I used to do sleep studies on people for a couple of years. I did all of the polysomnography. Much fun hooking up wires to cranky people.

Eric, Last year at about this time I went to a sleep clinic and had all those wires hooked up to me.. but I wasn't cranky :-) I stayed overnight and was being monitorered to see if I had sleep pralysis, which I did. Also the Dr. said I had Alpha Intrusion in my sleep.

That aside, I also experience weird things just as I fall asleep, such as spontaneous and intense, powerful inhalation... feels like my lungs could burst! Also I make noises.. gasping, etc. almost every night.

Also the last few days I have been having heart skips and fluttering, just before I go to sleep, and it startles me and I am fully awake again. I am wondering if this is related to what I have been experiencing in my meditations and breathing...... feeling warmth and expansion in my chest area when I am deeply relaxed. I have had kundalini awakening many years ago, and various "symptoms" over the years. Am wondering if this also is related to kundali... maybe my heart chakra opening?

Anyone else have any input for me? I guess my main question is: Is heart fluttering and skipping related to heart chakra opening?

Thanks,
Katy

Katy, what did the doctor tell you after you had your sleep study?

Many things can cause Alpha Intrusion. Alpha waves indicate that something in your mind is trying to wake you up. It could be restless legs, chronic fatigue, or even Fibromyalgia. Or just a higher state of awareness.....

Having sleep paralysis along with alpha intrusion could be a sign of narcolepsy. I would probably rule that out if you are not a teenager. Narcoleptics usually have sleep paralysis at sleep onset. If yours happened later on in your sleep cycle I would suggest that you didn't have that. I would have to hear more about your study to come to a better conclusion.

Heart skips and fluttering are usually pretty normal at sleep onset. Your body is unwinding and different reactions are taking place. I would not rule out seeing a doctor if you think this is something serious.

I started having heart palpitations just prior and just after my first Kundalini. It could very well be your heart chakra. I have never had an irregular heart beat my whole life until my first "k". Kundalini is a very powerful force and can do many things to your nervous system(so I have learned).

If you don't have sleep apnea I would rule out any sleep related cardio/respiratory problems. Once again I am not a doctor.

If you wish you can share more about your study and we could probably reach a better conclusion. More than likely though your doctor probably made a good diagnosis.

HI all, have been enjoying the posts...
I have had sleep problems since i was young. I have found as others have mentioned that exercise helps. I just try to wear myself out during the day. I have never equated sleep problems with any energy related stuff but lately i have had a strange experiece where i am just about asleep and i have a strong energy movement in my stomach that wakes me up. Another experience might be similar to what you described eric where i wake up and have like a pure awareness, where i feel like i have no central 'control station'. When i have experienced this i usually have a sleeping pill because it can be quite frightning, especially if i don't accept it.

Hi, solsta. Yes it can be quite frightening indeed. Letting go is always the hard part. It does not feel very pleasant when you feel like you are not in control of the situation.

Eric,

The Dr. at the sleep clinic said I had sleep paralysis and also alpha intrusion. He said I do not have narcolepsy, nor sleep apnea. He prescribed Lexapro for the S.P. I do have Fibro. which he said probably causes the alpha intrusion.
By the way, Dr. Scharff was my Dr. in Cinti. at the sleep clinic. You may have heard of him?

As far as the heart skips, this has not been normal for me, at least not for quite some time. About 20 yrs. ago, though I had heart fluttering, skips, palpations every day and night for over a month. Then it mysteriously disappeard.

I have been telling my (holistic) Dr. about all these things for years.. esp. the strange breathing at night time.. He doesn't seem to know what it is. A few years ago, I think it was kundalini. I had spontaneous and very loud groans and my mouth opened real wide with facial grimaces right before I went to sleep, and also when I meditated. I have had very odd and even bizzare things like this going on since I was in my 20's. I am now 61 yrs. old.

The things I am experiencing presently I think may be heart chakra mostly because of the heat and pleasant sensations, and feeling of opening in my heart area.

(sorry about my spelling)

Thanks for your reply.

Katy

quote:

Originally posted by solsta:
[qb] lately i have had a strange experiece where i am just about asleep and i have a strong energy movement in my stomach that wakes me up. [/qb]

Hi Solsta,

I wonder if this is the same thing I had. Like I said, I have had strange, unexplained symptoms most of my life. When I was only in my teens (or maybe younger) I remember that happening to me..

Can you describe it some more? Is there warmth in your stomach, or does it feel like a spasm or what? Thanks!

Katy

I haven't heard of Dr. Scharff before. It is not surprising since the field of sleep disorders is still in it's infancy. As the field grows it is picking up more doctors. Some I have met are brilliant and others just think that they are.

Heart palpitations, even though alarming, are very common. Most people have them from time to time in their life. Having them at sleep onset is also very normal. I have seen many EKG readings show palpitations during sleep studies. They are usually during sleep onset.

