Flinch or spasm ends dream and brings back to consciousness

[xtac]

I have just started trying to lucid dream. I am trying the WILD technique and counting down after relaxing my body. I can get to a semi dreamlike state where I have dreams and I feel like I am on the verge of sleep, but then my body shortly after entering that state will flinch and I will come back to consciousness. Often I am not aware of the flinch, but my partner near me will tell me of it, sometimes I am, but it stops the dream experience and I wake up. I can recall often having this problem for years when trying to get to sleep normally, before ever trying lucid dreaming. Sometimes it is minor, like just my hand flinching and sometimes my whole body doing a spasm. Often I think it is in response to what is happening in the dream but not always. Any ideas as to what it is caused by and how to stop it? Thanks for your replies.

[Yume]

I have one question for you. When someone pretends to punch you do you flinch? That may be the answer to your problem. I hope to see you around, Yume

[irishcream]

yeah, i get these, and i hate them! I've often wondered if it's in any way connected to the Hypnagogic state we find ourselves in just before we enter a dream... i find it's like my whole body spasms...and it feels really horrible...most common one for me is that i might be entering a dream, and then i feel like i'm falling from a great height. and then i wake up, and turn over, and lose everything. and if someone goes to punch me, i definitely flinch.

[Gargen]

same thing happens to me like if i trip in a dream before im fully unconcious my leg will kick and ill awaken, no way around it that ive found

[Meard]

What I used to do, is dream I was about to get ran over by a truck, and then just as it hit me, I had a spasm and a gust of wind blew past me. (Not real, just felt like it)

[CatLover]

I'll get the dream... err, half dream or whatever cos I'm like half asleep... that I'm walking down the stairs and all of a sudden I'll trip. I won't flinch, I'll sit straight up. heh. Childhood experience, one time I fell down about 2 flights of stairs... yeah, it still comes back to haunt me

[irishcream]

I think experiences from your past have a lot to do with your dreams...although i've never fallen from a great height...