Thread: Severe Hypnic Jerks?

I was wondering if anyone around here could give me some advice; I've recently been having incredibly severe hypnic/hypnagogic jerks just on the border of sleep. Often, it feels like it occurs just at the moment that a dream is starting, during that nebulous point where everything is just coming together, you're just beginning to hear the dream's audio, and then "SNAP!" I jerk awake and often sit bolt upright, usually with a stream of involuntary expletives, a pain in my chest, rapid heart beat, anxiety, slightly blurry vision and a massive adrenaline rush. I always think for a split second that I'm either having a heart attack, or going blind, or both. It's incredibly unpleasant.

Has anyone else experienced this? It doesn't happen absolutely every night, but frequently enough, and when it does it ruins my sleep and my dreams!

Thanks
Liolar

Sounds like a serious problem. I would talk to someone about it.

I have little jerks before I fall asleep as well, it's a way that your brain check if you're awake or not...

Are you going to bed really tired, under the influence or are you doing anything out of the ordinary?

Originally Posted by Draemer90

Sounds like a serious problem. I would talk to someone about it.

I have little jerks before I fall asleep as well, it's a way that your brain check if you're awake or not...

Are you going to bed really tired, under the influence or are you doing anything out of the ordinary?

Well, last night I had had a very small amount of whiskey, but it often happens when I haven't had anything to drink. I don't have the world's best sleeping pattern, so I am sometimes pretty tired. To me it feels like a random occurrence, though. Last night it happened about three times in a row; eventually I got so tired that I just fell asleep for about six hours. I normally sleep for longer than that, though.

Originally Posted by Liolar

I was wondering if anyone around here could give me some advice; I've recently been having incredibly severe hypnic/hypnagogic jerks just on the border of sleep. Often, it feels like it occurs just at the moment that a dream is starting, during that nebulous point where everything is just coming together, you're just beginning to hear the dream's audio, and then "SNAP!"

I jerk awake and often sit bolt upright, usually with a stream of involuntary expletives, a pain in my chest, rapid heart beat, anxiety, slightly blurry vision and a massive adrenaline rush. I always think for a split second that I'm either having a heart attack, or going blind, or both. It's incredibly unpleasant.

Has anyone else experienced this? It doesn't happen absolutely every night, but frequently enough, and when it does it ruins my sleep and my dreams!

Thanks
Liolar

Liolar, I found this. Hope it helps.

☆☆☆

https://healthunlocked.com/thyroiduk...to-go-to-sleep

☆☆☆

Here is the question:

Racing heart beat when trying to go to sleep

Fed_up*10 months ago*46 Replies

Every night when I go to bed & turn everything off to go to sleep , I'm experiencing rapid heart beats. & a sensation of being wound up like a coiled spring.

It doesn't matter that two seconds before I'm yawning my head off. & my eyes are so tired they don't want to focus!

So even though I'm going to bed at a reasonable hour I'm not getting to sleep until after midnight.

This is leaving me feeling extremely tired when I get up
Even taking 2 sleeping pills doesn't help

Anyone have any suggestions ?

Here is the first of 48 replies:

Hi

This sounds exactly like Atrial Fibrillation ( . A.F )

It is common but needs treating, especially with anti co -agulation taken to prevent clot.

Therefore important to get a diagnosis, intermittent so no easy. It is well known that thyroid disease can cause an early onset of A.F

The only way to first diagnose it you need to do ourself.

Take your Heart rate ( pulse) must be manually for accuracy. Take it 3 times a day especially to include these times. You should clearly feel the heart swinging. Take the 2 weeks readings to the GP.

Ask for a 7 day heart monitor at home.

They well give you just a 24 hour one, sometimes taht is not enough. If it proves to be A.F Then be sure to see a cardiologist who specialises in heart rhythms , not a normal one, needs to be in a large teaching hospital.

It is common, nothing to worry about but does needs diagnosing and treating.*

problem but still have the correct diagnosis, this is very important.
Best wishes,
Jackie

Reply*Recommend*(2)

Thank you! I'll book a doctor's appointment for later this week and see what my GP says about it.

Could also be caused by your still conscious brain responding to all of your muscles suddenly fully relaxing, this makes your brain think you're falling through the air, causing a response in an attempt to wake up before impact.

This is normal and any healthy person should have this, however if you're really worried you can always let a doctor check you up.

Any chance you're not getting adequate sleep or are under a lot of stress lately? Sometimes I seem to experience the jerks or other hynagogic effects a bit more often if I've gone an unusually long period without sleep or have some stress.