My whole body just 'jumps' or gives one big 'twitch', just as I'm about to nod off for the night in bed! Does this happen to anyone else and do you know why it does?
2006-09-14 20:56:08 · 25 answers · asked by Say It Like You Mean It 4 in Health ➔ General Health Care ➔ Other - General Health Care
Yep, I do it. But I have no idea why!
2006-09-14 20:57:31 · answer #1 · answered by nige_but_dim 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, it foten happens to me.
Twitches while falling asleep are called hypnagogic myoclonus, myoclonus being any sort of involuntary muscle spasm and hypnagogic referring to sleep. The twitches occur during very light sleep as the conscious brain gradually relinquishes control of the motor functions. Often they're accompanied by a sense of falling, or the feeling that something is flowing through the body, and sometimes people will experience vivid dreams or hallucinations.
It's not known exactly what causes the twitches, but they appear to be associated (although by no means invariably) with (a) anxiety and (b) some faint stimulus, such as a noise.
2006-09-14 21:16:50 · answer #2 · answered by Lunar_Chick 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sometimes in class when I didn't get enough sleep I'm about to fall asleep, and my head twitches off my desk, and I feel a pain in my head like I just pulled a major vessel. It happened quite often last year.
2006-09-14 20:58:08 · answer #3 · answered by Gabe 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hehe, my boyfriend does that all the time, it scares the living crap outta me, I do it sometimes too but not as bad as him. I give a little twitch where he pretty much jumps 10 feet lol.
2006-09-16 20:43:26 · answer #4 · answered by Isabella's Mommy Expecting #2 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it happens because your body is not as relaxed as your brain. When your brain shuts down for sleep, your body relaxes too quickly and you give an involuntary jerk and wake up again. Try some relaxation excersized after you go to bed, listen to 'mood music' or read a book to relax you ready for sleep.
2006-09-15 01:17:39 · answer #5 · answered by fenlandfowl 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, this is caused by a chemical released by your body to lightly paralyse you whilst you are asleep to help prevent people acting out their dreams. When this is first released your muscles react by twitching. It is nothing to worry about!!
2006-09-15 00:59:18 · answer #6 · answered by driving_me_crazy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No idea why it happens but it happens to me all the time, ever night before bed, it's really annoying when you are just dozing off...it jumped so much i kicked my ex-boyfreind and he had a bruise for ages on his back...
2006-09-15 04:26:40 · answer #7 · answered by Emma O 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is an inherited behaviour from monkeys and other primates which sleep in trees.
The purpose is to prevent falling asleep and falling out of the tree, simple as that.
2006-09-14 22:57:48 · answer #8 · answered by Not Ecky Boy 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes, it feels like you're falling, but trying to stop yourself. Maybe we're sleeping too close to the edge of the bed. ha
2006-09-14 21:09:05 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hi yes its so annoying apparently it is astral travelling when we go to sleep at night your soul travels and the jump is when its coming back in scarey or what
2006-09-14 21:09:17 · answer #10 · answered by Tammy B 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I get this, and it usually co-incides with a small dream that I'm stepping off a kerb with a jolt!
2006-09-14 21:06:26 · answer #11 · answered by Roxy 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