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
emma92137 GD10
Edited
Has anyone tried to use distraction while falling asleep....like bringing a laptop into bed or next to the bed and lying down watching something until you fall asleep while it is still playing? I too had the zaps/palpitations/panic attack as soon as I crossed over into sleep and this really helped me in the beginning. If you can distract your mind from this bad habit you may find that you just go to sleep without this happening. If you set the volume on pretty low then it wont wake you after you are asleep. Otherwise go to bed before a partner and have them switch it off once you are asleep. You need to 'untrain' your mind from doing this. It's become oversensitized to falling asleep and panics when you cross from wakefulness to sleep. Also we don't all know when stress is affecting us. Sometimes our subconscious is unhappy about some unexpressed anger etc. That sounds weird but it was true for me and definitely caused me all kinds of stress that really only came out in my sleep with the zap thing .... magnesium helps too
Tsterling emma92137
Posted
Hello,
Yes! Distraction for me is the key. I leave my ipad on next to me with the news or something on and the volume very low. It has made a huge difference in the zaps. I don't get them nightly, but its like i can feel when they are coming on. i think i dont get them as much, because i do sleep with a show running on my ipad nightly. I know it isn't the best thing for us to have lights flickering when sleeping, but i think better than no sleep at all.... I think the lights flickering keeps the brain in a certain activity mode and keeps us from dropping into a super slow brain mode. i have never been able to figure out what is causing them. i have woke up in middle of night and had one, I have work up in the morning and had one. Those are rare, but still happened, and why? It makes it hard to point out a reason for them.
Wman GD10
Edited
Hey guys just thought id report back in on whats been going on....So ever since my zaps 2 months ago now ive been pretty much freaking out ever since I’ve had them… The first week was the worse I was getting them constantly every night 15 to 20 stops and I and only getting about three hours of sleep… That continued for a few weeks as well I want to doctors and all them are pretty much useless… I just did a sleep studyThe other day so I’m waiting to see if there’s any results coming back on that. I have an MRI coming up but I don’t know if this is going to serve any help to me but it’s gonna make me feel better than the last knowing there’s nothing going on up there that they can find at least it’ll give me some type of relief… I have been taking a bunch of vitamins every single day and I don’t know if this is what helped me but my zaps have seemed to be a lot less every night and even the past three nights I’ve had none of them...and it feels great. I don’t know if it’s because I’m getting the right vitamins in every day my magnesium vitamin C deficiency that I may have had I’m not sure but I thought I’d let everyone know on here that I haven’t had them in a few days which is really rare for me… I also been back at work so my stress level has gone down and I really think that could be it....The zaps started particularly during quarantine where I was cooped up in the house all day and not to mention at a very high stress level so I think this can be a factor… Anyways let me know where everyone else has been standing with it all.
emma92137 Wman
Edited
thats great news! keep up the de stressing and magnesium. i'm really happy for you. you must feel some relief to know that you can actually sleep fine again. great that you reported back too as this can give people hope for management and recovery.
tracey71211 Wman
Edited
I too have had a major decrease in zaps since starting on fish oil capsules. I have always taken magnesium. I still feel that the issue is exacerbated by stress and anxiety. I hope to continue on the "no zap" road.....
jeff67780 Wman
Edited
keep us Posted ... i may Look at Vitamins ...
SleepyMike GD10
Edited
So folks I think I have gotten control of them I have been pretty much shock free and sleeping through the nights 6,7,8,9 hrs a night.
So what I did, difinetly reducing stress and taking vitamins did help. Like alot of people mention on here you do not think your stressed but you probably deep down are. My fix for now and maybe permanent if I keep having positive results is taking L-Arginine extra strength its a Nitric Oxide Booster. The one I buy is made by Havasu Nutrition you can buy it from Amazon. I have done alot of research on this and it would take me forever to post that on here. It has tons of benifits increases blood flow, decreses blood pressure, increases gaba in the brain and many more. I take 2 caps at night with a binadrly because I get major allegies in the morning. The benadryl is a good match with it and very low risk for side effects. I have been using this combo plus some common vitamins and it has been night and day. Anyways I wish the best for you all and may God bless you all and help you get better. Put your faith in Jesus and God and let the rest melt away, tell God to take the wheel of your life over and stop stressing out. Never worry about what you cannot directly control and take it as Jesus said day by day.
Also I always wondered if besides genetically we are all doing somthing or not doing somthing or have problems in common.
1st. I am 36 and I have noticed alot of responses are people around me age.
2nd. I have asthma it has recently been getting worse over the last 3 years. I have had it my whole life.
3rd. I have gotten so many allergies these last few years including some new wierd ones like an allergy to figs
4th. I was mis-diagnosed with IBS as a kid and about 5 years ago found out I am allergic to Gluten. So I am Gluten free. I know alot of people have said you are missing alot of minerals when going GF maybe taht could be a cause.
If some of you have these same issues contact me.
