Why Am I Being Jolted Awake?

by AlpacaTackler via the Lucid Dreaming Forum

When trying to WILD, sometimes I keep feeling myself jolt back to alertness, much like if I were sitting in some boring lecture and trying not to fall asleep. Does this mean anything?

Rebecca Casale

Rebecca says: This sounds like a hypnic jerk (described in Inception as The Kick which brings you back to reality). I think it's a glitch in the onset of sleep paralysis, or maybe the brain "just checking" to see if the body is still awake. It may also be a dream body movement which escapes the paralysis and affects your physical body.

I get this occasionally as I'm falling asleep and starting to dream, and always involves falling off the kerb on the sidewalk. My little brother says when it happens to him, he's also walking along the street and dreams of falling down a manhole. It's amazing how the mind and body co-orindate to synchronize the experience... but it's nothing to worry about and seems fairly common. Just let it happen and move on.


About The Author

About The Author

Rebecca Casale is a lucid dreamer and a science writer with a special interest in biology and the brain. She is the founder of World of Lucid Dreaming and Science Me.