"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
jill19850 josh95969
Posted
josh59910 jill19850
Posted
Hi Jill, im a different josh to the one that started this thread, but I've had the same problem.. it's a horrible thing but I believe it's an anxiety thing, I know it happens when your unconscious but it's still anxiety related. I had it so bad for weeks on end like 200times a night but now only get it a few times a week. I think Its something to do with being hyper aware even in your sleep. It will pass! Try not to dwell on it, it only makes it worse, I learnt this the hard way.
jill19850 josh59910
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josh59910 jill19850
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The most important thing is to get on top of the anxiety. I got prescribed sleeping pills zopiclone 7.5 and it helped me brake the cycle. But you can't take them for to long cos they're addictive, and I ended up cutting them in half because they are so strong they knock you right out, even with the awful problem. Are you in the UK? If you are then give DAS a call and get an appointment. My email address is if it helps... It's a matter of braking the cycle a bit at a time, you will get through this.
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jill19850 josh59910
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anon_58091 josh95969
Posted
jill19850 anon_58091
Posted
anon_58091 jill19850
Posted
zak37162 josh95969
Edited
I was suffering from this for a while, but last night it didn't happen and I was able to sleep for 9 hours. I'm pretty sure it is caused by a gut health thing. I cut out gluten, took some probiotics, and started eating gut healthy food and the problem suddenly went away for me. Also, if you do have this problem currently, just try to rest and don't stress out about not being able to sleep. I was really surprised about how decent I was able to feel by just resting in bed. Hope this helps!
joseph45681 zak37162
Posted
Curious if you still have these problems and whether or not you still think it was related to gut problems.
zak37162 joseph45681
Edited
I only had these problems for a couple weeks. I'm pretty sure the issue was just due to anxiety. Gut health can contribute to anxiety, but for me it wasn't the primary cause. Therapy and meditation drastically reduced my anxiety and I don't have any issues like this anymore.
bren09394 josh95969
Posted
Thanks Josh for describing this so well - it's distinctly different from hypnic jerk. I have exactly the same experience - involuntary, adrenaline-like rush in my upper body just as I'm about to 'go under' - with no jolt at all throughout the body. It's not connected to conscious anxious thoughts as I'm already far enough 'under' not to have them. It repeats consecutively each time I started to fall asleep, so I can have it 6 or 7 times in a row and then fail to fall alseep at all at times. I'm no wiser as to what causes it. I'm being tested for apnea to see whether than is the cause as I've had poor sleep generally and waking tiredness. Will let you know what I find out.
joseph45681 bren09394
Posted
What were the results of your test?
Heather84365 josh95969
Edited
Hi Josh. I realize this post is old but wanted to see how you were doing. I've had this before and thought i had a pretty good handle on it. I's stay up late until i was tired and then eventually just ignore it best I could. Having one good night sleep would give me confidence to sleep again and it would be fine. However, fast forward a couple of years, and I'm going through this again...but way worse. Ive tried staying up all night to get tired, reading, breathing exercises but without fail, as soon as I am drifting off, a warmth comes over me along with heart beating fast and shaky feeling due to all the adrenaline. I have Klonopin but i don't want to rely on it. I'm in a bad state. Now i just wait for it because it always happens..no breaks..no sleep..vicious cycle. The thing that makes me upset is before this I loved sleep and had no issues. I'm going on day 4 and feel terrible physically. Suggestions? Needing some encouragement. I'm so exhausted and anxious.
nav00909 Heather84365
Posted
Ive actually started to recover from this nightly energy wake up thing. ive noticed alot has to do with what I eat. more carbs and sugars result in wake ups with heart palps etc. So i reduced carbs quite a bit and literally cut sugar out with the exception of fruits from time to time. no alchohol as well.
Its helped quite a bit and my 5-6 nights of crap sleep has reduced to 1-2 a week.
Recently Ive just taken melatonin with time release to get myself a bit more tired and to stay asleep longer.
Also if ive had a particularily stressful day, its worst which lends more to anxiety kicking in. so i also stated guided meditation before bed and dont look at a screen for at least 1 hour before. over time it will change brain wave patterns to a more relaxed state. Also try to do yoga 2x a week.
All this helps keep the body in a more para sympathetic state rather than fight or flight which is what you may be going through. ie. nervous system always on the edge of the sympathetic state.
Heather84365 nav00909
Posted
Thank you for your reply. I'm glad you are doing better. It's such an exhausting and stressful thing. I'm in a rut where I'm constantly worried about sleep and dreading bedtime so I know it's anxiety. I think if I had one good night I would have confidence and the adrenaline rushes would stop. So were you able to get to sleep? I can't get that far before the surges happen...it's like I'm expecting them. Thank you for all your suggestions.
nav00909 Heather84365
Edited
Heather,
Have you tried a guided meditation at all before bed? i remember going through surges right before falling asleep as well. It literally is your hypothalmus in fight or flight not allowing you to sleep, as it thinks you are in stress mode. and it just cycles again and again right? ive been through it and it WILL get better.
Maybe try the insight timer app which has thousands of sleep meditations. listen to a few before bed, no light, pure quiet.
Another really good calming agent for the mind is passion flower. It is known to help calm the nervous system. There is a supplement called Pascoflair which helped me quite a bit and got me to bed.
Try not to worry abt it happening again and again even though it might. I know its hard. Just imagine it objectively as your adrenal glands getting continuous orders from the brain to fire up and they get locked into a cycle until the stress calms. It will not hurt you as much as you think it will. Its a chemical and hormonal response which only feels crazy because your in a bed trying to sleep vs doing some squats at the gym. try to think of it as your mind sending the wrong signal. I even remember imagining the signal being cut from by brain to my glands, like i manually stopped it by placing an energy shield at the base of my neck and signals would never make it through. Sounds ridiculous but its like telling your mind that YOU are in control of it...not the other way around! it will take some concentration to focus on that manual control so dont be frustrated first few times. Eventually you will WIN.
I wish you amazing sleep!
Nav
zak37162 nav00909
Posted
This is great advice. What cured it for me was basically giving up on trying to sleep and just focusing on resting, as well as starting to meditate. Diaphragmatic breathing is a really easy way to deactivate the flight or flight response:
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