Why do we sometimes jerk awake as we fall asleep?
The Midnight Kick
Why do we sometimes jerk awake as we fall asleep?
You're lying in bed, floating toward sleep. Your body melts into the mattress. Your thoughts drift like clouds. And then — ZAP — your leg kicks, your arms flail, and you jolt wide awake, heart pounding. What just happened?
That startle is called a hypnic jerk, and it happens to almost everyone. Your brain and body are shutting down for the night, but they don't flip off like a light switch. It's more like dimming a theater — a gradual fade where things can get a little weird.
