Hypnic Jerk: Why You Twitch Before Falling Asleep
By: EjazUlHaqBhat
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Hypnic jerks, also called sleep starts, are sudden, involuntary muscle contractions you may experience as you are falling asleep
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Hypnic is short for hypnagogic, a word that describes the transition between wakefulness to sleep, which is when these jerks occur
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It happens seemingly at random as you are falling asleep, and typically only affect one side of the body, such as your left arm and left leg
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Researchers do not know for certain what causes hypnic jerks, but there are some theories
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The brain misunderstands what's happening as your muscles relax before sleep
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The brain thinks you're falling and causes your muscles to tense to "catch yourself"
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It's a natural step in the transition from alertness to sleep, where some of the nerves in your hands and legs misfire
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Hypnic jerks are usually harmless and can occur in healthy people of any age
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However, they can be intensified by certain factors, including stress, anxiety, sleep deprivation, excessive caffeine and stimulant consumption
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