Please try the Nitric Booster and Benadryl it has been a life saver for me.
SleepyMike
Edited
Also I forgot to mention I have had issues with my gallbladder but I never had it removed also I was diagnosed witha hietal hernia a few years ago.
jonathan72310 GD10
Posted
Hi GD10
You have literally described the issue I have. I have no worries, stress or any other illness but all I get is that I have anxiety which is very frustrating because life is good for me and I can get them one night and can get another one 5 days later. I get them so bad that I actually think one of them is going to kill me. I had an appointment to attend a sleep clinic before this pandemic and will be happy to share any findings once I have had the chance to attend one.
Thanks
Jon
Wman GD10
Posted
hey guys!!! So I haven’t been posting on here in a while… And that’s because most of my zaps have one away thank goodness… However, I still get them every now and then and it’s mainly when I’m stressed out. I have come to the conclusion that stress and anxiety are the main reason I was having them because I was stressed out so bad for a couple weeks straight more so than I ever been in my entire life and started getting these zaps in my head which were awful. I got One a few days ago and it was a kind of a bad one but it was only one and I went back to sleep shortly after that… I hope everyone is doing better I pray you guys have gotten rid of them. Just some advice try to be stress-free and not think about them and eventually things will get better I assure you.
Another thing I wanted to mention was I had several check ups on my zaps and my doctors didn’t know what to call or what to even tell me about it... they didn’t even want to give me any tests so I I had to push the doctor Into giving me these tests and recommending them so he finally did and I went in for an MRI and for a sleep study for sleep apnea and both test results came back clean… Just wanted to put that in there that if you guys have any questions feel free to message me on here I’ll be checking in weekly
Wman
Posted
damn guys had some bad zaps last night. first bad night i had in awhile...just thought id report to you guys. Hope everyone doing well.
ben2360 GD10
Posted
Hi All,
so happy I found this group. I thought I am going crazy. my story started with a concussion 6 weeks ago. that just f****d my life up but I was able to handle migraines and dizziness....but then I started having bad panic attacks. I used to have them but only once a month or not even. And then these shocks started. The first time it happened I just thought I'm dreaming. Bit since then I have it every night. Right between my eyes or sometimes on my body. Accompanied by crazy hot flashes just as I get to bed. I am trying meditation and trying to calm myself down. But this is a viscous cycle. Even if I have no zaps I still have insomnia. The only time I could sleep was when I got drunk. But obviously I cannot do that every night. And I also have this crazy fear of dying because -as much as I got used to it- this is scary. I just want someone to tell me that this will go away. but people here say they had it for 20 years. how you go that long without normal sleep. do I have to become a pill popper? or what is the solution? life sucks sometimes. 😦
Wman ben2360
Posted
welcome to the club man...been dealing with them for about 3-4 months now. This group was the only close thing i can relate to regarding my zaps. I went to doctors and they they just give me stuff for anxiety n sleep and it still doesnt work.
My zaps went away for about a few weeks and it was really nice but they returned s couple weeks ago and again are scaring the s**t out of me every night. I feel like one of these nights its gonna kill me and my wife is going to find me dead in my bed.
i complain to my wife about them but i feel like shes so tired of hearing about them. I dont think she understands what were all going through....Anyway i hope everyone is doing good and zapfree.
luis45930 GD10
Posted
I am actually experiencing this right now, happens to me on and off for years. The only thing I didn't see when reading yours is the paralysis that comes with it for me. sometimes i have try my hardest to move my hands or upper body. most of the time I can move my feet so I try to kick it a much as I can.
carynorth2000 GD10
Posted
I believe I found a cure.
I have had tinnitus for about a year, I have brain zapping when I go to bed and close my eyes, it is worse as I drift into sleep. It’s now happening when I first open my eyes.
I have had an Ultrasound of the heart to look at the valves that travel from the heart through the neck to the brain and a carotid ultrasound to check the neck for blockages or kinks in the arteries, all negative.
High pitch sounds all day and brain zaps and high pitch sounds at night, very loud in the AM. BP also rises from 3am till 7am, I believe due to the zapping.
Hearing aids that have built in tinnitus masking help, a Paleo diet ( keeps the pitch at lower octave) I believe diet plays a huge role in controlling this disease! ( I often try low salt, gluten free days and things are better, but still there.) I have also tried a Tylenol at night before bed that has helped. The main issue is that 4am to 7am zapping, like clockwork. When I absolutely need a break, the YouTube night sounds of crickets totally drowns out my tinnitus.
I started a medication called Acetazolamide (DIAMOX) for altitude sickness, my ophthalmologist recommended. The first 2 days nothing. THEN wow, no more zapping. I am now sleeping about 6 to 7 hours a night.
I take 125mg at 9am and 125mg at 9pm.
I Still have the Tinnitus, however the high pitch has gone down a couple octaves on Diamox.
Please let me know if anyone has had as much success as I have. Thanks Brett.