"Adrenaline Rush" sensation as I drift off- Sleep Apnea? Need Relief
Posted , 72 users are following.
I'm writing here because it'll be Agust 28th before I can even see a doctor. Lately, when I try to go to sleep, just as I start to drift off, I get something that I can only describe as a surge of adrenaline waking me up. This happened once a few weeks ago and has been consistent ever since, especially the last 2-3 nights. Sometimes it leaves a sensation in my chest, other times, in my brain. I've heard the adrenaline feeling is a symptom of sleep apnea.
My questions are if 1.) anyone else with sleep apnea can confirm this symptom as one that might be SA, or if it could be something else.
2.) In the time between now and whenever I can get to my doctor, is there anything I can take OTC, or a sleep postion, etc, that will help? I've tried melatonin, which didnt help, turning off all lights, winding down routines, etc. So if anyone can help me along with some info I would really appreciate it.
2 likes, 126 replies
liz62218 josh95969
Posted
I have a pounding heart when I go to sleep and if I wake up in the night. It's a learned response and fear of not being able to sleep. About to have cbt for it. Controlled breathing, magnesium citrate and magnesium oil all help a bit. I don't have sleep apnea as far as I know.
josh95969 liz62218
Posted
I think this started BEFORE I actually had the fear of falling asleep, although I'm sure now that fear could possibly contribute to things now. I'll try the magnesium citrate, but my blood electrolyte levels were normal according to the doctors.
lily65668 josh95969
Posted
Hi Josh, I'm inclined to agree with RobertT, that it's a hypnic jerk. We all get these as we're dropping off to sleep. I suspect that what's happened is you've suddenly noticed one of these, got anxious about it, and now your unconscious keeps producing them. Our own mind can be very good at working against us sometimes!
Obviously the usual "sleep hygiene" rules apply. No coffee after 3pm, get enough exercise during the day, no computer or phone activity in the last hour before bed.
You could also try a small dose of an OTC antihistamine - preferably the older types that make your sleepy. Examples are promethazine (Phenergan), diphenhydramine (Benadryl) and chlorpenamine (Piriton). Brand names are those used in Europe, and may be different in the US or elsewhere.
However, you should keep the dose to the absolute minimum. It doesn't sound as if you have sleep apnoea but it is a possibility, so large doses of any sedative medication would not be a good idea. If you're going to try an antihistamine, take it an hour before going to bed. The sedative effect of these drugs is quite weak and takes a while to kick in. If you take it at bedtime you won't feel any effect from it, you'll get anxious, then the whole thing will start off again.
Also don't take antihistamines every night. You very quickly develop tolerance to the sedative effect and they stop working. I had very poor sleep throughout my entire working life, and took a very small dose of phenergan for 2-3 consecutive nights every 10-14 days. I found this gave me a few good nights' sleep, which restored my confidence that I could sleep for a week or so before the whole cycle started again. In 50 years I never developed tolerance to phenergan, so never had to increase the dose.
I don't think you need to worry about this, whatever it turns out to be. (I'm a former neuro nurse, btw.) But you should keep that appointment with your doctor anyway.
josh95969 lily65668
Posted
Thanks for the reply, Lily. Would it really be considered a hypnic jerk if my body doesnt move? I literally just get the sensation in my chest and sometimes my brain. Would that still be considered a hypnic jerk? Also, I definitely dont want to rely on drugs to get me to sleep, but thats the only thing that seems to be effective. Have you permanently beaten your situation? If so, tips aside from sleep hygeine would be awesome, because I've already implemented those. It's just like right as Im about to fall asleep, something stops me and I feel that adrenaline in my chest. What could this be if not a hypnic jerk or sleep apnea?
lily65668 josh95969
Posted
I know exactly what you mean about that sudden adrenaline feeling. I get it too, even now in old age. I believe it's due to mild sleep apnoea in my case. I sleep alone these days, but have always been told in the past I have fairly frequent periods of apnoea in my sleep. However, I've noticed this is more likely to happen on nights when I'm a bit anxious about something. I don't mean in a state of frantic, nailbiting anxiety. It can just be an underlying unease about something going on in my life, or that's going to happen the next day.
I think people sometimes misunderstand the concept of anxiety. While it's true that some people manifest as clearly over-anxious, many more of us don't. With us, it's a bit like that swan simile. You know - the one about the swan sailing along serenely with unruffled feathers, with all that frantic activity below the water-line to keep it afloat.
I can't say I ever permanently beat my sleep anxiety problems - not during the course of my working life anyway. They mainly cleared up when I retired from paid employment, which took away the pressure to get a so-called "good night's sleep" (which is actually a bit of a myth). It was more a question of managing the problem, and the intermittent tiny doses of antihistamines did the trick for me.
I never consulted a doctor about it as, like you, I didn't want to take seriously addictive medications and knew that females couldn't be referred to a sleep lab for apnoea investigations. If you consult a doctor about any sleep problems there's no way you'll come out of his/her office without a prescription for sleeping pills! That's not to say it's not worth trying though. As a male, you stand a much better chance than a female of being referred to a sleep lab, where you can be checked for sleep apnoea. And you don't have to take the medication or even fill the prescription, do you?
Concerning sleep apnoea - it's not always a serious problem. Most of us have occasional periods of apnoea. A sleep study will establish how serious this is on the basis of how frequent and how long the periods are. It will also rule out one possible cause for these sensations you're having.
