HELP! Whole Body Shaking/Jerking me awake when I'm in a light sleep...

[Anonymous]

Recently when I'm trying to fall asleep my legs and/or whole body suddenly jerks a few times and it feels really weird and wakes me up. It also happens early in the morning before I have to get up for the day (if I have been awakened by one of my children and have another hour or two to sleep and am sort of dozing, I will notice it then). Has anyone else experienced this before and know what causes it? I think it's when I'm in a "light" sleep (falling asleep or close to awakening). I googled "Periodic Limb Movement Disorder" but this doesn't seem to be what I am experiencing... I'm a little freaked out!

[Anonymous]

It happens to everyone , it is your muscles relaxing before you sleep, for some it does not wake them, for others it does.

Not a big deal. Hypnagogic myoclonus (also called sleep starts) is very normal and happens to just about everyone. According to the University of Marburg in Germany, reports of sleep starts are in the 60 to 70 percent range of sleepers (which means everyone) and they're often forgotten. It happens before you're getting into heavy duty sleep mode when the brain is gradually sliding away to dream land. You have probably experienced a falling sensation -- or some other weird feeling -- if you twitch yourself awake.

[Anonymous]

Some medications can cause this, including nicotine therapies like the patch. Are you taking anything?

[Anonymous]

Thanks. This is OP. I appreciate the responses. It is just weird because I all of sudden started noticing this. I have recently taken xanax, maybe that has something to do with it?

[Anonymous]

It sounds like it could be related. Call your dr.

[Anonymous]

Xanax can mess with the normal sleep pattern. It accelerates the stages of sleep when the amount in the blood is higher and slows it down after 4-6 hours. You were probably just sleeping through it before.