Hypnic jerk

May 3rd, 2006

Do you ever wake up suddenly to a falling sensation and a strong muscle twitch just after you have fallen asleep? This is known as a hypnagogic myoclonic twitch or Hypnic jerk.

I call this ‘tripping over the curb’, because that’s what I think has usually happened in my semi-conscious state. Apparently I do it almost every night.

One Response to “Hypnic jerk”

  1. Peter Costello Says:

    [markup=plain]Tripping over the curb is good. I normally trip over uneven pavement, occasionally fall of my skateboard and once as a kid was dreamed that I’d tweaked out a mad pancake off a jump on my BMX and didnt pull it back in time. Now I know it’s just a hypnic jerk. Way to go Science for taking the joy out of dream stacks.

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