Have you ever had the sudden feeling of falling off while you are sleeping?
Of course, you would have like 60-70% of the people (at least once in their lifetime) have felt this sudden jolt, of falling off from a height while they are sleeping. Psychologically termed as hypnic jerks and also referred to sleep start or night starts. A hypnagogic state (from where you get the term hypnic jerk) is the battle between wakefulness and sleep in our brain.
Psychologically this phenomenon is termed as hypnic jerks; also referred to sleep start or night starts. A hypnagogic state (from where you get the term hypnic jerk) is the battle between wakefulness and sleep in our brain.
Hypnic Jerks
Hypnic Jerks give you the sensation of falling off, dreams, and hallucinations. They occur in the transitional period for a sleeping human between wakefulness and sleep.
Though our brain is perfect in almost every way, a megalomaniac, it can make mistakes too.
One of the theories, about this twitch that wakes us up, to the feeling of falling in our dreams, is a misinterpretation by the brain; a primate reflex to the relaxation of the muscles when we lay down to sleep, the brain interprets that the body is actually falling. It panics and sends signals to the muscle, gradually waking you up to consciousness.
Another theory says that, when our body is in a transition period from alertness to sleep, the nerves ‘misfire giving us sleep starts.
Stress and anxiety often lead to fear, delusion, paranoia, insomnia; it causes chronic tension in our minds to form a vicious cycle. For mum’s are always right to tell us not to take the stress and go to bed in time.
Sleep deprivation or even excessive consumption of alcohol can give you sudden jolts.
Hypnic jerks can occur any time of the day but only when you are in your sleep. People often are either embarrassed or startled by these. Nevertheless, hypnic jerks are harmless. There are no serious consequences of them, except you falling out of your bed and getting hurt.
Moreover, you might just wake up with a racing heartbeat, quickened breathing, sweating or a feeling of shock.