Hypnic Jerk

Naranasan mo na ba, na habang nasa jeep ka or sa sasakyan - biglang nalang gagalaw ang binti mo nang hindi mo namamalayan. Pati na rin ang kamay minsan. Nakakahiya ang ganitong pangyayari dahil mabubulabog o mabibigla ang mga katabi mong pasahero na pilit iiwas sa iyo or didistansiya nang kaunti. Na ang akala nila'y me epilepsy ka o kaya'y may masamang balak sa kanila.

Sa ayaw ko man o gusto ito ang nararanasan ko ngayon everytime na nagpapahinga o naiidlip ako nang kaunti sa sasakyan dahil na rin sa sobrang antok. Buti na lang at hindi madalas nangyayari ito sa akin at mga ilang beses lang sa isang linggo. Nagsaliksik ang inyong lingkod sa Internet ukol sa ganitong kundisyon hanggang sa umabot siya sa iba't ibang katulad ng Restless Leg Syndrome, Periodic Limb Movement Disorder hanggang sa mapunta sa Hypnagogic Myoclonic Twitch or Hypnic Jerk (grabe na ito dami ko nang medical term na alam simula nang maging health conscious ako).

Buti na lang at hindi yung first 2 ang nararanasan ko kundi ang Hypnic Jerk lang at ito po ang isang article na nahanap ko sa Internet tungkol dito. Me kinalaman sa kulang sa pagtulog ang kundisyon na ito.

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That Strange Falling Sensation


Do you ever wake up suddenly to a falling sensation and a strong muscle twitch just after you have fallen asleep?

This strange falling sensation and muscle twitch is known as a hypnagogic myoclonic twitch or “Hypnic jerk” If this has happened to you on more than one occasion, don’t worry, you are not alone. Close to 70 percent of all people experience this phenomenon just after nodding off, according to a recent study at the Mayo Clinic.

Most experts agree that this is a natural part of the sleeping process, much like slower breathing and a reduced heartbeat. The occurance is well known and has been well documented. However, experts are still not completely sure why the body does this.

The general consensus among researchers is that, as your muscles begin to slack and go into a restful state just as you are falling asleep; your brain senses these relaxation signals and misinterprets them, thinking you are falling down. The brain then sends signals to the muscles in your arms and legs in an attempt to jerk you back upright. This misinterpretation that takes place in your brain may also be responsible for the “falling” dreams that accompany the falling sensation. These “dreams” are not really normal dreams, as they are not produced from R.E.M sleep, but rather more like a daydream or hallucination in response to the body’s sensations.

While this phenomenon happens to most everyone, studies have recently begun to link occurrences of “Hypnic jerks” to sleep anxiety, fatigue, and discomfort. People who are having trouble sleeping or can’t get comfortable in bed appear to experience the sensation more often throughout the night. It is especially more common with people who are trying to fight falling asleep or have deprived themselves of sleep for more than 24 hours.

Researchers believe that the lack of sleep from sleep anxiety or sleep deprivation confuses the muscles and the brain. The muscles continually attempt to relax and shut down for rest, while your brain remains awake creating continued “misinterpretations” of falling or loss of balance.

Scientists and researchers continue to study sleep twitching and jerking in a small capacity, but state that the sensation is completely normal for our bodies and is “of little medical significance”. Our bodies go through several procedures of shutting down and preparing for an extended period of rest. “Hypnic jerking” is just one of them. It doesn’t appear to cause damage to body and poses no danger to our physical well-being.


source: Strange Falling Sensation