By William Park, Ask us Anything series, 23 October 2015 (email question from Reena Patel)
Ever had that jerking sensation when you start to doze off? A BBC Future reader asked us why it happened to her – so here's the science...
Posted by William Park, Ask us Anything series, 23 October 2015 (email question from Reena Patel)https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaz4i1SQg0FF0k3kzmNdFMNMSyKQ9DrDHYWVesO0aDwQ5oc04L5Y2F-vi9SphjdalLmdwHyPVYJdh0ZWRc5x0rGV0Hy4bSFcroPtoVpje1Zy3q2dEwHy_XE78mwTSpWIGtbinLSbpHXyE/s1600/p03601l6-1.jpg
http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/wwfeatures/976_549/images/live/p0/36/01/p03601l6.jpg
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20151023-why-does-it-feel-like-im-falling-as-i-fall-asleep?ocid=AsiaOne
You may have experienced sudden, jerky body movements as you drift into sleep. The sensation is common, and if paired with a dream, can feel like you’ve suddenly moved or fallen.
When it seems like it’s part of a dream, say falling through the air, this is called dream incorporation, and reveals our mind’s amazing capacity to improvise, wrote Tom Stafford in his BBC Future Neurohacks column on the phenomenon in 2012.
The experience is known as a ‘hypnic jerk’ and it sheds light onto the conflict in our brains as we shut down for sleep.
Photo: Reuters
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYHf9aisUDUazWQOYXJe_yRTdkZ5LyB0n6oUbAd70tUr-1ytOm7pLpesP6PC6TmGYp8NUawfkM3Ti8aiM6DTlarzs5IEGu8dItp_Ng36gzhPfKWA51o0-mdSOnRGxs3Dtt4lveP83-_8g/s1600/20150930_sleep_reuters.jpg
http://news.asiaone.com/sites/default/files/styles/w848/public/original_images/Sep2015/20150930_sleep_reuters.jpg?itok=WHD5o74J
http://news.asiaone.com/news/science-and-tech/why-do-i-twitch-when-i-fall-asleep
What causes a hypnic jerk?
In sleep our bodies are paralysed, and we become oblivious to events in the outside world. But our muscle control isn’t flicked off like a switch.
An area of the brain called the reticular activating system controls our basic functions, like breathing, and tells us whether we feel alert. In contrast, the ventrolateral preoptic nucleus, located near the optic nerve, dictates tiredness. As we descend into sleep, the reticular activating system releases control of our body and the venterolateral preoptic nucleus takes over. The process is like a slow fade of a dimmer switch, but it isn’t always smooth.
Posted by William Park, Ask us Anything series, 23 October 2015 (email question from Reena Patel)
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOjyw7i0uuAL3O-JZQ3TYtrZY3o_2FLmGfLbpejhxRn0Bniodde7k7x-UoVFYnSjW7PsPMR47Qnvj2yDVoqgpmnJ1nMMHeovcAvBLliiU_fGYd-j5JCxpmgxhNFbkynmozK3t36vxl-KQ/s1600/p03601mx.jpg
http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/wwfeatures/976_549/images/live/p0/36/01/p03601mx.jpg
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20151023-why-does-it-feel-like-im-falling-as-i-fall-asleep?ocid=AsiaOne
Random bursts of our remaining wakeful energy occasionally surface in the form of jerky movements, for reasons that aren’t fully clear. Unlike rapid eye movements, these have nothing to do with our dreaming brains, but are the last vestiges (indication) of our day.
Is it dangerous?
A strange and very unpleasant phenomenon called ‘exploding head syndrome’ follows a similar pattern of behaviour – our wakeful and sleeping minds attempting to wrest control from each other – and results in the sensation of seeing flashing lights and hearing loud bangs. In some extreme cases the phenomenon has led to severe insomnia and even claims of alien abduction. When written about the phenomenon recently, readers shared their strange 'exploding head' experiences on Facebook.
