I an 54, overweight and a smoker. For the past few years, I have been having a strange problem that seems to have something to do with my heart. When nodding off while watching TV, or when sleeping, I get this tight sensation around my heart. It lasts only briefly. It causes a kind of spasm to go through my whole body and I jerk awake. If I start nodding off again, it will do it again. I tried to explain this to my cardiologist. All he told me was that it was a fairly common problem. But didn't explain further. I worry that he may have been just trying to avoid causing me more worry bu not saying I was just getting ready to kick the bucket. If what I described happens to anybody else out there, let me know what you know about it.
Stop smoking. Smoking is really very dangerous. It damages our entire body. Start exercise in the morning for at least 1 hr.
I'm 47 suffered with the exact same problem most of my adult life and its gets worse as i get older. It happens to me every time i nod off and every night at bedtime. Now here's the funny thing i had a "heart attack" at 45 too much smoking and an unhealthy life style. Changes were made and i no longer smoke and excercise regularily and feel great. Smoking damages your internal organs and hardens your arteries leading to blood clots i.e. heart failure - so please give it up. However, i still suffer from these jerks so they are most likely not heart related just your bodies muscles failing to shut down. There is no real cure although i do find a few beers or couple of glasses of wine significantly reduce the effects. Isn't life a bowl of cherries need to become an alcoholic to sleep at night.
A two year old could have told him that you rocket scientest !! It's your brain its having problem shutting down . I have the same problem and it verys from night to night. Yes smoking can help aggravate you problem the nicotine in your system can make it worse so can coffee and pop with caffine. Chances are you would have the same thing happening even if you didn't smoke. I don't know how bad of an episode you have had yet. But I have had an episode so bad that it feels like you have been shocked with hi voltage I emediatly had to set up and took a giant breath like I was drowning and rolled to my side and a few seconds latter my chest hurt almost to the point i called the EMT. I know you might think it sounds like a heart attack but it's not. I had had this same experience when I was young and it started up again.. I'm not telling you not to see a cardiologist that might be a smart thing to do and in fact I recommend you to. But if cutting back on your smoking .And any thing that has caffeine don't help you maybe you can ask your doctor for a low dose nerve pill. You can also search your symptoms. This has been a pretty well documented disorder