I've been having these weird electric/shock sensations occur right when I'm about to fall asleep.

It's hard to describe, but it's like my brain all of a sudden sends an electric current throughout my body waking me up? Could be my brain or my chest, I'm not even sure. All I know is when it happens it scares the crap out of me. I feel like I'm going to die or something.

I don't see any flashes or hear anything; it's just the sensation I feel. I'm not short of breath and my heart only races because it scares me.

They literally just started a week ago. Some nights it will only happen once or twice and I can get to sleep pretty easy. But there have been a couple nights where it happens like, 5 times. Those nights it's super hard to get to sleep because I'm scared, I don't want it to happen because it freaks me out every time. I do fall asleep eventually, but I stay up for hours on end out of fear.

It's weird because when I try to go to sleep for the first time, I'm super tired, but after these shocks happen it's like I'm wide awake after the bad ones. It's just frustrating because I haven't had a great nights sleep since this has started.

I just think it's weird that these have sprang up last week out of the blue? I've gone 22 years without them and they just start randomly? I think they may be related to stress, with me starting a new job, plus this year has been pretty stressful in general for me. But I find it really hard to calm down after it happens.

But anyway, sorry for rambling. Just was wondering if anyone else has ever experienced this and any advice for maybe getting rid of them?
Thanks.

I have been having the same exact thing for the past week or so. They seem to be getting more frequent. I am scared to fall asleep even though I am exhausted. I went to the ER yesterday and they kept me over night for observation..but NOTHING. I tried to explain to them what I am feeling, but the dr. just kept cutting me off and telling me about GERD and heartburn....I tried to explain that there is no real "pain" from this...more like an electrical sensation of some kind...or an nerve or something. I am sooo frustrated that I cried almost all day today because I feel like they are not listening to me. Does this happen to you just as you are falling asleep??? LIke a shocking or pulse feeling that radiates from your chest??? Has it gone away? Or have you been to a Dr and had it treated? I am really starting to freak out. This is no way to live..being terrified to fall asleep. Please, if anyone else is having same symptoms...I need help..please.

Could be myclonic jerks. They're scary but harmless, and stress can make it happen more often.

Thank you Jane for your reply, but I have had myclonic or hypnic jerks before and this is far more terrifying.... This is something all together different. It is not the feeling like I am falling and I jerk awake. This is very hard to describe and no one seems to understand..not even the DR.'s. I am going crazy.

This feels like I am dying and my body sends a signal to restart my heart.... I don't "jerk" from it. It is a sensation radiating from my chest area kinda like an electric pulse or buzz...that instantly wakes me up. I feel as if my heart stopped and I take a deep breath from pure fear. This happens over and over and over each time I am just drifting off to sleep. I can see how many people could say "hypnic jerk or myclonic jerk...or even sleep apnea....but this is something far more intense and terrifying. I have found a few people on here who are describing the same thing or very similar. I am waiting to see if they reply.

But I thank you very much for taking the time to reply, I really appreciate it.

I kept doing some research on them because I was freaking out about them. I read somewhere that dehydration may play an important part in this happening. Something about an imbalance in your electrolytes may cause this occurrence.

So I bought some Gatorade and coconut water. Literally the day I drank some, I had zero jerks while falling asleep. Ever since then, it has not happened to me at all.

To all who are having difficulties with this try drinking sports drinks. Drink plenty of water throughout the day too. Get lots of sleep or try to at least. Also, try not eating right before going to be either. I think that made it worse for me. And most of all, don't stress about it.

Good luck to everyone!

Hi there. These sound the same as what I get! Mine also have been diagnosed as myclonic jerks. The way i would describe it is just as i'm going to sleep, just at the point where i would say i'm going from conscious to semi concious. I feel like my whole body has stopped, my heart, my breathing everything. Then it feels like some one puts those paddles on me that they use to restart your heart n shock me. I wake up with a gasp! I seem to go through phases of getting them, i haven't had any for a while thankgoodness. but when i did, sometimes it would be one a night, others, maybe as many as ten in a row! As you ave all posted, they are VERY frightening.

Joanne

I can join the club!

I get the same shocking sensation when Im crossing over to deep sleep. Last night over 25 times and it kept me awake till morning when I finally got few hours of sleep. Whenever these happens I jump up, feel strange feeling in my chest and sometimes in my left hand, often gasp air and got a feeling/panic that I will die now. All this last for few seconds, sometimes maybe bit less than minute and then goes away. But if I try to sleep it happens again. Very very frustrating.

