Home LivingWellnessSleepWhy you twitch when you fall asleep, reveals sleep expertHypnic jerks: what are they & how to get back to sleep after having themWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
Home LivingWellnessSleepWhy you twitch when you fall asleep, reveals sleep expertHypnic jerks: what are they & how to get back to sleep after having themWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
Hypnic jerks: what are they & how to get back to sleep after having them
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Ekaterina Bolovtsova / Pexels)
(Image credit: Ekaterina Bolovtsova / Pexels)
Picture this: you’re tucked in bed and falling into a deep sleep. Suddenly, you jolt or twitch yourself awake, resulting in you feeling uncomfortable, startled and panicky. If this happens to you occasionally or frequently, there’s actually a name for this strange thing you’re experiencing: hypnic jerk.
A hypnic jerk or sleep start can happen to anyone so while you should feel reassured that you’re not the only one to experience this, it’s not exactly the nicest feeling and it disrupts your sleep schedule. To find out more about hypnic jerks, I spoke to Martin Seeley, sleep expert & CEO ofMattressNextDay, and he explained what hypnic jerks are, why you have them and how to get back to sleep after having one.
What is a hypnic jerk?
A hypnic jerk is a sudden and involuntary body movement or muscle contraction that you might experience as you’re falling asleep. According to Seeley, “hypnic jerks may involve muscle twitches or more complex actions such as a head, arm or leg jerk.” Alongside this body twitch, some people may experience strange dreams or images when having a hypnic jerk, with many reportingfeeling like they’re falling or seeing flashing lights.
Hypnic jerks can happen at any time during the night and they’re fairly common in both children and adults. The response to a hypnic jerk is different for each person. While some people might not notice them at all and carry on sleeping, the movements can be “violent enough to wake you up.”
(Image credit: диана дунаева / Pexels)
(Image credit: диана дунаева / Pexels)
How to get back to sleep after a hypnic jerk
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Take deep breaths
After you’ve had a hypnic jerk, your heart might be racing and you could be feeling uncomfortable, fearful and wide awake. To help your body calm down and relax so you can fall asleep again, get comfortable and take deep breaths to soothe your mind and body from the disruption.
Avoid your phone
It’s always a big no-no to check your phone when you wake up in the night, regardless of whether you’ve had a hypnic jerk or not. Seeley says “this is because the blue light emitted from your phone interferes with the body’s production of the sleep hormone, melatonin. In turn, this makes you feel more awake, making it harder for you to fall asleep and seeing the time on your phone may stress you out if you need to be awake in a couple of hours.” For more details on blue light, take a look at our guide onhow blue light affects your sleep.
Carry out a full body scan
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