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Hayley (Washington State) on 07/29/2014

I've had severe hypnic jerks at least 6 nights a week for close to 8 or more years that disrupted my sleep to no end. Even when I could sleep, I couldn't because the jerks kept me from falling asleep. I've spend hours researching the underlying cause to no end. Magnesium oil helped to a limited to degree, but that's about it until I read a few comments about Benadryl causing hypnic jerks. After reading this, I researched it, and found it's true so I went off it--I had been taking it on a daily basis for allergies and migraine headaches for years. Since I went off the Benadryl, I've had 3 hypnic jerks in the nine nights I've been off it.

I'm convinced hypnic jerks are a side-effect of a lot of meds, and would urge anyone suffering from them to google everything they take with the word 'myoclonus' to see if it's a side-effect. If it is, and you're able to go off the med, your jerks should settle down as mine did.

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Replied By Anthony (Ireland) on 09/30/2021

I too suffered from hypnic jerks, past tense. It was my medication that was causing them, taking magnesium out of the system. I would get them when trying to fall asleep and just before you dose off, they would jerk you awake again. one night I jumped out of bed with one scary. Too much tea coffee and alcohol would also take magnesuim out of the system. I would get them real bad on a Sunday night if I was out drinking Saturday night. Now I take magnesium citrate two hours before bed 400mg with a snack, magnesium by solgar best quality. Not that expensive for a month's supply. Cut back on tea coffee and alcohol.
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