JOLT or JERK awake when falling asleep? TRY THIS!

If you're new to the channel, my name is Joseph Pannell. I was a chronic insomniac for 20 years (not anymore!) and saw my entire life eroded and stripped by the condition.

Depression, anxiety, lost marriage, business, home… It wasn’t pretty.

After two decades of insomnia, I overcame it using the same scientifically proven methods I now share with others.

Having trained in the field of sleep medicine and behavioural sleep medicine, I’ve worked with some of the largest organisations in Britain, including:

• NHS
• Ministry of Justice
• Ministry of Defence

Through my worldwide online sleep consultancy, I’ve helped thousands of people finally end their insomnia for good.

How do I achieve this?

I focus on physiological and cognitive changes to rebuild sleep patterns and eliminate the anxiety, obsession, fear, and control around sleep.

I utilise CBTi (the effective bits—not the strict , traditional approach that just creates more obsession around sleep that nobody can stick to), ACTi, exposure therapy, positive psychology, and a whole host of scientifically proven therapeutic techniques.

As a former sufferer, I know what works and what doesn’t, so I utilise, adapt, and improve what works and discard what doesn’t!

• No sleep hygiene
• No tips, tricks, or hacks
• No avoiding blue light (good sleepers watch TV before bed, right?)

Just consistent behavioural and thought pattern-changing strategies.

What you can expect:

• No quick fixes
• No unrealistic promises

It takes habit building, undoing unhelpful obsessive ritualistic behaviours, time, patience, and a lot of self-kindness to achieve what everyone else just takes for granted - sleep.

You’re not broken. I don’t care how long you’ve had insomnia. You can fix this.

Why trust me?

It’s YouTube, and anyone can claim anything, right? If you want proof (which you should), head over to Amazon and check the reviews for my book, You Can Sleep Too!

People who have tried EVERYTHING (including the traditional strict CBTi) and suffered with chronic insomnia for decades now sleep like everyone else.

Don’t take my word for it—see what they’re saying for yourself:

About this video:

Hypnic jerks are known as a parasomnia. Science has shown if you can improve sleep quality the severity of parasomnias will decline. This video will show you how!

Disclaimer:

INSOMNIA TALKS and the information provided by Joseph Pannell are solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and are not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions.

The views expressed on this site, or any related content, should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice.

Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health, and do not make any behavioural changes before doing so.

[twooppositewomen]

It's so bad right now! It's 4am and everyone I fall asleep I jerk away it takes my breath away and my heart is racing. I'm researching all of this, or makes me feel like my heart stops and my body Is shocking me awake. I hate this feeling im trying to welcome them but my body is stuck in fight or flight mode it feels like 😪

[TheBrownAsianGuy]

I had this, the best thing I did to stop this is being bored. I stopped using mobile phone. Whenever I was free, I just layed down or sat and stay bored. I was so bored at the end of the day that I slept for 4 hours. It was not much, but it improved day by day. Also, my brain got rest when I quit phone.

[drewc]

I’ve literally closed my eyes for a second and felt like I got a huge shot in my chest that made me jump straight up

[bigcatsliontiger]

I aslo suffers from those Hypnic jerks, i think those are connected with GAD since i am diagnosed with anxiety . Everytime that i fall asleep i awake by twitch, can happen to whole body, inside mouth or only part of body like leg or arm . If u think negative it will continue whole night keeping u awake just learn to live with it .
Sometimes only thinking negative or about illness can cause it . I take Esctilapram SSRI and can somehow help, now i can get 2-3 Hypnics per month and only 1 per night .

[cozywanderer]

This was a very helpful take on it!! Made me a little less worried about em which is part of the problem. Thank youuuu

[yuna_]

Im 15 and i started getting these, it's 2 am and i cant sleep. help

[mobsterlord]

This is scaring me man I feel all disassociated and I’m scared

[ShpirtSvensson-rmgr]

I get them every night and about 100 times per night. No bs. Im to scared to try to sleep this is a disgusting feeling. I panic everytime and sometimes i feel like i got chocked by electricity and it actually burns for a second but that sensation only gets on my back or chest.

[bobloblaw]

I’m struggling with the concept of “welcoming” the jerks. I understand the concept and the idea behind it, similar to welcoming anxiety and thereby taking away much of its power, but these jolts that I get aren’t simply kicks. Actually I rarely, if ever, actually “kick” or move my body. Rather, they are an actual shot of adrenaline which has real, physiological effects on my body that startle me out of sleepiness.

