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A doctor has revealed why your body sometimes jerks when you’re falling asleep.
You know when you’re dozing off into a peaceful slumber and then out of nowhere, your partner – or whoever you may have in the bed next to you – jerks, their whole body ricocheting off yours so violently you wake up thinking they must’ve seen a ghost the house?
Well, apparently there’s actually a reason for them disturbing your sleep, so next time, try to resist the urge to get too mad at them.
Prepare for an explanation we’ve all been waiting for:
Dr Joe Whittington, an emergency medical doctor who offers advice and support on TikTok as ‘Dr Joe’, has taken to the platform to reveal what it means when people’s body jerks or glitches in their sleep.
With other user’s videos exemplifying the issue playing in the background, Dr Joe explains: “That jerk that happens when you’re falling asleep is called a hypnagogic or myoclonic jerk.”
The caption reads: “A hypnagogic jerk, also known as a sleep start or myoclonic jerk, is an involuntary muscle twitch that commonly occurs as a person transitions from wakefulness to sleep.
“These jerks may be accompanied by a falling sensation, a sudden dream, or a sense of alarm, and they are generally considered harmless.
“While the exact cause is not definitively known, factors like stress, caffeine consumption, and sleep deprivation may contribute to their frequency.”
And fear not, because there is a way to try and keep the jerks at bay.
According to Dr Joe, there’s actually ‘three things you can do to help minimize’ your chances of your body jerking just as your falling asleep.
The first tip offered by the doctor is to drink less coffee or other stimulants.
“Second, don’t do physical activities such as exercise close to bedtime,” he adds.
And Dr Joe’s last tip? Reduce stress and anxiety. Well, it’s a nice thought at least.
People have flooded to the comments to weigh in on the issue, drawing on their own experiences and responding to Dr Joe’s advice.
One TikTok user said: “This happens to me all the time.”
Another added: “I do that sometimes. Freaks my cat out.”
A third commented: “Please how do you reduce stress and anxiety?!?!”
And a fourth resolved: “Problem is that there is a certain activity close to bedtime, that if done correctly, is like exercise.”
