Why do we feel like we're falling when we fall asleep?

The first minutes or even seconds of sleep appear marked by general muscle relaxation. This can sometimes lead to a sudden, brief awakening of the body, either in its entirety or in several segments (legs, arms, etc.). Specialists refer to this as myoclonus, or more simply as a sudden startle.

Hallucination

This can be accompanied by a so-called somesthetic hallucination, that is to say with real physical and/or sensory sensations, which give the impression of "falling into a hole". The phenomenon is relatively common since between 60% and 70% of the population have already experienced it, more or less regularly.

Misinterpretation?

The reasons remain unclear, and poorly elucidated scientifically. It could be a misinterpretation by the brain during the sleep onset phase. Broadly speaking, it associates this with... waking up, before worrying about muscle immobility. It then sends a few signals to the muscles to ensure that everything is going well... Hence this sudden awakening, or even this sensation of falling!

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