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you are moving slowly Sleep When suddenly your arms and legs convulse and you wake up with a shock.
Or, perhaps you’re relaxing in bed, when suddenly, your dozing partner gives a powerful twitch, scaring you to death.
This is called a hypnic jerk or sleep start. This is often accompanied by a sensation of falling or staggering.
An estimated 70 percent of people will experience it at some point.
So, what causes hypnic jerks? And could certain factors make it more likely to occur?
a little misinterpretation
The truth is that we don’t know exactly why this happens, but sleep researchers have some theories.
As we transition from being awake to sleeping, the nervous system weakens and the muscles relax.
Sometimes, the brain mistakes this relaxation as the sensation of falling or tripping. The brain sends quick but powerful signals to the body. Compelling shock is the result.
Hypnic jerks usually affect one side of the body and are painless. However, some people may experience a tingling or painful sensation.
For most people, hypnic jerks are not associated with any health or other sleep problems. However, when hypnagogic shocks occur repeatedly over a long period of time, people may anticipate them anxiously. This may cause insomnia.
Are they associated with certain health conditions or medications?
Some research has shown that hypnagogic tremors may be more common in people with certain conditions, such as: parkinson’s diseaseA 2016 study suggests that hypnic jerks may be a symptom that may occur in the early stages of Parkinson’s disease,
However, it is much less likely that they will occur in the absence of other common symptoms, such as changes in gait and mobility or REM sleep behavior disorder (where people start acting out dreams). These are much more reliable potential indicators of Parkinson’s disease.
About the authors
Yaqut Fatima is Professor of Sleep Health at the University of the Sunshine Coast.
Alexandra Metse is Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the University of the Sunshine Coast.
Daniel Sullivan is a lecturer in clinical psychology at Griffith University.
This article is republished from Conversation Under Creative Commons license. read the original article,
Frequent sleep-disrupting tremors can be a side effect of some prescription medications, especially antidepressants such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). This includes medicines like escitalopram, sertraline and fluoxetine.
Although this is considered a rare side effect, and the exact cause is still unknown, researchers have reported several cases in which people using these drugs experience hypnic jerks, which often resolve quickly after the drug is discontinued.
If you are taking these medications, experiencing hypnagogic tremors, and are concerned about it, talk to your doctor.
Other medications that contain caffeine, and non-prescribed substances that have stimulant effects, such as cocaine, have also been linked to hypnic jerks.
good sleep hygiene
Hypnic jerks are common and usually no cause for concern.
However, certain lifestyle factors may further increase their chances. These include:
Keeping these factors under control is part of good sleep hygiene anyway – whether you’re worried about hypnic jerks or not.