# Sleep and Dreams > General Dream Discussion >  >  A Sudden Jolt While Falling Asleep!

## Richter

While trying to fall asleep, I very often feel what can be described as a "shock" through my body as I get closer to sleeping.  I&#39;ve had this most of my life, but really for some reason never put much thought into it.

It&#39;s like this:  I&#39;ll have been laying down for 15-20min, and feel like I should be very close to sleep.  All of a sudden, I can feel it coming on; it&#39;s like an anticipation.  After about 3-5 seconds of this anticipation, my whole body will suddenly just JOLT.  It&#39;s like a single convulsion from a seizure.  It&#39;s not painful or anything, but it&#39;s really weird&#33;  It&#39;s not anything from WILDing, like vibrations or something; I&#39;m not attempting WILD, just trying to fall asleep.

My parents and some of my family report having the same experience.  Does anybody else ever have this happen to them?

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## ExoByte

It could be a  hypnic jerk maybe?

Perfectly normal. I get them too from time to time. Except I get it as a falling sensation, with the thoughts to accompany it.

Could that be it in your case?

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## Seeker

I have to agree with ExoByte on this one.  Happenes to me all the time.  The thing that is interesting is that the sensatiobn is exactly like the vibrations you experience during the transition phase of WILD

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## Richter

Really?  That strong of vibrations?

That IS interesting...  It definately sounds like a "hypnic jerk".  If this is what happens during WILD maybe, how  many of them do you normally experience, Seeker?  So far I&#39;ve only felt one at a time.  Next time I have one I am going to try my absolute best to sort of... ignore it.  Maybe I&#39;ll WILD&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;   :yumdumdoodledum:

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## NeAvO

I&#39;ve only recentely been getting hypnotic jerks, does any one know what causes them?

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## Neko

> I&#39;ve only recentely been getting hypnotic jerks, does any one know what causes them?
> [/b]



I&#39;m not really sure, but whenever I get them, I&#39;m on the borderline of falling asleep.

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## ExoByte

> I&#39;ve only recentely been getting hypnotic jerks, does any one know what causes them?
> [/b]



Its normal to have a Hypnic jerk. 





> _Originally posted by Wikipedia+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Wikipedia)</div>
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 			
> 				Hypnic jerks are completely normal, and are experienced by most people, especially when over-tired or sleeping uncomfortably. The exact cause of the sudden jerks is not clear, but there are hypotheses:
> 
> That it is a naturally occurring part of the sleep process, as is slower breathing, and reduced body temperature. 
> ...

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## HyperNova

Yeah i used to get them alot, but not so commonly now. They are very enoying though, they ussually happen to me at nights when i cant sleep.

WAHEY 100 POSTS AND ANOTHER BOX  ::D:

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## Richter

I have a very hard time falling asleep, and I get hynic jerks almost nightly.

Co-incidence?  I dunno...

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## Wolffe

Sometimes I can never tell whether I&#39;m just experiencing this sudden &#39;loss of balance&#39; feeling that they cause, or am actually jolting in real life. When others are there, they never seem to notice it happning to me&#33;

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## LucidDreamGod

I have them most nights as well, it just signals to me that I&#39;m close to sleep, feels like I&#39;ve lost balance and fell out of the sky.

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## gonnabeathinker

Yeah the reason why you get the jerks is bc your very tired or your sleeping uncomfortably.Feelings associated with relaxation before sleep are misinterpreted by the brain as falling or toppling over, and by reflex the body jerks out the limbs to stay upright.Also the one i think is most resonable for the jerks is,  the body will often twitch as it dies (as a reflex to attempt to keep the body functioning) it is thought the body might misinterpret falling asleep as a situation in which the body needs to be stimulated

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## Gwendolyn

That also happens to me, only it is usually only when I have consumed something like alcohol or caffine, or sometimes, when I&#39;ve just fallen asleep. I&#39;d say they&#39;re normal.

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## Sythix

Awesome, I&#39;ve always wanted to know what that was... I experience these &#39;hypnic jerks&#39; once in a while, I just jolt right up in bed and then I open my eyes and I&#39;m like "WTF was that?" I sort of get like an anticipation feeling to it as well where I feel like "Okay...something is about to happen..." Sometimes my right arm does it alone and it feels like my arm goes right through my blanket or something, strange feeling.

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