There really isn't an easy answer to this kind of problem, unless it turns out that you have severe sleep apnoea, in which case you'll be given a CPAP machine - which will in turn require a lot of work on your part in getting used to it. Antihistamines were the only solution for me. Incidentally, I'd like to stress that the doses I took were minute - I was cutting the lowest-dose pills in halves and quarters. When I told my then-GP how much I was taking about 20 years ago she nearly fell off her chair laughing, and said: "That's practically homeopathy!" She said it was completely impossible that such a dose could have any impact on my sleep. I'm actually inclined to agree. Sometimes I'd wake up after a good night's sleep only to find half a tiny blue pill still sitting on the kitchen worktop, after I'd forgotten to take it.
Never underestimate the power of the mind! But keep that appointment with your doctor anyway. I can see you're seeking a fix rather than management, so I think it's inevitable that you'll end up on sleeping pills anyway. However, there's nothing to stop you taking them the same way as I took the antihistamines. Just take them on nights when it's most important that you get a good night's sleep, but never on more than two consecutive nights and always with at least four clear nights in between. This will stave off addiction for quite a few years.
josh95969 lily65668
Posted
Yes, of course if there's a way to temporarily solve my issue, I'd prefer that, but at this point I just wanna sleep again. I want to get this resolved soon, so I went to schedule an appointment with the pulmonologist whoworks with the sleep specialist that I was supposed to see for my sleep. I just hope they dont brush me off because I'm young.
I definitely think my brain plays a role in at least some small part, but everytime I get even remotely close to relaxation, BAM.
lily65668 josh95969
Posted
I gather they're getting a bit more open-minded about sleep apnoea these days, and some sleep specialists accept that younger men who aren't obese can get it. So you might be in with a chance. I'm not, of course, as most experts "know" women can't get it. There are just a few specialists (all female themselves) publishing on the internet who say this is absolute nonsense, but I doubt whether their view will prevail in my lifetime!
I hope you'll come back on here and tell us how you got on.
kelle34850 josh95969
Posted
Hi Josh,
I am experiencing the EXACT same feeling as you described. But I kept thinking it was my heart. I will feel that "heart drop " sensation as I am falling asleep. I feel it in my chest and my brain. My heart is fine. I actually suspected sleep apnea myself. I am planning on making an appointment soon. I am female so I hope they'll still do a sleep study! Did you ever go to the dr?
Kelle
simon51106 lily65668
Posted
ive got sleep apnea and use cpap any sugestions on what i could try to help with my sleep issue ? i have anxitey and am now having sleep problems i am sleepy but cant sleep some nights i get 2/3hours them im up and cant sleep in the day i just get anxitey
ellebi josh95969
Posted
strummer525 josh95969
Posted
I have the EXACT same issue..
Did you ever find out what it was in your case?
I have not yet - still await a home sleep study...
Chris
nav00909 josh95969
Posted
Sometimes I fall asleep fine but around 3/4am I’m up and then the ‘surges’ start up and continue every 15-20 min each time I’m at that critical second of entering deep sleep. And again I get this wave of adrenaline (feels like adrenaline or energy surge).
I’ve been tested for adrenal gland mass, cyst or tumour and came out negative. Now I’m in a sleep study and writing this literally as I’m all plugged in before bed! Apparently sleep apnea results in adrenaline as a symptom of the brain telling the body to wake up ASAP as it’s low on oxygen.
I have low energy every day. Wake up feeling like I’m half drained because of the adrenal surges
quite debilitating in terms of not being able to function normally. It’s been 2 months of this now and I have to get to the bottom of this. I can’t imagine what all this overload of epinephrine/adrenaline is doing to my adrenals and my kidneys in the long run. Not to mention heart palpitations/high bp as other possible symptoms.
I would advise to get a sleep study done right away.!
Mike-NZL nav00909
Posted
Hi nav,
I have the same issue did you get it resolved at all? It's hell.
nav00909 Mike-NZL
Posted
Hi Mike,
Sleep apnea study was negative as well. Over the last few months I’ve been able to keep it partially under control by meditating before bed, limiting my strenuous activity and at times slipping in a cortisol manager pill (natural based).
However the surge still comes randomly in the morning like clockwork around 4-4:30am. Falling asleep has been better recently.
I’ve learned to deep breath ...slow breaths out for 5-10 min after it occurs to get my heart rate back to the fall asleep 50-55bpm but not always successful. Doing more research, I gather my hypothalamus is instructing the pituitary to make the adrenals kick out some cortisol. This is natural during the morning hours for everyone however mine seems to be on slight overload...kicks out too much?
During the day my symptoms have relaxed a bit after a consistent regiment of yoga 2-3x a week and and meditation daily. I’ve been offered Ativan .5mg low dose by my doctor for occasional use whenever I can’t seem to come out of it. I tried it for a few nights and I have to say it was the best damn sleep I’ve had in 6 months with no surge whatsoever and the subsequent day back to my normal self. It was an incredible feeling to simply have my life back. After 3 nights however, I stopped as I don’t want to get addicted and used to the drug being the solution. It was very hard to not take it the 4th night after staring at the bottle for 5 min. 😞 My sleep the 4th night was less so and 5th night was back to the usual occasional wake up 4am
I really hope I can lick this naturally. 😞
kristyn35334 nav00909
Posted
I know this post is a bit older but I was wondering if you ever figured out why it was happening. I have been going through the same thing and at first, I thought it was anxiety. Then I thought it was my blood sugar. I had about 7 good nights of sleep and then last night, I was up every 10 minutes. I'm frustrated and exhausted again.