A hypnic jerk is a sudden involuntary twitch or muscle contraction that occurs as you fall asleep.
Hypnic jerks are common but may be more likely with stress or fatigue.
These include:
Seizures can lead to jerky or twitching motion, depending on thetype of seizure.
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This high-frequency movement may affect the extremities with the whole body and typically lasts longer than a sleep start.
Treatment
In general, it is not necessary to seek further testing or treatment for sleep starts.
Reassurance that this is a normal phenomenon is often all that is needed.
Treatment would then depend on the underlying cause.
In some cases, they may be related to an underlying health condition that requires treatment.
Talk with your healthcare provider about any symptoms or concerns about your hypnic jerk episodes.
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