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 agree. I wore a heart monitor for 72 hrs. during that time i did feel the vibs, recorded date , and time but the monitor did not record anything.
I have the exact same thing you describe and I am the exact same age as you (71 yrs old). Mentioned it to my neurologist but she wasn’t concerned. Wondering what this is. Never had this before. Very scary.
I was very scared at the start. Thought I was going to die of a heart attack it was just a matter of time. Dr. couldn't give me any answers. So now I just live with it. I am leaning towards stress-related.
I am trying to live with it also but when it happens I get really scared. Don’t understand how this can be stress related when you are sleeping and the second you wake up it starts. But when there is no other explanation it is always stress that causes it. .It has been a year and I am hoping it goes away as quickly as it came. Glad to see other people share on this site. Thanks.
What most people are reporting is not heart related. Most everyone have had their hearts checked and confirmed that it is something else.
I came across the term Internal Tremors that seemed somewhat descriptive of this.
Although there seems to not be much information beyond that. 🤔
I actually had a heart monitor for 5 days to rule out afib. I’m wondering now if mine have to do with hormone fluctuation.
I am also pre-diabetic and wonder if these vibrations have to do with sugar consumption. They seem to increase as I try to lose weight. I am not over weight but would like to lose 5 lbs. I also wonder if they are related to blood pressure fluctuation as well. I do not believe they are anxiety! I will see another naturopathic doctor in April who has taken me on as a challenge patient to see if she can help me figure out what’s going on. One last but very important factor is my Hashimoto’s disease. I believe changes in weight affect absorption of syntheroid med. which may affect the vibrations.
I’m very interested to see if one of us can come up with an answer to this mystery! How do we get The NY Times to take us on as one of their mystery- disease subjects?
Keep writing and let’s get to the bottom of this if we can!!
Best to you All!
My heart monitor didn't pick up anything either. They are more annoying than anything. Since using my cpap machine, I don't have them anymore. I believe mine is associated with injury to phrenic nerve. Been having internal vibes since 2019. Did sleep study and after sleeping with nasal cpap, didn't have vibes for a week and a half. I use my cpap BEFORE going to sleep. Gotta be the phrenic nerve although my neurologist thinks I'm crazy.
My neurologist thinks it comes from an overactive central nervous system. My cpap before sleeping keeps them at bay. I think mine is from injury to phrenic nerve from swallowing huge gulp of air taking my meds.
I've had them since 2019. I keep a journal with a scale of severity. They stop the minute I get up and I place my hand on my side and actually feel it vibrating. They move around. If they are very bad, a level 8 or higher, I have to sit on edge of bed a minute because my whole insides tremble.