Hypnagogic startle with a twist
April 14, 2008 12:34 PM Subscribe
Psyching myself into a terrible state of hypnagogic startles (but not quite--please keep reading).
After my baby was born (almost 8 months ago now) I started startling out of sleep when he'd cry out. Now that he sleeps better I'm still startling with no provocation.
By "startle" I mean anything from a range of just jerking a limb or two to spasming every limb and gasping. If I try to fall asleep with ANY body contact with my spouse, I repeatedly jerk until I roll away. If I'm relaxed and just daydreaming, I can startle too. I have a mental "sensation" that I'm going to startle a split second before it happens, but can't contain it. And worse, now, if I "picture" that sensation while relaxed I can make myself startle too.
Since it seems more just something I've tricked myself into, I'm posting here for suggestions, since past answers and googling suggest there's no medical solution. How do I trick myself out of something I didn't mean to trick myself into? Relaxation, cuddling, sex, and just twilight sleep have all been repeatedly ruined by this.
After my baby was born (almost 8 months ago now) I started startling out of sleep when he'd cry out. Now that he sleeps better I'm still startling with no provocation.
By "startle" I mean anything from a range of just jerking a limb or two to spasming every limb and gasping. If I try to fall asleep with ANY body contact with my spouse, I repeatedly jerk until I roll away. If I'm relaxed and just daydreaming, I can startle too. I have a mental "sensation" that I'm going to startle a split second before it happens, but can't contain it. And worse, now, if I "picture" that sensation while relaxed I can make myself startle too.
Since it seems more just something I've tricked myself into, I'm posting here for suggestions, since past answers and googling suggest there's no medical solution. How do I trick myself out of something I didn't mean to trick myself into? Relaxation, cuddling, sex, and just twilight sleep have all been repeatedly ruined by this.
Oh, and something like this CD or Pzizz, which operate by using sound to synchronize your brainwaves into a more regular sleeping pattern might help too. Sounds silly and borders on pseudoscience, but they have helped me and others with sleep problems & night terrors (not your startling, but it's worth trying).
[Pzizz has a voice to coach you in and out, but I find it unnecessary and distracting, so I turn it off; neither recodring should keep your spouse awake, but I find both work better with headphones - I can sleep all night even on my side wearing these comfy $10 ones.]
posted by bartleby at 2:20 PM on April 14, 2008
[Pzizz has a voice to coach you in and out, but I find it unnecessary and distracting, so I turn it off; neither recodring should keep your spouse awake, but I find both work better with headphones - I can sleep all night even on my side wearing these comfy $10 ones.]
posted by bartleby at 2:20 PM on April 14, 2008
I'm sure everyone else's ideas are much better, but when I read your question, this crossed my mind...
Was it a particularly difficult birth? An over-active startle reflex is one of the possible symptoms of PTSD. I'm sure you're right and that it's the crying that was the defining event, but those timelines can be a little muddy sometimes.
posted by DarlingBri at 2:43 PM on April 14, 2008
Was it a particularly difficult birth? An over-active startle reflex is one of the possible symptoms of PTSD. I'm sure you're right and that it's the crying that was the defining event, but those timelines can be a little muddy sometimes.
posted by DarlingBri at 2:43 PM on April 14, 2008
Response by poster: I didn't expect many comments, but at least the ones that were posted had some unique insights.
bartelby: thank you for the links and ideas to follow up on.
DarlingBri: This was my third baby (second without painkillers), and without any complication at all, but I guess it was remarkable in its stunning level of pain. :) Still, an interesting idea.
posted by artifarce at 7:44 PM on April 14, 2008
bartelby: thank you for the links and ideas to follow up on.
DarlingBri: This was my third baby (second without painkillers), and without any complication at all, but I guess it was remarkable in its stunning level of pain. :) Still, an interesting idea.
posted by artifarce at 7:44 PM on April 14, 2008
the reality of labour pain is quite extraordinary, and I am personally convinced as an experienced home birth/no analgesia proponant that if you are not mentally prepared, (and let's face it who is mentally prepared for those levels of pain?) it can be an horrendous experience. Masked by the relief and happiness at a good outcome, but in any other context it's a form of torture that you chose!
Seriously consider some counselling.
posted by Wilder at 1:00 PM on April 15, 2008
Seriously consider some counselling.
posted by Wilder at 1:00 PM on April 15, 2008
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posted by bartleby at 2:05 PM on April 14, 2008