Strange Falling Sensation

[JustaBrony]

Originally Posted by Leopard

These days I get weird spasm jerk things a lot while going to sleep - they aren't really the full falling jolt awake thing though.

I remember I used to get to sleep by imagining I was on a plane and that it was rolling towards one direction and my head would start feeling the roll as it it was really happening. Probably not related, just came to mind.

Ew about the jerky things, they don't sound as fun. That's hilarious about the plane thing though.

[Leopard]

Originally Posted by justabrony

Ew about the jerky things, they don't sound as fun.

At first they used to freak me out, but now I'm just like eh whatever and they make me think 'hey I'm falling asleep, okay cool.'

[Cstelle]

I have a vague memory of having read a story about/involving hypnic jerks when I was young, but I can't remember any details. I think the story suggested that hypnic jerks are memories from when we were apes and fell off branches... Does it ring a literary bell for anyone? Could it have been some story by Kipling (whom I haven't read since mumble mumble mumble)?

[An_Jon]

It's so weird when it happens. It happens to me in much the same way when I get hit by a car or something in a dream. It's like your survival instincts kick in while your body is pretty much unconscious anyway. The resulting adrenaline rush makes it hard to get back to sleep for a while too.

[mrpropel]

Originally Posted by Cstelle

I have a vague memory of having read a story about/involving hypnic jerks when I was young, but I can't remember any details. I think the story suggested that hypnic jerks are memories from when we were apes and fell off branches... Does it ring a literary bell for anyone? Could it have been some story by Kipling (whom I haven't read since mumble mumble mumble)?

Yeah, I read something about that last night. Some people say that the spasms are an ancient primate reflex to the relaxation of muscles during the onset of sleep — the brain essentially misinterprets the relaxation as a sign that the sleeping primate is falling out of a tree, and causes the muscles to quickly react.

But I think it's just a theory.

[Cstelle]

Originally Posted by mrpropel

Some people say that the spasms are an ancient primate reflex to the relaxation of muscles during the onset of sleep — the brain essentially misinterprets the relaxation as a sign that the sleeping primate is falling out of a tree, and causes the muscles to quickly react.

But I think it's just a theory.

Babies have something they call a Moro reflex. Wikipedia: "The Moro reflex may have developed in human evolution to help the infant cling to its mother while she carried it around all day. If the infant lost its balance, the reflex caused the infant to embrace its mother and regain its hold on the mother’s body."

Just happened to stumble on it when googling. (Kipling? Why do I keep thinking of Kipling??)

[mrpropel]

Originally Posted by Cstelle

Babies have something they call a Moro reflex. Wikipedia: "The Moro reflex may have developed in human evolution to help the infant cling to its mother while she carried it around all day. If the infant lost its balance, the reflex caused the infant to embrace its mother and regain its hold on the mother’s body."

Just happened to stumble on it when googling. (Kipling? Why do I keep thinking of Kipling??)

Here was another one I found, "As sleep paralysis sets in, remaining daytime energy kindles and bursts out in seemingly random movements," "Hypnic jerks are the last gasps of normal daytime motor control."

Oh and Kipling the author? Only book I read of his was The Jungle Book, it was a good book :P