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 !

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Sleep Health Support Group.

I can now report that the body tremors or vibrations I experienced over some months on waking up have subsided or disappeared. The change coincided with me starting to sleep in a down vest. I have no idea whether the down vest did anything to cure the problem, it could be just coincidence. But perhaps it contributed to me feeling safer during the sleep.

REPLY

After reading many of these issues regarding tremors, I'm really wondering if you shouldn't consider some of the medications you may be taking as the possible culprit. I am convinced some of these may be affecting the central nervcous system which in turn results in tremors/vibrations.
For me that was the case so just a possibility. Most physicians don't understand these potential side effects as they affect everyone differently. If you suspect a medication you may want to do a deeper dive into possible issues or discuss with a pharmacist as they understand these drugs better than your docs ever will. Just google medications that can cause these issues and it's eye opening and these lists are just the most common. Mine, Klonopin, isn't even mentioned although it's listed as a rare side effect if you google that particular medicine. Good luck to all.

REPLY
@jlt06

Hi again
By trap I meant the trapezoid muscle. The vagus nerve is very important in nervous system regulation and can get out of whack with trauma or stress. There’s many books out there about it. I personally can tell a difference in my internal tremors/vibrations if I am very relaxed when falling asleep like I said before having a neck and shoulder massage right before.
BTW when my nighttime tremors first started I literally could not sleep. Every single time I would start to fall asleep the internal tremor was so bad it woke me up. A continuous cycle. I was convinced I had atrial flutter because they felt like they were in my chest. Cardiologist put monitor on me and said no. The tremors are now more in my legs but less intense. Tried deep breathing last night before bed and I think it helped a little. Good luck to all.

Jump to this post

I also wore a monitor for 2 weeks and had 2 episodes but monitor didn't pick up anything. Relative to your deep breathing, that's why I think the nasal cpap helps me because it is continously forcing air down and that has helped with my vibrations. I use it every night right before I go to sleep, for 4 hours.

REPLY
@arthur57

After reading many of these issues regarding tremors, I'm really wondering if you shouldn't consider some of the medications you may be taking as the possible culprit. I am convinced some of these may be affecting the central nervcous system which in turn results in tremors/vibrations.
For me that was the case so just a possibility. Most physicians don't understand these potential side effects as they affect everyone differently. If you suspect a medication you may want to do a deeper dive into possible issues or discuss with a pharmacist as they understand these drugs better than your docs ever will. Just google medications that can cause these issues and it's eye opening and these lists are just the most common. Mine, Klonopin, isn't even mentioned although it's listed as a rare side effect if you google that particular medicine. Good luck to all.

Jump to this post

I take xanax but have since 2011. Right now I'm down from 1mg daily to 3/4. I'm going to get off of them. The only other central nervous system med is the flexeril. I take one nightly. My neurologist did say he thought mine was from an over active central nervous system. I don't. Phrenic nerve injury is what I believe mine is from.

REPLY
@jurgeno

I can now report that the body tremors or vibrations I experienced over some months on waking up have subsided or disappeared. The change coincided with me starting to sleep in a down vest. I have no idea whether the down vest did anything to cure the problem, it could be just coincidence. But perhaps it contributed to me feeling safer during the sleep.

Jump to this post

I'd be interested to know how long this lasts.

REPLY
@jlt06

Hi again
By trap I meant the trapezoid muscle. The vagus nerve is very important in nervous system regulation and can get out of whack with trauma or stress. There’s many books out there about it. I personally can tell a difference in my internal tremors/vibrations if I am very relaxed when falling asleep like I said before having a neck and shoulder massage right before.
BTW when my nighttime tremors first started I literally could not sleep. Every single time I would start to fall asleep the internal tremor was so bad it woke me up. A continuous cycle. I was convinced I had atrial flutter because they felt like they were in my chest. Cardiologist put monitor on me and said no. The tremors are now more in my legs but less intense. Tried deep breathing last night before bed and I think it helped a little. Good luck to all.

