Question: is this normal?

[blankdude]

So once in a while when I intend to nap after long days, lengthly car rides...ect.. about a few minutes into sleep when I drift off with my mind, when i do some sort of movement like kicking a ball or jumping, I suddenly like actually kick, or jerk in reallity and wake up its sort of embarissing, Ive done this in class before ... Like i don't think its a dream, because REM starts alot later into sleep, is this normal?

[JamesLD]

yes its normal. somebody correct me if im wrong but i believe its called the hypnic jerk.

[cygnus]

yeah! it's funny - sometimes i'll see myself falling or something and i get that feeling of motion and wake up trying to brace myself.

[nina]

This is a good reason not to fall asleep in class. We should have a thread for, most embarrassing hypnic jerk moments or something along those lines...

[Trickster]

hypnagogic myoclonic twitch or “Hypnic jerk" At the very threshold of sleep, as your muscles begin to relax - there is transitional state referred to as the hypnagogic. Many people experience a hypnagogic startle, as you f a l l asleep. A person's muscles continually attempt to relax & shut down for rest, while your brain remains awake creating continued “misinterpretations” of falling or loss of balance.