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Repetitive Jerking

by Patrick Knight
(JHB, SA)

Hi - for the last two nights i have been battling to sleep. As i dose off I suddenly Jerk awake, and feel like I can't breathe.


My chest today is so sore because it carried on practically the whole night.

It's the same feeling as that of a normal jerk, like when you dream of falling of a high building etc, although this happens before dream state and just at the second of "what I think to be going to sleep."

Any insight?

Comments for Repetitive Jerking

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Jan 16, 2014
 hynic jerk NEW
by: Anonymous

It's called hynic jerk. It can be quite severe as it was in my case. I had almost complete insomnia, and thought something was wrong with my breathing. I had a sleep study done, and they were able to see that it was caused by a variation of restless leg syndrome. There are medicines out there to help -anti-parkensens and Clonopen specifically. Also I had great results with a ant-depressant that is prescribed as a sleep aid, Trazodone (50mg). Good luck, and don't worry it is not a deadly or serious condition ;-).

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