sometimes when I start to fall asleep I get a jolt, it's almost like an electric shock. that wakes me up , sometimes I am paralized and cant move but my mind is racing I can see images that go along with old memories but have no relation to them, it's really hard to explain what I experience cause it's hard to try and describe. but when it's happening it all makes sense for some reason. but afterwards I forget everything..does this make sense to anyone? I can remember some of the images I see but I cant put any words to it... this has been happening to me since I was a young child..

Welocme aboard.

There are a few candidates for the jolts. For instance, we have a lot of reflexes whose purpose is to protect our heads, and like reflexes generally, they operate on a "shoot first and ask questions later" basis. And yes, a sudden movement of several muscles in unison does feel like an electric shock.

Whatever else it is, it is a sleep disorder, and you can consult a medical specialist for relief if you wish.

Once it wakes you up, you are in the land of hypnopompic mentality, the "twilight consciousness" of waking up. Awareness of not-yet released sleep paralysis, confusion, hallucinations - all well within the range of ordinary hypnopomposity.

That kind of sounds like what happens to me from time to time. Sometimes (when I'm not dreaming, but about to fall asleep) I get weird images or scenarios in my head that involve me (usually) getting hurt in some way, so I literally almost jump awake before it happens. The time I can remember this happening clearest to me is when I was on my bed in my room, just about to doze off, but I was still having conscious thoughts. I was on an ice pond and skating with a bunch of other people in a park or something like that, and I was about to slip and fall. I was still conscious because I remember I felt like I was going to fall off of my bed, so I jolted awake.

Anyway, I think that happens to everyone, though.