Have you heard of an Involuntary muscle movement that does nothing to you but interrupt your sleep ? Find out

2 months ago

Okay, science lovers, let's do a bit of bodily exploration

Have you ever, at any point in time, been in a situation where suddenly out of the blue, you feel your body move involuntarily and strongly on its own especially when you are about to catch some shut-eye, have you? Or at that very moment, you decide to take a nap and you are almost drifting into dreamland, your body decides to gives you a jerky push through an involuntary movement completely and totally out of your control, more like it's saying "Hey ! you there, no sleeping yet ".

^{^{Image by 愚木混株 Cdd20 from Pixabay}}

Now you have to understand that these jerky movements are nothing but sleep crashers. They are basically muscle spasms that love to crash our sleep party. Now this cheeky sleep crasher or should I call it sleep interrupter has a fancy name that sounds more like one of those special superhero moves with a name that is even more fancy than it actual effect. This fancy name (or "phenomenon" which is more appropriate) is called HYPNIC JERK 👇

So, what's a hypnic jerk?

Well, HYPNIC JERK- It's like your muscles throwing a surprise party right as you're about to drift into Dreamland. It suddenly decide to do the SASA dance or the electric slide without asking your brain for permission. Talk about an unexpected dance-off! with your body as the stage

^{^{Image by Pexels from Pixabay}}

Let's say you're cozy in bed, all tired after a hard but fulfilling day's job, and you all ready to travel into the land where reality is nothing but lost and all life worries seem to disappear, the DREAMLAND of course. Then all of a sudden, here comes the hypnic jerk, our uninvited but strangely amusing guest. Like I stated before, It's a muscle spasm that plays the role of the sleep crasher. Also known as the hypnagogic jerk.

These jerks are like mini fireworks in your muscles, making them contract suddenly. It's a bit like your body doing a quick, involuntary dance move. And guess what? This dance often comes with a sensation of falling or a little "jolt" that's like your muscles telling you a joke in the middle of the night.

Now, let's unravel the mystery of why this happens. As you transition from being awake to snoozeland, your muscles decide to chill out. It's like they're putting on pajamas and lounging on the sleep sofa. But surprise, surprise – this sudden relaxation can trigger a reflexive jerk, giving your muscles their own bedtime routine.

And here's the brainy part: your brain's electrical activity does a little disco dance too during this transition. Some scientists think these jerks might be connected to the brain doing the cha-cha with irregular moves. It's like your brain is saying, "Hold on, I'm not done with the party!"

^{^{Image by ThuyHaBich from Pixabay}}

Now, let's talk about the backstage crew – fatigue, sleep deprivation, stress, and the notorious caffeine. These troublemakers have been associated with making these nighttime dancers boogie a little too enthusiastically.

Now, the good news – hypnic jerks are harmless! No need to panic. But if these sneaky dancers start disrupting your beauty sleep or causing you some worry, it's time to show them who's boss.

Enter sleep hygiene – the only reliable counter against hypnic jerks. Create a sleep schedule, make your sleep environment as cozy as a blanket fort, and kick stress out like a party crasher. If these tricks don't work, then call in a healthcare professional for backup.

So, there you have it, Sleep Explorers! Hypnic jerks are like the unexpected comedians of the night, giving our muscles a chance to show off their secret dance moves. May your dreams be jerk-free, and your nights filled with snoozy giggles! Happy sleeping!