Anxiety symptoms / Sleep disorder?

Mental health
1

Hi guys, I'm new to the site but glad I found somewhere to share my symptoms.

I have read quite a bit about anxiety/stress and these symptoms below may fall into this category but the issue I have with this, is that I have nothing to be anxious/stressful about! All is OK with job, money, house, relationship etc so I'm not sure how this all started. Could I be anxious about this illness? Symptoms below.....(also posted in sleep disorder forum).

I'm getting a sort of electrical shock when trying to fall asleep. This electrical shock seems to be described on other sites as 'jumps' or 'zaps' or 'surges of energy'. It happens not when I'm sleeping but the moment I am about to fall asleep. Its like a sort of butterflies feeling in the stomach and then a rush/surge of energy to the brain which gives you a 'jump' and electrical feeling in the head and sometimes upper body. The more extreme they are sometimes produce a twitch in maybe the arm or leg. Its not painful but I guess is quite scary when it happens. These can happen numerous times a night.

Many friends/family I have spoken to say this is normal and they are familiar with the symptoms (I understand what they mean as it can be quite similar to when you suddenly wake from a bad dream) but mine seem to be a lot more often and extreme. I know my symptoms don't seem to be normal.

I've been having these for about 5-6 weeks now (some nights are worse than others) but generally its been more or less every night. This has turned into a vicious cycle because when you actually close your eyes at night to go to sleep you are actually waiting for the 'shock' to happen instead of trying to sleep. Obviously the less sleep you have, the less functional you are the next day and so on and so on. You then get sleep deprived which I believe also may trigger this.

The only other thing I can add to my symptoms is sometimes during the day I get a spaced out/empty/dizzy/cloudy feeling in the head (hard to explain). Sometimes this can turn into a sort of brain/head sensation where you feel you need to kind of 'shake it off'. Again, its hard to explain, something like if you have restless feet and you need to kick out of it but its in the head so you need to give yourself a shake to snap out of it.

About me - I'm a fit and healthy 35 year old guy. I actually exercise quite a lot (go to gym/swim 4 times a week and have run numerous marathons over the past year). Although this fitness regime has stopped since I have started having these symptoms as I am feeling quite weak/tired due to not getting much sleep due to it. I have no major prior illnesses and I am not on any medication. I don't want to get in the habit of taking sleep medication.

I have been to the hospital and spent the night where they performed numerous blood tests/Heart ECG/X Rays/Urine and all came back OK. The only issue I had was slightly high blood pressure (but not high enough to be put on any medication). I have also been for an MRI scan and EEG epilepsy test. I will find the results with these in about 5 weeks time.

Anyway, that's my symptoms and hopefully someone might feel at ease that they are going through something similar.

Reading similar posts on the internet I don't think anyone has come to the conclusion on what in fact is causing these problems, even though a lot of the people actually been for tests and seen doctors. Has anyone experienced these issues?

Thanks guys, feel free to get in touch smile

2

Are you taking any prescription medications?

3

I'm not taking any prescribed medication.

4

Wow, then I don't have a clue. I had mono once that made me pretty tired but nothing like my Klonopin. Hope you find out what's causing you grief.

5

Don't know much about this but a nurse told me how to relax before going to sleep. Lie in bed and tell your feet to relax, then tell your calves, knees etc right up to the top, keep your body relaxed. Breathe deeply and 'send yourself to sleep' It could be that with all the exercise you do you have forgotten how to switch off,

6

Thank you for that simple suggestion. Life goes by so fast we forget how to keep it simple. Thank you.

7

Hi Gd10 - I was wondering if you have figured out what might be causing your issue yet? I have the exact same problem happening to me! It's so bizarre - I haven't seen a doctor yet, but I may soon if it doesn't stop. I hope you are doing better!

8

Hi there

I'm also wondering if you guys got anywhere with this? I have the same problem and I've been prescribed citalopram and amitriptyline - but wondering if I'll ever go back to normal!

