ameliorate it. I am now at the point where I dread trying to go to sleep.
Thanks in advance!
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,950 posts)I don't know what causes it.
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)I was sleeping pretty well for a while until I realized that I couldn't get anything delivered and I started missing my family. I was pretty calm for the first month, but I think the anxiety is setting in. Trump doesn't really instill any confidence.
elleng
(131,293 posts)and you've probably seen this, but good luck:
https://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/patient-caregiver-education/fact-sheets/myoclonus-fact-sheet
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)states, almost like epilepsy or something. This is more common and happens among a much broader section of the population only when they are falling asleep. It appears in normal, healthy people and nobody has really figured out what causes it yet.
"According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine there is a wide range of potential causes, including anxiety, stimulants like caffeine and nicotine, stress and strenuous activities in the evening. It also may be facilitated by fatigue or sleep deprivation. However, most hypnic jerks occur essentially at random in healthy people. Nevertheless, these repeated, intensifying twitches can cause anxiety in some individuals and a disruption to their sleep onset."
"Scientists do not know exactly why this phenomenon occurs and are still trying to understand it. None of the several theories that have attempted to explain it have been fully accepted. One hypothesis posits that the hypnic jerk is a form of reflex, initiated in response to normal bodily events during the lead-up to the first stages of sleep, including a decrease in blood pressure and the relaxation of muscle tissue. Another theory postulates that the body mistakes the sense of relaxation that is felt when falling asleep as a sign that the body is falling. As a consequence, it causes a jerk to wake the sleeper up so they can catch themselves.
I find it interesting, I just wanted to see if anyone else had the same experience and what it felt like for them. For me it is terrifying.
Mike Nelson
(9,980 posts)... I've had my ankle and feet jerk.. usually when I'm falling asleep. Feels like I slipped, but it doesn't last and never bothered me. i would say it happens very infrequently. Probably once every couple years.
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)Maybe once this is all over I will look into getting some sleeping pills. It's very unpleasant.
LiberalLoner
(9,762 posts)zipplewrath
(16,646 posts)For me, it is usually when I'm falling asleep VERY quickly. The mind seems to interpret the rapid muscle relaxation as me falling and suddenly tenses up in anticipation of "landing".
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)I think that is why I am jerking awake. I heard somewhere that it is a vestigal reaction to keep us from falling out of trees when we were more primitive forms. It could be a survival mechanism, but it's a damn pain in the ass these days.
guillaumeb
(42,641 posts)It made me jerk awake as I was reading the post.
Srkdqltr
(6,366 posts)If I can't get back to sleep right away it's annoying but not worrying.
dewsgirl
(14,961 posts)Last edited Tue Apr 14, 2020, 09:21 PM - Edit history (1)
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)That is what bother's me the most. It's like I am falling or like I have almost had a near-death experience and I wake up in a panic.
dewsgirl
(14,961 posts)Yes, panic is exactly the feeling. I've had them my whole life, but not frequently enough for it to be an issue.
I believe certain medications can make them occur more frequently.
Phentex
(16,334 posts)That happens to me when going to sleep sometimes. It feels the way a drop on a roller coaster feels but I'm lying down. I hate that feeling!
Dave in VA
(2,041 posts)Infrequently, though.
Early in our marriage my wife thought that I was having seizure! Very scary!
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)And it is very scary. I guess if people haven't had them, they don't quite know how frightening they can be. Sometimes I wish I could have a nurse or doctor come over here and sedate me at bedtime so I could just sleep through it all.
Eliot Rosewater
(31,131 posts)paralysis dream states when just nodding off, seeing things in the room, floating maybe.
This is what people who claim to be abducted or visited by aliens/UFO's experience when they admit that it happens in bed. Now I cant prove that NONE of them have really been visited, but having experienced this condition myself I do understand why they BELIEVE it happened.
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)but you can't move or speak or scream. When I wake up, I never really believed that it was real, but when I am going through it, it is one of the most frightening experiences one can have.
I have always had the most bizarre nightmares, sleep experiences and dreams. It's no wonder I am an insomniac. Going to sleep is always a 50/50 scary prospect for me. I wish I could be one of those normal people who could wake up and never remember a thing.
chia
(2,244 posts)waking up a bit before your brain ends the sleep paralysis that's necessary to keep you from physically acting out your dreams. It can be scary, especially if there's a dream accompanying it.
