Why you jerk yourself awake every time you try to fall asleep (and what to do about it)
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- čas přidán 3. 08. 2024
- Do you ever get a sensation like you're about to fall asleep and then you suddenly jerk yourself awake again? Perhaps with a racing heart and feeling as though you're in fight or flight mode?
The physical jerks aren't uncommon and are often referred to as hypnic jerks, sleep starts, or sleep twitches. They typically occur as we progress from wakefulness to the first stage of light sleep and are sometimes associated with a sensation that you are falling.
Of course, in real life, the only falling actually taking place is falling asleep! So, with this in mind, it can be helpful to recognize these jerks or jolts as the onset of sleep rather than a sign that something is wrong.
These physical jerks or sudden mental arousal can also be a symptom of hyperarousal - in other words, the more you pay attention and perhaps self-monitor for sleep and these jerks, the more frequently they might happen or the more intense they might feel.
They can also be a heightened response to the normal bodily changes associated with sleep. For example, as we fall asleep our muscles start to relax and our breathing slows. If we are more alert or monitoring for this, we can be more sensitive to these changes.
So, what can you do to get rid of these jerks? Recognizing that they are not unusual and that they don't necessarily indicate a problem, and identifying them as a symptom that sleep is happening can be really helpful.
It can also be helpful to observe a consistent sleep schedule, take time to unwind before bed, and only go to bed when you feel sleepy enough for sleep.
If you experience a jerk or jolt and this leads to a lot of time in bed feeling worried, anxious, or frustrated, it can be helpful to get out of bed and only return when you feel calm and relaxed again.
Related video:
What to do during the night when you can't sleep because of chronic insomnia: • What to do during the ...
Hypnic jerks can be a challenge but they are simply a sign that sleep is happening! The less you can worry about them, the less you monitor for them, and the more comfortable you can be with their occasional presence, the less likely they may be to occur.
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All content found on the Insomnia Coach CZcams channel is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, disorder, or medical condition. It should never replace any advice given to you by your physician or any other licensed healthcare provider. Insomnia Coach LLC offers coaching services only and does not provide therapy, counseling, medical advice, or medical treatment. All content is provided “as is” and without warranties, either express or implied.
I don't know what is going on with me I'm worried about it though I feel like I'm vibrating really really fast n can't move my body and my heart will be pounding
@@irenehudson3383 I hope this video was helpful. If you are concerned by anything in connection to your health, it's a good idea to talk to your doctor.
@Irene Hudson I feel the exact same!!! This super anxiety riddled vibrating feeling when I try to ignore the hypnic jerks. How’s your journey going?
I get these jerks sometimes while fully aware what's happening. Sometimes I can tell when I'm seconds from falling alseep, so I would jerk myself awake just to try to fall asleep again. If I don't get up after a jerk, they would just repeat. I know I should wake myself up fully but when I'm in that state, all I care about is sleeping.
@@chocfortress I wonder if that strong desire to sleep might be contributing to the jerks and additional difficulty falling asleep?
The part that sucks about this is that it happens once, you get anxious about sleeping and then it happens because you're anxious about it happening. It becomes a cycle.
No fucking lie
I wonder if there might be a way to tackle this cycle? Sometimes it's not the anxiety itself that generates these symptoms but our attempt to suppress or avoid that anxiety - when we do that, the anxious thoughts often become even more powerful and create the very symptoms we are trying to avoid.
@@InsomniaCoach so what is the solution? Give into the anxiety?
@@elissaartist9016 Since anxiety cannot harm us, and since anxiety comes from our thoughts (which are only thoughts), perhaps accepting anxiety and thoughts might be more helpful than trying to fight or avoid anxiety and thoughts?
Two years ago, I suffered from this anxiety cycle that was initially triggered from a full night of hypnic jerks, i remember that night i went to the ER two times, and i spent three weeks without proper sleep (barely 10 hours of sleep for full three weeks) also in this three weeks i suffered from constant panic attacks thinking that i might be developing some kind of an epileptic disorder (yes that much i was overthinking). What helped me after three weeks and what made made have my first anxiety-free and hypnic-jerks-free full sleeping night was that I accepted the anxiety as it is; i accepted all my fears about not being able to sleep because of hypnic jerks, i pictured the anxiety as an angry person that is part of me and trying to attack me, and i pictured myself hugging this person and giving love back, anxiety went away immediately, and an occurring thought hit my mind, that even if i dont fall asleep tonight, eventually my body will have to crash and i will have a full sleep no matter what, next thing i know is that i am opening my eyes in the morning and checking my phone to see that i slept for more than 10 hours, since then i BARELY had hypnic jerks and whenever i have them, im okay with them (as i acknowledged that they are a part of the whole sleeping process) and i remind myself that i will fall asleep eventually and i immediately fall asleep afterwards. Hope this helps whoever is suffering from this now, felt i had to share this.❤️
Those jolts of adrenalin in the middle of the night makes me feel like I'm going to have a heart attack then I'm up the rest of the night.. Such a miserable feeling. 😭
They sure can be very disruptive to sleep.
@@InsomniaCoach forget disruptive I be feelin like I’m gon die no cap
@@jadamane
Do you have muscle spasms as well?
@@bigvanvader3122 no
Yeah.. mee too. Same feeling.
All I can say is THANK GOODNESS I’m not the only one! Knowing that loads of people go through this normalises it which takes away some of the anxiety. Thanks so much for making this video. It makes so much sense. 🙏
You're welcome! You definitely are not alone!
Same. I was legit concerned I had Parkinson’s at 25. Sleep deprivation brings out my health anxiety.
@@laurenspringob541 Thank you for sharing.
I fell yesterday and this started happening last night.everytime I almost fall asleep they are really huge.
@@kathlenesims767 They can be really difficult, that's for sure!
Here's some encouragement and help for anyone going thru this. I just had my first full night's sleep in many months where I was averaging 1-4 hours. The night before last, I may have gotten 20 minutes total!!! They are definitely related to my anxiety and stress levels.
I was so sleep deprived that my anxiety was on 10 all day (heart pounding) and the hypnic jerks were nonstop for the last 2 nights. I have never been so exhausted, nor had I had multiple hypnic jerks like that.
I realized my issue was I couldn't stop worrying about NOT sleeping. I am a chronic worrier anyway and always have anxiety. So I would go to bed every night almost fearing sleep and any sensation (jerks) or anxiety (stomach) that would come about.
So when I laid down, I got a really hard jerk on my arm. My whole arm jerked, even up to the shoulder. Never had that before. Normally it's my leg. My fingers were trembling too. I thought I was having a seizure, but I was just hyper from sleep deprivation.
Instead of instantly worrying it would not go away and start catastrophizing like I normally do.... I said aloud "It's OK. I'm safe. It will eventually go away. Just relax." I focused on my breath and took super long, loud exhales. Long exhales are such a great hack for relaxing the body.
Now, because I had just had a few jerks and my adrenaline had surged a bit, I was no longer as sleepy. (I would also get a few butterflies in my stomach along with the jerks that also kept me up.)
In the past, I would worry about how awake I was and how I hope I don't have any more anxiety episodes (of course that would just give me more anxiety or jerks). So the cycle would continue all night long.
But instead of panicking and worrying that it would happen all night, I just kept telling myself, "It's OK. I can rest." I noticed by saying that and breathing, I was not as anxious as I normally was after having a few jerks. So I turned to my side and before I knew it, it was morning.
The lesson for me was you have to learn to accept it. That's soooooo hard to do when you want sleep so badly. Also, it's so important to busy yourself the evening before. I did 30 minutes of cardio and every time I tried to worry about sleep, I would distract myself.
Thinking all day about how you can't sleep also fuels your anxiety, so by the time you are in bed, you are still carrying that adrenaline with you. That doesn't help. So try your best to stay busy all day. This is HUGE!!! Plus, cardio can tire your body and make it easier to stay asleep.
By coaching myself gently and accepting the sensations that were keeping me awake, it re-wired my brain to know I'm safe. So the anxiety stopped.
I wish you the best. I know how scary this can be if you've been going through this a long time, but it will eventually go away.
Thank you so much for sharing! I just know this comment is going to help a LOT of people!
God bless you!
How are yu know?
It is stop?
@@amanialgh4014 Better. I have been averaging 7-8 every night for the last 3-4 weeks. It was a gradual process. Trust me, your problem is temporary. It will get better.
I started exercising daily and that helped. Also magnesium too!
The first 13 seconds and I’m like YES!!!
So glad to hear this, Liam!
