Exhausted, you finally lie down in bed and sink into what you hope will be a deep sleep, when suddenly your body feels like it’s falling – and then it jerks to stop the fall. Of course, you wake up immediately, startled and wondering what just happened.
No matter how often it happens, you never quite get used to it. The feeling is always sudden, jarring, and often a little frightening. The strange sensation of falling, followed by an involuntary jerk, can wake you up wide awake again.
If this has happened to you, you’re not alone. In fact, up to 70% of people experience this phenomenon, known as hypnic jerks (or sleep starts). While scientists don’t yet fully understand why these sudden jerks occur, there are some leading theories.
The Science Behind Hypnic Jerks
Although there is no single, definitive explanation, two main theories shed light on why hypnic jerks occur