I also did not start to experience any heart phenomenon until my first kundalini experience.

I started having heart flutters up until a few weeks ago. I had it checked with a doctor and he said it was probably anxiety.

Unless it is too serious I wouldn't be worried about it. It wouldn't be a bad idea to have a doc check it out to give you some peace of mind.

How is the Lexapro working for you?

Also, Katy. Did your doctor make any mention of a hypnagogic jerk?

Hypnagogic startle/jerk - "sleep start" or sudden body jerk, observed normally just at sleep onset, resulting in at least momentary awakening.

What you are describing sounds a little like a hypnagogic startle/jerk.

This can manifest in many ways and a sudden gasp of air is one of them. It can also feel like a zap of electricity through the body.

Eric,

The Dr. didn't say anything about hypnagogic startle/jerk, but I know what you mean, and yes, I have experienced that also as a feeling of falling. I didn't know, however, that it could manifest as a sudden gasp of air.

As far as the palpitations, I have had them off and on most of my life. Anyway this last bout seems to have subsided. I am guessing that they were not related to the heat, etc. in my heart area when I meditate.

The Lexapro has helped with the Sleep Paralysis very much! I used to have two or three episodes a week, and a few times up to three in one night. I had this almost all my life. I wish I had been able to go to the sleep clinic years ago.. could have been spared much suffering. Now, with the Lexapro I seldom have S.P. Maybe once a month, or less.

Thanks for the information!

Katy

I have had sleep paralysis on occasion. Mine are usually at sleep onset and I have had some very vivid hallucinations with them. I always feel like I am being attacked. I have also had the jerks at sleep onset.

I wouldn't discount the Kundalini though. It is very possible that might be causing changes in your heart area. I have read stories about people developing a very strange array of symptoms after having it awakened.

I am glad to hear the Lexapro is working.

Hey Kate..
I can relate to a lot of what you are saying.
The movement in my stomach is sort of like a surge, its only happened twice but i also have had body spasms when going to sleep. My sister who is a nurse says that this is pretty common when going to sleep. With what you described with the breathing thing i had an experience when i was meditating a lot (still happens if i meditate) where (during the day etc) i feel like my body wants to take a huge breath deep into my abdomen but i just can't seem to make myself breath as deep as i feel i need to. I thought i was short of breath or something and i went to a Japenese doc who said that there is nothing wrong and said that trouble with breathing can come from to much meditation. I don't know if this is what you are describing thought. I too have had sleep paraylisis since i was little. During this i see things or feel a presence. I find that if i sleep on my back i get sleep para a lot more. I hope i'm not diverting to far from the topic (kundalini and sleep)as i'm more just talking about sleep problems in general. God bless you all...

The involuntary knee jerks and leg kicks are what drive me crazy sometimes, but I guess that goes along with my religious-right conditioning.

quote:

Originally posted by solsta:
[qb] Hey Kate..
With what you described with the breathing thing i had an experience when i was meditating a lot (still happens if i meditate) where (during the day etc) i feel like my body wants to take a huge breath deep into my abdomen but i just can't seem to make myself breath as deep as i feel i need to. I thought i was short of breath or something and i went to a Japenese doc who said that there is nothing wrong and said that trouble with breathing can come from to much meditation. [/qb]

Solsta, I never heard of too much meditation causing breathing trouble. You might be interested in transformational breathing. The web site is: www.breathe2000.com Last year at this time I went to a group Trans. breathing session and it was awesome. Since then I have had private sessions and also practice on my own.

Katy

Katy

I would like to revive this topic of kundalini and sleep. Spontaneous, deep inhalations, upon going to sleep, or when very relaxed and/or meditating has been occurring more and more frequently. As I mentioned in one of my replies above, I have told my Dr. about this and he had no answer. I did tell one of my massage therapists about it and she said the same thing happened to her.. a very powerful intake of air/prana. She believed it was kundalini related.

Anyway, tonight, it happened several times, and that is why I am up and writing this at 4:25 AM! It keeps on keeping me from going to sleep!
I HAVE been praying and meditating more recently, which makes me wonder if it IS K related. I don't know where else to turn at this point, unless I go to the sleep clinic again! That wasn't very much fun... though quite an interesting experience.

I want to know if anyone else experiences this deep, powerful, spontaneous open mouth inhalation when very relaxed and/or going to sleep. Any information about this would be greatly appreciated. Been losing sleep. :-(

Oh, and Phil, and PG, I got a chuckle out of the peanut butter bread by the bed in the post above.
I have always kept a glass of water on my night stand for when I feel that I need water at night. I used to have to get up to eat, too. But I think it was not K related.

O.K. going to drink some water now, and go back to bed and hopefully get a little bit of shuteye before daybreak. :-)

Thanks,
Katy