{"id":12365,"date":"2023-02-24T10:15:00","date_gmt":"2023-02-24T04:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wockhardthospitals.com\/?p=9474"},"modified":"2023-02-24T10:15:00","modified_gmt":"2023-02-24T04:45:00","slug":"why-do-you-feel-like-you-are-falling-or-had-a-sudden-jerk-right-before-drifting-off-to-sleep","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wockhardthospitals.com\/international-patients\/general-health\/why-do-you-feel-like-you-are-falling-or-had-a-sudden-jerk-right-before-drifting-off-to-sleep\/","title":{"rendered":"Feeling of Falling While Sleeping or Having a Sudden Jerk Right Before Sleep?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

You\u2019ve hit the bed and are waiting for a sound, restful sleep to consume you. But as soon as you find yourself drifting off to sleep, have you ever felt like you are falling or experienced a sudden startling shock? If yes, chances are that you have experienced \u2018sleep starts\u2019, also known as \u2018hypnic jerks\u2019 or \u2018myoclonic jerks\u2019. But, what does it mean? Simply put, these jerks are sudden, involuntary muscle contractions that can occur when a person is falling asleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSleep starts, also known as hypnic or hypnagogic jerks, are an abrupt, quick, and forceful contraction of the entire body, or of single or several body segments. These generally happen when a person is starting to nod off,\u201d Dr. Vipul Gupta said. \u201cA large portion of the body is typically affected by one abrupt jerk as the person starts falling asleep. It is most likely to impact the arms and legs. A sensory flash, feeling of falling, and a visual dream can also mark a sleep start.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Agreeing, Dr. Krishnan P R,  said that sleep starts are thought to be caused by sudden relaxation of the muscles as you transition from wakefulness to sleep. As a person falls asleep, their body temperature drops, and their muscles relax, which can trigger a reflex response in the nervous system that causes sudden muscle contractions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Usually, a sleep start does not make you wake up from your sleep. \u201cThis implies that you would probably not remember a jerk that your bed companion noticed,\u201d Dr. Pavan Pai, Consultant Interventional Neurologist, Wockhardt Hospitals, Mira Road said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the exact cause of sleep starts is not known, experts believe that many people can experience these jerks as a result of stress, anxiety, or other psychological factors. \u201cWhile there is no main specific cause behind hypnagogic jerks, some factors like excessive caffeine intake, and physical, and emotional stress can gradually increase the frequency. Extreme tiredness and sleep deprivation can also be a major factor behind these hypnic jerks,\u201d Dr. Gupta said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sharing their incidence, Dr. Pai highlighted that about 60 percent to 70 percent of people have them. \u201cMost individuals only experience them sometimes. Men and women of various ages are affected by sleep disorders. Adults are more prone to complain about jerks, which are persistent or violent.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Agreeing, Dr. Gupta said that it is important to note that it is not necessary that people experiencing these will experience them every time they fall asleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are they risky? Doctors share that sleep starts are generally not considered to be harmful or risky. \u201cHowever, in rare cases, they can be a symptom of a sleep disorder such as restless legs syndrome or periodic limb movement disorder. If sleep starts are accompanied by other symptoms such as insomnia or daytime fatigue, it is recommended to consult a doctor to rule out any underlying conditions,\u201d Dr. Krishnan said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, they aren\u2019t dangerous until and unless people aren\u2019t hurting themselves or start experiencing symptoms like incontinence, injury, pain, or confusion, Dr. Gupta added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are bothered by these sleep starts or have been experiencing them frequently, here are some tips to follow:<\/p>\n\n\n\n