3 ms·
Weird - I just experienced one of these as I was waking up about 20 minutes ago! I say "weird" b/c it's not a regular thing, but I have experienced this a few
by wyum 7y ago
Weird - I just experienced one of these as I was waking up about 20 minutes ago!
I say "weird" b/c it's not a regular thing, but I have experienced this a few other times, along with similar sudden full-body "spasms" while drifting to sleep. It's not usually alarming, just a strange feeling.
- rzzzt 7y agoOne hypothesis for the sudden contraction of muscles is that your brain is losing feeling of the bed supporting your body when going to sleep: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypnic_jerk https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypnic_jerk
- saghm 7y agoWhen this happens to me, it always feels like I'm about to fall forward. The best I can describe it is as the feeling that I just took a step forward but instead of my foot finding the ground, the surface I was walking on ended (as if I stepped off a ledge or something).
- rzzzt 7y agoFor me it's the opposite: it feels like someone pushing me out of a tree swing or a chair that has no backrest (I'm sleeping on my side).
- taneq 7y agoThe full body spasms are normal, they’re called “hypnic jerks” (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypnic_jerk https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypnic_jerk) I’m guessing the exploding head thing is related but involves auditory nerves rather than the semicircular canals?