sleep twitches
Slumber onset spasms
Sleep twitches are the sudden, involuntary jerks or spasms that occur as you're falling asleep or during light sleep.
The body briefly contracts—a leg kicks, an arm jerks, the whole body startles—often waking the sleeper momentarily.
These are normal and nearly universal, though some people experience them more intensely than others: I had sleep twitches so bad last night I kept waking myself up.
- spasmInvoluntary muscle contraction
- muscle spasmInvoluntary tissue contraction
- jerkingAbrupt, spasmodic movement
- hypnic jerkInvoluntary twitch at sleep onset
- nighttimeDark hours between dusk and dawn
tremor · flinch · myoclonus · falling sensation · sudden jolt · startle response · muscle contraction · slumber · bedtime · fatigue · motor neuron · nervous system · reflex · transient · movement · dreaming · circadian rhythm · relaxation