renaissance

on a number of occasions (probably ten or so) over the last few years, i've felt the following phemonema:
initially it began as a strong feeling of what i can only describe as a 'current running' through me. it's as if my nerve endings were all getting sensitised at the same time. the first time this happened i was asleep. as the feeling of the current got stronger, i found it more difficult to breathe, until i simply had to stop the current from getting stronger. thankfully i had the ability to do that. that might sound weird. well it felt very weird. i was afraid when i got this feeling first and wondered what the hell it was about.
the next time i had the same nerve ending feeling i was again asleep, though always when i get it, it seems like i'm in the moment and feeling it as it happens. so i'm not really asleep but conscious. again the longer the feeling went on, the stronger it got and the stronger it got the harder is was to breathe. the second time though i was able to control the breathing part a bit better for longer.
after a few more times i was able to completely control the breathing so that i was able to breathe normally while getting this 'sensitising' feeling. i still have no idea what it's about. i got it again last night, again asleep, but became conscious of the feeling during the night. it was very strong last night, stronger than before. it seems like it gets stronger all the time, as much as i'm able to bear. it's very uncomfortable when it happens, though i'm not really frightened of it. i've accepted it as sometimes that happens to me even though i don't fully understand why it's happening.
has anyone else ever had a similar experience? i'd like to hear thoughts from anyone who has had a similar experience.