Yea.....and he said they can happen often, because I get at least 1 every single night
Thank you brother. I’m diagnosed with anxiety and I became such a hypochondriac. This video really helps give me peace.
You're welcome, Joshua - thanks for sharing!
Man, it really shows how much my sleep issues were all in my head/anxiety. As soon as I used these flight or flight moments as a positive sign of sleep, they calmed down. I felt that my heart was beating so fast, then I checked my Fitbit at 55 Bpm! It's like my body was trying to play tricks to make me worry, so when I stopped trying to worry all night and just accepted these things come and go, sleep changed for me. Thanks so much!!!
Thank you so much for sharing!
It’s so gratifying to see videos and discussion about things that you thought you were unique to you and your “messed up” brain.
To anyone that's experiencing hypnic jerks, i want your'll to know it does go away, but takes time and patience, i had this a year ago n i was in a very horrible state, but now im ok. I think this was all caused by the physical stress and importantly mental stress.
If you're doing any heavy exercise, just avoid it for the time, do your regular work which keeps your mind busy from the fear of not falling asleep, eat your food don't worry too much on what food u should eat or not eat, keep your self hydrated enough. (Your brain needs energy to sleep,duh) If ur feeling dizzy sit n stay calm, i used to avoid laying on the bed at day time, n only used to sleep on it at night.
And plz do not worry too much about it, change your perspective towards it, any kind of negative emotions/situation/people keep them away, maybe don't react to this kind of things, spend a little time outside, be kind to yourself. Practice gratitude, at that time even if i slept for 15 minutes i told myself good job. And with this attitude i got my sleep back, n no longer afraid of hypnic jerks.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience and this message of positivity, hope, and encouragement!
Thankyou💘💝
Thank you for sharing. I experienced this last night. It was horrible as I got so scared and started calling God. I couldn’t sleep as I was dizzy and very weak inside. Around 3 am I finally slept and woke up around 9am. This is horrible. I was thinking of going to the hospital this morning cos I felt I was just going to die. 😭
@@akosuasafowaah1771 don't worry too much about it, just don't think about the previous nights or what will happen the next night (tell yourself it never happened), even by chance it happens again just laugh through it, don't think of it as something dangerous, i think the reason why we get these jerks is because we're stressed out, n our body is reminding us to stay calm through those hypnic jerks.
@@donnavazz1681 how were you able to get rid of them btw I'm experiencing it barley today and I wanna sleep but I can't 😅
I first have the sensation of falling then immediately the feeling like I am suffocating/dying, once I am completely awake the scary feelings leave.
I am glad to hear that all those scary feelings leave once you are completely awake, Tammy! The mind can play funny tricks on us as we transition into sleep and different stages of sleep. I hope this video was helpful.
This sounds like a RERA (Respiratory-effort related arousal) and can be a sign of sleep apnea. It’s worth getting a sleep study to check, because insomnia is also commonly caused by untreated sleep apnea due to the interruption of the sleep cycle.
@@TrinitronX That is a valid point, James - thank you for sharing! Very often sleep apnea is not accompanied by the heightened arousal we see in individuals with insomnia but the two conditions certainly can exist together, at the same time.
Mine too when I try to call asleep I feel like am falling and baam I woke up suddenly with a racing heart beat
@@TrinitronX But when I fall asleep I don't have any further problem. It's like my brain won't shut down, but body wants.
You are endowed with wisdom and practical tips unlike the standard don't worry about sleep it comes naturally.... Thanks a ton Martin
I appreciate your kind words, Andy! Thanks for sharing that you are finding the channel practical!
Thank you for making this video as you have helped many improve their understanding and sleep 🙏🏼🤗
You're welcome and thank you for your kind words!
Thankyou so much for these advices and tips I really hope this will help me because this is one of the reasons why i cant sleep because when im about to sleep this thing happens and im starting to worry that what if there is more something serious behind it but just like what you have said theres nothing to worry about and this is not an indication that something is bad, again thank you💙 much love from the philippines
I'm glad you found the video helpful!
today i haven’t got sleep at all bc of these jerks im so frustrated. i got mental breakdown at like 12 am and try to sleep after that but i cant im so tired. got a panic attack and im afraid to got to sleep and every night time i got so anxious. good god make it stop
Have you got started implementing any of the techniques you learned about in the video, Fiona?
Insomnia Coach yes and i feel way better. i dont really have a panic attack now but im still kinda worried during night time like afraid not be able to fall asleep but those thoughts indeed doesnt make me fall asleep.
@@frozenpeas15 A great insight there, Fiona - if your worry stems from the idea that you won't fall asleep it can be helpful to evaluate how accurate that thought might be. How accurate or how likely do you think it is that you won't fall asleep? Do you feel that you might remain awake forever, or do you think that after being awake for long enough, sleep will always happen in the end? Even if you don't fall asleep one night, why is that a concern? Will it absolutely destroy the following day? If not, perhaps wakefulness doesn't require that much worry or concern! I hope this gives you some things to think about and proves to be helpful!
Hy Fiona i hope ur doing well now. I used to have hypnic jerks and a anxiety attack months back for a long time than through this same technique ive managed n it stopped it came back few days ago. After watching this video i reminded my self what ive done earlier to stop it n it stopped. I doubt its gonna come back but its something that i have to manage as early as possible. For me this happens because of my anxiety n wrong diet (gut issue maybe cuz i have digestion problem too) n lifestyle. If u want i can share few things I've done to help myself
Dona Vaz yes please share
I’m just glad that it’s not a seizures because I use to have them and this really calmed me down.
It was very helpful and it made me relaxed❣️❣️❤❤
Thank you for speaking about this. The first few minutes were promising. These jolts of adrenaline are followed by a real surge of adrenaline in our system. Ignoring them or reframing doesn’t stop or alter the wide awake feeling for hours after. The wakefulness is real after the jolt hits. Maybe some can talk themselves down, but many of us have already tried that for years.
They can definitely be challenging - I think the key to moving past them is to change our relationship with them and, as you have pointed out, that can be far easier said than done.
I completely agree Sam. The chanel seems to be for casual sleep issues, not serious insomnia.
For some people in this string sleep starts are just an annoyance like the hiccups. But for others like myself, sleep starts deprive us of restorative sleep. It's discouraging to hear about New Age anecdotal remedies.
I had it for a few days except the last two nights. Seems like it reduced.
Step outside in daylight for 45 minutes or more. You can be under shade if its too sunny.
The other thing is, avoid/ignore the thought of the anticipation of not getting sleep. It gives anxiety and makes things bad.
Try and go to sleep like you did before the jerks started. And do it everyday.
It will reduce or even go away.
I've posted this comment on a few videos so more people can be at ease.
Thanks for sharing, Faraz!
Thank you for the video, it calmed me now.
You're welcome, Deepthi!
Grateful for this video and the comments. I've been aware of hypnic jerks and have experienced them in the past a few times, but back then they were always full-body jerks and always one-offs.
Nowadays, it's more common for me to have just one limb like a leg or arm or even just a few fingers to suddenly jerk and force me awake while I'm falling asleep. This all started after a horrible period of severe anxiety which left me twitching and shaking randomly during the day as well. I started taking magnesium supplements which have helped the day-time twitching enormously, but the night-time sleepy hypnic jerks still bother me. They're also often accompanied by a very faint itchy/tingly feeling.
I'm lucky enough to still manage to get a decent night's sleep most nights, but it does still make me feel scared and anxious and miserable for those first few hours of trying to sleep when my body keeps forcing me awake and startling me. If I wake up in the middle of the night for some other reason, I instantly feel depressed because I know it'll take me ages to fall back asleep thanks to the jerks. If I I think the root of this is my chronic anxiety which I need to get a handle on. I've started exercising recently so we'll see how that goes.
Thanks for sharing. I hope things improve for you soon. You might also want to ask your doctor to evaluate you for restless legs syndrome and/or periodic limb movement disorder just to rule those issues out.
