The science behind why your body jerks when you fall asleep

Are Hypnic Jerks Dangerous?

Luckily, no. Hypnic jerks, while they can be scary at the moment, are benign and do not need to be treated. Some may feel anxious after experiencing one and have difficulty falling back to sleep. If this happens to you, try to remind yourself that it doesn’t mean anything and that there’s nothing wrong. This may help to ease your mind so you can go back to sleep.

Hypnic Jerks and Lack of Sleep

Sometimes, though, you may experience a hypnic jerk when sleep is not an option. For some, they can occur when they’re over tired in a class lecture or a meeting. If this is the case, Palayo has a few suggestions:

• Focus on something that’s more important about that scenario than falling asleep.
• Make eye contact with the speaker.
• Drink coffee beforehand if you know you’re going to have trouble staying alert.
• Make sure to get seven to nine hours of sleep every night to avoid being over-tired [3].

While hypnic jerks are not dangerous, they are a sign that you’re not getting enough sleep. If you notice them happening frequently, ask yourself why you might be over-tired and consider making some changes.