Falling Asleep Tremors

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Hi guys! 

So for quite a while now, I've been experiencing what I think are tremors falling asleep.  I have posted about them before but they're causing me some bad anxiety again tonight. Usually what happens is I'm drowsy and as I'm dosing, my body starts shaking. And whenever I wake up my body is shaking/vibrating for a few minutes. 

The part that is bothering me is that I just came back from a three week vacation. While on vacation, I didn't experience these tremors at all, which was weird to me because I was experiencing them almost every night before. Now that I'm back home, my tremors are back as well. 

My endo told me last month that she thinks it might be good related, and asked me to keep a log of what I'm eating for dinner and to try and pinpoint triggers. Something I noticed is that I eat a lot more carb heavy foods at home. I read online about someone with a gluten allergy experiencing this and it's been making me wonder if it could be causing the tremors. My dinners on vacation generally had very little to no gluten and I was fine. I love my bread and pasta though and had those the last two nights being back, and also tremors with them. 

I also wondered if it could be environmental. Although, I'm not sure how it could be. Maybe I'm overthinking things.

Anyways, I'm sorry for the long post. I was just really anxious and wanting to talk to someone about it. I also want to hear if anyone has similar experiences or problems with sleeping. 

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  • Edited

    I'm so glad I found this forum as I feel like my doctor thinks I'm crazy describing this. I have these tremors or vibrations as I'm falling asleep. its been going on for 4 months now. just as I'm falling asleep or transitioning to sleep I wake up vibrating or whatever and not so much my heart racing but my blood pumping a million miles an hour. I'm definitely having anxiety about a lot of things right now but to be honest when it started I wasn't at all. I had been dieting and lost weight and was feeling pretty happy with myself. Work was good overall things were good considering covid. but they've only progressively gotten worse. Its every night now and the tremors only make the thought of going to bed terrible. Some nights I get to sleep on my second attempt but most nights I nod off around 10 only to immediately have this happen and then I'm up until 3am. get 2 hours of sleep then up for work. its at the point my boss has noticed my exhaustion and I'm worried that could have consequences. I guess I'll talk to my dr and show her these comments see what she thinks. I'm exhausted to a point I never thought I could be. ugh

    • Edited

      I have the exact same thing happen. Had a bunch of tests, bloodwork, etc. Spent thousands of dollars. Its just anxiety. crazy right? Thought I would share. Maybe it would help you. I got a totally clean bill of health. Basically you have to ignore them to make them go away. That or drink some wine lol. But just know that they aren't dangerous. Just knowing that helped me a ton. So I don't worry about them anymore. Still annoying when it happens, but at least its not a health issue and it cant hurt me. That gives it less power.

    • Posted

      Since Covid hit back in March, I moved back to my country with my family. But I came back about 10 days ago to Canada, and now I'm living alone. My first week, was perfect. But now, I've had 3 days where I haven't slept. The first, I woke up in the middle of the night, and experienced sleep paralysis. Next day, the same thing happened but I also experienced bruxism (I involuntarily chatter my teeth, makes my jaw hurt, etc.). Now, I'm experiencing the cycle of dreading the night, and not wanting to go to sleep because I'm afraid. 3rd night (last night). I tried falling asleep starting around 11:30pm and it took me till 3:00am to finally get some sleep. I spent those 4 hours, waking up and moving, I sensations that my bed was trembling, that I was trembling, and every-time that I was about to fall asleep, I would start shaking or trembling and would wake up. Difficulty breathing too. I kept trying to talk myself to sleep and I was praying to God all the time. I'm getting a bit desperate now, which doesn't help the cause. All it does is make me anxious about nighttime during the day, and then at night make me anxious about falling asleep. I haven't been to a doctor, but obviously anxiety plays a big role. Living alone alone for the first time, my last semester of college, I have many things to do, but I also have to think about my future, getting a job, if I want to stay in Canada or go back home. A lot on my plate and that stress is reflecting on my sleep paraoina/paralysis/ anxiety. AHHH I want it to be done 😦 i feel so alone.

    • Edited

      I understand. I was dealing with the same exact thing. Get yourself some Atenolol. it's a very low dose Beta blocker your Dr can prescribe you. speak to your Dr today you'll be sleeping like a baby tonight. Good Luck 👍🏼

    • Edited

      i take a beta blocker for my afib, i dont exactly recommend everyone just take one and youll be good, my tremors started after i started taking my beta blocker

    • Edited

      I also take a beta blocker for blood pressure. My doctor increased me from 5 mg to 10 mg in February and March was about the time I began feeling these internal vibrations at night. A good friend of mine was recently diagnosed with ALS and it has been a long couple years which has definitely increased my anxiety. Over the past month I have had a couple areas including the tricep and forearm that have began to twitch once in a while. It may not do it for days at a time and seems to occur more if I am anxious or stressed. My sleep is definitely being affected by these feelings. I sleep with my arm under my pillow and almost feel like I can hear the vibrations through the pillow. I’m not even sure if this makes sense to anyone but it is driving me and my wife crazy.

