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What Causes A Sudden Jerk Before You Fall Asleep?

When you’re trying to sleep, you might have experienced a sudden jerk. You tend to wake up all of a sudden due to that jolt. What causes that jerk? Read on to know…

At least once or twice in the past, when you're trying to sleep, you might have experienced a sudden jerk. You tend to wake up all of a sudden due to that jolt.

Sometimes, you get a sensation of a sudden fall and that might wake you up from the sleep. Such an experience could suddenly shock anyone.

What Causes A Sudden Jerk Before Sleep

Well, it is known as hypnic jerk. It occurs due to twitching of muscles. The action occurs involuntarily. It could occur to most of us at least once in a lifetime.

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Just as your body almost falls asleep, you could wake up due to the jerk. It occurs exactly when your body reaches a point known as hypnagogic state.

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What could be the reason behind that jerk? Well, exhaustion and fatigue. When your body is extremely tired, your brain may hastily process the sleep stages.

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This could cause confusion inside your organs. In that confused state, when your body thinks that there is something wrong, it tries to wake you up immediately.

Your body releases certain chemicals all of a sudden to wake you up immediately. In fact, sometimes your body also creates a dream which suits the context and wakes you up suddenly. It could also be a nightmare that wakes you up quickly.

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What could cause these hypnic jerks? Stress, anxiety, caffeine, alcohol and even over-exercising in the evening could cause those jerks.

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Also, if your sleeping position isn't relaxing, or when you are too tired, a jerk might occur when you almost fall asleep.

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How to prevent these hypnic jerks? Consuming foods rich in magnesium could help you relax and fall asleep smoothly. Mediation and yoga might also help relax your body.

Story first published: Monday, November 28, 2016, 8:06 [IST]
Read more about: sleep health insomnia fatigue minerals