Sheryl Grassie
Sheryl is a writer with a long-time passion for holistic health and good sleep hygiene. She writes on topics related to nutrition, diet and lifestyle, and of course good sleep.
Sheryl is a writer with a long-time passion for holistic health and good sleep hygiene. She writes on topics related to nutrition, diet and lifestyle, and of course good sleep.
You are just about to fall asleep when your body jerks, waking you up. This unexpected contraction of your muscles is called a hypnagogic jerk, or hypnic jerk, for short. The term hypnagogic refers to the stage between awake and asleep, the time when the jerks happen. They are associated with the shift that occurs when transitioning from fully awake into the lightest level of sleep, non-REM sleep. They don’t happen in the deeper state of REM sleep.
The hypnic jerk is a type of myoclonus or involuntary muscle twitch, sometimes called a sleep start or a sleep twitch. These muscle twitches don’t follow a predictable pattern, and are very commonplace with 60-70% of people reporting they experience them regularly.
A hypnic jerk is essentially a startle response, which happens most often just as you are falling asleep. It is commonly described as a feeling of falling, that may or may not be accompanied by a dream or visual image. Some people report feeling like they are falling out of bed, falling off of a curb, falling out of a tree, or falling off a cliff. Others report a feeling of falling into a void. A smaller percentage of people describe a hypnic jerk episode as feeling like they are “shocked” awake. No matter the perceived experience, the body responds to the hypnic jerk with an accelerated heart rate, intensified breathing, and sometimes sweating.
The strength of a hypnic jerk can range from very mild and not even noticeable, to strong enough to fully wake you up. Hypnic jerks are not considered a comorbid sign of any other disorder; however, they may be related to certain causational factors.
Hypnic Jerks seem to occur regularly in babies and young children, who have repetitive jerking movements while sleeping. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine has found some evidence that they increase with age, but conversely others studies have shown a decrease in frequency as we grow older. More conclusive research is still needed on this point.
As of yet, there are no definite conclusions as to what causes a hypnic jerk. There seems to be a number of correlative factors that increase likelihood and frequency, and a number of theories as to what is behind the jerks. Correlative factors are all lifestyle related and tend to increase hypnic jerks. Examples include:
There are a number of theories as to the cause of the hypnic jerks. The seven most common explanations are as follows:
Hypnic jerks are nothing to be concerned about and nothing needs to be done about them. However, if they are happening frequently, disturbing your sleep, or you feel concerned about them, consult your doctor for input and possibly sleep medication. There are some simple fixes that do seem to lower the intensity and frequency of hypnic jerks like:
A hypnic jerk is a common muscle twitch that can occur as you fall asleep. It may be caused by a number of natural body processes or it may be a leftover safety response from when we were primates. In general, hypnic jerks are not considered harmful and do not need treatment.
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