Sometimes when you’re about to fall asleep, you might feel like you’re suddenly falling, almost like you’ve dropped off a cliff. It’s a weird and scary feeling, but it’s something a lot of people experience. One moment you’re cozy in bed, relaxing under your blanket, and the next, you wake up with a jolt, feeling like you’re crashing down through the sky.
Even though it feels frightening, it’s usually just your body doing a quick little jerk before you fully fall asleep. These sudden movements are completely normal and are known as “hypnic jerks” or “hypnagogic jerks.” They usually happen when you’re shifting from being awake into the early stages of sleep. It can also happen at other times during the night as your body moves between different sleep stages.
According to experts like Medical News Today, hypnic jerks are a type of “sleep myoclonus,” which basically means quick, involuntary muscle movements that occur during sleep. They usually happen when you’re in the very light stages of sleep and tend to go away once you move into deeper sleep.
Even though it feels like you’re falling, what’s actually happening is that one or more of your muscles suddenly tightens or twitches very fast. Sometimes, you might even have a short dream or nightmare at the same time, where you feel yourself falling or tripping. This happens because outside sounds or sensations can sneak into your dreams, like your alarm clock ringing becoming part of a dream about an emergency.
You might wonder why this happens in the first place. Thankfully, hypnic jerks are very common and not dangerous. A few things can make them more likely, like drinking too much caffeine, smoking, or vaping close to bedtime. Doing intense exercise too late in the evening can also make your body too awake and cause more twitching. Stress, anxiety, and even not getting enough sleep in general can all contribute too.
Adults tend to experience these jerks more often than kids, and while they’re normal, they can feel very unsettling.
If you want to reduce how often you get these jerks, there are a few simple things you can try. Avoid having caffeine, nicotine, or alcohol before bed, and try to cut down on them overall if you can. It’s better to exercise earlier in the day so that by bedtime your body is already winding down. Try sticking to a regular sleep schedule by going to bed and waking up around the same time every day.
Keeping your bedroom cool and dark can also help you sleep more peacefully. Experts suggest keeping the room temperature between 65 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Turning off screens like phones, TVs, and tablets at least an hour before bed will also give your brain a better chance to relax.
In most cases, hypnic jerks aren’t anything to worry about and you don’t need treatment. But if they’re happening so often that they’re ruining your sleep or affecting your daily life, it’s a good idea to talk to a doctor.
Just remember, even though it feels scary in the moment, those falling sensations are a normal part of your body settling into sleep.
