6 replies to this topic

[panhedonic]

Lately I have gone through the following sequence:

 

 

I'm lying in bed, start falling asleep, and the second I begin to fall asleep, I wake up startled, with tachycardia and palpitations (strong, slightly faster heart beating) This completely wakes me up. I try to sleep and it happens again. It's horribly disruptive and scary. Without drugs, it turns into insomnia (unless I'm completely exhausted) A small dose of benzos seem to work, and I do use that, or Ambien sometimes. But I'd like to understand what's going on. It seems like norepinephrine surge to me, as it's similar to a fear response. 

 

Granted, I've been exceptionally stressed lately, so I'm fairly sure that's the main culprit. Still, I'd like to understand possible mechanisms and hopefully, supplements to counteract it. 

 

I've searched and I found hypnic jerks, to be fairly similar, albeit in my case its not accompanied by any distinguishable sensation of falling and most of the times, no twitch either.  Seems to be mostly the physiological fear reaction, (reason why I'm contemplating using beta-blockers, although I'd rather work with supplements only)

 

I'll be trying: 

-less or no caffeine (although I don't drink it after 4pm)

-more magnesium 

-more potassium 

-ashwagandha

-zinc at night (i usually take it in the morning)

 

Still, I wonder if anybody else has experienced this, and ideas around why it happens. 

 

Thank you

 

 

Edited by panhedonic, 04 December 2014 - 08:02 AM.

[chairofgold]

This sounds very typical of people who have sleep apnea. Have you ever had a sleep study? When you starve you body of oxygen the bodies normal response is to try to compensate by speeding up your heart rate to try to get oxygenated to your brain. In the long term apnea kills brain cells and causes fatigue. Have you notice slow thinking, memory problems and tiredness while your awake?

Edited by chairofgold, 05 December 2014 - 06:56 PM.

[panhedonic]

chairofgold, thanks for your input, but I don't think that's the case, though . I have NONE of the symptoms of sleep apnea, namely: 

 

 

 

• Excessive daytime sleepiness
• Loud snoring
• Observed episodes of breathing cessation during sleep (although I haven't been studied)
• Abrupt awakenings accompanied by shortness of breath (no shortness of breath, ever)
• Awakening with a dry mouth or sore throat
• Awakening with chest pain
• Morning headache
• Difficulty concentrating during the day
• Experiencing mood changes, such as depression or irritability
• Difficulty staying asleep (insomnia) (no, only waking up right after drifting)
• Having high blood pressure

 

Fortunately, I have none of those (maybe some irritability, but that one's always been there)

Edited by panhedonic, 05 December 2014 - 08:24 PM.

[Dichotohmy]

Central sleep apneas are common at sleep onset, even in the total absence of stereotypical OSA.

http://www.ncbi.nlm....287191/#S3title


This is just one possible explanation. I have the same problem as one of my myriad of sleep issues.

[Marios Kyriazis]

chairofgold, thanks for your input, but I don't think that's the case, though . I have NONE of the symptoms of sleep apnea, namely: 

 

 

 

• Excessive daytime sleepiness
• Loud snoring
• Observed episodes of breathing cessation during sleep (although I haven't been studied)
• Abrupt awakenings accompanied by shortness of breath (no shortness of breath, ever)
• Awakening with a dry mouth or sore throat
• Awakening with chest pain
• Morning headache
• Difficulty concentrating during the day
• Experiencing mood changes, such as depression or irritability
• Difficulty staying asleep (insomnia) (no, only waking up right after drifting)
• Having high blood pressure

 

Fortunately, I have none of those (maybe some irritability, but that one's always been there)

 

I am not saying that this is true in your particular case, but just for background information, see 'Ondine's Curse', particularly the 'Late Onset' variant

[Utern]

Any change on the sleep onset issue? I've had it the past 3 months

[panhedonic]

Utern, I haven't had occurrences of that problem in the last few months. I can't pipoint the cause, although I think it coincides with certain type of stress. Do you have the same symptoms?