Posted by hippiehonest on 26 January 2014
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9-25BY0eESap3QY-9hDfqqGB3KT31_7PGUmGfCo5HGqGoZGvIdJmEZCH7_kW-cnsDtuiYkxOJm3F36G9OreEwyq6IzSHP74LeG7Oo9wdAu8nLPS_7525DePUXABHdilDUbS1LBa4dVtI/s1600/falling-1.jpg
https://cat9554.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/falling.jpg
https://cat9554.wordpress.com/2014/01/26/personal-experience-part-2-astral-projection/
But in general, the feeling is nothing to worry about; it’s just a funny coincidence of falling asleep. “There is a pleasing symmetry between the two kinds of movements we make when asleep,” Stafford writes. “Rapid eye movements are the traces of dreams that can be seen in the waking world. Hypnic jerks seem to be the traces of waking life that intrude on the dream world.”
By William Park, Ask us Anything series, 23 October 2015 (email question from Reena Patel)
If you have a question you’d like to have an answer, get in touch with the social media team at sari.zeidler@bbc.com or william.park@bbc.com.
Posted by GodsEmerald, taken on July 27
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9XePyVmwVG1LmugdBoXda6BN_lITAoAbzVtjuDg3e5kS3k4sTCtP5nEs1_TcAzBiP2unckJ4Jyv8lDc1i7AKdjvBmY_86ybebddJV3Qg_Une7MJmuT8XYRJdz0dEhXj14bQyvuIqRIes/s1600/4836552272_096d388c66_b.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4111/4836552272_096d388c66_b.jpg
https://www.flickr.com/photos/godsemerald/4836552272
“Rapid eye movements are the traces of dreams that can be seen in the waking world. Hypnic jerks seem to be the traces of waking life that intrude on the dream world.”
Posted by Alexey Kashpersky
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgng5S_OOuBW5Vmgh-IAMZhg8c8hVVTeDkL5ignOmoZ5lpASJGHUpxzKyVH46XMHZ0V3_i8-flEuO7RfWp13LRTzOBPPlVHxvF9jbXB-KvdsllBjpXHx5rkkq7JzQlp-DBOXPtIA0gOZo/s1600/6628-1.jpg
http://raph.com/3dartists/artgallery/6628.jpg
http://raph.com/3dartists/artgallery/imagePage?iid=6628
PHOTO: The movement feeling is nothing to worry about; it’s just a funny coincidence of falling asleep.
Posted by Eliane CK (3D Artist), Fadas (homage to the artist Alexey Kashpersky by CGTalk Carrara 8.2)
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNgxQhBZ-EEFqqojx0IzWevx1fUMqxgREDOFULMZd2kRGY4wbKR89NzsRj8m-XLqwtPIQy9qPyqHr0wlVDmRA-NPNAgDkHokyuNS8PFts6JekQ9Svv6_nYPOog20chxscMgUsaohRdaw4/s1600/fairysgrande.jpg
http://www.3dartistonline.com/users/332/thm1024/fairysgrande.jpg
http://www.3dartistonline.com/image/8074/fadas
Art by Alexey Kashpersky, Rise
Posted by Alexey Kashpersky (RIDDICK) on ARQUTE, Model Rachelle
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGfwmWZfDFGcISmESLzMaGuKIs9I4cmFmTc6o_qGhZGcIFZ6xqUfdq2P53yc0WmuuvNM6hxD30PHK8nEcXZmU1SNnxuiGVKSNATYPeF43Yl3knRBU92-czumBqE8bJ6kOPC53S5Wq0Db4/s1600/2c86715af5984cc35366f3a1e7620eee.jpg
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/2c/86/71/2c86715af5984cc35366f3a1e7620eee.jpg
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/540150549031374067/
Reference
- https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaz4i1SQg0FF0k3kzmNdFMNMSyKQ9DrDHYWVesO0aDwQ5oc04L5Y2F-vi9SphjdalLmdwHyPVYJdh0ZWRc5x0rGV0Hy4bSFcroPtoVpje1Zy3q2dEwHy_XE78mwTSpWIGtbinLSbpHXyE/s1600/p03601l6-1.jpg
