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
carynorth2000 GD10
Posted
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.
Kasey__ GD10
Posted
wow. i've been trying to find a way to describe my symptoms and from a google search found your post. i'm an active 31y.o female having the EXACT same symptoms you are describing. My head almost feels like it's on the verge of a seizure?? (even though i've never actually experienced one) my head is just so uncomfortable and its freaking me out! I havent read through the comments yet...but just want you to know you're not alone!
michelle95681 Kasey__
Posted
hi Kasey, im around the same age as you and wondering if these electric shocks have ever gone away? im stressed out ive had them now for 4 months, doc tried to tell me it anxiety and i know its more than that
Johan11431975. GD10
Posted
Hello
Thanks for sharing your experience with brain zaps.
I have the exact same sensations when falling asleep. I had this now for almost a year and it has gotten worse, the electrical chocks seem to become more potent now than before. I have done a CT Scan and now wait for EEG results. I have made lots of blood tests and checked blood pressure etc and all has been ok. I will now test for Lyme Disease as well. If anyone will find any treatment for this I would love to hear about it.
Best
Johan
Antonio10782 GD10
Edited
IF ANYONE IN THIS COMMENT SECTION CAN HELP ME I'D BE SUPER THANKFUL:
Ive been having Brain zaps that force me into lucid dreams, and just recently they force me into sleep paralysis, i can't find ANYTHING about this online.
please, i need an answer or at least some advice as to why and how this happens!
david11618 GD10
Posted
GD10 ....please see my comment from 3 years ago, david11618. Short story, stop using deodorant or more specifically ANTIPERSPIRANT containing aluminum. I've seen no replies from anyone that even tried, just a bunch of rabbit hole crap. Needless to say, i dont miss fearing or riding the lightning at bedtime. The shock and jolt and clap was brutal. Long gone now.
david11618 GD10
Posted
GD10 ....tried to post this a half hour ago, but don't see it yet. What cured me was switching to an aluminum - free deodorant. My original post on this was three years ago. This website is clunky.
alexxcloud GD10
Posted
after reading everyones comments from two years ago until now. it seems like the common denominator is stress/anxiety. i also experience these brain zaps. but before i get into that. over the past 4 weeks, in between the period of time when you close your eyes and fall asleep i have been experiencing auditory and visual hallucinations. my therapist told me because of all the unresolved trauma from my life and me sweeping everything under the rug, that my ptsd and trauma is just manifesting in hallucinations at night when i close my eyes because that is when the brain is most vulnerable. the hallucinations have finally stopped. but now all i get are those brain zaps. they make my legs twitch. and it is scary. uncomfortable. if anyone has figured anything out please let me know!!
sophie12245 GD10
Posted
Hi all, so I have been getting these weird feelings when trying to get to sleep for a little while now. It’s so hard to put into words. I’m ok for the first half an hour or so of trying to get to sleep, then I’ll feel a weird ‘woosh’ in my brain, my mouth is incredibly dry and my head feels very odd, sort of shaky, and my lips feel shuddery. Sometimes I almost come to with a feeling of loss of breath. No heart palpitations though sometimes it scares me a little so I get a bit panicky. I generally get up to use the toilet, go back to bed and 9 times out of 10 I fall asleep fine.
I only get this at night, not if I have a nap during the day or am getting back to sleep after having been asleep already.
I will note that if I have had alcohol to drink during the evening this does not happen. I think that might be due to me falling asleep very quickly when I have been drinking.
cynthia30736 GD10
Posted
i wrote down what happened and checked for power outages in my city. i had my ipad on my lap and had dozed off but just barely when a big surge of electrical energy zapped my chest. i heard it the sound was electrical. how did my ipad shock me? it scared me. i had done a new, deep meditation asking a guide for help. a good guide. a guide from "God" whoever that is. just be good. i thought did someone answer, letting me know they have arrived? funny, not funny. nothing else in our home was disturbed. not power outages. next step check online. there it was. brain zaps from decreasing antidepresant dose. i was up to 200 mg sertroline a day but cut back to 175 for many months. now 150 for about 2 months. i got on this while in NYC and working in the World Trade Center when the first attempt to bring it down failed in 1993. so ever since. i am ready to eventually get off them butit is slow. this is the first time i have had a brain zap. it just happened about 40 minutes ago. i work nights but on leave since covid and keep to that same schedule. 2:30 am. it was so real i sniffed the air to see if something was burning. nope.
callum11702 GD10
Posted
Hi I had these symptoms for 3 years was given sertraline for anxiety(even though I wasn't suffering from it) didn't do anything accept make me extremely depressed because I could barely leave the house anymore and was sleeping most of the day away then I kept pushing my doctor for answers for months with no luck, ended up getting a MRI scan and a needle in my spine (can't remember the medical term) and I have been diagnosed with early stages progressive multiple sclerosis and feel like my life is over at 20 please push for answers because gp's and hospitals really don't care about you
aveeri38408 GD10
Posted
Pseudoseizures? From what I've read, stress can cause seizure like episodes.
sara43112 GD10
Posted
Hey guys,
I started going through this SAME thing in 2017. I thought it was maybe caused because I was taking Zoloft and Meletonin, come to find out, Meletonin can have interactions with Zoloft, so I stopped taking it and the "zap" and "whoosh" sensations would stop as soon as I'd start to fall asleep. however, here I am 3 years later and it has started again. for the last week, almost every night, its been happening again. I am NOT taking anything at this time so unfortunately I think I can rule out my original assumption/conclusion. Getting a little nervous and frustrated as I am not able to fall asleep and stay asleep. If it continues the next few days, I'll be calling my doctor.
tamara39854 GD10
Posted
are you still feeling this?? i have the exact symptoms and it scares me so much
GD10 tamara39854
Posted
I'm all good these days. made a few lifestyle changes with diet and exercise and these symptoms go away. try to stay healthy and positive!
s24916 GD10
Posted
Glad to gear you're okay! How much time did it take you to get rid of the zaps and sleep issues?
Wman GD10
Posted
Just wanted everyone to know that all my symptoms and experiences came back within this last week… I was doing OK for a little while and I was probably getting maybe only one to two zaps a night… Just wanted everyone to know that all my symptoms and experiences came back within this last week… I was doing OK for a little while and I was probably getting maybe only one to two zaps a night… Dot however this is a scary part....however this is a scary part.... my doctor recommended an echo stress test I believe… So I did that last week my blood pressure was fine I had no arrhythmias… But there was some ST changes on the stress test whatever that means… My doctor says it’s possible I could have some heart damage… So we’re going to run additional Tests to make sure what’s going on… They’re going to do the stress test along with the echotests to make sure what’s going on… They’re going to do the stress test along with the echo cardio gram to monitor my heartcardio gram to monitor my heart...From what I hear it’s like a heart ultrasound to see if there’s been any real damage done… If this is the case I can almost certainly point to these apps I’ve been getting for almost 2 years now… Pray for me guys wish me luck I hope you guys are doing OK
Wman
Posted
jesus sorry for the ridiculous misspells and repetitive sentences... I always use my voice text on here because it doesn’t have auto correct when you text it. So im sorry sbout that