Dr Amir Khan has shared the real reason you may be jolting awake when you sleep, which can be worrying for some; and some scientists say it has an interesting explanation
Do you ever lie in bed as happy as Larry, then all of a sudden you’ve drifted off to sleep, only to jolt back awake in what seems like a matter of seconds? Not only is it seriously annoying, but it can make your heart race as you’ve panicked that you were actually falling and at risk of hurting yourself. It can also make you worry there’s something wrong with your health, and that’s the reason for your sudden jolting awake.
Thankfully, though, Dr Amir Khan, who often appears on ITV’s Lorraine, has shared the real reason this happens, explaining that it’s “nothing to worry about”.
Reenacting exactly what happens when you feel as though you’re falling in bed, Dr Amir said: “Have you ever felt like you’re falling just as you’re nodding off?
“That sudden jolt awake is actually called a hypnic jerk”.
According to the NHS, a hypnic jerk is also called a sleep start, and they are normal and extremely common.
They happen just as you are falling asleep and are often associated with a sensation of falling or occasionally with a loud noise or flash of light. Either the whole body or just the legs are felt to jerk.
They may be worsened by sleep deprivation, stress or caffeine-containing drinks.
Dr Amir explained: “As you drift into sleep, your muscles relax, and sometimes your brain interprets that as falling. But it’s a misinterpretation.
“So it sends a quick signal to your body to catch you, and that’s why you twitch awake.
“Now, some scientists think that it’s an ancient survival reflex, back to when we slept in trees. A sudden twitch might have stopped us from actually falling”.
He shared that it’s “totally harmless,” reiterating the NHS’s point that it’s more common when you’re “stressed, have caffeine late, or you’re just super tired”.
“So next time it happens, don’t panic, it’s just your brain being quirky. Totally normal, totally harmless,” he ended the video by reiterating.
In the comments, some people said that their hypnic jerks make them feel on edge after they happen. They wrote: “That was a very gentle jolt compared to mine! I think I actually leave four inches off the bed and I’m shaken after and can’t sleep”.
Another added: “Funny how your brain usually makes a little dream, such as tripping over or bumping into something, to match you jolting awake. So clever and weirdly quick!”
An Instagram user penned: “I’m sure many will be reassured by this, as I know for some people they worry [when it happens]”.
Someone else, who has been worried about it, wrote: “Omg, thank you for sharing this video, this happens to me and I was too embarrassed to ask anyone”.
If you’re worried about anything to do with sleep, contact your GP.