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Electric/Energy surge to brain when trying to fall asleep.

Posted , 373 users are following.

GD10
GD10

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 smile

27 likes, 695 replies

695 Replies

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  • shawn45888
    shawn45888 GD10

    Posted

    Did you ever get any answers for this problem.I have been having it bad.Now when I do get to sleep I wake up feeling like I'm losing my mind.
    • blad4
      blad4 shawn45888

      Posted

      Be careful to not let the condition itself begin to regulate it's own intensity. The first step, even if it isn't the scientific solution, is a mental solution. Read my post below and contemplate a habit of an hour's relaxation in dim light before going to bed. Now imagine also that it is a skill that can be developed and improved.
  • blad4
    blad4 GD10

    Posted

    Amazing that this is so common. I used to get similar. My personal story is that it is related to relaxation/(opposite of anxiety). Not just in general but even in the immediate moment i.e. IF the jerk happens/about to happen.

    Nowadays I just have a bright white light spark in the corner of my left eye, in the dark. Even if I'm not trying to sleep! I just let it get on with it and the few nights after it seems to decline. Until, I think, other subconcious stresses occur further down the line.

  • Mr_shapes
    Mr_shapes GD10

    Posted

    Well ut might not be the same but I had same symptoms but I was also collapsing I don't mri and scans fins he'd of at sleep clinic diagnosed with narcolepsy and cateplexy and p.l.d periodic limp disorder it's the nervous system apparently there's a problem in our cicuit boArd the signals to the brain are not running smoother hence that shock feeling. I'm doing as much research and I'm tryna go no towards natural medicine as the side affects of the progablin chlipmophrane and modafinill Are leaving in an unconscious droustly state I need to be foci lose and I cant
  • gary64098
    gary64098 GD10

    Posted

    Hi. I am 33 and have Narcolepsy and this is something i have often too. Do you hear a high pitched frequency note in your ears too? I do and i find that if i focus on it I can tune into it and that is where I get what I call the bazump. This is nothing to be afraid of, I have found that it is a shift in my neurological brain waves I gues is the best way to put it. I wrote a reply in another conversation on this site called is there a spiritual side to narcolepsy which if you have the time to read it please do. I am learning through my narcolepsy that the brain works on many different frequencies and the biggest range of which are in a sleep state. Please understand I am no doctor and this i all based on my own experience but the bazump is connected to out the separation from body and mind. I also found that the less i was afraid of it the more i could explore higher frequencies and i assure you some really cool sh*t goes on there. please feel free to get intouch if any of this sparks any interest.

    Kind regards

    Gary

    • Mr_shapes
      Mr_shapes gary64098

      Posted

      Wow I knew there was more to this do you use medication and what do you do for zaps I get electronic zaps like bolts of electricity running through my body I want non pharmaceutical help and I'm getting deeper into the spiritual side of things hope to hear a reply
    • gary64098
      gary64098 Mr_shapes

      Posted

      No I don't take any medication I just kinda plan around my narcolepsy. As for the zaps well I just accept they are part of it. I find that medication is not the way to go, my Girlfriend is a holistic therapist and she really opened my eyes to how doctors are, sorry if I am being blunt here but modern medicine treats symptoms and ignore the actual cause which as I find myself embracing the spiritual side of more often than not are emotional or psychological problems that are ignored/unfelt/pushed away until they then manifest into a medical problem. I think stuff like this is your body trying to tell you something isn't right but then we go to the doctor and he gives us something for the symptom. Any hoo that's enough of that. My advice is if it isn't causing you any harm to just try to allow it to be there. You are not broken so you don't need fixed. Again only my opinions
    • Mr_shapes
      Mr_shapes gary64098

      Posted

      Is it possible you could email me as as well as the shocks I collapse on the floor and it's embarrassing and can't be prevented and it's linked to my emotions so I do could do with your partners help as the doctors just wanna plug me with medicine and I know there's a spiritual side and somethings wrong

      Emis Moderator comment: I have removed the email address as we do not publish these in the forums. If users wish to exchange contact details please use the Private Message service.

      http://patient.uservoice.com/knowledgebase/articles/398331-private-messages

  • ellebi
    ellebi GD10

    Posted

    The energy surges are what I often get recently which I am classing as another symtom of my panic attacks but literally a whole wave goes over my over body, I cant swallow, nothing.. its like life is over but it passes after a few seconds but which feels like a liketime for me and makes me feel awful afterwards
  • ellebi
    ellebi GD10

    Posted

    I get them not in bed really but driving mainly
  • julia23275
    julia23275 GD10

    Posted

    I have the same thing. It started when I stopped taking my Wellbutrin for anxiety, but it's been about a year and a half. They zap and hurt, nobody knows what it is. I tried taking my Wellbutrin again and other anxiety medications but it doesnt seem to go away.
  • frances1918
    frances1918 GD10

    Posted

    This problem is called : Lhermitte's sign. My doctor found this through eletric test on my body. I think it is caused by my poor driving posture and thick pillow I used at nigtht. Now I am driving with my back and neck all the way back to the seat back, also use hard bed and thin pillow. It solved all the problem, never have the electric shock or numbness in my limbs anymore. My back feels much better.

    Hope this can help. 

    Frances 

  • sue14627
    sue14627 GD10

    Edited

    I have the electric shock/wave type symptom as I am just falling asleep and sometimes when I am waking up too. It is really horrible and quite scary. I saw a neurologist, had the scans and nothing abnormal was found, but even before I had any tests he diagnosed Exploding Head Syndrome. He said it is a benign condition, little is known about it, there is no treatment, but it is nothing to worry about. Now I know that I try to ignore it and not worry. Sometimes just turning over or lying with my head in a different position helps.
    • dawn19609
      dawn19609 sue14627

      Edited

      Hi Sue,

      I just want you to know I have had the EXACT same thing for the past 3 years almost every night. So you are not alone. My shocks/zaps happen just as I'm falling asleep and then again in the early morning as I'm waking up. It happened this morning in fact and it was so uncomfortable.

      The zaps interfere with my heart rythm at times too, although not every time. It's usually the morning ones that do because I think I'm waking up out of a dream at the same time so my heart rate is probably elevated and then the zaps mess with the electrical system that's tied to heart rythm. It's so strange really.

      I have had multiple MRI's, EEG's, CT Scans, Sleep Studies, etc. and nothing ever comes up except for some mild "white matter" on my brain, which the neurologist said is nothing to worry about since it's hasn't changed at all over the past 3yrs. She had never heard of these "brain shocks/zaps" before but has been pretty compassionate as she listens to my struggles with them.

      Normally they come from anti-depressant withdrawal but I haven't taken those and mine just started literally out of nowhere one night. I am menopausal so I don't know if that has something to do with the chemical balance being off as well. I have tried everything possible to help and they still remain to this day. The odd thing is that if I am on the couch watching TV at night and fall asleep I never feel them. The TV must be a distraction to the brain of some kind.

      So I said all this to let you know these are not life threatening but definitely bothersome  none-the-less. I keep praying they will stop one day because it is very annoying more then anything. Sometimes the zaps are strong and seem to hurt a bit but that's not often thankfully.

      Hopefully one day there will be some kind of cure for these...

      Take care and God Bless!

    • Mr_shapes
      Mr_shapes dawn19609

      Posted

      I get the zaps and the heart thing I done all the tests only they diagnosed me narcolepsy & cateplexy and clomipramine tablets stop them for me but I'm sekkunthe herbal holistic aproaxh now as I dint wanna be on pharmaceutical for life
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