1. < Sleep Health

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.

carol1024 | @carol1024 | May 1, 2023
In reply to @edornton "I am having a very similar condition. About 9 months ago I started having a vibrating..." + (show)
@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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Been having vibrations since 2019. I didn't get covid shot nor have I had covid. They happen only after I have been asleep. I did a sleep study to see if that would show anything, it didn't. It did show I have mild sleep apnea and after using the nasal cpap for 4 hours minimum before I go to sleep, I gavent had vibrations for 9 night now. I've been keeping journal since 2019 and when they ate level 5 or higher, I have to get up before they stop.

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salpal01 | @salpal01 | May 2, 2023

Hi
it sounds like an aura.I have nocturnal seizures and that happens to me sometimes before I go to sleep. Mainly when I'm exhausted from the night before. Go and have it checked out

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beckyflipflop | @beckyflipflop | May 3, 2023

I am happy to find this discussion! I have had vibrations when I am semi awake/asleep for over ten years and never been able to find much about them. Just that was possibly caused by adrenaline surge due to fight/flight response. I have always worked nights and it happens at times when I have been most sleep deprived when I am either just drifting off or briefly waking. However...I have very occasionally had them when fully awake, but when I've been up all night and not hardly slept during the day.
At first I thought they were linked to a cancer which was diagnosed, they seemed to stop after I had curative surgery. When I started having them again I worried but luckily yearly scans put my mind at rest. I would love to know exactly what they are, I've never met anyone else who experiences this so it's great to read all this discussion.

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1 reply
carol1024 | @carol1024 | May 3, 2023
In reply to @beckyflipflop "I am happy to find this discussion! I have had vibrations when I am semi awake/asleep..." + (show)
@beckyflipflop

I am happy to find this discussion! I have had vibrations when I am semi awake/asleep for over ten years and never been able to find much about them. Just that was possibly caused by adrenaline surge due to fight/flight response. I have always worked nights and it happens at times when I have been most sleep deprived when I am either just drifting off or briefly waking. However...I have very occasionally had them when fully awake, but when I've been up all night and not hardly slept during the day.
At first I thought they were linked to a cancer which was diagnosed, they seemed to stop after I had curative surgery. When I started having them again I worried but luckily yearly scans put my mind at rest. I would love to know exactly what they are, I've never met anyone else who experiences this so it's great to read all this discussion.

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I'm about to research metoprolol as the culprit. It says it crosses a brain barrier that atenolol does not. I used to take atenolol until an ER doctor changed it to metoprolol. I've got to call office to see exactly when I changed to metoprolol. Last month, I ran out of metoprolol and started taking the atenolol I had left. I went 9 nights with no vibrations. This morning I had the vibrations, about a level 3, and I've been back on the metoprolol for about a week. I'm guessing there was time for atenolol to get out of system and metoprolol take back over. I'm wondering if other people with vibrations may be taking medication that affects the brain the same way metoprolol does. I really need to talk to my cardiologist. If these vibrations start back nightly, I may switch back to atenolol. Researching.

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leezanzi | @leezanzi | May 6, 2023
In reply to @vitaminnd "Hey there, @edornton . I'm a 31 M, and I had a bad reaction to the..." + (show)
@vitaminnd

Hey there, @edornton . I'm a 31 M, and I had a bad reaction to the Covid vaccine myself. I recieved my first dose in June, 2021. Within 24 hours I began experiencing severe spine pain, numbness over the whole of my right-upper back, and sharp chest pain which led me to go to the E.R. Since then, I've developed a long list of new symptoms, many of which are neurological. One of the neurological symptoms being the vibrating when falling asleep and waking up. I've been experiencing this symptom every day for atleast a year now. For me, it's a rapid, rhythmic pulsing sensation I feel going from in my head through my arms and legs.

I've been seeing a neurologist for about 9 months now. Based on some imaging, my neurologist identified that I have a high levels of neuro-inflammation in my brain. They didn't find any lesions or growths.

I imagine the vibrating is either due to the neuroinflammation; whether that be a disruption or damage to my nerves, brain, or maybe a disruption in dopamine production.

Under the guidance of my neurologist, I've been taking a pretty hefty list of supplements and medications to help reduce neuroinflammation. At this point, most of my symptoms have either disappeared or significantly improved. The vibrating when falling asleep/waking up still persists, along with severe brain fog 24/7, but hopefully it will all stop with time and as I continue to work to reduce inflammation in my body.

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I have the exact thing happen around every other night, all night long, which results in no sleep at all. I believe it's also related to neuroinflammation from a concussion a year ago. Would you mind sharing which supplements and meds you took? I'm on a bunch but theyre not helping. Thank you!