    • Edited

      I live in constant panic I have ALS.. Did you get tested when you started having tremors? I started having tremors about 6 months ago, muscle twitching and pain in random places, as if someone was hitting me with a tiny hammer everywhere. While in bed, I felt as if there was a phone inside or my chest, vibrating everywhere, one time I woke up and could "see" thinks trembling. I improved, but then in June I started having the same crisis, as of this week, I started feeling pain on my sciatic nerve. It's like it comes and goes... I have an appointment next week and I don't even know what to say to the doctor. I'm a 27 year old female, and although I do think it could be anxiety, I'm worried it may be something more serious.

    • Posted

      I am in the same boat. I got the EMG 3 months after initial twitches began. I find myself looking down at my calves and almost willing it to happen. I don't know if that even makes sense. I am really losing it over this issue. I am very active and athletic and this is affecting my entire being. Will keep you in my prayers. Please update me when you can.

    • Edited

      Hi Jonathan,

      I've decided to wait until I had feedback from m doctor before I reply to you. She ran a couple of exams, blood work showed I was lacking iron and vitamin D, so I will have to take supplements. Apart from that, everything seems normal... It feels strange to blame everything on anxiety, but my doctor told that my anxiety levels are so high, it's enough to completely throw my body off balance.

      She suggested seeing an osteopath, she suspects I may have contracted muscles and pinched nerves due to stress and that, along with anxiety, can cause the tremors and weird sensations.

      I was also prescribed herbal anti anxiety medication, I want to try and manage it with "soft" medication before I start taking anything addictive. She also suggested walking as a way to relax my body and improve my mental health. I will be doing this treatment for a few months, hopefully I will improve. I hope this helps, and that you will feel better! I know it's scary but don't give up, you are not alone

    • Posted

      thanks so much for the update

      im thinking we are both in the same boat with the anxiety.

      I do have a significant update though. And may I suggest to you that you go get your blood tested for this as well. There is a great forum that is on this website and I found some relief in reading it once I got my bloodwork results. I have whats called reactivated EBV, which is Epstein bar syndrome. Basically when you have mono as a kid it can come back out with a vengeance and cause a multitude of issues.

      I also had covid in december but not sure if thats what woke this horrible virus.

      my levels were extremely high and indicated that I currently have active mono. I’m telling you and swear you should definitely get this looked at. I am really hoping that it will improve in the next few months with rest and proper nutrition. I am a diehard runner and hate to give that up, but I think I am going to switch to walking to ease my stress and give my body a break. If you would ever like to chat privately let me know. Good luck and God bless. If you decide to go get this test done please update me when you can

    • Edited

      That's really interesting, I have to re-do the blood tests in 4 months, I will ask my doctor of we can test that. Thank you for the update! You know what surprised me? I also had covid in January! I'm wondering if these symptoms are somehow covid related, I only started having these weird symptoms about a month after I caught it. Apparently covid can even affect the way your nerves communicate, but not a lot is known about it

    • Posted

      I have just started getting these tremors the last 3 nights and have actually just experienced my first one during the day after being prescribed beta blockers for anxiety around 3 weeks ago. i am feeling really confused as they are meant to help with tremors.

  • Posted

    Thank you to all the individuals on this forum for helping me as well to not only not feel so alone, but also not think the worst and drive myself crazy. I had been taking a nasal spray Azelastine and I want to say that is what triggered it initially but its been 2 weeks off of it and they're still there but not nearly as bad. I just moved from HI to NY and in HI I had really bad sinus infections and right before I left, with the stress of moving, I had a really bad infection and it caused labyrinthitis and that in and of itself can cause anxiety and the floating feeling too. I have hated this completely because of course I already suffer from being a borderline hypochondriac and instantly believe it is the worse of the worse. I had a brain and neck MRI for my left ear and it was fine so the doc said it will all take some time....=(

  • Posted

    i started experiencing this exact symptom around a time when i began to experience many other symptoms that lead to other diagnosis of which anxiety was also a symptom. i have reason to believe that while this may very well be an extremely odd symptom of anxiety since no practitioner will have any other explanation, i believe its environmental with regard to mould.

    one clue in your case may be that you were physically in a different and non mouldy environment on vacation. mould sensitivity and exposure can cause inflamation, nuerotoxin and all sorts of other nasty issues including other sensitivities ie. chemical sensitivities (bedsheets/detergents) and of course.... anxiety due to the inflamation and effects ok the CNS. you could try sleeping at a friend/family's house or hotel and see if there is any change. if you do have a mould sensitivity, this combined with certain chemical exposures or foods could easily worsen symptoms. This is a theory based on my own research and experience. Be your own labrat and see what effects, changes to your physical environment have on this symptom. in addition, you can test for mould in your house if you suspect this could be an issue. the other interesting thing that just came to my attention while looking through these replies - seems most people, not all, began to experience symptoms during covid. relax, i dont think it had anything to do with the virus, and while it may very well have to do with anxiety induced by the situation.. i'm wondering if the increased time at home, spent in a potentially mouldy environment has increased some peoples sensitivity or plasma levels of mycotoxins and is therefore only effecting people now after years in the same environments.

    anyone reading this, try this and let us know.. its a horrible sensation i feel for everyone in this thread.

    • Posted

      Hi Blue,

      Yes to the mold! I think we are all spending so much time inside and mycotoxins are tiny and odorless. I suspected mold in our house a couple years ago and our landlords did test and remediate but I think you can only do so much. We are trying to save and get out of this house, but it's taking a while and everything has gotten crazy expensive where I live. Anyway i do think it is part of the problem at least and I'm testing myself for mycotoxins...

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