Electric/Energy surge to brain when trying to fall asleep.
Posted , 373 users are following.
Hi guys, I'm new to the site but glad I found somewhere to share my symptoms.
I'm getting a sort of electrical shock when trying to fall asleep. This electrical shock seems to be described on other sites as 'jumps' or 'zaps' or 'surges of energy'. It happens not when I'm sleeping but the moment I am about to fall asleep. Its like a sort of butterflies feeling in the stomach and then a rush/surge of energy to the brain which gives you a 'jump' and electrical feeling in the head and sometimes upper body. The more extreme they are sometimes produce a twitch in maybe the arm or leg. Its not painful but I guess is quite scary when it happens. These can happen numerous times a night.
Many friends/family I have spoken to say this is normal and they are familiar with the symptoms (I understand what they mean as it can be quite similar to when you suddenly wake from a bad dream) but mine seem to be a lot more often and extreme. I know my symptoms don't seem to be normal.
I've been having these for about 5-6 weeks now (some nights are worse than others) but generally its been more or less every night. This has turned into a vicious cycle because when you actually close your eyes at night to go to sleep you are actually waiting for the 'shock' to happen instead of trying to sleep. Obviously the less sleep you have, the less functional you are the next day and so on and so on. You then get sleep deprived which I believe also may trigger this.
The only other thing I can add to my symptoms is sometimes during the day I get a spaced out/empty/dizzy/cloudy feeling in the head (hard to explain). Sometimes this can turn into a sort of brain/head sensation where you feel you need to kind of 'shake it off'. Again, its hard to explain, something like if you have restless feet and you need to kick out of it but its in the head so you need to give yourself a shake to snap out of it.
I have read quite a bit about anxiety/stress and these symptoms may fall into this category but the issue I have with this, is that I have nothing to be anxious/stressful about! All is OK with job, money, house, relationship etc so I'm not sure how this all started. Could I be anxious about this illness? Again, a vicious cycle?
About me - I'm a fit and healthy 35 year old guy. I actually exercise quite a lot (go to gym/swim 4 times a week and have run numerous marathons over the past year). Although this fitness regime has stopped since I have started having these symptoms as I am feeling quite weak/tired due to not getting much sleep due to it. I have no major prior illnesses and I am not on any medication. I don't want to get in the habit of taking sleep medication.
I have been to the hospital and spent the night where they performed numerous blood tests/Heart ECG/X Rays/Urine and all came back OK. The only issue I had was slightly high blood pressure (but not high enough to be put on any medication). I have also been for an MRI scan and EEG epilepsy test. I will find the results with these in about 5 weeks time.
Anyway, that's my symptoms and hopefully someone might feel at ease that they are going through something similar.
Reading similar posts on the internet I don't think anyone has come to the conclusion on what in fact is causing these problems, even though a lot of the people actually been for tests and seen doctors. Has anyone experienced these issues?
Thanks guys, feel free to get in touch 
27 likes, 695 replies
patricia1271 GD10
Posted
Hello, 45 year old female here. I came across this while searching for answers. I also get these brain surges while trying to sleep, mine are more of a pulsating feeling, it's like someone is flipping a light switch off and on. Has anyone figured out the cause?
Guest patricia1271
Posted
i haven't had one since i figured out which foods was causing my symptoms. one doc think it's a form of vestibular or ocular migraine (no headache), and is cooincidentally triggered by the same types of foods that cause migraines (hi histamine foods). it happened every time i ate spinach for instance, you'd think that would be good for you, but not for someone who doesn't properly process histamine in food.
dawn19609 Guest
Posted
Hi Ally,
Can you please list some of the foods you avoid? I think I also have a problem with histamine foods. I'm quite sure these are migraines I'm having as well. I have thought that for a long time. Sometimes I will get the headaches but more often just the real messed up mental brain fog feeling. Almost like I'm drugged... I can't concentrate much at all on those days, which is quite often unfortunately.
