It seems that no matter how many times it happens, waking up suddenly never gets any easier, right? Picture this: You’re about to slip into the depths of dreamland, and suddenly, you feel like you’re falling or something is slapping you in the face, knocking you out of your dreamland in a jolt.

Curious about this strange event? I have often thought about why this happens. Well, it turns out that it’s not just a personal whim, it’s a phenomenon known as “sleep jerks,” and scientists have delved into its secrets.

Sleep tremors are a subjective experience, with different descriptions, but the common denominator is the sensation of falling. Strangely enough, some likened him to the devil who suffocates them while they sleep. The scientific community has made great strides in understanding this phenomenon, attributing it to a number of external factors.

Research suggests that substances such as caffeine and tobacco may increase the frequency of sleep tremors. Experts recommend staying away from caffeinated beverages if bedtime looms in the near future. Additionally, medications like Adderall and Ritalin have been linked to similar effects, and sleep deprivation can also trigger these tremors.

Sleep jerks tend to occur most often when a person falls asleep quickly, especially during or after a period of fatigue. In rare cases, extreme fatigue can speed up the brain’s sleep stages, causing confusion and making it believe that the body and its vital systems are in a state of failure.

In response, the brain wakes you up by releasing a burst of chemicals. It interprets this chemical surge and constructs a dream intended to wake you up. This forms the basis of the ‘sleep jerk’ theory, which offers a glimpse into the fascinating world of our unconscious reactions during the delicate transition to sleep.