Girl Talk: Rude Awakening

A lot of times when I sleep, all the sudden my body will just jerk and I wake up. I’ve heard other people my age get them, but what causes it? Is it really normal and how can I make them stop?

- missyrissy

What you’re experiencing is known as myoclonic jerks, or quite simply falling-asleep twitches—and they happen to everyone. Have you ever had a dream where you’re falling and suddenly you trash wildly bed and sometimes it causes you to wake up? That’s a myoclonic jerk.

Basically these jerks are your body’s natural response to the wake-sleep transition. During this time, your body is going through some changes in your brain. The over-excitement of the nerves causes you to jerk. Although sleep jerks can occur during any time, they tend to get worse when you’re stressed or over-tired and as a result of too much caffeine.

According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine website, 60 to 70 percent of Americans experience sleep jerks. As long as these jerks don’t interfere with your sleep or daily behavior, you’re fine. But if they’re causing serious problems, you should definitely talk to a doctor.

Lots of love,
L’Oreal

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