Sitting at work but sleepy eyes drooping. You close the computer, turn off the power to go to sleep, but when you lie down on the bed to “take a nap”, suddenly no sleep. This scenario sounds very familiar and happens to no one alone.
Medical professionals refer to this phenomenon as “hypnic jerks,” part of a state of hypnosis – the transitional phase between waking and sleeping . During this phase, the muscles of the body relax. The brain interprets this sensation as “falling down,” “hovering,” and will trigger muscle contractions.
Muscle contractions can occur spontaneously or can be caused by sound, light, or other external stimuli – (Image: USA Today).
Some people experience hypnic jerks with hallucinations, dreams, a sensation of falling, or bright lights or loud noises coming from inside the head; Some people suddenly wake up like a flute, even though they were very sleepy before.
Researchers aren’t sure why hypnic jerks occur , but certain factors, such as stress, anxiety, fatigue, caffeine, lack of sleep, and intense evening exercise can do increased frequency and severity of hypnic jerks.
This phenomenon is believed to be completely normal and nothing to worry about. Experts believe that up to 70% of people experience them at some point in their lives. Even cats and dogs experience this seizure.
But if it’s causing you frequent insomnia and restlessness, see your doctor. Because in some special cases, hypnic seizures can be a sign of an underlying medical disorder, such as sleep apnea.
Anyone can experience “hypnic jerks,” and there’s no way to prevent it. We can only reduce its occurrence by controlling our stress levels, drinking less caffeine, and going to bed on time in a quiet and comfortable environment.