Thanks

9

hi --- i've now finally read that someone also experiences this problem. sorry to hear you're experiencing it, it's annoying and somewhat 'scary' --- i too have the same problem, but a 2mg diazepam alleviates the problem for the evening. i've recently come off 'citalopram' after being on them for 10 years. i'm about a week dry now, and as soon as my head hits the pillow and i try to sleep, i get jerks and twitches just like you explain. i'm waiting for a call from my doctor as to what to do, but i may have to reluctantly go back on the citalopram. strange you don't or have ever taken medication for anything related to the mind... but i'd advise checking with a professional about an anxiety disorder. i've read the brain is very active when trying to sleep and i think these jerks or twitches are your brain zapping around over excitably. would be interested to hear how you got on, as i see your post was around a year ago. thx L

10

Hi guys, so its been well over a year since my original post which started this discussion.  Apologies for not coming back sooner.....I felt in order to try to combat these issues I wanted to 'get away' from reading these forums.  But I also understand it is a good place for people to talk about their issues which can ease peoples minds.

So let me give you an update:

Firstly, DO NOT WORRY.  These symptoms are not life threatening.  I have had every test available and all results came back OK.

I admit it is quite confusing/scary as I still to this day do not know what brought on these symptoms and how they actually went away (but they do go away!).  I was given no medication to combat it.  I had a couple of weeks off work and was told just to rest up, also wasnt allowed to drive and basically I just need to put my feet up and relax (you will all agree that that is easier said than done).  There was a slight chance that it could have been minor epilepsy but this was not the case.

The only advice I can give and what has worked for me was some basic lifestyle changes (apologies if these seem a bit obvious but they do actually work).  I dont take any medication.

- Morning ritual.  I now spend an extra bit of time in the morning when I get up and leave for work.  I dont try to 'rush' out of bed and into work.  Take your time having breakfast, have a shower, watch some TV.  I now dont tend to leave the house until I am 'ready'.  I might be late for work but I dont try to combat the day until i feel i am awake and ready.  Try and get into a routine.

- Change of diet.  Eat plenty of fruit and veg.  I have cut down a lot on caffiene and now drink natural drinks like green tea.  Some porridge or muesli for breakfast.  Bananas in the afternoon and some fish for tea.  Changed to Skimmed Milk.  Stay hydrated throughout the day with water.

Must admit that I still drink alcohol quite a bit on weekends (cut it out in the week).

- Meditation and breathing exercises.  I find this helped a LOT.  I bought a basic/beginner guide off Amazon for a couple of quid.  A 5-10 minute breathing exercise just before bed relaxes the mind.  This really helps and I still do some of these exercises when i'm getting a bit stressed out.  I also found that using an extra pillow so my head is higher when trying to get to sleep helps.

- Exercise.  I was quite fit when these symptoms started happening so not sure how big a part this plays in the recovery.  I find that fresh air helps.  Have a good stretch and go for a walk in the evenings.

In general, I just had a new outlook in life and learned to chill out a bit more.  Try hard to not get stressed about things which are not important in life.

I know this sounds very basic but it does help.  I do still get days when i'm spaced out (especially in evenings after work when i'm trying to relax) but again following some of my tips above seem to help.  Dont worry about these symptoms and be happy this is nothing serious.

 

11

I started getting the same thing about 3 weeks ago. It happens while I'm starting to fall asleep. I jerk and then get woke up by it. Could be my arm, my neck, my lungs causing me to yell out, or my legs. Except, I later try and fall asleep and the same thing happens. This goes on all night. Also, If I'm sharing a bed with a S.O. I've been told that I twitch in my sleep. I don't know what to do. I don't go to bed anxious 9r worrying about anything.