This is spinal nerve damage from looking down at our cell phones for hours a day, combined with holding a microwave radiation device at the same time. The microwaves have done damage to the spine and nervous system, while the position of too much cell phone viewing has also caused damage, so dramatically reducing exposure is a critical must. Getting an MRI to see where the damage has struck and then maybe getting Prolotherapy to fix it might be helpful. I'm in the process of figuring out all the the ways that might be helpful for this new phenomena on the planet. Anyone telling you cell phones are safe are the equivalent in "informed" to the Doctors that used to tell pregnant women to smoke during pregnancy to decrease morning sickness. Massage under the skull and the cords of the neck along side both sides of the neck vigorously and make sure you're hydrated, take magnesium and you should fall asleep with no zaps b/c your neck muscles are tweaking your spine anymore. They get into that position to begin with b/c of years of cell phone use looking down which does SOOOO much damage to the neck and spinal/nervous system. Suddenly everyone has anxiety? Come on! The only thing we all have in common that is well documented in every country's scientific community is extremely dangerous cell phone radiation damage. Cut that out and massage your neck really well under your skull at night, make sure you're really hydrated, don't ingest stimulants while you're healing, and the zaps stop. The notion that is being perpetuated by doctors that it's anxiety are people that want to make money and not work very hard to think much about how the body actually works.
Believe me the first time i watched this clip, my search for the exact teacher ended.
I can say my sleep has become a bit better. The main advice you gave in this video "to welcome the hypnic jerk", helped me a lot. I don't believe accepting the twitch would be so much beneficial and sweet. I was afraid of the jerk just for nothing and i am in sleep in no time. Thanks to you.
But thanks to you Martin, i am sure i will become normal as i used to be.
I rate this video as Golden Video of You Tube.
Lots of love and lots of respect.
This is great to hear! Thank you so much for sharing - I am glad to hear your sleep has started to improve!
Hello sir how r u now
@@rahulpardeshi6646 Much better Alhamdulillah.... much much better
This started happening 3 days ago when my anxiety started getting really bad. I would lay in bed and try to go to sleep while constantly opening one eye to try to see if I was ok and I would get this shock wave feeling in my chest. It also happened when my mom came in my room which startled me and caused my chest and body to jolt. I can't even sleep anymore because I'm scared it will happen again.
I hope this video was helpful. Since sleep always happens when we have been awake for long enough, you will definitely sleep again!
The same thing happens with me, from 2 years, always i think that i don't awake if i slept 😭😭
Happens to me every night when I'm going to bed I still have not saw a doctor and it's happen for years now
Same. I'm in the same boat.
@@LongCOVIDAdvocator It gets better as your anxiety starts to improve. Please just have faith I recommend looking up anxiety sleep meditations. I would go to sleep listening to it every night.
I thought this only happened to me. It would be hard to describe to someone. I thought it was a strange thing. It is very frustrating wanting to sleep but as soon as that might be happening, I get a sensation that gets me out of it. Thank you for explaining this. I know I will be less anxious when this happens in the future and will be able to fall asleep.
How are feeling now?
I've actually been thinking I'm the only one, but looking at the comments gives me great comfort.
I've been having gastroenteritis that had caused so much dehydration that I had to visit the doctors and get admitted.
Days later, it feels like it's come back, and my sleep jerks have gotten stronger.
But I'm trying to stay calm, and I hope that with acceptance, can i actually have a proper bed rest.
Fingers crossed, and thank you for the insightful video.
You are definitely not alone, Suman!
Do you find any cure ?
Do you find any cure ?
3:00 is literally me, but I'm stuck in that OCD type cycle where I can't stop obsessing about it, and the more I try 'not to' the worse it gets. They're sometimes so strong I feel like I'm going pass out or even have my heart stop... scary how powerful the mind can be when turned against itself!
No surprise you find it hard "not to" think in a certain way - I am not sure anyone can permanently control the thoughts their mind chooses to generate. When we try, things often become even more difficult!
Thank you thank you! I started having these ever since i got covid in november ,not sure if it's connected or caused by the anxiety of it all. the jolts combined with the pounding heart when it happens has freaked me out. glad to know that it's nothing more serious
So glad to know you found this video helpful! Of course, it's always worth discussing any health concerns with your doctor - but if there's no medical explanation for the symptoms you described, they're almost certainly down to heightened arousal.
@@InsomniaCoach yup i agree that's the cause; before finding this video ive had an echo test, blood work, xrays, all came back clear and normal🙏 so this does explain why its happening
@@neena9202 Thanks for the additional information! I am so happy to know this video helped explain those symptoms and offered some reassurance, too!
@@neena9202 how are you knom? It is jerk go?
Neena I got the same after covid. It’s still going on. How are you feeling now?
These are great tips, but I was having a different problem, not this situation. Thanks anyhow!
Sorry for the misunderstanding 😂
Thank you so much it really is comforting..
You're welcome - thank you for your engagement!
I get these pretty randomly. When it happens I feel SO exhausted trying to fall back asleep but as soon as I start to again jolt and grab my chest to catch my breath again but I start panicking and have anxiety/ panic attacks and feel like I have butterflies in my chest and stomach. Been trying to calm down for about an hour now.
I hope that now you know a bit more about these jerks, you might be less worried by them, Maddy.
I used to have those jerks when I had major depression and chronic insomnia. My sleep patterns were so bad and i was so tired that I would cry because I could never sleep well. As soon as I treated my depression it slowly disappeared and I very rarely get those jerks anymore. I know some people aren't that lucky and need to resort to therapy or something else to treat it.
Thank you for sharing, Julian.
Hey julian how you treated your depression??
You're a breath of fresh air. I'm ready to try again, thanks :)
That's kind of you to say! Thank you.
My experience with this was years ago, once i fall asleep, i will dream of a staircase, no matter what i trip and fall and experience these hypnic jerks, that would happen to me everyday maybe for a year, until my friend died, he died asleep, i didn't experience hypnic jerks for a month since, but then i started to feel afraid before going to bed, and i would shiver and i couldn't sleep for a solid 3 days then until i collapsed, i was afraid of dying sleeping, maybe or maybe not it was influenced by my friend death, i moved on when this happened, i learned that is irrational fear and i still try to control it, but now, about 2-3 years later, i experience a weird sensation before falling asleep and viola, the only thing that bothers me really about it, it messes up my sleeping schedule, those earlier troubles would fade away if i take sleeping pill, this video motivated me to keep being positive, and i loved the message at the end
It's been happening to me quite a bit lately. I'll start falling asleep and usually I become aware right before it happens. Then I feel I am forced awake gasping for air but I immediately catch my breathe and feel fine shortly there after. The feeling i have is that if I don't force myself awake, I'd die. It can be terrifying sometimes.I feel it happens less often when I sleep on my stomach.
That does sound scary! Thanks for sharing that you find it happens less often when you sleep on your stomach. Have you discussed your concerns with your doctor to rule out an issue such as sleep apnea?
I know exactly what your talking about . It happens to me for the entire night sometimes. The night after drinking . As soon as i nod i wake imediately as if i have stopped breathing and its an awful feeling when it happens 30 times a night
Yes this is what happens to me!
@@goldieswitzerlox past 2 nights in a row for me... all night long now I am terrified to sleep
@@jonathansmith2656 it does pass, i would recommend going to the ER or urgent care for peace of mind. Tell them whats going on and they will most likely give you hydroxyzine. For panic attacks.
i've been going through a lot of messed up stuff lately, so i think the stress is my reason for these jerks
That's entirely possible!
Yes, I’ve had 2 assigned CBTI therapists but neither worked for me. People NEED to have the “why” of these techniques explained to them. It’s comforting and assuring. I didn’t have any techniques explained and I therefor questioned all of it for me. I’m probably better off getting there doing your videos. I already feel more confident. Also trying to get off the meds…Ambien and Prebabalin. Hell! Totally depressed during the day the more I use them not to mention various and sundry side effects. Probably dementia side effects etc.
Yes! The "why" is SO important! Thanks for sharing this insight!
Thanks for your advice thanks alot sir..
You're welcome!
So glad to find out the name of these things!
Every time I've been trying to go sleep lately, I've been getting these.
It's like I'm suddenly drifting off and I'm jolted back awake. When it happens to me it makes me heart pound so fast. Is that part normal too?
Thank you for making this video.
It's impossible to say for sure - this can be connected to arousal and can certainly happen when you are jerked awake! I'd recommend talking to your doctor if you are concerned by the heart pounding. If nothing else, this might help put your mind further at ease about those hypnic jerks - and it's always good to rule out any other potential issues (one of which could be, for example, sleep apnea).
@@InsomniaCoach Hello Coach, I have been diagnosed with severe sleep apnea and I have been using the machine for 3 months now, the doctor says that the CPAP is doing its job properly because my IAH is stable and normal now. However, I am jolted back awake from 3 to 4 times before i get 3 hours of sleep. Then I wake up and it would take another 2 hours or so to get back to sleep. I will try to apply what your video says, any other insight ? Thanks
@@BigSocksProds Glad to hear your sleep apnea is responding well to treatment! No additional insight at the current time on the hypnic jerks - it's entirely possible for the heightened arousal associated with insomnia to be present alongside sleep apnea.