TreasonousBastard
(43,049 posts)or hanging around the bedroom. Once, I tore the bed apart looking for that damn spider.
It's a dream, but incredibly realistic.
jberryhill
(62,444 posts)It also used to happen when I was falling asleep in class.
dhill926
(16,380 posts)cos dem
(903 posts)I had this happen to me about 10-12 years ago. Every night was a new experience in stress. The stress of not being able to get a decent sleep would cause me not to be able to sleep, compounding the problem.
I've had these episodes on occasion, but usually just once or twice, and it was no big deal. But when they started building on each other, the sleep deficit got out of control. In retrospect, it was likely started by stresses related to another (minor, but still noticeable) health problem, plus stresses at work.
I got some short-term help with Ambien, but I found it didn't really allow me to get a decent sleep. If I stopped the Ambien, I was right back where I started. I did find that 1/2 Ambien was adequate.
Eventually, I discovered clonazepam was the answer. It took a bit of tapering off (I was down to 1/8 pill before I could quit it completely), but it did relieve the stress.
Is there something stressful going on in your life, by chance?
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)was working well for me. I think not being able to see my family on the holiday and worrying about them and also, the difficulty of trying to find any food or supplies to be delivered is making me very anxious suddenly.
I feel terrible for those people out there who have to continue to work to make sure we get what we need, yet I realize how helpless we are without them. I have suddenly realized how much more frightening this situation is and I think it's wearing on me. We are so dependent upon them, yet they are so vulnerable and can't be expected to give their lives up just so we can live comfortably.
The whole situation is just so tragic and has been managed so poorly. I put the blame squarely in Trump's lap. If he had not fucked around for so long trying to deny the problem we could have been so much farther ahead by now. But no. He had to protect his stupid fucking ego and reputation at the cost of thousands of lives and the overall health of this nation.
cos dem
(903 posts)I had this happen to me about 10-12 years ago. Every night was a new experience in stress. The stress of not being able to get a decent sleep would cause me not to be able to sleep, compounding the problem.
I've had these episodes on occasion, but usually just once or twice, and it was no big deal. But when they started building on each other, the sleep deficit got out of control. In retrospect, it was likely started by stresses related to another (minor, but still noticeable) health problem, plus stresses at work.
I got some short-term help with Ambien, but I found it didn't really allow me to get a decent sleep. If I stopped the Ambien, I was right back where I started. I did find that 1/2 Ambien was adequate.
Eventually, I discovered clonazepam was the answer. It took a bit of tapering off (I was down to 1/8 pill before I could quit it completely), but it did relieve the stress.
Is there something stressful going on in your life, by chance?
yonder
(9,685 posts)right as I fall asleep or just begin dreaming and associated with tripping off a trail or falling off something. They're not really a bother for me but the last few years they have gotten stronger and "jerkier".
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)It's like falling off a cliff or being shocked with a cattle prod. The experience is always a little different. Either way, I wake up with a racing heart. And I just want to wake up and stay up because going back to sleep is too frightening.
yonder
(9,685 posts)to wake up so fast but once I realize where I'm at, it's back to snoozeville. One of these days, I wouldn't be surprised ito throw something out of joint.
Good luck.
Blue_playwright
(1,568 posts)But no after effects and I go right back to sleep.
wishstar
(5,272 posts)I can tolerate those shocking jerks, but several years ago I had to have my dentist make me a mouthguard because I was having extremely painful involuntary tongue clamping incidents, The mouthguard helps and I can often go for long stretches without the mouthguard before I have to wear it again for several nights.. I have never ground my teeth in my sleep but just the painful tongue biting that wakes me up.
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)Do you still have them? Did your doctor/dentist tell you how to stop them?
oregonjen
(3,347 posts)Always right before falling asleep.My teeth would grind together or my tongue would click. Very weird stuff. I also had a mouth guard made just for that very purpose. I even had a pillow that I placed under my jaw to take the impact of the jaw movement. That helped a lot. Now, it only happens once in awhile.
