Hi all,
Not sure if this is the best place, but hoping someone can help me out.
For the last month or so, I’ve been jerking awake during sleep, including during during dreams but also when I don’t appear to be dreaming. It frequently feels like my body or a part of my body (eg shoulder, arm, etc) will jerk as I wake (I think it’s as I wake and not before I wake) but it’s not clear to me if I do. Basically, I’m sleeping then jerk awake & it feels as if a body part will jerk.
For example, last night, it happened twice. Once around 2am, and I kind of jerked awake (SleepScore said I was in light sleep). Kinda felt like maybe arm jerked but not sure. Then at 4am-ish, jerked awake from dream & it felt like my right shoulder jerked. Dream was a boring work dream & I was listening to co-worker talk to client when I jerked awake, so wasn’t “acting” anything out with right shoulder.
Anyone with any thoughts? Has anyone experienced this? Most of what I read about hypnic jerks indicates that they happen upon falling asleep, but these will happen 2-6 hours after falling asleep.
I’ve thought I’ve had sleep apnea for awhile (tired during the day and yawning a ton for 20+ years & always have a stuffy nose when I lie down unless I use afrin & even then left nostril usually feels constricted throughout night. And I certainly snore, and w/o the afrin is incredibly loud; with afrin it’s not too bad. Also, my day tiredness has increased in last month or two).
I’m terrified these jerks are indicative of REM sleep disorder, but I don’t appear to be acting anything out & am instead just jerking awake. I’m also not talking or vocalizing in my sleep at all.
As background, im a 41 yr old male, and these began after I saw a neuro to get checked for Parkinson’s, as I have benign tremors & just wanted to confirm nothing to worry about (he said I was fine). He asked if I ever acted out my dreams & I said to my knowledge “no” & that my girlfriend never said I have. I confirmed with her that I haven’t done so & haven’t done so since.