@@InsomniaCoach I thought so as well, thanks again
I suffered with this from October until like late December early January. I literally slept less than an hour a night for months and months. It was crazy going to bed at night and not sleeping. Horrible. I found myself envying regular ppl knowing they’re going home and gonna have a nice sleep. All because of vertigo I was suffering with which gave me insomnia then the jerks. Better now
glad to hear you improved! how did you get better?
@@SamuraiPoohBear yes I got better. I did the eply manoeuvre day in day out. And I went out more in the days to tire me out
Thanks for sharing that you are doing better now - I am sure that will be comforting and reassuring to many others here!
@@flyersluver4eva I'm literally having same thing and I go for walk in the day and still having insomnia /hypnic jerk...what else can I do for a better sleep?
@@sacq13 Hey bro you are not alone, I am also feeling like that from last 1 week how are you now? I will follow you from here
Hi Martin thanks so much for the informative video. If my jerks are happening more because of meds withdrawls would you suggest to just ride them out as well?
I've been put on Lorazapam for anxiety caused by the jerks but now I'm worried coming off then creates more jerks :( perhaps only for a short while?
I think that if you can work on addressing the anxiety (perhaps through the implementation of CBT-I techniques if appropriate), when you start to feel more confident in your natural ability to sleep, you might feel better prepared to eliminate your use of medication.
Of course, I am not a doctor so any concerns you have about prescription medication should be raised with your prescribing physician!
Thank you so much for explaining this jerking reaction to falling asleep. I'm going to try the positive mindset of this is me just falling asleep and see if this helps me.
Thanks for sharing, Catherine - and you are very welcome!
My guess is this has something to do with anxiety. This started happening to me Sunday. Went twice for 30+ hours of no sleep. But what I did the past 2 nights ignore them and continue falling asleep. Worked hopefully it works this night.
Another thing that helps is staying in bed do not leave. I am the type that once I get up I am cant fall back to sleep. So even if I havent fallen asleep after 2-3 hours I just stay lying down with eyes close.
A follow up incase anyone is interested before this happened I was on anti anxiety medication and weaned myself off by taking one every other day for the last 30 days. This was in Feb in March I noticed i had trouble sleeping. Got back on my medication for the past 2 weeks and have been sleeping better I notice the jerks or muscle spasms but just dont care enough to keep me awake. Last night I had a few but just was tired.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, and for the update, Zack!
@@zackg6216 Hey zack how are you now? I am also facing the same issue like you right now what to do
Yes, exactly that. If I get out I will never be able to return. It is crutial to stay in bed. I need a lot of time for my overwired brain to calm down. Not just 10 minutes.
I've been having this issue the last three nights. Not the physical jerks but the mental "fight or flight" jerks that send that anxiety to my chest. Seems to happen when I enter the first stage of falling asleep. I'm going to try to reframe them as a sign that sleep is starting to settle in because usually once they happen I lay there for awhile, toss and turn, and feel extremely anxious. It's been a struggle lately. I also need to get back into sleep restriction. Seems I go through phases of sleeping okay without having to take Ambien, then I get back into a crap cycle.
Thanks for sharing, Matthew. That anxiety is coming from your brain doing its job and looking out for you - it doesn't usually feel good though, right? Unfortunately the more we try to control what our mind chooses to do, the more we can get tangled up in a struggle.
I'm glad to know this is common because the last few days have been scary for me. I've suffered insomnia for years and not long ago had sleep deprivation due to a mixture of a poor sleep pattern and then the abuse of melatonin which caused me to get a vibrant red mark on my forehead and now this!
I seen a white light the first night it happened, can't recall seeing it again but like you said the feeling is like your body is in fight on flight as it's almost like my body is protecting me from my last week. It isn't making my mental health any better
Thanks for sharing. I hope things improve for you soon.
Did things improve for you? If so, how?
Red mark? That's melanin you're talking about, not melatonin.
@@EvaPev i must be thick and not br able to read then fuck sake🤣🤣🤣 I'm daft but I'm certainly not stupid! Unless the label is lying to me😏😉🤣
Last night , for the first night ever , I felt asleep deeply like a baby -I am 80years old- I just following your instructions such as : don't look at the electric clock which I turned it facing the wall like times out , don't worry if You can sleep or not , let your body adjust itself , turn all the iPad , iPhone , video and breath 4/7/8 in the peace of mind . That's it . Again , Thank You . 😊
Thanks for sharing! When we are able to move away from "trying" to sleep, it often gets a lot easier!
Hi Martin, how can I stop the intense feelings of anxiety at the point of falling asleep? I think I’ve conditioned myself to amplify this feeling by worrying about it cos it’s such a horrible feeling.
You know, I think the very act of trying to stop, avoid, or otherwise suppress anxiety is often the bigger problem. If we can get to a place where we accept and allow anxious thoughts to enter our minds, they tend to have far less of an effect on us and tend to leave a lot faster, too! I recommend the book "Dare" by Barry McDonagh since he explains this in a very approachable and compassionate way. I hope this helps!
Hey Martin!! Very Glad to see this video. I have been in severe anxiety attacks since 4 weeks but just for the past 2-3 days I have been getting this kind of hyperarousal immediately as I try to fall asleep..its happening every min..its very debilitating..along with palpitations and cold flushes, but I am not scared rather it makes me feel that if it goes like this..how will I sleep every night.. I am so concerned about my quality of sleep.please help me..how can I overcome this??
I have been living with this for 4 months at first I was so scared that the anxiety itself kept me up for 36 hours twice in a week. After I fell asleep I realised i vant control it but I can live with it. What helped me was getting a fixed sleep schedule. And when the jerks do happen not to panic but accept it. Now I am not saying this will work every night there are still nights where I only get 4 or 5 hours of sleep. But hey that's better than none
Sorry that you're dealing with that, Usha. I don't have anything to add to what is in this video but you might also find it helpful to go through the comments here because a number of people have shared how they were able to reduce the impact of these jerks and even help reduce how often they occur.
It’s been 8 months. Been to sleep specialists CBTI trainings and finally my Dr put me on medications. This is a horrible cycle but all the comments make me realize it’s more common than I thought. These mind jolts have become chronic and it gave me anxiety. It isn’t anxiety that gave me the insomnia. p.s. The medication helps but it’s only a bandaid
Thank God there is name for this . From past one week im facing this problem , please help me to overcome this sir . I stopped sleeping for days because of these jerks fear
Hello Sujay! I share my suggestions in the video - but there's lots of great stuff in the comments section, too!
Sujay emaina solution dorikinda ?
The transition of conscious to unconscious is always terryfying for me i always feel like im playing a game of tetris then suddenly realise that I'm not and jump feet panicking
Sorry to hear that the transition feels terrifying for you, Zeke. I hope this video helped, even if only a little.
i’m 16 and i have this. last night i keep falling asleep and every time i would get woken up by my body twitching and i would get anxious right after.
I hope you found the video helpful, Sanarya!
after the jerk you will feel weird and a little scare since it the same.. i trend to had feeling i forgot to do something... afterward...so this may made it harder to sleep...
Wow you are 16 and have this? That is very young I was 24 when mine started.
@@micahwilkening1706 I’m 18 and I got it
Updates, how long does it last?
Damn it, thank you so much, I break tears knowing that there's nothing wrong with my brain. I've always lived with this fear and now I'm relieved ❤
This is spinal nerve damage from looking down at our cell phones for hours a day, combined with holding a microwave radiation device at the same time. The microwaves have done damage to the spine and nervous system, while the position of too much cell phone viewing has also caused damage, so dramatically reducing exposure is a critical must. Getting an MRI to see where the damage has struck and then maybe getting Prolotherapy to fix it might be helpful. I'm in the process of figuring out all the the ways that might be helpful for this new phenomena on the planet. Anyone telling you cell phones are safe are the equivalent in "informed" to the Doctors that used to tell pregnant women to smoke during pregnancy to decrease morning sickness. Massage under the skull and the cords of the neck along side both sides of the neck vigorously and make sure you're hydrated, take magnesium and you should fall asleep with no zaps b/c your neck muscles are tweaking your spine anymore. They get into that position to begin with b/c of years of cell phone use looking down which does SOOOO much damage to the neck and spinal/nervous system. Suddenly everyone has anxiety? Come on! The only thing we all have in common that is well documented in every country's scientific community is extremely dangerous cell phone radiation damage. Cut that out and massage your neck really well under your skull at night, make sure you're really hydrated, don't ingest stimulants while you're healing, and the zaps stop. The notion that is being perpetuated by doctors that it's anxiety are people that want to make money and not work very hard to think much about how the body actually works. The body will heal from this.We're all in this corrupt agenda together. Don't tolerate it anymore. Get a landline and minimize exposure to your microwave radiation phone.
