Can't Fall Asleep - Sudden jerk awakens me in a panic - Sleep Disorders Message Board

shocks · 01-06-2008, 01:55 PM

Hey everyone,

I've seen some related diagnoses for what i've been experiencing, but nothing quite exact yet

around 4-6 times a year, i have nights where it is very hard to sleep. im generally quite tired, and as soon as i feel myself falling asleep, I suddenly wake up, in a shock. generally my heart is beating fast, im tense, my breathing is somewhat heaving, and i get a rush of panic through my body.

it lasts for 5-10 seconds...then i calm down and again, im soooo tired, and as i fall asleep BAM it happens again

it happened to me about 8 times before i could finally get asleep

any ideas what this could be? ive been told i might have sleep aponea but this seems to be outside the definition of that, and i never wake up mid sleep due to any other issues, its just this one, when trying to fall asleep

thanks in advance for any help or suggestions!

Benjamin01 · 01-08-2008, 07:53 PM

I may be wrong, but it sounds like you are describing something I experience quite regularly. I am very nearly asleep but all of a sudden my whole body jerks and I am awake again! It feels exactly like I have misjudged the number of steps whilst walking down some stairs and, thinking you are on ground level you step off the last step. Or a clearer explanation is as though you are walking along a pavement and accidentaly step into a pothole

I do not know the scientific name for this but, if what I have described is the same as what you experience, rest assured it is very common.

Sorry I could not be of more help.

Blankpage · 01-09-2008, 02:59 AM

I get that almost every night now. As soon as im about to fall asleep, my breathing slows and i panic. I know its coming and it happened a million times but im scared everytime. Im still trying to figure out what is is also but I think it may be related to anxiety in some way.

sleepylady · 01-09-2008, 06:37 AM

I have this problem also. I think it is related to sleep apnea. Before I was diagnosed with Sleep Apnea, I used to think it was some sort of panic attack. Since I now sleep with a CPAP, I realize this only happens when I fall asleep without the CPAP. I've decided this must happen when I quit breathing. It happens every single time I don't wear my CPAP and fall asleep. This has never happened when I was wearing my CPAP. The solution for me is to always wear the CPAP for naps, etc. It's just an awful feeling I can avoid.

mkgbrook · 01-09-2008, 07:05 AM

Sleep deprivation when it is chronic and working toward severe can cause this.. thus sleep apnea patients often get it. You should go to a sleep specialist and get a sleep study done. The data they can glean from it is amazing. They will be able to tell what your mind and body is doing when this happens. The main cause is the mind and body get out of sync when trying to sleep and as a result you are forcibly woken and reset. It has a name and i can not think of it. I was having these episodes along with sleep paralysis which can be the result of sleep deprivation as well. Ugh! Gotta dig up the name.

MG