Why does the human body jerk/shock itself awake sometimes while trying to sleep?

Question

Why does the human body jerk/shock itself awake sometimes while trying to sleep?

In: 2959

Answer 1

IMO it’s the moment a muscle or muscles relax as the brain fully succumbs to sleep and releases the subconscious hold on that muscle. The slump (however minute) feels like slipping and our brain rallies to re-orient ourself. IE nodding off.

This can be prevented by mentally checking in with your muscle groups while you lie in bed and consciously relaxing them. “Shoulders, arms, core, legs, feet” etc. I learned this walk through from a meditation audio and found it incredibly helpful and enlightening. It guided you to tense a particular muscle then relax it, and went through the whole body.

“Brain thinks we’re paralyzed” is an insane concept parroted too easily.