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bjmetz | @bjmetz | May 7, 2023
In reply to @johnbishop "Hi @cricketlips, Welcome to Connect. It sounds like you've done a lot of research on the..." + (show)
@johnbishop

Hi @cricketlips, Welcome to Connect. It sounds like you've done a lot of research on the symptoms. You will notice that we added to your discussion title to hopefully bring in members with similar symptoms to share their experience. @novajeff mentioned about similar symptoms in another discussion here - Has anyone experienced internal vibrations?: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/comment/231053/

Have you seen these two articles on the topic?
-- Brain Zaps Anxiety Symptoms: https://www.anxietycentre.com/anxiety-disorders/symptoms/brain-zaps/
-- What to know about sleep myoclonus: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/sleep-myoclonus

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Hello, I am a 34f Canadian, at his began happening to me after I received my covid vaccine. Only happens upon waking, when my body is coming out of sleep, my chest gently vibrates for about 2-3 minutes or until I wake or go back to sleep. When I am conscious of it, it stalls” every few seconds or so with my heartbeat. No idea what it is, I don’t like it though 🙁

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3 replies
Mentor
John, Volunteer Mentor | @johnbishop | May 8, 2023
In reply to @bjmetz "Hello, I am a 34f Canadian, at his began happening to me after I received my..." + (show)
@bjmetz

Hello, I am a 34f Canadian, at his began happening to me after I received my covid vaccine. Only happens upon waking, when my body is coming out of sleep, my chest gently vibrates for about 2-3 minutes or until I wake or go back to sleep. When I am conscious of it, it stalls” every few seconds or so with my heartbeat. No idea what it is, I don’t like it though 🙁

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Hello @bjmetz, Sorry to hear you have side effects from the COVID vaccine. I'm wondering if you might find the following discussion helpful:
-- Any tips to help recovery for a COVID Long-Hauler?: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/long-hauler/.

You might want to report the COVID vaccine side effects if you haven't done it already.
-- Reporting Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) in Canada: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/immunization/reporting-adverse-events-following-immunization/form.html.

Have you reported the adverse side effects? -

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nrussell8 | @nrussell8 | May 8, 2023
In reply to @krismar "I am also a vegetarian and I get vibrations throughout my body…. Interesting." + (show)
@krismar

I am also a vegetarian and I get vibrations throughout my body…. Interesting.

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I started having pleasant leg vibrations when I started practicing and teaching yoga. They only happened when I would lie down at night or rest during the day. A couple of years ago during Covid they stopped.
I recently started going for fasciae manipulation for my leg knee and hip problems and the pleasant vibrations started again. I don’t think it’s anything related to compressed nerves etc. but also not sure what it is

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1 reply
carol1024 | @carol1024 | May 8, 2023
In reply to @bjmetz "Hello, I am a 34f Canadian, at his began happening to me after I received my..." + (show)
@bjmetz

Hello, I am a 34f Canadian, at his began happening to me after I received my covid vaccine. Only happens upon waking, when my body is coming out of sleep, my chest gently vibrates for about 2-3 minutes or until I wake or go back to sleep. When I am conscious of it, it stalls” every few seconds or so with my heartbeat. No idea what it is, I don’t like it though 🙁

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Omg....I'm keeping a journal since 2019 and I document "vibrations with pauses". I rate them on scale 1-10 and if they are like a 3 or 4 I can usually go back to sleep. If they are above that, I have to get up before they stop but yes it's so weird because the pauses coincide with your heartbeat. PLEASE isn't there somebody out there that's willing to take on this challenge to help find out what these internal vibrations are?
I didn't receive covid shot, ever. So they can start and rule out things. There HAS to be a common factor.
It's the vibrations that wake you up so there's really no telling how long they were going on before you actually wake up. I thought one of my cats jumped on the bed one night and I woke up and realized it was me vibrating. I had to get up they were at a level 10. They happen only AFTER I have been asleep.

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1 reply
carol1024 | @carol1024 | May 8, 2023
In reply to @nrussell8 "I started having pleasant leg vibrations when I started practicing and teaching yoga. They only happened..." + (show)
@nrussell8

I started having pleasant leg vibrations when I started practicing and teaching yoga. They only happened when I would lie down at night or rest during the day. A couple of years ago during Covid they stopped.
I recently started going for fasciae manipulation for my leg knee and hip problems and the pleasant vibrations started again. I don’t think it’s anything related to compressed nerves etc. but also not sure what it is

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My internal vibrations happen only AFTER I been asleep. I can lie on bed and watch TV for 4 hours and nothing. I can go to sleep and 3-6 hours they'll wake me up. I've got pinched nerves in my neck and back but I've had those since 2000. I think the vibrations would have presented itself before 19 years.

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