What is the sensation when you're just about to drift off to sleep & it feels like you're falling out of bed

Question

I'm sure you guys know what I mean - that sudden jolt as if you're falling.

What causes that?

LOL - Beautiful Angel Princess .....what the?!?

Answer 1

That is your mental reaction to your mind shifting from a natural, awake state, directly into REM sleep (Rapid-Eye-Movement). Typically, the mind goes through a series of gradual changes as it drifts into deep sleep, but occasionally, your brain will skip the middle steps. During REM sleep, the eyes move about rapidly, and you have deep dreams, often with elaborate storylines.
Dreams are still somewhat of a mystery, but what we do know is that the mind often incorporates reality with dreams, so when your mind still wants to be awake, it will often attempt to wake you up.

Answer 2

Well, I don't know if it's true or if it's just an urban myth, but here's what I heard:

Apparently, this happens when you're really, really tired (which seems to be true) - and you fall into a deep sleep very quickly. Your body is then shutting down too fast and that can be dangerous (not sure why). So you're being jolted back as a defense mechanism, to allow you to come to and then fall asleep again, but more gradually.

Answer 3

I know exactly what you're talking about. I'm not sure what causes it. It's probably because you're dreaming, but your brain still has a bit of control over your body, so it responds to something in your thoughts. I hate it, it always wakes me up, and sometimes I kick the board at the end of my bed, injuring both my foot and the board.

Answer 4

Good question...When I was younger I used to get what felt like HUGE electrical jolts when just falling alseep. Not sure if you are a guy but what I remembering reading back then said it was common for young men.

Answer 5

I don't know what it is actually called, but I watched this show and they said that it is caused by your body going into such a deep state of relaxation that your brain actually thinks that you are dying, so it gives a jolt to stop you from dying (if that makes sense)

Answer 6

It's basically the beginning of an Out-Of-Body-Experience, but you're not ready for it, and your consciousness snaps your spirit back into your body, sometimes violently.
The Hippies (and the stoners) used to have a term for it - Spaced. The term isn't meant to convey that you are in "space", but rather I see it as the metaphoric "spacing" (like a spacebar on your computer keyboard) where your spirit or psyche is spaced, or slightly and briefly separated, from your physical body.
Ask people who are into yoga or meditation, they might have the same experience.

Answer 7

what i've heard is that early people used to sleep in trees. obviously, if you felt like you were falling, it would be a good thing for the body to automatically react very quickly and try to not fall out of the tree. I'd bet monkeys have the same problem...

Answer 8

OMG ME TOO!!!!! i think its because when you try to sleep you dont think of anything, so ur mind is completely empty, giving off the illusion of you floating or falling. with me, when i keep my eyes closed, it feels like im floating but when i open them it feels like i fell back on the bed!!

this might have to do with meditation. meditating requires that you clear your mind of everything and think about nothing. meditating gives off the illusion that you are floating, so thats why many cartoons are draw floating in the air while meditating.

Answer 9

Your brain thinks something is wrong... as in you're dying. So it sends out a signal to check that everything is okay.

Answer 10

itz when ur brain is sooooo tired and it just drifts off but yet it wants to stay awake so it panic and tries to get u up again immediately!