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
Lazysunnydays GD10
Posted
Hey everyone! I am glad i actually found out there are other people with this problem. I have been currently suffering from this problem for quite awhile. More recently it had been mostly just the brain pulses. Actually that is why I am awake reading these comments. Everytime it happens I do this but I never see a comment with a definite diagnosed reason. It is kind of upsetting. My issue actually bagan with just sleep paralysis which was real scary at first but I learned to just let it happen because I always end up falling asleep during it or maybe my brain just transitioned from the episodes to being asleep. It is always more difficult and more scary to try to fight it. Although I could usually will myself to snap out of being paralyzed, it was a frustrating struggle every time and I would end up being anxious and terrified. So going with the flow made it better and more interesting because I would feel like i was floating or flying and I would have kind of a waking lucid dream. Although the sleep paralysis thing is not what most of you talked about, it applies to my head shocks or surges. The reason why I say this is because the only times it ever happens is about two days after a night or two of partying. Please don't judge me and Im sure most of you do not do this but it only happens after I use the drug mdma. I dont know why but literally no other substance I tried has done this to me. It always happens after I do it. The reason i think it is related to maybe some of you, is because when I use the drug it disrupts my sleep schedule and i stay up for over a day. Other things could make you have bad sleep schedules or trouble sleeping like alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, working overnight shifts or many other things. Even stress and anxiety can give you bad sleep habits. Please look up sleep paralysis to see if it applies to you. I would love to know for sure if it is the mdma that causes it. I do not do it as often anymore which might explain why it is just a brain surge besides full on sleep paralysis. Both the paralysis and the surges do one thing in common for me. If i let it happen and go with it, I fall to sleep. Its like they are a phase of sleep i notice when normally i am supposed to be unconscious and not notice. Also, i feel the surges as soon as i feel tired. Like right after i clock out at work up untill i decide to go to sleep but when i do stuff like write this comment it pauses for a moment. I hope this helps someone with their issue and please someone let us know if you get a real diagnosis. Thanks.
ahmed10044 GD10
Posted
Hi bro , May ask you some a question about your case .I 'm sure what happened with you .
Lazysunnydays ahmed10044
Posted
ahmed10044 Lazysunnydays
Posted
Regards
Ahmed
Diagn0sed GD10
Posted
robin20766 Diagn0sed
Posted
it is very frightening and what you describe is like everyone else except for nobody has put that their heart hurts so I strongly suggest that you tell your doctor what's going on.
chris39129 GD10
Posted
I used to have the exact sensations you had. I also had the shaking feeling in arms and legs. I would feel spaced out during the day and sometimes even forget my train of thought, I felt like everyone else was always one step ahead of me.
Not saying it will work for you, but I have made two major changes since then that have helped immensely.
1. I saw a dietitian. She advised that I am gluten-intolerant. She also advised that, since I had done a lot of drugs when i was younger, it had burnt out my adrenal system. So she suggested I stop eating sugar as well as gluten. Since I made these changes (not for the faint hearted), I am so much more relaxed, and the shaking became much less. I also started eating more vegetables. Especially dark green vegetables.
2. I became super interested in improving my sleep. I bought a nice mattress. I make sure that my room is a nice consistent temperature for sleeping, both outside the sheets and under the sheets. (No i'm not referring to sex, but the fact that I was using a heavy quilt and simply overheating throughout the night but didn't realise it). (However, I also tempered this by not becoming obsessive. As you mentioned you need to be relaxed in your approach).
So basically an improved diet and approach to sleep has eliminated any shaking I have had. The only not-nice shaking I get now is when I practice solo-sexual activities to excess.
Please, let me know how it goes. I hope your success can be an inspiration to others.
casper123 GD10
Posted
Saeed1986 GD10
Posted
Hi for sharing
I'm suffering from such a problem exactly since 5 years. I hope we can get a solution.
MC5555 Saeed1986
Posted
Theses things started happening about 3 years ago I am now 45. Just as I am about to fall asleep, i bolt awake, gasping for breath, sometimes a weird headache up the back of my neck/ head rush proceeds it, other times it starts in my chest or tingly arms and I cant catch my breathe after waking up, I have to jump out of bed and shake it off. i never thought anxiety could produce symptoms like this, as these things were physically painful and extremely frightening, like I was about to have a stroke or something. I have been to doctors and I get mixed opinions. I had a sleep study and they said I had sleep apnea and i need to loose weight or use a cpap. others said I needed counceling. after living with this, I have found two things have helped, cutting out the carbs seems to make a difference, i have lost weight because of reducing sugar and i also started brazilian juijitsu (the sport is very stressful but it also burns stress and gets you in shape like no other sport i have ever done) I think both have helped considerably because the "attacks" are much rarer now. i dont know if it is more anxiety driven or physical, all I know is that it is very real and it feels great to not have them as much.
