# Is this a symptom of something that ought to concern me? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 22, 2005, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-symptom-of-something-that-ought-to-concern-me/313680 "2005-07-22T17:55:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-symptom-of-something-that-ought-to-concern-me/313680/1 "2005-07-22T17:55:58Z")
Let me first state that the aforementioned “occurrance” (I don’t know what else to call it) does not happen often. In fact, while it’s happened to me several times, it’s over the course of many, many years. Apart from last night, it hasn’t happened in I can’t even remember how long. Any way, last night I was in bed, night-time reading set aside and lights off. There I was, drifting off to sleep, drifting… drifting, drifting, drifting off… and then BAM! I’m jolted wide awake, heart pounding, breathing heavy as if something shocking just happened. I know I didn’t have a nightmare, because I hadn’t reached that level of sleep, and anyway I remember my dreams pretty clearly. It then takes me several minutes to calm down again and get back to drifting off to sleep. The occurrance is more annoying than anything else, but given the level of anxiety I seem to be experiencing as I’m wrenched awake, I worry that maybe my body knows something I _should_ know. So, does anybody else experience this weirdness, or could anyone explain it to me? And is it something I ought to look into seeing someone about? ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-symptom-of-something-that-ought-to-concern-me/313680/2 "2005-07-22T18:02:33Z")
This sort of thing has happened to me, although I wasn’t as terrified and jolted as you seem to have been. I think it’s just the body winding down and I wouldn’t worry about it. But … I am not any kind of medical professional, so if one comes along and says different, you know, pay attention to them instead. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-symptom-of-something-that-ought-to-concern-me/313680/3 "2005-07-22T18:05:22Z")
> [@Art Vandelay](#): > > …snip… > The occurrance is more annoying than anything else, but given the level of anxiety I seem to be experiencing as I’m wrenched awake, I worry that maybe my body knows something I _should_ know. Thats it **Art** - sounds to me like you had a garden variety, textbook, anxiety attack… Some things don’t add up, like you did not mention a sence of feeling faint, or anything like that…maybe an EKG wouldn’t hurt… How about a check up too while your at it. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-symptom-of-something-that-ought-to-concern-me/313680/4 "2005-07-22T18:06:32Z")
It happens to almost everyone. No one has figured out what causes it. Its normal ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-symptom-of-something-that-ought-to-concern-me/313680/5 "2005-07-22T18:11:22Z")
> [@picunurse](#): > > It happens to almost everyone. No one has figured out what causes it. Its normal I think I overreacted to what **Art** said… Scratch what I said. It’s normal. I always thought the sudden jolt was stress leaving your joints…thats about as scientific as I’ll go with this one 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-symptom-of-something-that-ought-to-concern-me/313680/6 "2005-07-22T18:19:18Z")
[Why do we twitch while falling asleep?](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_090.html) The master speaks. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-symptom-of-something-that-ought-to-concern-me/313680/7 "2005-07-22T18:22:01Z")
[and speaks again](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_423b.html)