Jerking when asleep - what is that?

Question

I always know it when my boyfriend falls asleep. Why? Because his whole body will suddenly jerk hard. And then it continues throughout his sleep, sometimes just his arms and legs, sometimes the whole body. Sometimes the jerks are strong enough to make the bed creak...
Not only is this weird... it's also something of a bother. I take longer than him to fall asleep, but whenever we sleep holding each other, he'll jerk me wide awake when I was just about to fall asleep. He also grinds his teeth while asleep, and snores slightly.
Is there an explanation to his jerks? And is there any way to prevent it from happening? It's pretty sad when I always have to choose between holding him while sleeping and being able to sleep... =(

proteusmirabilus · Accepted Answer

Its a normal feature , almost everyone gets it to some degree at the stage of sleep that is on the borderline between awakeness and total loss of consciousness .
Frequently  a person would be aware of it and can recall it later  , because it tends to wake a person up a little .

It happens to me a lot , usually I would be visualizing myself kicking a ball or stepping on stairs , then I would suddenly kick out  so forcefully it almost is painful .
I know someone who this happened to , he was punching someone in his dream state and he actually throwed a fist at the wall breaking some of the bones in his hand .

Anonymous · Answer

Hypnic jerks. Nothing to worry about everyone gets them from time to time some more than others.
He may also have PLMD( periodic limb movement disorder) there's treatment for that.

Anonymous · Answer

i too have this problem , but it is not harming me in any way other than being a disturbance to my illfated sleep....

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Jerking when asleep - what is that?

3 Answers