Thread: Question: is this normal?

So once in a while when I intend to nap after long days, lengthly car rides...ect.. about a few minutes into sleep when I drift off with my mind, when i do some sort of movement like kicking a ball or jumping, I suddenly like actually kick, or jerk in reallity and wake up its sort of embarissing, Ive done this in class before ...

Like i don't think its a dream, because REM starts alot later into sleep, is this normal?

yes its normal. somebody correct me if im wrong but i believe its called the hypnic jerk.

yeah! it's funny - sometimes i'll see myself falling or something and i get that feeling of motion and wake up trying to brace myself.

This is a good reason not to fall asleep in class.

We should have a thread for, most embarrassing hypnic jerk moments or something along those lines...

hypnagogic myoclonic twitch or “Hypnic jerk"

At the very threshold of sleep, as your muscles begin to relax - there is transitional state referred to as the hypnagogic.


Many people experience a hypnagogic startle, as you f a l l asleep.

A person's muscles continually attempt to relax & shut down for rest,
while your brain remains awake creating continued “misinterpretations” of falling or loss of balance.