you're sleeping and your body jerks you awake

This has happened to me a few times. I hate it when it happens. I hadn't heard that about your brain. I never really knew why it happens. thats a cool concept though.

I don't think so, but a lot of times I twitch when I start to drift off. I think mymuscles just sometimes don't shut down fast enough before I start dreaming, so I start to act out my dream. Usually it doesn't disturb me, but sometimes I start dreaming that I trip or fall or something and that makes me jerk way bad, sometimes I grasp for air. Once I did it way bad when I was sleeping with my boyfriend. It scared him so bad! It was funny, but he didn't think so. lol.

I've learned something new today...thanks...This is an interesting discussion... I've also read somewhere that this kind of jerking action is caused when you're about to have an out-of-the-body-experience, but the body resists it. BUt I tend to find the earlier explanation more believable...what do you think?

Yes that usually happens when I am about to enter into a deep sleep then I would just be awoken by myself since everything is quite and calm. Thanks for the information because I too am curios what its called since I am also disturbed by that but I just think its a natural thing that happens. Now I know its a defense mechanism of the brain to check if your still alive.

It's called a 'hypnic jerk.' The scientific community is actually divided on why it happens. But one hypothesis is close to the one you describe. The first hypothesis is that the jerking motion is simply part of the physical changes that accompany going to sleep. your breathing slows down, your temperature drops, and your muscle tone changes. The second hypothesis is that your brain interprets all the signs of relaxation as a sign that you're falling and sends out a message to jerk your limbs to stay upright. Most people have hypnic jerks at some point, but many don't realize it because they aren't strong enough to wake them up. I don't have them often, not many that wake me up, anyway. It did happen to me the other night when I fell asleep on the couch, though.

Hey there greenglitterturtle What's with the avatar? Anyway this usually happens to me when I am just about to drop off to sleep when I am really really tired but I have never heard that my brain thinks I am dying and is trying to revive me. I am sure there is an explaination for it out there somewhere!!

When most people fall asleep their body jerks. I can't recall the full explanation about it but it has to do with yoru body relaxing. That is probably what is jerking you awake.

Yes it has, maybe your right, it is a very scary feeling for some reason so it sounds like there is something there, but then maybe just a simple nerve reaction...makes you wonder though hey....

This is weird but i do it alot, i never really wondered why lol. I just know i do it and i hate it too, it's like hmmm? what? what? mm? ohhhh and back to sleep.

Yeah, I hate that feeling. The worst is when your bed it against the wall because my arm of leg has hit the wall a few times, lol. And I never heard that was the reason why you jerk in your sleep. I think that's really interesting. The human body is an amazing thing.

Stress is overloading the mind with multiple thoughts or pressures, that the mind or brain cannot able to withstand..so we burst out in anxiety and tension.