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

I was once told this was called the hypnogogic jerk. The theory i was taught was that it was essentially random firing from the brain that tests if you’re fully paralyzed before sleep (your body is paralyzed when you are in light stages of sleep so you dont move while you dream, but not in deeper stages).

Kind of related is sleep paralysis where you become awake but your body is still paralyzed.