12

I am having the same problem when falling assleep I also seem to have the same problem you are with the dizzy or cloudy feeling in my head. I am only 15 and not super fit and not on any meds rolleyes

13

I was searching into it more and found this "As we give up our bodies to sleep, sudden twitches escape our brains, causing our arms and legs to jerk. Some people are startled by them, others are embarrassed. Me, I am fascinated by these twitches, known as hypnic jerks. Nobody knows for sure what causes them, but to me they represent the side effects of a hidden battle for control in the brain that happens each night on the cusp between wakefulness and dreams." ~ BBC - Future

14

Hello, im sorry that u r experiencing these electric shocks cause they r pretty scary and unnerving. Im a schizophrenic and my encounter with these shocks was a frightening matter. I actually had a demonic voice that said he was God put a flip on it to make it worse. I found out that it wasnt just anxiety but it was EXTREME internal anxiety. No matter how i tried to relax at night when falling a sleep, the built-up anxiety of the day would bolt threw me when trying to sleep. Thats my answer! Not being able to relax, and then becoming relaxed -just about asleep, bam! Zaps. My Dr. Prescribed me a benzodiazepine and thank God -all is well!!! Its just built up anxiety. If u have a problem with benzos maybe your Dr. could prescribe something else at bedtime. Anxiety medication worked better than sleep aids because i felt like i got better sleep in the morning. Dont face that bull anymore talk with your Dr. and educate him on whats going on. My Dr. didnt know or had he experienced such a case. Be well and i hope u get some peace.

15

God I'm so sick of all of it the same symptoms its hell it true ly is I will write again later when I have the time! Xxxx

16

Hi, I have been getting that weird dizzy/cloudy feeling in my head for over two weeks now. It feels like someone has picked me up and shaken me about. I have suffered with panic attacks since I was 9, I'm now 26. I have been to the doctor as a child and in my early 20's and basically been told to get over it and not offered any support. I have managed to cope with it by myself and even hide it from my family. However over the past few weeks, since I started getting this feeling it has made my panic attacks 10 times worse, to the point were I have lost all control. I have a Doctors appointment today becuase I have been wheezing and tightness in my chest (not panic related, possibly asthma) but I'm not sure if I should mention my anxiety. I'm worried they will dismiss it again or just put all my symptoms down to anxiety. 

17

I get the same thing .like butterflies but in heart sometimes whilst awake and sometimes whilst dropping off to sleep .its awful not painful but scary .i was droppim off sat up on sofa other day and it happened and i flew up off the sofa an nearly had a panic attack .oni had it for few week due to anxeity over another issue .doctor just gave me some propracolol i fink its called.

18

Perhaps this is a question for your doctors and hopefully will shed some light on things. But I know what you are feeling, I have been suffering from this feeling for almost two years it doesn't always keep me from sleeping but I have to take otc sleep medicins to sleep well. It's like a humming bird is buzzing in my chest. and then when I am almost asleep something seems to violently SHAKE me awake. and it happens so many times a night that I end up just never falling asleep that night, and waking up feeling defeated and like I can't face the day.  I have been researching this for a long time, I also have been on a low carb diet and so on a seamingly unrelated topic have been doing a lot of study on food and how it affects the hormones in your body. I think that this type of anxiety is adrenaline in your body. Adrenaline is a hormone that causes the fight or flight response that tells your body that something bad is going to happen (in the cave man days this would probably mean something comming to eat you) and that you need to stay alert to protect yourself. So it prevents you from relaxing enough to completly fall asleep.  Now that is as far as I have gotten on this I don't know what causes an increse of adrenaline in the middle of the night for no freaken reason. But I really really want to know WHY it happens. So I am going to continure researching and maybe see a doctor. Good luck.

19

Thanks dude your story helped out a lot. I'm experiencing the same thing. I'm also fit to be honest I think it might be the protein intake.

20

yup started having those 2 weeks back . doctor prescribed me a sleeping pill but iam not getting it . its the sensation in the head and belly that kept me awake . doc prescribed me an to anxiety med now i have to take it till 2  months . i hope this goes away because it does but it will take time and also depend on your thoughts . 

iam glad iam not alone ,