Guest dawn19609
Posted
Sure - here's what I avoid like the plague:
Caffeine (not even a decaf tea, too much caffeine in it. Some herbals are ok but not all)
Nuts (including almond flour etc)
Chocolate
Cinnamon
Paprika (and anything that contains it, i.e. Pepperoni, or an ingredient listed as "spices"
Spinach
Avocado
Advil & aspirin
Here's what I avoid like the flu (less intense reaction):
Raw tomatoes (small amount of cooked tomato sauce is ok)
Sauerkraut
Corn
Brown rice
Eggplant
Cherries
Grapes
Peaches
Melon
Wine (white is better, sometimes I can have a glass)
Hard liquors (I haven't tested them all tho)
Here's what I avoid like a cold, a minor inconvenience but sometimes worth it:
Wheat - I think it's the folic acid that I can't handle, not celiac, just makes me tired and foggy
Beer - tho for some reason I can drink Stella artois in a bottle (not tap)
There are a few things that I'm sure I'm forgetting, but these are the main culprits. I'd love to know if you feel any different if you cut these out ! It seems difficult, but if I'm real strict most of the time, then once in a while i have a bite of the flu items without reacting to badly.
dawn19609 Guest
Posted
This really helps but it's soooo much of what I eat... ugh... I will give it a shot and let you know. Thanks so much for taking time to do this. God Bless You!!
Hopeagain1 Guest
Posted
Hopeagain1 dawn19609
Posted
It's so much of what I eat too!! 😥
tim93436 dawn19609
Posted
it's called Spindle K complex.
take the SleepDrops powder Essential Sleep and Stress Nutrients.
kaj24797 GD10
Posted
Hopeagain1 GD10
Posted
I'm not sure if I'm having the same symptoms as you but they started 6 months ago. As soon as I close my eyes to go to sleep dreams begin. The dreams are very Vivid. If I'm dreaming that I am throwing a ball I wake up to my arm above my head throwing an imaginary ball. My legs and arms kick right before I fall asleep and keep me from getting sleep. I feel mine or more body jerks then they are body surges. When I close my eyes some part of my body begins to jerk and keeps me from getting to sleep. It seems like it's in my brain so somehow neurological. My doctors have put me on a number of different medications. Ambien did not help. Trazodone did not help for long. I've been on ativan for three months and it's the best sleep I've had since this all started. However it seems to not be working as it did at the beginning. I've had a sleep test done period all normal results. It seems to be the worst during my menstrual cycle. I wake up multiple times a night in sweats. And I have to increase my dosage in order to get good sleep. So for me it could be hormone-related. That's still an option I'm looking into. I went to a naturopath 4 a while and she said it could be to my adrenals. I've been taking supplements for both adrenals and hormones. I upped my magnesium. And of taking Dairy and gluten out of my diet. Still I suffer from jerking at night. If anybody has any information or suggestions I would greatly appreciate them. Thank you!
kabir1783 GD10
Posted
eric14166 GD10
Posted
I am 34 and male, and am actually kind of relieved in a way, to read your post on here cuz, honestly, every single symptom that you listed, is exactly what I am currently going through myself! Had all those tests done as well, and they all came back with "nothing wrong." These "spells" do indeed get very scary and especially because just when I think they're done and gone one day, they just come back the next. It has been happening to me now for about two, two and a half months now!
tim93436 eric14166
Posted
it's called Spindle K complex.
take the SleepDrops powder Essential Sleep and Stress Nutrients.
christophe86090 GD10
Posted
I too am having similar symptoms. I'm 36 with little to worry about and too have slightly high blood pressure. Though I am diagnosed as bipolar with anxiety I do not take medication anymore. I'm 5ft 11inches and weigh 160lbs. This has only happened to me twice just this past evening. Please also let me know if you learn anything of these symptoms as your profile and age are very similar. I'm Chris O'Malley in Austin, Tx Thanks.
tim93436 christophe86090
Posted
it's called Spindle K complex.
take the SleepDrops powder Essential Sleep and Stress Nutrients.