Thank you so much for the info. I have epilepsy and I thought they were related to my epilepsy. My neurologist wasn't very helpful when I asked him about it.
I have been getting these jerks constantly and I’m scared to go to sleep which keeps me awake for ages sometimes for the whole night and mostly until 3 am. When I try to sleep I can’t stop thinking about these jerks and they keep on coming no matter what i do
That does not sound pleasant, Oscar. I am sorry that you are dealing with these jerks and only hope that this video proved to be somewhat helpful and perhaps even a little reassuring.
This is spinal nerve damage from looking down at our cell phones for hours a day, combined with holding a microwave radiation device at the same time. The microwaves have done damage to the spine and nervous system, while the position of too much cell phone viewing has also caused damage, so dramatically reducing exposure is a critical must. Getting an MRI to see where the damage has struck and then maybe getting Prolotherapy to fix it might be helpful. I'm in the process of figuring out all the the ways that might be helpful for this new phenomena on the planet. Anyone telling you cell phones are safe are the equivalent in "informed" to the Doctors that used to tell pregnant women to smoke during pregnancy to decrease morning sickness. Massage under the skull and the cords of the neck along side both sides of the neck vigorously and make sure you're hydrated, take magnesium and you should fall asleep with no zaps b/c your neck muscles are tweaking your spine anymore. They get into that position to begin with b/c of years of cell phone use looking down which does SOOOO much damage to the neck and spinal/nervous system. Suddenly everyone has anxiety? Come on! The only thing we all have in common that is well documented in every country's scientific community is extremely dangerous cell phone radiation damage. Cut that out and massage your neck really well under your skull at night, make sure you're really hydrated, don't ingest stimulants while you're healing, and the zaps stop. The notion that is being perpetuated by doctors that it's anxiety are people that want to make money and not work very hard to think much about how the body actually works.
I recently recovered from Covid but I have not been able to sleep for the past month due to this scary jerk feeling when Im abt to fall asleep, I get this mostly in my chest, so I fear I’m having heart trouble which causes anxiety and now Im scared to go to bed every night.. i end up staying up all night almost every night 😓
I am glad to hear you have recovered and I hope this video was helpful, Kelly. What do you think you might be able to do after watching this video to improve the current situation with those jerks and the nighttime anxiety?
alot of time. it happen becuase you worry about something... so when you about to go to differnt stage you body jerk so you don't sleep... apart of a old factory.. best to do is try to taken mind of thing before go to sleep... and accpet what will be ...will be.. if you not sleep tonight just accepted that you not sleep but it don't stop you to relex... so it all in your mind...
@@campkira Acceptance can be so helpful!
Same
@@azitarehman7845 I hope things get better for you.
I’ve actually found that watching funny or cute videos WHILE in bed helps me associate the time before sleep in bed as a pleasant time and it helps me relax while in bed and forget about my sleep anxiety. I use the blue light filter on my tablet.
It sounds as though that's proving to be a helpful approach for you, Michael! All the best to you!
Hey coach! Love your videos. So I’ve started a new job and have been experiencing bad insomnia, where I fall asleep normally but wake up a few hours later and stay up. And if I do fall asleep it’s bad sleep. It’s making my days awful. Do you have any suggestions? Should I set up a new sleep restriction schedule? Thanks much!!
Congratulations on the new job! If you spend a lot of time awake during the night, it might be worth considering whether the amount of time you allot for sleep each night is appropriate. If we allot way more time for sleep than we usually spend asleep, we set ourselves up for more wakefulness and less consolidated sleep. Waking during the night is actually a normal part of sleep - if we find it hard to fall back to sleep that's often because of our reaction to waking during the night. The more we worry or pay attention to these awakenings, the harder it can be to fall back to sleep.
@@InsomniaCoach Thanks and You're correct on all points! I'm in my head quite a bit since I've been stuck in this short anxiety cycle and always afraid of not sleeping enough, that’s why I can’t seem to commit to a sleep restriction routine. Probably should do that! Would you able to share some strategies for sleep anxiety? Strategies for letting go?
@@gerk7238 Here are a couple of videos you might find helpful:
What to do when anxious thoughts are making sleep difficult and leading to insomnia: czcams.com/video/Q2tjMWvBaWs/video.html
How challenging sleep-related thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors can help you improve your sleep: czcams.com/video/Y0BoRejg9ZE/video.html
@@InsomniaCoach thank you!
When i am about to fall asleep, suddenly i am feeling a sudden stop in breathing along with a jerk!.I am feared to fall asleep
Just a bit ago i got one of these jerks. It made me really anxious and now every time I try to fall asleep I get anxious. Haven’t watched this yet but hopefully it helps
I hope you find the video helpful, John! If nothing else, perhaps you can recognize that the jerks aren't a sign that something is wrong or that your insomnia is somehow unique.
after the jerk you will feel weird and a little scare since it the same.. i trend to had feeling i forgot to do something... afterward...so this may made it harder to sleep...
Thank you for this video! What to make of teeth grinding along with sleep twitches.
You're welcome! Teeth grinding/bruxism is outside my area of expertise so isn't something I can offer advice on, unfortunately.
It’s literally like a shot of adrenaline! I suffer with this from time, and it’s not fun. I’m incredibly active and rely on 7/8 quality hours to ensure my day runs smoothly… So, as you can imagine, I place a lot of pressure on sleep. Reading the comments makes me feel more relaxed about the jerks. Welcoming them rather than fighting is sound advice indeed. Thanks a lot!
Yea its been a while but seems like they started happening to me again, last night i must have had about 20 of them and only two hours sleep, but seems they are like the common cold where they come and go, who knows lol
We be gettin towe up! I almost died a half a hour ago! Now I’m here in these comment sections lmao in tears because I can relate too all y’all. And just thinking about how freighting and how stupid we must look as it happens got me over here surviving Thru laughter afraid too go back too sleep... at least the laughter is good for the heart . You ever had one so bad you start praying for another day ? Lol this disease sucks ...
Being concerned about uncomfortable and worrying experiences is definitely not stupid, Jada! I am glad you found some comfort in the video and in the comments here! Laughter certainly can be great medicine!
@@InsomniaCoach yea idk know why it was so funny but it was just funny cuz we be gettin clipped in our sleep like that ... oh shoot!
@@InsomniaCoach even though it is scary at times i images all the commenters flying up out they bed and it was comical but this disease or whatever it is a trip boy I tellya!
Hello, this happens to me everytime i try to sleep. I feel my arm, leg or fingers twitch and it makes me alert. I find i can fall asleep for a short period of time but then im woken back up again, not sure if i even rested at all. Usually i can sleep for about 3 hours a night (in broken up sleep) due to this. Is there anything i can do for this? In my case, its caused by anxiety. I can be tired and these sensations will still occur. Its making me feel hopeless.
Have you spoken to your doctor about this? If specific parts of your body seem to twitch during sleep, it might be worth talking to your doctor about periodic limb movement disorder. If nothing else, it's something that might be worth ruling out!
My situation sounds ALOT like yours!! were you able to find a resolution?
@@iffyk I was taking a quarter of a pill of mirtazapine for sleep, which also helped with the anxiety that caused the twitching. Eventually I didn't need to take anything anymore to sleep and I'm pretty much back to normal 🙂
@@xkm11x So happy to hear this for you! I take Lexapro and this definitely cures the issue but I've been having a tough time getting off of it. I think i need to taper more slowly. Also alcohol makes it worse so I've decided to cut that off. But glad to hear there's hope!
@@iffyk oh definitely there is! For almost 3 months I'd research all day long how to overcome insomnia which put me into a state of derealization from being anxious all the time. I found that the best thing I could do was just to accept what will happen will happen! If you can't sleep then so be it! Get up and go play a game or anything you want to do! If you try to stay up you'll eventually get tired 😊 hope that helps a bit! I know first hand it's easier said than done!
*My partner told me a few weeks ago that I always twitch or jump in my sleep but I didn’t know anything about it because it doesn’t wake me up and i never remember falling in my sleep so I’m glad to know I’m not the only one and thankful it doesn’t wake me* 😊
Hello coach..
