Night time ‘shocks’

[dan1991]

Hi everyone.

I’ve tried googling this but can’t seem to find anything specifically about my issue and I’m wondering if anyone else can relate?

Basically as I’m settling down to go to sleep I start to feel anxious and as I drift off I get an overwhelming fearful sensation that makes me gasp and occasionally I’ll grab hold of my partner until it subsides. There have been times where I’ve sat bolt upright in bed, flailing around like an idiot. Sometimes they can be mild and other times really bad. The sensation is quite similar to that falling, jerking feeling that everybody gets, but it feels more intense.

I get these ‘jolts’ or ‘zaps’, I’m not really sure what to call them at least once per night. Sometimes I don’t get them at all and other times if I go to bed anxious sometimes I can have more than 10 of these mini panics. The other night they kept me awake for over an hour. I feel so tired but sometimes I feel scared to fall asleep because of these ‘attacks’.

Does anyone know what causes these? Does anyone else get them? I have a feeling that because my body is on high alert when I’m anxious, when I start to fall asleep my mind gets confused over a ‘relaxing sensation’ and tries to ‘protect me’ keeping me awake... if that makes sense at all?

Thanks :)

[MRS STRESS ED]

hi yes this is common with anxiety l have this regularly, its quite alarming as you are drifting off to sleep and bang it happens.

l put it down to our bodies being in a relaxed state but its full of adrenaline because of anxiety, as unpleasant as it is l just go with now.

Try not to think about it as you know your mind will pick up on this and keep it going until you start to relax, try some mindfulness music before you go to sleep xx


best wishes

[O_O]

Yeah, I get those. I don't know what they are. For me they're not so much like the falling feeling you sometimes get... they're more kind of emotional, I guess. Like, I suddenly feel like I know something terrible is going to happen.

But yeah it is exactly like a jolt or zap, as you say.

I guess it's just a common anxiety thing.

I get uterine contractions with them too! I think all my trauma kinda focusses in that area ��

[Kingdawson]

Hypnic jerks....extremely common...even with non anxiety sufferers.

[Lolalee1]

I got a shock last night, I hobbled down the hall and sprung 2 nurses making out in the pan room needed some Valium after what I had seen.:roflmao: