Preventing Hypnic Jerks?

**ixsetf** · 12-04-2012 01:56 AM

I was taking a nap, and since I noticed some HH coming on fairly early, I though I would try to WILD. Things seemed to be going fine, I wasn't getting drowsy, and the HH were getting very vivid, but right as I was about to enter a dream scene, I had a sudden sensation of being lifted and woke up. I'm almost entirely sure the culprit was a hypnic jerk.

So my question is, how do I prevent these from happening as often? They are one of the biggest problems I have with getting to lucidity.

**CJC** · 12-05-2012 12:02 AM

i find being very physically tired helps. Try after a workout. But wait until you're calmed down enough

**gab** · 12-05-2012 12:11 AM

Doesn't sound like a hypnic jerk to me. This is from Wiki "Physically, hypnic jerks resemble the "jump" experienced by a person when startled, often accompanied by a falling sensation".

I have read two explanations for this.
1. It's from prehistoric times, when our ancestors lived in trees and falling off of the tree would mean death.
2. Happens, when your dream body already leaves and something wakes you up, so it comes back rather violently.

I don't think you can prevent them. But what you describe is more like you were just feeling your body relaxed and weightless. And if you believe in OBEs, it could have been it, also.

Next time, try to direct it mentally away from your bed and see what happens.

**ixsetf** · 12-05-2012 12:41 AM

Thank you for the replies, I am open to alternative explanations for what happened, but the sensation of being lifted was very fast, very "jerky", and I woke up immediately after, so I don't think it's a OBE.

@ThAt that usually does help, unfortunately I can't always arrange for that to happen