I gone total 3 nights of no sleep
2 days bcos of hypinc jerks & last night due to So so much aderaline rush in my mind ( hyperarousal) as if my body is in flight or fight mode.
So my question is will it remain in same mode today night? What if I took pill for the day or two?
I can't predict the future, unfortunately! And, only you can make a decision when it comes to medication (and hopefully in consultation with your doctor).
I get these on bad insomnia nights, usually when I'm already sleep deprivated
That makes sense, especially if you are paying more attention to sleep because you have been experiencing difficult nights. I hope this video was helpful.
This is the first explanation of this awful experience I have with these jerks. But "don't worry" is very difficult when, like the other night I didn't sleep at all and was suffering from these jerks 3 or 4 times per minute for hours and hours. Any advice?
Hey Rob! Hope you are better. Read the comments, there are a lot of good advices! I am struggling with this as well. 😊
I don't think it's possible to delete worry from our brains - it'll always come back, right? Perhaps a more workable approach might be acknowledging the worry, (acknowledging the jerks and any other thoughts and feelings they might generate), to be kind to yourself in return, and to practice moving away from trying to fight or avoid all this difficult stuff that cannot be directly controlled anyway?
@@vanessabernardesteixeira5586 Yes! The comments here are a gold mine!
I started having hypnic jerks after starting exercises in the gym.I have stopped all exercises and that time I was taking magnesium glycinate.I think it made my condition worse.this is my fourth month with hypnic jerks,dr prescribed low dose clonazepam,as my MRI and EEG were normal . mediation helps but what should I do because, I can't do anything except thinking that I will be able to sleep or not at night.. please help
Unfortunately I cannot provide medical advice, Mark. Do you recognize any of the symptoms of hyperarousal, as described in this video? If so, that might be worth investigating.
@@InsomniaCoach yes hyperarousal is there.
Thanks for this video! I experience hypnotic jerks or a sensation that my whole bed is vibrating/there's an earthquake once in a while. Since that only happens at the beginning of my sleep cycle, it doesn't bother me.
I've been having major issues lately with being woken up several times per night by next door neighbours closing a door. I don't think it's very loud when I hear it during the day and I have lived next to them for 7 years. I now have anxiety about sleeping after a couple of weeks of being woken up. While sleeping, it sounds so loud and startles me awake. I already sleep with earplugs and a white noise machine. What else can I do to try and not hear this door sound? I'm sure it's not a new thing. I just don't know why I suddenly started hearing it...
If the noise occurs at night, I wonder if you might speak to your neighbor? Often if we have a heightened level of arousal, we can be more reactive to nighttime sounds - so it might also be helpful to explore what it is about the idea of being awake that makes you feel so determined to sleep. Perhaps if you were less concerned about sleep, sleep might start to get a bit easier?
I twitch around once or twice every 10 minutes or so. When I try to sleep it gets more intensified, feeling like I have been electrocuted or shot in my back and chest. I've learned to live with it since I can't seem to stop them.
Thanks for sharing! When you were able to reach a place of acceptance, did you find these twitches became a bit less disruptive to your sleep?
@@InsomniaCoach Definitely. I trained myself to stop noticing them. They can get really bad here and there but for the most part I try to ignore them.
So are u able to sleep with that thing?
It feels like an electric shock and I get really awake I also get sleep paralysis. I'm gonna try experiment if a pillow on my chest reduces the feeling of falling. The jolt feels powerful and I normally bounce quite bit.
That does sound quite intense. I hope this video was helpful.
@@InsomniaCoach It helped getting a rational explanation about what's probably happening. It also calmed me down. Thanks
This is spinal nerve damage from looking down at our cell phones for hours a day, combined with holding a microwave radiation device at the same time. The microwaves have done damage to the spine and nervous system, while the position of too much cell phone viewing has also caused damage, so dramatically reducing exposure is a critical must. Getting an MRI to see where the damage has struck and then maybe getting Prolotherapy to fix it might be helpful. I'm in the process of figuring out all the the ways that might be helpful for this new phenomena on the planet. Anyone telling you cell phones are safe are the equivalent in "informed" to the Doctors that used to tell pregnant women to smoke during pregnancy to decrease morning sickness. Massage under the skull and the cords of the neck along side both sides of the neck vigorously and make sure you're hydrated, take magnesium and you should fall asleep with no zaps b/c your neck muscles are tweaking your spine anymore. They get into that position to begin with b/c of years of cell phone use looking down which does SOOOO much damage to the neck and spinal/nervous system. Suddenly everyone has anxiety? Come on! The only thing we all have in common that is well documented in every country's scientific community is extremely dangerous cell phone radiation damage. Cut that out and massage your neck really well under your skull at night, make sure you're really hydrated, don't ingest stimulants while you're healing, and the zaps stop. The notion that is being perpetuated by doctors that it's anxiety are people that want to make money and not work very hard to think much about how the body actually works.The body will heal from this,
It comes and goes for me , it's .been almost 20 years now they can last up to months with them every night to months with out them my case it pretty severe with extreme fear thanks for listening I'm afraid but accept having them for the rest of my life
Thank you for sharing.
I get these Hypnic jerks awake all night every night when I need the sleep the most. For me it turns into anxiety where I find myself checking my pulse. Sometimes the only way to break the cycle is to pass out drunk and force a full night of sleep to happen. I hate it when this happens. I feel fluttery and anxious the next day If I miss out on sleep. I wanted to sleep well tonight so I could meet a friend in the morning but instead I’m up late on CZcams looking for connection with others who experience this.
If you hate drinking to the point of passing out as a way to avoid these jerks, that might not be a workable or sustainable approach. The anxiety you described is understandable - and, since it's unpleasant we will often try to fight or avoid it. Sometimes it's all the effort we put into trying to fight or avoid certain thoughts and feelings that causes a lot of struggle. I hope you found some helpful tips in the video and the comments here, too.
I legit thought I was the only one with this problem, went to the doctors and told them about this and they didn’t know wtf I was talking about
if they not sleep spicilist they had no fucking idea about it.. since it happen to some people.. some people they fall to sleep easily and some don't since maybe their anceastor is hunter or worrier since it ability for gurd...
Glad to know this video was helpful for you, Dayjon!
I have been dealing with this since December 2020. It got so bad I went to my doctor for Lunesta which has helped me fall asleep, but I only stay asleep for 3-5 hours. I have had the sleep starts where you have a sudden image like you're about to fall down stairs....this is different. It's like a hard exhale/puff...something very strange, I can't really explain it. Sometimes I get it during the day too if I zone out and then realize I'm zoned out. I'm scared something is actually wrong with my brain. I'll be getting an in-lab sleep study in the next few weeks. Nothing seems to help except sedation.
Sorry to hear you've been dealing with this for so long. I hope the sleep study provides you with some answers or at least some suggestions!
I get the same puff thing too! I think it's a jerk of the diaphragm. It expels some air and that creates the puff.
@@InsomniaCoach You seem clueless though.
@@EvaPev Thanks for sharing your opinion.
before i went and try to sleep at night , during the day i was under a lot of stress with a migraine and so later on i try to sleep but instead wake up a min later gasping for air and have a impending doom fear but it goes away whenever im fully awake. happened Three times in a row in one night. Any idea what to do? im not paranoid falling asleep im just annoyed how often it went.
If other potential explanations such as sleep apnea have been ruled out, you might be experiencing the symptoms of heightened arousal. Hopefully, this video gave you some ideas/suggestions.
Thankyou for the information and not stressing me out coz i saw a video before and it was telling that demons is trying to pull your sprit slowly lol i was so scared. After that i saw your video about this thanks for motivating me out i will try to sleep again.
Yikes - I can definitely see how watching a video like that would create some fear!
Brah I thought I was having a seizure👀
Yikes - that must have been scary!
I twitch and hav muscle spasms, cant breath , numb face and hands , dry tongue , i get so scaired
@@skinndawg1 If you feel breathless when you wake from these jerks, you might want to discuss those symptoms with your doctor since they could be a symptom of sleep apnea.
@@InsomniaCoach I sleep on my side and it feels like I get pulled from my legt side backwards. Its been happening for e days now. And it makes me not sleep. But it usually happens when I don't fall asleep like on my own and I fall asleep from tiredness and trying to stay awake . some times the jerk is small but it sometimes is big too
@@InsomniaCoach I found a way to completely get rid of them. In my case ot was because i tried sleeping with too much stuff in my mind. I slept thinking about what I would do tomorrow or stressful things and the jerks happened. But once I ignore those things it was completely gone
So i took mdma 3 weeks ago and 2 days ago i started to experience these jerks. I found this video very helpful because i didn’t knew what this was
Glad to know you found the video helpful, Justin!
