Body vibrations when falling asleep or waking?

32 year old F healthy, with no major health concerns. I have been experiencing the exact same symptoms the last couple nights. It's almost as if it's preventing my body from falling asleep. I got about 2 hours of sleep last night, every time I would get close to falling asleep the vibrating though my chest or head would happen, sometimes even a tic or twitch again causing me to stay awake. And I too only experience this at night. Almost like a heartbeat radiating thought my body.

I recently started taking a new medication (Guanfacine), and thought maybe the combination of taking that with another one at bed time (Quetiapine) were causing the issue relating to blood pressure or pulse. However having stumbled across this page on search of answers, it makes me think it is related to my COVID vaccine. I received my 4th booster in September 2022 (never knowingly had COVID) and starting having horrible insomnia (that I never experienced prior) around October. Which is why I'm taking the Quetiapine at night time to help with sleep. It wasn't until beating my head over and over trying to figure out what could be the cause that I realized the ONLY thing that has changed to cause my insomnia was getting my booster. Even now I still cannot sleep at ALL unless I take my medication, and even once it wears off through out the night, I wake up almost immediately. Prior to starting the Guanfacine, I would have a similarly feeling at night in bed, but thought maybe it was just a heart palpitation, but it was very rare and random.

It's reassuring that I'm not alone (and that my concerns are valid) but also very scared that this is now permanent with little solution or way to fix it as from reading many of your stories about all the doctors that have been unhelpful or not willing to consider COVID playing a part. I have a call in to my provider to see about getting off the new med to see if that helps, but all this is still very much in the back of my mind.

Just a thought on whether this is a reaction to the COVID booster. My thought is no. I've been having these symptoms literally for years before COVID. There is no consistency with which part of my body it affects. I've also had all the neurological testing for things like MS or Parkinson's and, the good news is that it is not neurological. The bad news is that all conclusions seem to indicate that it is anxiety.

I will say that I've modified my diet a bit to be gluten-free and sugar-free. The jury is still out, but I am feeling better in general and hoping this will result in better sleep!

After speaking with my provider yesterday she thought it might be anxiety, as did my doctors last year when I brought up my concern about the sudden onset of insomnia. I guess I just struggle to understand how anxiety can cause a reaction like that when I'm in laying bed completely calm and peaceful, with no anxiety provoking thoughts or feelings. I could certainly benefit from better choices with diet and more exercise. Anything to help with better quality sleep.

@ckb2023
The myoclonic jerks your feeling are quite common.
Stress, anxiety, caffeine and exercise are thought to make them worse.
Do they only happen at night?
Jake

Just a thought on whether this is a reaction to the COVID booster. My thought is no. I've been having these symptoms literally for years before COVID. There is no consistency with which part of my body it affects. I've also had all the neurological testing for things like MS or Parkinson's and, the good news is that it is not neurological. The bad news is that all conclusions seem to indicate that it is anxiety.

I will say that I've modified my diet a bit to be gluten-free and sugar-free. The jury is still out, but I am feeling better in general and hoping this will result in better sleep!

While yours may not be covid or vaccine related, I'm pretty confident my sudden body vibrations were due to one or the other as they suddenly started shortly after I recovered from Covid and soon after had a booster. It would be a really odd for this to have just all of a sudden have started for some other reason after being healthy my entire 65 years. I'm confident it's somehow related to covid or vaccine, at least for many.

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.

I have had vibration in my body for I believe about 18 months now. While I can't speak to anyone else's experience for me it is NOT muscle twitching or over activity etc. that would be in line with myoclonus. It only happens when I lay down to go to sleep and when I wake in the morning for the first few minutes (that I'm aware of). Mostly in my extremities. I liken the feeling more to the vibration you would feel if you put your hand on a refrigerator when it is running... a humming. More intense some times, less so others.

I haven't been to a specialist as of yet. In the beginning it was upsetting but now is the new normal. Most Doctors I have spoken to have just said they've never heard of that. I've requested and have been referred for a sleep study as a starting point.

That timeline does coincide with when I began began receiving the Covid 19 vaccine and I would agree that since that time I have had the issue with vibration and inflammation and joint pain, but correlation doesn't always mean causation. However I never had either of these issues previously. I have been put on a couple doses of steroids for the pain during that time.

Wish everyone the best in their healing.