Why Do People Trip In Their Dreams And Wake Up With A Jolt/twitch? Find Out...

                            
I don't know for sure, but this happens to me alot(at least once a day). Most often, i find myself falling off a cliff after carelessly stepping on a Banana peel, Or i'm suddenly attacked by something/someone....Funny uh? According to a few researches i made, Tripping in a dream and waking up with a jolt is called a 'Hypnic Jerk’.

A hypnic jerk,hypnagogic jerk, sleep start, sleep twitch or night start, is an involuntary twitch which occurs during hypnagogia, just as a person is beginning to fall asleep, often causing him or her to awaken suddenly for a moment.


Physically, hypnic jerks resemble the "jump" experienced by a person when startled, often accompanied by a falling sensation. A higher occurrence is reported in people with irregular sleep schedules.

A ‘Hypnic Jerk’ also known as a ‘Hypnagogic Jerk’, a ‘Sleep Start’ and a ‘Night Start’– is an involuntary twitch which happens during hypnagogia(this is the stage just as a person is about to fall asleep) and it often causes them to suddenly wake up for a moment.

According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine there is a lot of potential causes as to why this happens, these include: anxiety,caffeine,stress and strenuous activities in the evening(BEWARE!!).
‘Hypnic Jerks’ are more frequent in childhood with 4-7 per hour at the age ranging from 8 to 12 years old, and it decreases toward 1-2 per hour at 65 to 80 years old....

CURES FOR HYPNIC JERKS

Some tips to help you minimize the effects:

1).Follow good sleep hygiene, develop a routine and follow it every night.

2).Watch what you eat before bedtime(lol...maybe this is my problem;-))

3).A magnesium, calcium or iron deficiency may be to blame. First try to improve your diet, lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. Or try a supplement, with those minerals and vitamin C.

4).Heavy exercise too close to bedtime can have an effect. Try to limit heavy weights or cardio sessions in the evening(your quest for 6-packs can waitwink cool). Conversely a gentle walk an hour before bed may help..

5).Smoking or drinking will reduce the quality of your sleep. One drink before bed may help you to fall asleep and avoid the hypnic jerk, however it will reduce the quality of your later sleep. If the jerk is severely dehabilitating then this may be a way to get things 

7).Meditation can help relive those negative feedback loops that will make you dread going to bed.

cool.Maintain a positive outlook, and get some tips of relaxation or yoga. The techniques taught in even the most basic class may be enough to allow you to get your mind in a state where sleep comes naturally.

9).A relaxation CD played at night may be the answer. It will give your brain something to do instead of worrying and may quickly become an essential part of your sleep routine(and i don't mean Terry-G's music)

10).If the sleeping disorder is having a negative effect on your life then see a doctor, who may prescribe some medication to help you get that much needed sleep.
I hate it when this happens in public places, most especially at school. Imagine what everyone would think when a quietly-sleeping gentle boy like moi jumps up all of a sudden with so much fear(hehehe funny.....).:-D