Startle Reflex and Relaxation

[DKBrown]

This might be a weird question, but what do I do about my startle reflex when I am drifting into total relaxation? I sink down into total oblivion and then panic and lurch back into hyper wakefulness. I've done it with hypnosis, lucid dreaming, and just today in a float tank. It's gotten in the way of my astral projection game as well. I'll start to settle in and then jolt right out. I seem to struggle with muscle tension in general. Any rituals to do or spirits to petition? Any science on this stuff or mundane leads? I take magnesium for muscle function and Omega 3 for nerve function.

[insideamindseye]

It can be caused by anxiety and also a problem with nerve cells. Do you regularly get twitches, myoclonic jerks, or tremors? As a person with a nervous system disorder, and person who has myoclonis, this can be problems with the brain. I do turn on relaxing binaural and frequencies to help relax my muscles, especially if they're twitchy. I also make sure to drink enough water and have enough electrolytes.

[Lewk]

This may or may not help...but one counter-intuitive, new agey-type technique is to love it, instead of resist or 'fear' it.

You can even affirm, maybe at least 6 times: "I love it when I...".

(Maybe repeat it more than once a day for 9 days or so...whatever feels right)

I think pseudo-scientifically panic relates to adrenaline, which comes from the adrenal gands that sit on top of the kidneys. As I understand it, the flood of adrenaline that comes from panic lasts only 13 seconds.

You can focus on your breathing and wait 13 seconds until it is over.

A full blown panic attack is similar but different. For that you might want to use a cognitive behavioural trick that recognises the subliminal - or obvious - thought pattern that precedes a panic attack. Rather like you stop a hiccup or a sneeze.

Strangely, loving something that you were resisting or fearing eases it. It's not about wanting things to go 'wrong'. Maybe it works by reframing what we think is 'wrong', which resets our internal chemical factory. It won't work if you simply 'try it' but still have the mindset of I don't like this.

If you do manage to 'get' it, it's strange how achieving this 'I love it' mode does ease the discomfort - mental, emotional or even physical.

(The method comes from the Barefoot Doctor, who sadly passed peacefully away last year.)

If all else fails it might be some consolation to realise that lots of people probably experience exactly the same thing.

[cairngorn]

I have a mild version of this and I use the moments of being startled as a reminder to stay awake and focus. It shakes me out of wherever my mind has wandered. Then again, I'm not sure how good it would be if there were severe muscle twitches.

[DKBrown]

@insideamindseye, @Lewk and @cairngorn, thank you.

[Thyr]

Could also be caused by trauma. I had similar experiences with people I worked with. I am a Shiatsu therapist and therefore trained in reading peoples energies and body overall. At least three of them showed similar reactions during treatments, two of them being victims of sexual assault and one who had a major cancer treatment. They all were afraid of letting go and losing control. Try to stretch and massage someone, who's as relaxed as a brick...