It takes a few minutes for the effects of the adrenaline to dissipate to the point that I start to feel sleepy again, and then as I drift off the jolt comes right back and the cycle repeats. This can happen 20 times in a night, to the point that my chest actually physically hurts by the morning, and I never actually fell asleep.

Overcoming thoughts is one thing but how do I overcome these real, physical sensations? It’s like trying to “welcome” someone who’s hiding in the closet waiting for you to fall asleep so they can jump out and scream BOO! at you.

[HugoRodriguez-vuby]

I’m on 2 antidepressants and one of them is causing severe Hypnic jerks. It feels like my whole body jumps in the air like when bodies do when they shock people to restart their heart. Usually happens 5-10 times before I can actually fall asleep. Going to have to get off of one of these medications.

[TheDudeJay_]

Thank you I've had a lot of stress lately and I didn't sleep at all last night because of these jerks

[markm]

After my first panic attack a month and a half ago I get these now. Right when about to doze off i jolt up

[Mastergamer-zemp]

I have a really bad sleeping schedule, but I don’t know if it’s hypnic jerks but as soon as I go to sleep, go try to fall sleep it feels like it could be five minutes or 20 minutes but then I’ll just wake up out of nowhere, gasping for air, and it feels like something just punched my chest like I stop breathing in general and then I’m able to fall asleep. Is that hypnic jerk?

[rebeccanapoles]

I am having the same, , , exactly the same...And when snaps or jerks happen even though youre very sleepy and about to sleep, the snap/jolt wakes you up even before drifting to sleep. Most of the time, the snaps/jerks happen even when you're just closing your eyes to prepare for sleep. And when the snaps happen, I get like palpitation or heart pounding and from then it bothers me so much it keeps me awake throughout the night. I recently had a panic attack by the way before these jerks started to happen and that was caused by lack of sleep following the death of my brother in March. I've been diagnosed with anxiety, stress and depression after I gave birth to my child.. One year on antidepressant so these hypnic jerks are not new to me. My issue is now they're back since I've been depressed, anxious and stressed lately and I really dont wanna go back to antidepressants. I need to go back to my normal sleep. Im desperate.

[Freydis_MAximus]

I am in a big big big trouble. I suffer from horrible insomnia.
Now. What happened is. I had it all. Hypnic jerks, hyper awareness etc.
But what is the most disgusting feeling are these jerks before falling asleep. I hate them the most. Now. What I have developed is something special and I think it's a subconcious thing:
I do not fall asleep. I can not. And can not. And can not. As if my body and brain is more likely to be awake than to experience these jerks. I am completely desperate.
My body doesn't want to feel this and is rather awake and fighting falling asleep than feel the jerks. It's horrible.
But the jerks dissapeared. But I am awake.

[everydayhomelife]

I dont reallt have hypnic jerks but more hypnic awareness. I drift to sleep and immediately my mind realizes it and I feel pulled back awake. First two nights was literally everytime. Now I will have good nights and bad nights. One thing that seems to help on bad nights is I'll watch tv, podcast or something to listen to. Often ill drift to sleep just fine, then if i wake I'll switch to white noise and sleep more. I can lay for hours with these.. but then fall asleep easily watching a show 🤷

[makinoutmakinout]

I started to get these in 2020 has not stop since tbh docors never figure it out I had mri ent neurologist, ENTs you name it my ent who always is a sleep specialist had one theory he felt it was sleep Aechmea I never got to a dresser probably because the sleep machine is very uncomfortable but going try and get another and really test it out

[Scarlett-hvwu]

I've started experiencing the jerks and I like them cos ik that I'm drifting off, it's never scared me or bothered me but right when I'm out to drift off I feel like I stop breathing so I tske a breath and it takes me out of drifting off and I just have to keep repeating and hope the next time I won't do it but I do everytime. I just read this happens with people with insomnia cos they get scared they can't breathe and then heart starts racing and then they're alert but I don't feel panicky I more just feel loke I have to take a deep breathe

[ivyjules]

Im experiencing somthg its like the moment i drift to sleep i start choking and i woke up gasping for air and the pb that the oxygen won't enter for few seconds like my body my brain doesn't wAnt air to enter .im terrified its been 3 nights i dont dare to Sleep i feel like choking right away when i sleep i thought its apnea but doctor said that the oxygen in my lung are good since people with apnea tend to have low oxygen and now im afraid that my brain stopped fonctionig well so its not sending order to my body to breath anyone can tell me whats my pb?

[mythicalghost]

I have these throughout the day feels like I am falling off a cliff