Every Time I Fell Asleep, My Body Fired an Alarm: Holly’s Story

My hypnic jerks began suddenly in July 2022, shortly after a traumatic event and a COVID infection earlier that year. Every time I fell asleep, it felt like a defibrillator shocked me awake —a violent full-body jolt followed by an intense adrenaline surge. This repeated for hours each night.

Over time, the jerks evolved into falling sensations, body twitching, and repeated sleep-onset adrenaline surges. Alongside them came a cluster of symptoms that felt almost PTSD-like: heart pounding without increased pulse, sound sensitivity and exaggerated startle, constant internal adrenaline, and a persistent sense of doom. I was dizzy and fatigued and couldn’t get out of bed some days. Daily life became extremely difficult.

Searching for answers: EKGs, bloodwork, and hormone testing were normal except for mildly elevated TPO antibodies. I tried many medications commonly used for anxiety or sleep, including propranolol, Lexapro, trazodone, Ambien, Remeron, Seroquel, Intuniv, and clonidine, but none stopped the jerks. High-dose trazodone (200 mg) and clonazepam allowed me to sleep without the electric shock sensation, but the underlying adrenaline surges never truly resolved. I also completed four months of EMDR, though the nightly physiologic trauma made progress difficult.

Temporary relief, then relapse: Eventually, I learned the term hypnic jerks and joined an online community. A ketogenic diet combined with 0.5 mg clonazepam brought my first real relief, allowing me to function again for several months. However, during a stressful period in June 2023, I attempted to taper clonazepam. The jerks immediately returned.

A few years of trial and error: Through 2023 and 2024, I tried nearly everything: thyroid hormone, progesterone, testosterone pellets, supplements, neurofeedback, acupuncture, diet changes, stress reduction, and complete exercise cessation. Exercise consistently made the jerks much worse. A neurologist prescribed Keppra, starting at 500 mg and increasing to 1,000 mg. It helped decrease my anxiety, but did not stop the jerks.

A turning point: In May 2025 I was prescribed prednisone for a severe case of poison ivy and surprisingly the jerks and PTSD symptoms eased up. This revelation helped me recognize that my adrenal/stress response system needed support. In August 2025 I started hydrocortisone at 5mg three times a day. For the first time in years, my exaggerated stress response and pounding heart began to settle. The jerks became milder, usually a falling sensation rather than an electric shock. In mid-November 2025, I added pregnenolone at 5 mg three times daily. I have now been completely jerk-free for over a month, and my nighttime adrenaline surges have dropped dramatically.

Genetics and insight: My genetic testing shows variants in TNXB and CYP21A2, including the region LOC106780800 —genes involved in connective tissue, steroid metabolism, and stress-response regulation. These findings may help explain why neurosteroid support and hydrocortisone finally stabilized my symptoms.

What helped most: The greatest improvements came from low-dose Cortef, pregnenolone, avoiding high-intensity exercise, and allowing my nervous system to rest. Most other medications, supplements, and therapies helped only partially or not at all.

Where I am today: After three years of relentless hypnic jerks, adrenaline surges, and heart-pounding episodes, I finally feel my system stabilizing. If you are reading this and searching for answers, you are not alone. Patterns are emerging, and understanding the neuro-steroid and autonomic physiology behind these symptoms is changing everything. This chronic illness (as I call it) knocked me down to where I didn’t know how I could go on. I made it through and found strength I didn’t even know I had. I’m still working on healing, but I get much more joy and happiness in the simple things in life than I did before.