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MotherKnowsBest
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27 Aug 2010, 7:31 am

Does anyone else get strange feelings while falling asleep? Often I get this strange falling feeling and last night, the whole time I was trying to sleep, I kept getting the feeling that my feet were slipping on ice. What on earth's going on? :?



leejosepho
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27 Aug 2010, 8:11 am

I sometimes get feelings like that, and maybe they are some form of vertigo? Sometimes I have to open my eyes for a bit of re-orientation to make the confusion go away. I also occasionally find myself suddenly feeling something really horrible is about to happen *because* I am falling asleep ... such as when dozing off while riding in a car.


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StuartN
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27 Aug 2010, 12:28 pm

http://www.failedsuccess.com/index.php? ... pnic_jerk/

Do you ever wake up suddenly to a falling sensation and a strong muscle twitch just after you have fallen asleep?

This strange falling sensation and muscle twitch is known as a hypnagogic myoclonic twitch or “Hypnic jerk” If this has happened to you on more than one occasion, don’t worry, you are not alone. Close to 70 percent of all people experience this phenomenon just after nodding off, according to a recent study at the Mayo Clinic.



Jono
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27 Aug 2010, 3:17 pm

I've felt like I was floating before when I fell asleep. Even having dreams about levitating.



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27 Aug 2010, 4:06 pm

StuartN wrote:
http://www.failedsuccess.com/index.php?/weblog/comments/falling_sleep_hypnic_jerk/

Do you ever wake up suddenly to a falling sensation and a strong muscle twitch just after you have fallen asleep?

This strange falling sensation and muscle twitch is known as a hypnagogic myoclonic twitch or “Hypnic jerk” If this has happened to you on more than one occasion, don’t worry, you are not alone. Close to 70 percent of all people experience this phenomenon just after nodding off, according to a recent study at the Mayo Clinic.


I only experience this when I'm falling asleep on my back.



yukari
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27 Aug 2010, 5:07 pm

I feel this often. Usually I am not afraid, because on my opinion it is normal. Many people experience such strange feeling, but only sometimes they can remember. But sometimes it is really bad: when I want to wake up, but fall asleep, and try to wake up again, and falling, and falling.. it is like a chain-reaction, and sometimes I am scared about this.



OneStepBeyond
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27 Aug 2010, 5:25 pm

sometimes when im drifting off i dream im falling somehow and jump awake because it feels like im really falling. but im not.im just in my bed. freaky stuff



emmasma
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27 Aug 2010, 5:31 pm

Someimes I suddenly think I am trying to stay awake while driving and jerk back awake again.



CockneyRebel
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28 Aug 2010, 12:19 am

I get that twitch, as I fall asleep.


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Shebakoby
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28 Aug 2010, 12:26 am

I get various sensations when I'm falling asleep, if it's gradual.

I often get my leg moving involuntarily because my brain believes I'm about to fall and my leg moves to 'prevent' me from falling. I've also had the sensation of turning over when I didn't actually.

I CANNOT sleep on my back. For some crazy reason I must first try to fall asleep on my stomach while facing left, then I must turn around and face the other direction on my front when I can't take it anymore, and then I can fall asleep.



MotherKnowsBest
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28 Aug 2010, 4:16 am

I'm pleased to hear that it's normal.



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28 Aug 2010, 5:15 am

This will sound really stupid but I hear its a common thing to experience if your bed head is situated beneath a window. I haven't had this falling sensation since I was 7 or 8 when I used to experience them frequently, until the house was renovated and I moved bedrooms & bed was no longer under window.



MotherKnowsBest
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28 Aug 2010, 5:47 am

My bed isn't under a window.

Another sleep thing I've always wondered about, is anyone else ever aware of the fact that they are dreaming? Can you sometimes control what happens in a dream and are you able to wake yourself up if you don't like the dream you're having?



StuartN
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28 Aug 2010, 7:29 am

MotherKnowsBest wrote:
Another sleep thing I've always wondered about, is anyone else ever aware of the fact that they are dreaming? Can you sometimes control what happens in a dream and are you able to wake yourself up if you don't like the dream you're having?


Yes, some people experience lucid dreaming, and it is a skill that can be learned (or enhanced with some medications). New Scientist had an article and some letters about it a while back http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg1 ... ntrol.html

Appropriate stories, pictures and sleeping environment all improve the chances of lucid dreaming.



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28 Aug 2010, 7:36 am

Shebakoby wrote:
I get various sensations when I'm falling asleep, if it's gradual.

I often get my leg moving involuntarily because my brain believes I'm about to fall and my leg moves to 'prevent' me from falling. I've also had the sensation of turning over when I didn't actually.

I CANNOT sleep on my back. For some crazy reason I must first try to fall asleep on my stomach while facing left, then I must turn around and face the other direction on my front when I can't take it anymore, and then I can fall asleep.


That sounds like restless leg syndrome. I have trouble occasionally and it feels really creepy doesn't it? Cutting back on caffeine helps some. There is medication for it but on the TV commercial it states one of the possible side effects as strong gambling and sexual urges. 8O