Hey Justin. I also took MDMA before this started for me. Don't want to scare you but that was 7 months ago and I am still experiencing them almost nightly. How are yours now? Feel free to DM me as well. I'm interested in hearing your story because I have not found a lot to do with MDMA and hypnic jerking.
@@niilo2852 had a bad trip on acid happens to me ever since that. Don't do drugs haha
@@simpsy5900 Weird. I had a very mellow great time and felt fine. Even got to sleep fine lol. You almost sound like you are suffering some sort of ptsd from the trip maybe?
@@niilo2852 it's probably just severe anxiety if it was ptsd i would be panicking every night, keep in mind I have had a lot of trips and enjoyed them but all it takes is one to send you over the edge
I am facing this issue recently.. one night when it started i couldn't get back to sleep at all. I asked my father to watch me as i thought i am having seizure or heart atttack or hiccups while sleeping. I went to doctor and he has prescribed anti anxiety medicines for a week. First day on medicine i slept peacefully for 12 hours.. second day i felt the jerk twice but managed to sleep again but w.as restless. I do agree with the position logic, i generally get the jerks on the right side. I will also follow the advice on being in bed when ready. Thanks for the video, its helpful that somebody understands this
I hope things get better for you soon!
How are u now
Im Very late, anyway, your info provided much ease, I thought it was a life threatening issue. Which, in fact, we need to balance our lifestyle. . . . Thanks!
You're welcome!
Physical jerks are one thing. My problem is that my mind goes into alarm mode as soon as I can fall asleep. I get an adrenaline rush and after a couple of adrenalin rushes my heart is racing and it takes hours to calm down and then it starts all over again.
Any idea why you get that adrenaline rush and feel your heart racing when you want to fall asleep? Do you think it might be connected to worry about nighttime wakefulness?
@@InsomniaCoach I think it's because my mind forgot how to sleep. It's on alert as soon as it starts drifting away into something else than being awake. But I'm not en expert, I just think a lot about it...
@@Chili-pg2jl The good news is that the mind never forgets how to sleep - but if we worry about sleep or feel anxious, we often have to spend more time awake to overcome that worry/anxiety before sleep will happen. The result is less time asleep and symptoms of heightened arousal (such as a rush of adrenaline). You might want to discuss these issues with your doctor just to rule out a health issue or a separate sleep disorder (such as sleep apnea). If you are diagnosed with chronic insomnia, the recommended first-line treatment is usually cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I).
These happen to me sometimes when I even just close my eyes if one night I start it is hard to stop I can’t even close my eyes for more that two seconds without shooting up feeling like I got jump scared sometimes
That definitely sounds unpleasant. I hope this video helped.
This sounds a bit like me but a little different.
Once I get the first sleep start, I try to go drift off straight away, but a few seconds later it happens again... and again ... and again. Sometimes it feels like I'm having a nightmare though I'm not even alseep yet. I would have to move my body to wake myself up fully to start from the beginning. Its a drag
@@chocfortress This repeated awakening with a start can be caused by a sleep breathing disorder. If you find yourself awakening with a feeling of needing to gasp for breath, it can be what’s called a RERA (Respiratory-effort related arousal). It is worth it to get checked out by a sleep doctor and do a sleep study to check for sleep apnea.
The part about removing yourself from bed until you relax enough was a good insight
Thanks for sharing that you found that a good insight!
I used to twitch sometimes before falling asleep but it didn't bother me until recently when I started getting horrible insomnia. In the past I wasn't the best at maintaining a sleep schedule or falling asleep quickly, but sleep still felt natural and enjoyable. Sometimes I would twitch groan or fart and wake myself up but would just giggle about it and then fall back asleep. I don't know what changed but I have really bad insomnia now even though I really try not to worry or get frustrated my body keeps getting shocked awake and it feels like I'm not getting any sleep through the night and that I'm slowly going insane from night after night of sleep deprivation. I also start to get hot flashes from the anxiety and dread of having to get up each day when I'm exhausted from no sleep.
It’s weird because I can literally feel myself drifting... then I feel a chest discomfort... it makes me scared to ‘let go’ or ‘drift off’ even further... I noticed these jerks have been happening more often recently... I think once or twice ever other night or every few nights... that and my heart race appears to be ‘too fast’ for a relaxed state of mind and body... not necessarily racing... but not slow and relaxed either
See I’ve got tinnitus... and that more often than not affects my ability to fall asleep comfortably and quickly... I can deal with my tinnitus so long as I have a background sound, but this other stuff is absolutely scary and makes me feel like there is something horribly wrong!
I'd suggest talking to your doctor just to rule out any medical explanation for what you have experienced. If you get the all-clear, then you can be confident that what you are experiencing is likely down to hyperarousal/heightened monitoring.
@@InsomniaCoach Thank you for your response! The last few nights I have been falling asleep pretty easily! I guess there are just some nights that are harder than others... as long as it’s not a nightly issue, I’m fine! Also, regarding my tinnitus, I’m seeing an ENT specialist this month! Hopefully I’ll have some relief in no time!
@@sophiakitto2039 Thanks for the update - glad to know you have been sleeping much better the last few nights!
I start hearing louder sound and my body feels like it’s starting to afloat but it makes my mind feel so paranoid to go back to sleep 😴
That floating sensation might be caused by your muscles relaxing as sleep is starting to happen.
I had this too. The floating feeling is due to the sleep paralisis which starts to kick in after this loud sound. And you stop feeling your legs and the gravitation on them so this creates the ilusion of floating feeling.
@@InsomniaCoach No, it's a well known sensation in sleep paralysis. Man you're completely clueless aren't you. I recommend reading more and writing less.
@@EvaPev I'll be the first to admit that parasomnias aren't my area of expertise - and I certainly don't claim to have expertise in this area! I appreciate you sharing your experience and opinion.
Hello coach
Facing insomnia since 1 month..I couldn't fall asleep not for the min.
Now from 3 days when I fall asleep I get mild Twitch bt it waking me up.
Can I use melatonin for 5 days to regular my sleep ? Will it help to shut jerks.
I don't know of any evidence that melatonin would be helpful for that, Rahul.
Hi I have severe problems with these jerks and related issues, are you still helping people with these problems as I would like to try anything that helps?
I get these as I'm falling asleep and as I'm waking up bt went to a nuerologist and they're definitely a type of seizures called myoclonic where it lasts a few moments I'm fully aware of it too and my body will shake as if I'm trying to wake myself up and my eyes will roll and I'll feel like I stop breathing I'm fully aware it's happening and yes sometimes insomnia for me it happens when I wake up around 2am and can't fall back asleep
Thank you for sharing and for connecting your experience with a diagnosis of myoclonic seizures. Since my work is focused solely on chronic insomnia, all my content relates to the experience of individuals with chronic insomnia. It's important to recognize that outside of chronic insomnia, there can be other explanations for these jerks/twitches.
What treatment u are on for this?
@@free4life009 thanks for responding.
I completely agree with you on this, never depend on medications rather work on reducing stress/ environmental triggers diligently they work more on the long run than just medications.
@@free4life009 my jerks were intense when i used to overthink while entering into half sleep!
Potassium & magnesium (chloride salts)have been of tremendous help along with listening soothing music whilst sleeping also thunderstorm rain sounds can be a great way of deviating your mind from overthinking and avoiding restlessness at night.
This is my personal experience. Hope it helps
I've had something like this since 1999 . They suck!! I have 30 plus some nights, (on those nights I get NO sleep at all,) but most nights I suffer about 10-15 of these strange happenings. They can be in the chest, legs, head, stomach, back..anywhere. They are not just little jerks either, and they don't feel like the "falling" sensation. I jump so hard when they happen. Sometimes, as I start to doze off, I can feel a type.of pressure sensation building up in my upper stomach/chest area and then.....POW! They are massive, and powerful, they make me cry out which scares the crap out of everyone in the house. They feel like someone just slugged the living daylights out of me.And the ONLY time I experience them is when I start to fall asleep. I hate them and wish they'd just disappear. .Some have been so danged powerful I've literally jumped out of bed.
That really does sound unpleasant. I am sorry to hear how difficult and intense those big nighttime jumps are are for you.
@@InsomniaCoach since 1999 no doctor has ever figured it out so I just gave up trying.
