Myoclonic jerks

Sallywally 1 - nice to meet a fellow sufferer for the first time! I had this badly some years ago after going through the menopause so wondered if it was connected. When I started drifting off to sleep I was suddenly shaken violently by what I can only describe as an electric shock. It was as if I'd been plugged into the mains and my whole body jumped. Sometimes it was very scary.

In the end I'm pretty sure I discovered it was caused by stress. As I entered that halfway stage, just dropping off, my body was eliminating the stress that had built up during the day as a massive electric shock. Weird.

Unfortunately, this causes you to fear falling asleep because you know this awful thing will happen as you drift off, so you will need to take something to get you past that halfway point and push you into sleep.

The solution is a) to be honest about your life and what might be causing you stress and b) take something that works for you. For me it was Zopiclone, but it is highly addictive and even years later I am still taking half a tablet. Doctors don't like you having it for very long, but that's hard when you find something that works for you. Maybe try some herbal things first, but I would rather be taking my half tablet and get a good night's sleep than going through that. It slowly got better by the way, so I must have done something right.

It's got nothing to do with your body getting rid of stress by electric shocks. What rubbish.

GabriellaG54 - are you a sufferer? Are you a neurologist? Have you had experience of this condition night after night for years? Unless the answer if yes then stop being so rude about something you know little or nothing about. I am trying to help Sallywally1 who is dealing with something she doesn't understand.

Are you on any medication that could be causing it. I take Pregablin twice a day for nerve damage and I sometimes get these sudden jerks particularly if I have to up my dosage. They can feel like electric shocks.

Do you snore?
Sometimes if you have obstructive sleep apnoea, your throat relaxes too much and obstructs your airway. As your oxygen level drops, your brain jerks you back awake to instigate breathing again.

I second the question about medication - I had to change one set I was on because it was causing similar.

People don't have to be a sufferer or a doctor to know it's not caused by electric shocks as the OP said.
The OP clearly wrote that it's her body's way of getting rid of stress.

I agree with Joelsnan on this subject

I want to add that it is true that Pregabalin is one medication that can cause this type of problem.I am sorry I do not know what to do to help them.

I did have them sometimes while taking Pregabalin and they are not happening now I do not take it

Being over tired will do it. It's not life-threatening. They're just involuntary jerks.

Gabriel Read posts more carefully before you jump. The OP described these events specifically as myoclonic shocks, not as electric shocks and when chestnut said shaken violently by what I can only describe as an electric shock.. It is clear this is a description of what she felt, not a claim that it was an actual electric shock. It strikes me as a very good description of what they feel like.

I have also sometimes suffered what feels like a sudden jerk as I relax into sleep, but not often enough nor severe enough, to cause me any discomfort, lack of sleep or concern.

Sorry should have directed post above at GabriellaG54

I've only had them occasionally but they do 'shock' you. Yes, I'm sure that stress and being overtired spark them off. I have bruised toes now as (for some unknown reason) I kicked a cupboard forcefully in my sleep the other night! I woke up saying 'Ow, ow, ow!

My name isn't Gabriel.

Gabriella is my RL name and I like it used in full. Not a lot to ask.

M0nica
I was referring to the second paragraph of Chestnut 's first post, although admittedly I omitted her moniker.

Just to clarify, the OP said they jerk her awake when she's just falling asleep, which is exactly what happens to me but mine were so severe they felt like an electric shock. Very frightening sometimes. I struggled to understand why this was happening but definitely linked them to stress/anxiety even though I wasn't aware I was really stressed or anxious. My body was throwing out the stress at the point of entering sleep, when the body relaxes and 'lets go'. I started to listen to my body, and realised they were much worse on days which had been more stressful.

I can only tell you what my experience was, I'm not saying it's going to be the same for everyone. Possibly drugs may affect some people. I don't think they are linked with snoring because they come before you have fallen fully asleep.

chestnut
You don't have to be fully asleep for the relaxation effect in the period before actual sleep to affect your throat.

sleepeducation.org/news/2013/08/22/sleep-starts

I rectified my mistake before you commented on it. It was a typing error, not a conscious shortening.

A very interesting article, Joelsnan. Thanks for that.

I just remembered something. On a bad night I would have one really bad 'shock' (maybe two) then a lesser one and then once the 'stress' had been ejected from me I could feel my body relaxing and slipping into sleep.

DH had them quite severely before his (severe) sleep apnea was diagnosed and treated. I had not realised that until I read the article Joelsnan recommended. I just thought he was drifting asleep into nightmares

Thanks everyone. I think they may be stress related as they started when I became (suddenly) estranged with my daughter five years ago, which resulted in my never seeing my newborn grandson. This led to a deterioration in my overall health, to the extent I felt suicidal - only the thought of my adult son got me through. He is lovely. Not sure what I can do. I also suffer from nightmares. I don’t think counselling would help, though my one year old granddaughter (my son’s baby) helps as she brings so much joy. I constantly grieve for my estranged daughter and would so love to see my grandson. Thanks for listening.

I am so sorry to hear about your estranged daughter and grandson. Is there any way you can heal the rift through your son? If you are sincere about renewing contact then ask him to send your love and say you will always be there for her, that you are deeply sorry for any misunderstandings, or whatever words are appropriate. Or better still, ask him to pass on a handwritten letter saying those things. That way you are opening the door for her to get back to you. Ask your son to monitor the situation for you. I really think you should try and get back with her, life is too short.

I think that following Chestnut’s advice to involve your son in resolving your estrangement with your daughter would put him in an extremely difficult situation, Sally. Just my opinion of course.

Why so? If he is in contact with his sister then he is in the ideal position to act as mediator between the two. If his sister is estranged from him as well then of course he couldn't do that. But either way the family should try and get back together and heal the rift. A handwritten letter in the post is always a start if there is no other way.