A big, convulsive twitch while dozing off? Sleep experts explain the ‘hypnic jerk’

Yaqoot Fatima; Alexandra Metse; Daniel Sullivan PhD, DBSM

doi:10.64628/AA.x3qse3kya

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A big, convulsive twitch while dozing off? Sleep experts explain the ‘hypnic jerk’

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A big, convulsive twitch while dozing off? Sleep experts explain the ‘hypnic jerk’

Yaqoot Fatima, Alexandra Metse and Daniel Sullivan PhD, DBSM

The Conversation, Vol.17 September 2025

2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.64628/AA.x3qse3kya

Appears in Thompson Institute Research Collection

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Abstract

sleep

antidepressants

REM sleep

Parkinson's disease

sleep hygiene

sleep quality

SSRI antidepressants

Thompson Institute Special Collection

You’re gently drifting off to sleep when suddenly your arms and legs convulse and you jolt yourself awake. Or, perhaps you’re relaxing in bed when, out of the blue, your dozing partner does an almighty twitch, scaring you half to death. This is called a hypnic jerk or sleep start. It is often accompanied by a sensation of falling or tripping over. An estimated 70% of people will experience this at some point. So, what causes the hypnic jerk? And can certain factors make it more likely to happen?

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Title: A big, convulsive twitch while dozing off? Sleep experts explain the ‘hypnic jerk’
Authors: Yaqoot Fatima - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Thompson Institute
Alexandra Metse - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Healthy Ageing Research Cluster
Daniel Sullivan PhD, DBSM - Griffith University
Publication details: The Conversation, Vol.17 September 2025
Publisher: Conversation Media Group
Date published: 2025
DOI: 10.64628/AA.x3qse3kya
ISSN: 2201-5639
Copyright note: © The Conversation Media Group. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Grant note: Yaqoot Fatima receives funding from NHMRC, MRFF, Beyond Blue and in-kind support from ResMed. Alexandra Metse has received funding from the Australian Prevention Partnership Centre, the Waterloo Foundation, and the NSW Department of Education. Daniel Sullivan has previously received funding from the NHMRC/MRFF and Queensland Health.
Organisation Unit: Healthy Ageing Research Cluster; Thompson Institute; School of Health - Psychology
Language: English
Record Identifier: 991163845702621
Output Type: Magazine article

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