Why do we sometimes feel like we are falling when we are asleep?

+1 vote
asked Sep 17, 2017 in Mental Health by Romando (230 points)
Why do we sometimes feel like we're falling when we are asleep?

Last night I was startled awake after I got the feeling I was falling off of something.

Why did I get the feeling I was falling and was startled by the falling feeling while asleep?

2 Answers

0 votes
answered Sep 17, 2017 by Lilly21 (57,780 points)
I get that falling feeling when asleep too and I once looked it up and I think I remember reading somewhere was that we get the feeling of falling during sleep because when people were cavemen or something to that effect people might have slept in trees and the falling feeling was to wake us up before we fell out of a tree.

That's just what I read though but I don't think anyone really knows for sure why these weird things happen in our dreams.
0 votes
answered Nov 27, 2020 by Kitty45 (3,120 points)
The feeling of falling off of something while we are asleep is a natural reflex that we have to prevent us from falling off of things.

The feeling of falling when we are asleep is known as a Hypnic Jerk.

The Hypnic Jerk which is also called hypnagogic jerk, is a normal reaction that can be caused by anxiety, caffeine, a dream, or discomfort of sleeping.

The falling when we are asleep feeling is a hypnic jerk which is the feeling that is triggered by a sudden muscle twitch, causing the feeling of falling while sleeping or dreaming.   

It's a normal but sometimes scary thing to feel when asleep.

It really wakes me up whenever I get those Hypnic Jerks.

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