Body vibrations when falling asleep or waking?

Posted by cricketlips @cricketlips, Jun 2, 2022

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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@neetzeeberridge

I am am 78. I have a lot of trouble getting to sleep..
I lay there sometimes for hour s...I finally get up because I'm not sleepy, anymore. I stay up until I get really tired. I have OCD...Does this have anything to do with my my inability to go to sleep? My mind just won't shut up!!!!! I've used Melatonin...That made me wide awake, so I quit taking it...I don't know what to do!!!!!!!!!!

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Try Herb Pharm liquid valerian-1 to 2 dropperfuls just before sleep. If you live in an area where. there in little sunshine, take vitamin D. The best thing to do is go out in sunshine/take a vacation where it is warm now and get sun on your skin.

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If you are a female in perimenopause/menopause, the vibrations might be caused by that.

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@susanmaria

Are you taking estrogen as well as progesterone? I have found myself that without the progesterone (topically compounded 40mg a day dosage) 6 days a week, I get feelings of whole body vibrating and electrical shocks. This started at the age of 49. I started on compounded biest at age 51 (1 mg.) 6 days a week. I think that covid (being sick) stressed your body to the max and you might need a tad more estrogen and progesterone until your body regulates itself or that you are not on enough Estrogel/progesterone. Susan

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I very much appreciate your reply, Susan. yes, I do have progesterone and estrogen but my estrogen was found to be very low recently (12) so the GP is trying me on some extra now. Only a week in so too early to tell if it will stop the tremoring but I am ever hopeful!

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Anyone experiencing this should do breathing technic's, through the nose, breathing with the diaphragm.
Even doing this for a few minutes before bed can yield very good results. slow 4 second deep breath in as your belly extends, and very slow 6 second breath out.
Do some research on the Vagus nerve and improving Vagal response, especially those with GI issues with overlapping cardic symptoms, it's good very knowledge to have and most Drs don't talk about it or put the connection together. Its something a Therapist is more likely to discus in regards to mind and body wellness, the Asians knew how to do it right all along.

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@scrapdog2grand

Anyone experiencing this should do breathing technic's, through the nose, breathing with the diaphragm.
Even doing this for a few minutes before bed can yield very good results. slow 4 second deep breath in as your belly extends, and very slow 6 second breath out.
Do some research on the Vagus nerve and improving Vagal response, especially those with GI issues with overlapping cardic symptoms, it's good very knowledge to have and most Drs don't talk about it or put the connection together. Its something a Therapist is more likely to discus in regards to mind and body wellness, the Asians knew how to do it right all along.

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is it really possible to do diaphragm - anything - by will ?
Also, I read the diaphragm goes up on inhaling,
(reducing the thorax-area) which I don't understand

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I was just at the sleep neurologist yesterday...you can try to find one of those in your area. There are some medications that have been shown to have these types of effects--if you stop them, some anti-depressants, etc. That is not relevant for me. I take hormone replacement therapy and stopped for 6 weeks to see if the vibrations were related to that and they are not. However, the literature suggests it may be, along with Vit D and Vit B12 deficiency--so get checked for those "just in case". Long COVID is clearly a link, if that pertains to you.

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@zeen8391

Hello, I have been looking everywhere for something that has been happening to me but I couldn't find anything, but this thread is somewhat like what I'm experiencing. Maybe someone could give their input on why or what is happening. So sometimes when I sleep for a very long time or don't sleep enough I experience my whole body begin to tingle/vibrate/buzz. It's very hard to explain, but it's not like when your arm falls asleep and it begins to tingle, it's more of a very very pleasing tingling/buzzing. This can happen when I'm almost asleep or if I just wake up in the night and go to sleep again, but it happens when I 'am awake. Also i can kinda intensify it if I close my eyes harder or look up. When you close your eyes hard you can kinda hear it / feel it in your ears and that's the feeling * 100.

Also it's one of the most pleasant feelings I've ever felt, and it might sound a bit weird but it almost feels like an orgasm.

I personally think it has something to do with sleep myoclonus where my mind is awake while my body is being sedated

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This has been happening to me too. Sometimes it’s loud, sometimes it’s faint. One time it felt like a train . It happens when I can’t move but I’m conscious at the same time

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@edornton

I am having a very similar condition. About 9 months ago I started having a vibrating sensation in my upper chest around the area of my collar bones. It would only happen when I was just drifting off to sleep, when briefly waking up during the night, or when waking up. It would never happen when I was awake. It scared me at first so much that I was afraid to even go to bed but over time I realized it didn't seem life threatening and just accepted that it would happen. It happens every single night with no exception. Sometimes it is continuous all night long or comes and goes throughout the night. Having some medical background I ruled out a heart problem (EKG, Stress Test and Chest X ray); most medical issues (normal Hemotology, Chem, B-12 , Blood Glucose an Blood Pressure) and any supplements or medications. I have seen my Doctor and he doesn't know what it is. It happens no matter what position I am in. It always it is same rate but intensity varies during the night and night to night. I can reduce the intensity by stretching and changing position but it only goes away completely when I am fully wake up. I am a female 74 years old, still playing soccer so active, retired veterinarian and not under any stress. Got my third Covid vaccination shortly before signs started and have never had Covid that I know of. I would love to find out what this is and be in any study if one was available.

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You have described exactly what I’ve been dealing with for six months now. I feel it in my chest area too, along my collar bone and mostly on my left side. I was sure it was my heart but a holter didn’t show anything. It only happens when I’m falling asleep or when I slightly wake up during the night or when I’m waking up in the morning. As soon as I’m fully awake, it goes away and I don’t ever have it during the day. In the morning, especially, when I’m half sleeping and half waking up and stretching, it seems to trigger it. It happens no matter what position I’m laying in. I’m so relieved to read your experience because I have been worried about what this is for so long but like you, it doesn’t seem to be turning into anything more serious and I’ve ruled out cardiac issues. I should add that I am 42 in generally healthy. I don’t smoke, I don’t drink, I don’t consume caffeine and I try to walk daily. I’m not overweight.

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I have been an over the road dedicated truck driver since early December. Recently I've noticed when I'm at home in my own bed I vibrate as I'm falling asleep. And it's usually the half asleep half awake period. I'm curious if there is a connection there or not. It didn't start right away. More like a couple weeks after. It's an all over vibration feeling in my bones. I don't know if it happens when I'm in the truck since I'm pretty much vibrating because my co-driver is driving.

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@jjko23

You have described exactly what I’ve been dealing with for six months now. I feel it in my chest area too, along my collar bone and mostly on my left side. I was sure it was my heart but a holter didn’t show anything. It only happens when I’m falling asleep or when I slightly wake up during the night or when I’m waking up in the morning. As soon as I’m fully awake, it goes away and I don’t ever have it during the day. In the morning, especially, when I’m half sleeping and half waking up and stretching, it seems to trigger it. It happens no matter what position I’m laying in. I’m so relieved to read your experience because I have been worried about what this is for so long but like you, it doesn’t seem to be turning into anything more serious and I’ve ruled out cardiac issues. I should add that I am 42 in generally healthy. I don’t smoke, I don’t drink, I don’t consume caffeine and I try to walk daily. I’m not overweight.

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sounds quite simlar to what I had in 2015.
It was probably worse with prostate medication.
It slowly improved after prostate laser enaculation.
Now it's very rare, maybe once per year.
Frequency was a bit higher than the heart.
I could hear it in the stethoscope but only a few seconds then it went away
with full consciousness.
It was mainly in the chest , but I could feel it down below the belly-button
It was clearly quickly worse on effort like stretching
Sometimes built into my dreams

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