@@bubbles2868 bubbles!!! So hey, I get that super tired feeling and want a nap. I fear what will start happening, but like a fool, I get and drift off for a little nap. Then suddenly I'm interrupted by this horrible jerk somewhere on my body. There's no specific spot or muscle either. But boy do they scare the hell out of me. It's so frustrating. I waiting to see a neurologist to see if any kind of answers can be given. For me, they just started happening within the last 2 weeks. Only happens as I start to close my eyes and think getting ready to drift off to sleep. Yesterday I got 13 of them all over in the span of 5 mins. At that point I gave up on trying for a nap. Is this what you're experiencing as well?? Everyone I speak to has no idea what I'm talking about. Again, it's beyond frustrating. Hope to hear back from you
@@markv2012 YES!!! Even had one doc...top neurologist in Austin, back in 2004 tell me I was epileptic....turned out that wasn't the case (which I already knew). Can happen anywhere on the body and ONLY when those eyes close and start drifting off to sleep. People think I am just nuts when I try to explain it.
@@bubbles2868 you know, as frustrating as it all is, you just put a huge smile on my face!!! I have been dealing with some unintentional weight loss and have been obsessing over it for the past 2 months now. I have pretty much lost all sleep. I just simply cannot naturally fall asleep anymore. Then I noticed these sleep jerks the past couple of weeks. I've been thinking maybe it's because of the anxiety paired with little to no sleep that they are happening. One thing is for certain, they suck!! Start to almost drift off to sleep, and BAM! There goes another one. Random spots too. The worst ones for me seem to be the stomach. Those are awful 😭 I almost dread bed time anymore. Think I just found a new penpal lol. Haven't had one of those since 4th grade and now I'm 36. Hope you're having a good night. Let's connect again
Can I play game or watch movies in my bedroom while implementing CBT ? I live in hostel and can't manage extra room, just for sleeping.
If you only have access to one room, it can be helpful to play games and watch movies in a chair rather than in bed - just so you can condition your mind to recognize the bed as a place for nothing other than sleep.
@@InsomniaCoach Thanks for reply.
From past 1.5 months, I am waking up at 3:30 am almost daily, no matter at what time I go to sleep. When I search "3:30 am awakening" on google, Most of the website claim that It is due to spiritual awakening. It is hard to believe these stuff but I am in worry because of insufficient sleep. Should I consult doctor for Insomnia treatment or I should contact spiritual guru for guidance ?
Please clarify, is it middle of night insomnia or something else ?
Just had a sleep jerk and on my 3rd one I was almost hallucinating I think I was about to enter a dream maybe and had a hypnic jerk does it make sense
For me it feels like my heart completely stops and I fight to stay alive. I’ve found myself literally waking up or saying “no no no” like I’m about to die and my heart is just pounding. This really sucks.
Same here bro, it's if i have to fight for a moment to not to die. I hope it get's better for you
Yes this happens to me to.. I have not been to sleep in 36 hours
@jermainegaskins3901 how are you feeling now?
Wow, I have those jumps every single night..sometimes they are ok, sometimes funny and sometimes they suck..bc you just want to fall asleep and they wake you up. 😁
I hope this video was helpful, Rodolfo!
@@InsomniaCoach It was :) Thank you. Martin, those jumps might be also an indication that something is going on, in a worst case scenario?
@@Rudi1984 That's quite unlikely, especially if they only tend to happen at the start of the night. If you are concerned that something other than what was mentioned in this video might be going on, it's a good idea to talk to a doctor!
@@InsomniaCoach oki. Thank you, Martin 🙂👍
@@Rudi1984 they can be a sign of b12, b6 deficiency or just magnesium or calcium or potassium deficiency !! you need to check with your doctor especially if you keep getting those jerks everynight
i have been jumping for the last 7 months and been to many many doctors all they tell me is that i'm stressed and prescribe me anti depressed medications which made things lot worse !!
finally i discover that i was magnesium and potassium deficient because of junk food that i use to eat whole my life !!
I will have these while meditating even, with my eyes open. Seems to happen a lot more when I'm sleep deprived.
Thanks for sharing, Mike.
Little concern that might seem stupid, but it's making it kind of complicated my relationship with insomnia and those jerks: Are these microsleeps? Can my body get privated from deep sleep because these microsleeps of seconds, or they don't count as sleep and real sleep will happen in the end, despiste those few seconds of microsleep?
Microsleeps are usually associated with unintentional sleep - for example, we are watching TV or reading a book on the couch and aren't intending to sleep, but we find that our head drops and we jerk ourselves awake. So, I wouldn't normally associate microsleeps with being in bed since, usually, our intention when we are in bed is to sleep!
As for how these microsleeps influence sleep drive, here's a video about that: czcams.com/video/mRiNug3h-N8/video.html
Please they happen a lot at night 😭 I don’t know what to do I’m cry
Update y’all. Just exercise and eat healthy plus sleep early. Make sure u don’t sit around all day lol like me. It went away after a week and half. Don’t stress abt it. Trust me a person with anxiety and a overthinker. This was difficult for me and my mind scared me more than the actual problem. But don’t stress about it and just watch a tv show until u are sleepy. I reccommd sleeping with someone for comfort. :) it will get better Ik it feels like u aren’t gonna sleep or your gonna die but you will be fine.
Sorry to hear this - I hope this video helped, even if only a little.
@Beng Chan I’ve been having the worst weekend ever dealing with this, I literally have slept 1 hour in the last 2 nights. I read your comment and it makes me feel so much better lol, I’ve been eating so poorly and not exercising at all, add in a ton of anxiety and heart issues and bam no sleep 2 nights in a row from these jerks. I’m flipping my life around asap lol. New year new me. Thanks for leaving that reassuring comment haha.
@@test-ky8tu yes don’t worry I’m glad it made u feel better. I was expirancing the same thing u are and trust me I know it’s fustrating. CZcams videos telling you do this do that, and as a person who’s lazy I thought I needed surgery or I was dying 😂 I wish someone had wrote this comment to me when I needed. But stay healthy and happy new year!!!
@@test-ky8tu and I’m sorry for the anxiety. I also have and anxiety and health problems don’t go well together cause your brain is telling u that ur gonna die or something bad will happen. And I also had no one too reassure me and I know u need reassurance so I’m here to reassure you that you will be fine and it will go away fast. If you are still having issue feel free to message me on my Instagram and discuss dw if u have social anxiety is fine :)))) u will get sleep even tho you feel like you won’t. Take some same melatonin pills and drink lots of water!!!
@@bangchan4305 thank you so much for the comment. i finally had a good night of sleep and i feel so much better now. i was so worried that i wasn't gonna get good sleep again and that my life would be like that forever, but as you and many others have said, eventually everyone has to go to sleep. i am gonna get some melatonin and try it if i can't sleep normally tonight, but i'm just so glad that i was able to get some good sleep in the first place. i have a heart history which made my health anxiety so horrible lately, but emergency room doctors have said that i'm fine. i have an appt with my cardiologist and we're gonna do a bunch of in depth tests and if that goes well then i think my health anxiety will really start to take a turn for the better which could lead to my sleep getting back to normal. at least that's how i hope it goes lol. again thank you so much for your comments, i think that reassurance is so important with anyone who has any sort of anxiety. my trip with this is not over, but i have a ton of optimism for the future now. i think that all this stuff is gonna make me better a better person after it's all done. i've been eating so much healthier and taking care of myself physically and mentally so much more than i did in the past. again thanks for the comments it really did help me :)
If this happens many time before go to sleep and then you cant sleep for whole night so i suggest miratazapine 15mg half hour begore go to bed . Having these jerks last year atleast for 3 months and this year also it depressed me realy hard now taking miratazapine 15mg . Easily sleep now and also deep sleep .
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experience, Shakir.
Hey,
I get these jerks after waking up usually when I’m sleep deprived, so is it the same thing?
Are you referring to waking up from unintentional sleep, close to going to bed? I think there could be a connection, but those jerks might be associated with your body just trying to protect you from harming yourself if you fell asleep before correctly prepared for sleep (for example, sitting up in a chair). If you feel excessive sleepiness during the day and have fallen asleep without warning, it might be a good idea to discuss those symptoms with your doctor.
I had hip surgery almost 4 months ago and ive been having these hypnic jerks every night since. Im exhausted all the time and this will literally happen 30-40 times an hour. After a few hours sometimes i give up on sleep altogether other times i can fight through it. This has been the worst 4 months of my life and i dont know how to make this go away. Ambien and Lunesta havent worked and ive had mixed results with clonazepam. Never having surgery again.