Happy & Healthy

THIS MEANS THAT JERK WHEN YOU FALL ASLEEP...

Okay, hold on, I fell off a cliff yesterday. Just kidding, of course. Okay, not a funny joke. I was actually just enjoying myself on the couch with my new favorite Netflix series and dozed off halfway and there I fell, into the depths. You know what I'm talking about, right... I'm talking about that jerk you make when you just doze off. That little shock or falling feeling in the phase between being awake and sleeping is called a hypnagogic jerk or sleep spasm. Not only very annoying for yourself, but also for your loved one who can stay awake during that exciting movie.

But where does that jerk come from? When you fall asleep, your muscles relax and then your brain regions fall asleep. But it can happen that the brain areas responsible for perception are still awake while the part of your brain that controls your muscles is already asleep. The awake part of your brain thinks you are falling and reflexively tenses all your muscles to keep you upright. Et voilà, you wake up startled.

There are also scientists who go back a few centuries, to our ancestors. The hypnagogic jerk would be a natural way that our Adam and Eve were shaken awake when they were about to fall from the tree. The mechanism allowed our muscles to react quickly and thus prevent a nasty fall. Now you won't see us hanging in a tree so quickly anymore, but we still experience those jerks. However, you can prevent them or at least reduce them. How? By means of these four points.

Et voilà, you wake up startled.

1. Caffeine

Leave your cup of coffee after six o'clock. Caffeine does not promote your sleep. For example, have a cup of herbal tea with chamomile. It also has a calming effect.

2. Meditation

Take a moment for yourself before going to sleep. Light a candle if necessary and play some calming music. By meditating for a few minutes, you prepare your body for the night.

3. Exercising in the evening

During your workout, your body produces adrenaline. By exercising in the morning, your body benefits from it for the rest of the day. But if you exercise in the evening, your muscles will still be restless for several hours. Move your workout to the morning so you can relax in the evening.

4. No exciting series

That exciting Netflix series, you better not watch too late. Take a book or put on some nice music. Your brain can't handle all those images. Give it some rest so you can go to sleep relaxed.