If someone has experience what this is and how to get rid of it, advices would be greatly appriciated!

I've sort of noticed a pattern lately. I don't get these as often anymore but, they seem to occur more if I've eaten shortly before going to bed, or having soda close to bedtime. If you don't do any of these then just remember to relax. They'll eventually go away, even if it means a few nights of crappy sleep.

I have been having the same problem as well for nearly three weeks now. It first started as hypnic jerks. I used to twitch violently right when i officially fell asleep. Right now, I also get an electric shock feeling running through my chest and stomach when I officially fall asleep. I also have random twitches when I am awake. Like my fingers, back, lower back, head, toes and legs would twitch very randomly although this doesn't happen as much anymore. I tried drinking gatorade last night to see if it was an electrolyte imbalance, well guess what nothing is working. I am now scared of falling asleep. I have to take xanax to sleep but I don't want to anymore. I don't want to be addicted to it. Have any of you gotten rid of this?

Are you still having these and did you ever figure out what was causing them?

They did go away for a little while and then came back. I don't know what to do. I have been sleep deprived. The Xanax doesn't help me either.

Same problems here. Started a few months ago. First time it happened I thought something had happened in my room and was a little scared. Went away for awhile then came back again. Trying to read other posts to see if pattern as well. Anybody take Tylenol PM to help sleep? Was wondering if that might cause the sensation in some people.

Had a similar experience but it was when i was tring to stay awake. I had done a 12 hour road trip to return home then went to do my night shift then on the way home was falling asleep.... was very tired. As i was driving i needed to stay awake so i was willing myself self to stay awake and actually asked my brain to stay awake (yes a little crazy). All of a sudden got a massive shock through my body as described in this forum. Scared the poo out of me but was well and truely wide awake like i had slept. got home.

Every time i go home now after night shift it occurs if i am falling to sleep but once in bed all is ok.

I just notice this post. I have these exact same electric sensations when I am about to fall asleep.

At first, I will fall asleep ok, but about a couple of hours into my sleep I wake up to a feeling as though someone kicked my head and I gasp for air, I have lound ringing in the ears, elctricity running through the chest and arms and head. These are just a few symptoms. I am usually so tired at this point and I try to fall back asleep, however every time I try, the electric sensation keeps coming back and it's very strong.

Do you still get this? I've had them for about a year and a half now, on and off. Did you get it diagnosed yet? All the doctors that I've seen have never heard of this.

It is very frightening. Do you have any leads on as to what it is?

Thank you, thank you, thank you. I have been having the exact same feeling for about 6 months now. Right as I'm about to drift off to sleep it feels as if I'm overcome by this feeling that I'm about to black out/die and my body sends this extreme distress signal to wake me up. It usually feels strongest right below my breastbone or where my diaphragm is. To be honest, I cannot tell if it is a heart problem or a stomach one. I used to get the electric shocks in my brain that would wake me up, but they've seemed to migrate towards my stomach now. Sometimes they shoot up my chest, other times they shoot down my body. They only happen when I'm about to fall asleep. Never during the day. Like you, I am terrified to go back to sleep when these happen because I fear I might not wake up.

I've had every heart test imaginable done, but everything came back normal. I had a sleep study done, and it was normal too. The symptoms come, I freak out, go to the doctor and they can't find anything. It's really starting to **** me off how they're discounting everything im trying to tell them. I would definitely get your heart checked out first. They can put a 24hr heart monitor on you and if you have one of these episodes and its a heart problem, it will pick it up. Unfortunately, I did not have any episodes when I was hooked up. I would also consider a sleep study if you can afford it (about 4 grand) insurance will pay for most of it. But again, I slept perfectly normal when i had my sleep study. But the very next night I went home, and these started happening again.

This leads me to my next point. I definitely think theres a psychological role in this. If something physical was wrong, after all the tests I've had, it would have happened while I was hooked up. It only happens when I'm not being monitered. It could just be an unfortunate coincidence, but i definitely think anxiety/fear plays a roll. My doctor prescribed me xanax to help me relax when these happen. It doesnt make them go away, but it does help me finally overcome my fear of going to sleep. When I had these electrical shocks in my brain, my doctor gave me a trial run of lamotrigine (epilepsy medication) This has seemed to work remarkably well. I no longer get the electrical shocks in my head, but like I said, they've seemed to migrate to other parts of my body now. I would explore all of these possibilities with your doctor before you worry yourself too much. Please let me know if you find anything. I will certainly keep you updated. This is very scary and I feel like it cant be healthy long term. Good luck!