Jump to this post

Thanks everyone for the comments and questions.
There must be a commonality.
My vibrations have been going on for years but minimally in my neck and always just as I was falling asleep. I attributed them to melatonin kicking in as I was taking 20 mg. as cancer prevention. However, I was advised by a Dr. to get off of that dosage when my sleep issues started. Then the vibrations got a lot worse!
After a year of doctors and pharmaceutical meds which were very unpleasant, and after getting off of all the meds last winter, the vibrations seemed to be better. I had to go back on mirtazipine at a lower dose, 7.5 mg/night to help with sleep. Vibrations are less than before but are still there. I’m wondering about CNS issues as I was diagnosed with mold toxicity last summer. I have not done the protocol yet but may start that soon. It’s expensive!
So I wonder about melatonin and other hormonal triggers/variation. Also, because I have Hashimoto’s disease, my thyroid has been really variable and I’ve had to adjust my dose 3 times in the past year. Prior to this year my dose was the same for a long time, maybe 8-10 years.
Mirtazipine regulates norepinephrine etc. and so I wonder if hormones are a major player in these vibrations. I have not had a sleep study but think that may be helpful. Also wondering about pulmonary issues. I am a runner and all the the symptoms feel better when I’m exercising. Thank you all for the input. With everyone’s input, we may get closer to a diagnosis than any single doc. alone.

REPLY
@carol1024

I was going to start a group on Facebook a while back and call it "Good vibrations ". Lol
How do you find the group on Facebook? I'd be interested in the internal vibrations. TIA 😊

Jump to this post

I've had things that woken me up at night in the morning it's more like butterflies inside my chest bluttering around it could be anxiety because I do have generalized anxiety disorder and I take clonazepam for that also could be something to do with a heart but I'm and having neuropathy that can also affect internal organs so I have a lot of things that it could be but I'm just pray and trust the Lord that he'll keep me going and I'll be able to live out my life without a lot of hospitalizations and medications are already take quite a few

REPLY
@carol1024

I'd be interested to know how long this lasts.

Jump to this post

I started wearing a down vest in February, and since then the tremors are gone. So now it has been about 2 months without them

REPLY
@cgs

I've had things that woken me up at night in the morning it's more like butterflies inside my chest bluttering around it could be anxiety because I do have generalized anxiety disorder and I take clonazepam for that also could be something to do with a heart but I'm and having neuropathy that can also affect internal organs so I have a lot of things that it could be but I'm just pray and trust the Lord that he'll keep me going and I'll be able to live out my life without a lot of hospitalizations and medications are already take quite a few

Jump to this post

The butterfly feeling are most likely heart palpitations. I have those. In face they are called PVC's, premature ventricular contractions. My cardiologist says everybody has them but I can feel every single one of mine. I take metoprolol for that. I had a fast heart beat because of anxiety and the beta blocker slows down heart rate. I take 1 mg xanax daily for the anxiety. I also have neuropathy because of issues with back. If I stand in one place too long my thighs get numb down to my knees. I wake during the night too with thigh numbness. The internal vibrations are exactly that. You are vibrating on the inside. It's not flutters and you can definitely tell the difference. It's almost like you ate lying on something that's vibrating and I can place my hand on my side and feel them. They move from one area to another but mostly stay in torso area and sometimes pelvic area. It is so weird.

REPLY
@carol1024

I can order $25 a month through medicaid and $40 month through Medicare...over the counter drugs.
I did start taking Coq 10 a month ago because some of my meds deplete my body of that. I ordered them off Amazon and was only $23 for 60. I got 2 bottles. They are available as over the counter meds through medicaid and Medicare but I've not ordered through them yet. I just saw them as something available.

Jump to this post

I have been ordering otc supplements on Amazon for quite some time but they add up fast. Thank you for the info. Any idea how to follow up with this?

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.