Body vibrations when falling asleep or waking?
After many google searches for the reason I feel vibration in my head, shoulder and arm just before falling asleep and waking, I found nothing that satisfactorily explained it. Of course anxiety seems to be a common explanation but there was nothing specific enough to help me. I am currently reading Incognito by David Eagleman. It discusses the functioning of the brain as an organ. This morning, going through my routine to get ready for work, I thought of a way to understand the vibrations. Similar to the hypnic jerks we experience occasionally just before we fall asleep, I think the vibrations are intended to arouse me to stay vigilant. Which is the fight or flight mechanism in action. So there is the anxiety connection. Originating in the amygdala. I was thinking Parkinson's or MS but my symptoms don't indicate those conditions, thankfully. It seems counterintuitive to be anxious and sleeping at the same time but the brain can do that. The cerebral cortex sleeps but the life support systems of the brain must stay online, obviously. If you thought you were in danger, sleeping would put you at risk but at some point sleep becomes absolutely necessary. I think the vibrations I have been experiencing are caused by my sympathetic nervous system and not a neurologic disease. Thankfully !
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I’ve been having these sleep vibrations since April 2024. At first I thought a truck passed by and shook the house. It’s been happening every night for 4 weeks now . I can’t get much sleep and feel awful during the day . It’s very scary. I had my heart checked, but still think it’s cardiac related somehow.
Same here, but just a few months longer. If anything, mine seem to be getting stronger, although I did go through a period of about 10 days where the vibrations lessened. The vibrations sometimes come in waves, kind of feels like a cell phone vibrating inside of me. The 300 mg gabapentin reduces the strength of the vibrations, but not always and doesn’t last more than 3-4 hours. So in middle of night, I take a second one. I also take 5mg of melatonin but not sure if that helps. I am worried this will only get worse.
Not sure because I don't drink and mine have have also lessened within the last 3 months. On a scale of 1-10 I might be a 2 in the torso or pelvic area. Nothing really changed except I started taking coq10 because I take cholesterol meds and they deplete your body of coq10. I'm just glad they have gone away for now.
I had all the heart related tests too. Not cardiac related. Mine has lessened over the last few months to maybe 1 or 2 a month and then only about a 2 on scale of 1-10. I do take cholesterol meds and that depletes the body of coq10 so I started taking that several months ago. It is more annoying than scary for me and I might add also that I had a sleep apnea test done couple years ago only to see if it would pick up anything but it didn't. It did show I had mild sleep apnea and I have a nasal cpap. I used it religiously for first 6 months then slacked off. I might use it now about 4 times a week. Not sure why the vibrations have all but stopped but after having them for about 4 or so years, I'm not complaining. I might have 1 or 2 a month in the torso or pelvic area but that's it. I may add though that the upper rib area on both sides of my back has been very painful for a few months. Almost like I overworked those muscles. I have an MRI scheduled next month for back issues. I honestly believe it's a neurological issue with a certain nerve to do with the brain. Ask about a sleep test to see if it'll pick up something, mine didn't though. I also wore a heart monitor for a month and it didn't pick up anything either. I have palpitations bad and had to press a button whenever I had one. Although it seemed like I had a lot of them, he said I only had them 1% of the time. I take 1000mg of magnesium too. Cardiologist recommended it and they have been almost non existent for a few months. Hope you find some answers soon. Nothing like feeling like you have swallowed a vibrator. Also, it's the vibrations that wake people up. Most say they have them upon waking etc but it's the other way around. The vibrations are so strong that they wake you up. Used to, I could turn over and they would go away. They were worse when I lay on my back.
Yeah I call those vibrations with pauses because it feels like your heart actually stops for that brief second. I would LOVE it if someone could do a study of some sort. Mine isn't covid related because I haven't received a vaccine nor have I had covid.
@cst, what tests did the neurologist order? Thank you for sharing this, because I have also been referred to neuro.
Neurologist ordered nerve conduction study and following labs (blood work), which has thus far come back normal:
ANA with reflex to panel if positive
Angiotensin Converting Enzyme
Anti Neutrophilic Cytoplasmic Antibodies
Cryoglobulin
Glucose Tolerance 2 Hour
HIV 1 and 2 Antigen and Antibodies
Immunofixation with Interpretation, Blood
Lyme Antibody-Serum (Total)
SSA and SSB Antibodies, IgG
@cst, good to know. thanks! So, it remains a mystery then.
So far idiopathic.. still getting neg results.
Felt this after abstaining from alcohol