Response to smirkymonkey (Original post)
chia This message was self-deleted by its author.
Phentex
(16,334 posts)like I just heard a crash or loud knock. Then I wake with a start and realize I'm the only one who heard it. But it seems so real at the time!
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)And yes, it's a thing.
Exploding head syndrome (EHS) is a condition in which a person experiences unreal noises that are loud and of short duration when falling asleep or waking up. The noise may be frightening, typically occurs only occasionally, and is not a serious health concern. People may also experience a flash of light. Pain is typically absent.
The cause is unknown. Potential explanations include ear problems, temporal lobe seizure, nerve dysfunction, or specific genetic changes. Potential risk factors include psychological stress. It is classified as a sleep disorder or headache disorder. People often go undiagnosed."
You might want to ask your doctor about it the next time you see him or her.
"The cause of EHS is unknown. A number of hypotheses have been put forth with the most common being dysfunction of the reticular formation in the brainstem responsible for transition between waking and sleeping.
Other theories into causes of EHS include:
Minor seizures affecting the temporal lobe
Ear dysfunctions, including sudden shifts in middle ear components or the Eustachian tube, or a rupture of the membranous labyrinth or labyrinthine fistula
Stress and anxiety
Variable and broken sleep, associated with a decline in delta sleep
Antidepressant discontinuation syndrome
Temporary calcium channel dysfunction.
PTSD
I hope you can find some help for this. It sounds horrible. Feel better soon!
Phentex
(16,334 posts)It's bad when it happens but it doesn't bother me otherwise. I have a messed up system. ADHD and restless leg syndrome but I'm generally not anxious or depressed. I have very vivid dreams and wake up exhausted at times. My brain is often in overdrive so the weird sleep may just be an aftereffect.
chia
(2,244 posts)Just knowing what it is, that it has a name and that it happens to other people and not just you are can be very reassuring.
Phentex
(16,334 posts)have sleep paralysis and I knew exactly what they were talking about. It's hard to describe to people but it does help to know there are others.
My husband had never heard of restless leg syndrome until he met me. (I assume he thought it was just another of my quirks, lol). Then he heard commercials about it and viola! I'm not as crazy as he thought.
The sound thing is really odd. It seems so real when it happens.
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)I don't have an auditory component. It might make things more interesting.
This is more like having electro-shock therapy against your will.
chia
(2,244 posts)though, they're separate incidences. The auditory (for me) is interesting, can be pleasant, because I'm often aware when they're happening and this kind of thing is fascinating to me. The jerks come just after I've fallen asleep, and I'm not aware of them until they happen and wake me up. But (for me), they're not a cause for anxiety maybe because I've studied them and there's reassurance in knowing what's happening is common. If one has anxiety and this causes or worsens anxiety, then (imho, not a doctor and not giving medical advice), then being reassured by learning more about what they are (and aren't) and acknowledging the anxiety and accepting it might help someone go back to sleep easier and easier over time.
Ferrets are Cool
(21,112 posts)It was never that much of an issue. I didn't know it had a name.
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)TreasonousBastard
(43,049 posts)it never bothers me that much. I consider it a minor annoyance, but I can see if it happens a lot, or is more physical, it could be some scary stuff.
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)I wish I could just shrug it off, but I may need to see if I can get some medication to help me with it.
JCMach1
(27,585 posts)I also occasionally kick, punch, and talk in my sleep.
sdfernando
(4,947 posts)Maybe once a month or so...if fact had one just last night. Often there is a vocalization as well. Both happened last night as I was falling asleep. Usually only have the one and doesnt keep me from getting to sleep very soon after.
JCMach1
(27,585 posts)Just common and random...
Feels like a while body twitch to me... Single big twitch
IcyPeas
(21,932 posts)UTUSN
(70,779 posts)Aristus
(66,509 posts)I'm pretty sure it was that 'irregular sleep schedule' thing...
edbermac
(15,950 posts)I remember one time I jumped up my bed so hard I thought I was going to hit the ceiling
Laffy Kat
(16,391 posts)My neurologist prescribed Xanax, although any benzodiazepine will help. If you don't want to take a benzo., there are parkinsons drugs, like L-dopa. They also prescribe tricyclic anti-depressants, but they can actually make it worse, so I couldn't do those. I didn't want to take L-dopa because I was afraid if I ever needed it for parkinsons it wouldn't be effective.
