why do we not fall off the bed in our sleep?
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During REM sleep (Rapid Eye Movement, aka the time that we’re dreaming) your brain kinda lightly paralyzes your muscles so that you don’t act out your dreams and try to run around or wiggle about in your sleep. That’s what keeps most of us still during the night (most of the time).
It’s possible to wake up while your muscles are still paralyzed! Sleep paralysis is genuinely pretty scary–its happened to me a couple of times when I was younger–but it’s harmless and usually fades once the chemicals in your brain making you stay still get used up.
People usually don’t move in their sleep because of brain chemicals that make you stay still.
Even while sleeping your brain is still “on” and knows where you are (roughly) and will try to keep you from rolling off. Young children and babies haven’t learned this skill yet and may occasionally fall out of bed.
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