Leo69 MC5555
Posted
Hi. Sorry I took forever to reply. I might sound silly or even crazy, But i think it might have a lot to do with your environment. The place or area where you live. Reason why I say this is because when it was happening to me I was so perplexed about what was going on with me. I literally felt electricity running in my head like how they show on cartoons or in movies how the jolt or the electricity from an electric fence sound, but except i heard it loud and at the same time shocked me. It wasn't only when i was trying to fall asleep, it was happening when i was walking or sitting down watching tv. It doesn't happen to me anymore. It only happened when I went on a road trip from LA to Wibbi Island in Seattle. As soon as I was crossing that bridge entering Wibbi Island I started feeling the shocks in my brain. Thanks to my friend that she was driving. As soon as we entered the property of our destination, it got worse. See, I am a little sensitive to the spiritual side. Living in Joshua Tree made me a little more sensitive, but I haven't felt those jolt like i did in that isaland. I asked if there was a spirits roaming the island and i was told yes. a lot of spiritual energies. Intense.See so i thought maybe it could be something to do with that type of energy that we felt or feel. Possibility? But I haven't felt that again. It was only when I went to visit Wibbi Island. Maybe this is why doctors can't find a cure or find out what it is? Maybe everyone that feels this is sensitive to the unknown energies. I say take a trip somewhere far for a few days and see if you feel any different? It could be the area you live in? Maybe something is trying to push you out ? I know it's a crazy thought but think about it, take a short vacation see how you feel after?
lyn69170 GD10
Posted
HI,
I am also experiencing these most nights. they used to be more like "exploding head syndrome" where i would hear a loud bang or or even heard my own name being called once! when i was falling asleep. Now they seemed to have changed into zaps or sometimes it feels like an electric charge. Sometimes I'm aware when I'm drifting off to sleep and i will get a loud tinnitus noise in my ears just before the zap. I have just read that coming off antidepressants can be the cause which would tie in to my symptoms. I stopped taking these about 3 years ago - about the same time as these bloody night terrors started. They scare me to the point that I'm afraid to go to sleep. I don't know if these are permanent? I bloody hope not .
caroline18405 GD10
Edited
hi there, i have been searching for an answer to the exact same problem you have stated. how are you now and did you ever get any answers ? I Have had this ongoing niw for months and cant take much more. The sleep deprivation affects everything and these zaps are scaring me so much. Please can you get back to me, i really need answers before I go out if my mind
jeff67780 caroline18405
Posted
yes ...I’ve had him for the last 20 years now I think it’s due to anxiety some nights I won’t have any other nights I’ll have seven or eight
caroline18405 jeff67780
Posted
20 years is such a long time wow. I have had a lot going on the past year and im thinking it could be stress ? Went back to the doctors today and she is sending my blood test away for lymes disease, but have to wait on the go ahead because apparently it is a very expensive test.
Is there any advice you can give me with your past experience ? Thank you for getting back to me.
dee56943 caroline18405
Posted
Hi, I've had the same issues for 3 years now. I had surgery a few months ago and had all pre -op testing, everything was ok. I got sick and they tested for lymes. That was negative. When I was anxious about the upcoming surgery, I was prescribed xanax. I noticed that I didn't get any zaps while on it i believe its all nerve related. Hard to believe out of all the posts here, there are still mo answers.
MC5555 caroline18405
Posted
i think it is most likely anxiety related. i have recognized it in my own life. sadly i used to think anxiety attacks were a farce or a way to get attention, until i actually felt PHYSICAL effects from them. take comfort in that your mind is powerful. find a way to channel that. i found brazilian jiu jitsu helps me, its the most stressful sport imaginable, submit or be submitted, but you actually learn trust, because all you have to do is tap to stop the anxiety. learning that there is no shame in that is a very spiritual experience. hang in there, you are talented, you are strong and you are worthy.
jeff67780 caroline18405
Posted
caroline, I would try to stay clear of meds if possible .. in less your on meds now .. im on an Anxiety pill every day and some blood pressure medicine now at 60 ish ... 20-30 lbs over wgt ... Self Employed, ANYWAYS been nervous , my point is, Try to stay off meds as LONG as you can .. specially if they’re addictive ... my anxiety medicine is not addictive but they claim I’ll never be able to go off of it .. but it helps with panic attacks, that starting occurring about five years ago ... BUT remember ive had " the ZAPs" for about 20 plus years ... TRY to pin point when they happen... mine is Usually just before I relax and almost asleep... Other times I can predict them coming because I can feel the pain grow down in my stomach AND Then it SHOOTS UP and Out of my CHEST .. weird .. HA ! Its probably different for ALL of US ... it hasn’t killed me yet and believe it or not I welcome it !!! GOOD LUCK...
stephen66681 caroline18405
Edited
Hi my symptoms eventually just faded and I haven't suffered from them in months. I can only put it down to anxiety and stress. I ended up living less stressfuly by cutting working hours and relaxing more. I listen to sleep meditation at night . there's lots of clips on YouTube. I listen to them with headphones while going asleep. they're great for clearing your mind. hope this helps and good luck.