Don't live in exhaustion. Talk to your doctor. Honestly, I almost lost my mind before I got relief. It happened to me over twenty years ago, and I've been on a very small dose of bed-time Xanax since then and I rarely have a problem. Everyone once in a while, I'll jerk myself awake but I can fall right back to sleep again. Oddly, the more you're able to sleep, even if it's in the daytime, the less the myoclonus. It's horrible with insomnia.
Good luck!
Rhiannon12866
(206,601 posts)Not often, but it sure sounds like what I've experienced. Thanks for pointing this out, I didn't know it was a "thing!"
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)common at that. I thought I was dying or that something was seriously wrong with me. That is why it was good to hear of other people's experiences here. Not that I want other people to suffer or be distressed by it, but if we can all share our experiences maybe we can feel a bit more comforted knowing that we aren't alone with them.
RobinA
(9,903 posts)experienced this for a long time and then had a really bad one, perhaps the worst ever, about three nights ago. When I was learning to figure skate about 20 years ago I had them frequently and it was always accompanied by the thought that I was falling. When I stopped skating they stopped. This one the other night was a serious shock.
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)I think that is why it is happening for me as well.
I hope they go away for you soon.
RobinA
(9,903 posts)anxiety has been mentioned I'm going to have to keep that in mind.
Thanks!
Throckmorton
(3,579 posts)I have had them since I turned 40. 18 years now.
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)I am so distressed when they wake me up. My heart is palpitating and I am actually afraid to go back to sleep. I would rather stay up all night than have to deal with them again. It comes and goes for me, but I would go mad if I had them for such a long duration.
Have you spoken to a doctor about them? If so, what did they say? Is there medication that they can give you?
Throckmorton
(3,579 posts)Had a complete neurological work up, conclusion, no physical cause. Decision was it was caused by PTSD related to my first wife's illness.
Used General anti-depressant, not really very helpful. Understanding that they are not caused by physical maladies made them a lot less frightening.
Hope this gives you some comfort.
Harker
(14,069 posts)Now I'm very happily married.
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)New Breed Leader
(625 posts)I had a break from it for a few years, but before those few years, it was really bad. Now it's started up again after I started taking prozac for depression.
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)Unfortunately, my psycho-pharmacologist has been out on maternity leave for months, but once she comes back I plan to speak to her about it.
New Breed Leader
(625 posts)But all it did was affect my sleep. I took myself off it a few months ago. Now when I experience those jerks at night, I drink a hot cup of herbal tea. Calms them right down.
LuckyCharms
(17,471 posts)I've grown used to the jerks, but the loud sound associated with Exploding Head Syndrome shakes me up.
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)Fortunately, it doesn't happen as often. Sorry to hear you are a member of the club!
Major Nikon
(36,827 posts)sinkingfeeling
(51,490 posts)lastlib
(23,356 posts)Now have surgically implanted rods in both bones of my lower leg, with screws at my ankle, and right under my kneecap. I think the screws under kneecap were touching a nerve, or something, because if I moved that leg in certain ways, it felt like it was touching a high-voltage electric line, until I got the leg straightened out. Muscles would tense up and vibrate like violin strings. It was crazy. As the leg has healed, these have become less common. When they were peaking, propping my leg up helped.
You might try geting one of those wedge pillows to prop up your leg on. Or, if they're really bad, ask your doctor for a muscle relaxer.
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)I do have a knee bolster to prop up my legs. I have pins in my arm from when I broke it and it seems like that is where a lot of the activity is. It really does seem electric. I wonder if there is a connection?
I actually think that anxiety has a lot to do with it, but I am starting to take calcium and magnesium which is supposed to help. Unfortunately, I won't be able to see a Dr. for a while, but if it continues to bother me I can call in and see what she can do. It seems like once I am really exhausted by late morning, they go away and then I can fall asleep with no problems, but then I only have a few hours before I have to wake up again.
I wish I was a child again where there were never any problems like this and sleep just came so naturally and easily. Thanks again for your advice!