- http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/wwfeatures/976_549/images/live/p0/36/01/p03601l6.jpg
- http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20151023-why-does-it-feel-like-im-falling-as-i-fall-asleep?ocid=AsiaOne
- https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYHf9aisUDUazWQOYXJe_yRTdkZ5LyB0n6oUbAd70tUr-1ytOm7pLpesP6PC6TmGYp8NUawfkM3Ti8aiM6DTlarzs5IEGu8dItp_Ng36gzhPfKWA51o0-mdSOnRGxs3Dtt4lveP83-_8g/s1600/20150930_sleep_reuters.jpg
- http://news.asiaone.com/sites/default/files/styles/w848/public/original_images/Sep2015/20150930_sleep_reuters.jpg?itok=WHD5o74J
- http://news.asiaone.com/news/science-and-tech/why-do-i-twitch-when-i-fall-asleep
- https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOjyw7i0uuAL3O-JZQ3TYtrZY3o_2FLmGfLbpejhxRn0Bniodde7k7x-UoVFYnSjW7PsPMR47Qnvj2yDVoqgpmnJ1nMMHeovcAvBLliiU_fGYd-j5JCxpmgxhNFbkynmozK3t36vxl-KQ/s1600/p03601mx.jpg
- http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/wwfeatures/976_549/images/live/p0/36/01/p03601mx.jpg
- http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20151023-why-does-it-feel-like-im-falling-as-i-fall-asleep?ocid=AsiaOne
- https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9-25BY0eESap3QY-9hDfqqGB3KT31_7PGUmGfCo5HGqGoZGvIdJmEZCH7_kW-cnsDtuiYkxOJm3F36G9OreEwyq6IzSHP74LeG7Oo9wdAu8nLPS_7525DePUXABHdilDUbS1LBa4dVtI/s1600/falling-1.jpg
- https://cat9554.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/falling.jpg
- https://cat9554.wordpress.com/2014/01/26/personal-experience-part-2-astral-projection/
- https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9XePyVmwVG1LmugdBoXda6BN_lITAoAbzVtjuDg3e5kS3k4sTCtP5nEs1_TcAzBiP2unckJ4Jyv8lDc1i7AKdjvBmY_86ybebddJV3Qg_Une7MJmuT8XYRJdz0dEhXj14bQyvuIqRIes/s1600/4836552272_096d388c66_b.jpg
- https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4111/4836552272_096d388c66_b.jpg
- https://www.flickr.com/photos/godsemerald/4836552272
- https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgng5S_OOuBW5Vmgh-IAMZhg8c8hVVTeDkL5ignOmoZ5lpASJGHUpxzKyVH46XMHZ0V3_i8-flEuO7RfWp13LRTzOBPPlVHxvF9jbXB-KvdsllBjpXHx5rkkq7JzQlp-DBOXPtIA0gOZo/s1600/6628-1.jpg
- http://raph.com/3dartists/artgallery/6628.jpg
- http://raph.com/3dartists/artgallery/imagePage?iid=6628
- https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNgxQhBZ-EEFqqojx0IzWevx1fUMqxgREDOFULMZd2kRGY4wbKR89NzsRj8m-XLqwtPIQy9qPyqHr0wlVDmRA-NPNAgDkHokyuNS8PFts6JekQ9Svv6_nYPOog20chxscMgUsaohRdaw4/s1600/fairysgrande.jpg
- http://www.3dartistonline.com/users/332/thm1024/fairysgrande.jpg
- http://www.3dartistonline.com/image/8074/fadas
- https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGfwmWZfDFGcISmESLzMaGuKIs9I4cmFmTc6o_qGhZGcIFZ6xqUfdq2P53yc0WmuuvNM6hxD30PHK8nEcXZmU1SNnxuiGVKSNATYPeF43Yl3knRBU92-czumBqE8bJ6kOPC53S5Wq0Db4/s1600/2c86715af5984cc35366f3a1e7620eee.jpg
- https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/2c/86/71/2c86715af5984cc35366f3a1e7620eee.jpg
- https://www.pinterest.com/pin/540150549031374067/