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hypnic jerks my new thing.

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Posted 10/12/2014 11:18 PM (GMT -7)
HI,
Iam 31 m, anxiety sufferer since long time and been taking lexapro 10 mg for 8 years. recently i started to have stress before sleep in bed and being stressed from not being able to sleep well where I started to have repetitive hypnic jerks most of the nights some times iam able to go to sleep after few occurances sometimes it won't allow me to sleep, where it leaves me the next day like a wreck at work.
then I had a vacation and it disappeared for 3 months. yesterday its back and I didn't slept well where I awoke at 2 am and was worried about a business meeting when I tried to sleep this monster came and when my brain start to sleep my body jolt and awakes me for a second try until the morning.
imad that was the thing missing to complete my agony. smhair

anybody similar what is the way out guys, shall i take bezo for sleeping will i get worse those are terrifying for me now.
pls. help me,, I feel desperate.
Posted 10/12/2014 11:44 PM (GMT -7)
Aww yes! Those are the worst. I used to get those all the time. At one point they kept me up and awake for 5 straight days. I would almost be asleep and then all of a sudden my body would jerk and I would be wide awake, alert, and have a racing heart! Sound about right?

What worked for me may not work for you... I actually ended going to the hospital over this. The doctor prescribed me ativan. The first time I took it, I slept the entire night and like a baby! I was so releived!

Are you currently taking any benzos? If not, talk to your doctor. They will help you relax.

I have also found that my diet is important in preventing these "night time jerks". I don't eat after 7pm. I stay away from chocolate, dairy product, caffeine, spicy and fatty foods, and alcohol.

I have found that the more relaxed I am the better chance I have of avoiding these "jolts". Try to wind down and calm yourself about an hour before you hit the sack. Watch a tv show or meditate. The key is to be calm and relaxed when your head hits the pillow. I have used "sleeping music" on YouTube for further relaxation. It really helps!

Let me know if any of this helps you!

God bless

Cornell

Post Edited (Cornell) : 10/13/2014 12:48:36 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 10/13/2014 12:14 AM (GMT -7)
Thank you cornell actually you gave me hope but the 5 days on a raw is deadly for me one night half the sleeping time awake and I barely can function, my wife is pregnant and some nights she don't sleep for days and I convince her by force to take 0.5 xnx !!
, what was your period of medication did you took SSRI along?
are you still on them and are these still occuring?
I'm afraid of taking the benzo daily, I will check my doc. anyway thank you very much
Posted 10/13/2014 3:07 AM (GMT -7)
Cornell has very good advice. It's very important to be relaxed before you go to sleep....his suggestion of not eating after 7 pm is an excellent one and works well for me. A stomach full of food, especially the things he mentioned, keep the mind racing, the stomach churning, the dreams vivid and sometimes disturbing and the sleep restless. I too try to watch a funny movie while lying in bed. And I do take half of a .5 Xanax sometimes before bed when I've been extremely anxious that day, but not always. It's very mild yet takes the edge off and helps me to just relax. A good healthy sleep is very critical for minimizing anxiety the next day I always find that if I've had a good nights sleep, my anxiety level is somewhat better the next day. Good luck to you.
Posted 10/13/2014 3:11 AM (GMT -7)
And I should also mention that i had those "jerks" for a long time and even have then now but not as frequently. I truly believe they are associated with anxiety, as I hardly ever get them when my anxiety level is low. And the more we "expect" to have them, the more we get them. My doctor once told me that although in themselves they are nothing to worry about, they ARE a sign of unrelieved tension. So work on the anxiety/tension and I'm sure the "jerks" will subside.
Posted 10/13/2014 4:05 AM (GMT -7)
These can be very weary, I had them. Actually it was my very first symptom of anxiety problem. I used a specific med with my Anti depressant, I am not too sure but I guess it was called Atarax. Though, I used it only for first 3 months, then continued only with my Anti depressant.

I highly recommend some relaxing herbal tea like camomile. It will make your muscles relax and help you sleep really.
Hope you feel better soon.
Posted 10/13/2014 4:31 AM (GMT -7)
Actually that night I was feeling fine slept at 11 but woke up at 2 :am not sleepy then ideas and worries started coming about the next day and felt excited for some ideas and plans this raised my adrenaline and when finally felt sleepy I started to experience them.
also may be the 10 mg cipralex is not working anymore as expected as 8 years now passed.

thank you
Posted 10/13/2014 7:13 AM (GMT -7)
Hi Baso,

Add me to the list! Sometimes it is my whole body...sometimes it is just my lower legs that seem to have a mind of their own.;/

...and yes, this makes it difficult to get back into a relaxed sleep mode!

Here is a link that may help your muscles to gradually 'power down' and relieve tension before you sleep.:)


http://www.stress-relief-exercises.com/progressive_muscle_relaxation.html

I hope this helps, and that you are feeling better and getting good sound sleep soon.

S.C.

Posted 10/13/2014 7:16 AM (GMT -7)
Also...see our Resources for more anxiety managing self-help ideas...practicing coping skills has been proven to lower anxiety levels and relieve symptoms.

...and if you think your Rx plan needs to be elvalutated, make an appointment with your doctor as soon as you can.;)

S.C.
Posted 10/13/2014 3:16 PM (GMT -7)
I get those too! I've had them off & on my whole life. I never associated them with anxiety, interesting. They don't happen often but they also don't disturb my sleep bc I can go right back to sleep. My husband gets them too. Mine usually happen right before I'm about to fall asleep.

Maybe you can take your Xanax early in the evening while your dress is high so you'll be relaxed before bedtime.

Wishing you well!
Lisa
Posted 10/13/2014 8:08 PM (GMT -7)
You may have a magnesium deficiency. There is a correlation between magnesium deficiency and those jerks, also muscle twitches and tremors.
Posted 12/25/2020 1:42 PM (GMT -7)
Hi Boso may I ask how you're doing now? I started getting the jerks eight months ago and have since gone on a veges and fruit diet along with supplements which seemed to help. But I get flare ups on a monthly basis.
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