Why you jolt awake when you’re falling asleep – and 6 other weird body oddities explained
From muscle twitches to hiccups, or that feeling that you’re falling as you fall asleep; our body sure does do some odd things sometimes. Here we have the reasons behind some of the strange body behaviors.
Sneezing in bright light
If you’ve ever fallen victim to looking at bright light and have sneezed as a result, you have experienced a photic sneeze reflex. Experts think this occurs when wires in the brain are crossed. The trigeminal nerve is responsible for sensation of the eye as well as the nose, but through different branches. In the case of a photic sneeze reflex, the brain mistakes the light as an irritant to the nose.
Random sharp pains
Ever suddenly felt as though someone’s stuck you with a pin? Then the feeling goes away, never to return. Sharp pains that last for a second or two then go away are something we all experience from time to time and are usually benign. However, if the pain returns or increases in intensity, it’s best to see a doctor at your earliest convenience.
Hiccups that make it hard to talk
Ever wondered what causes hiccups? Well, chewing gum, drinking soft drink, and eating to excess can all be triggers. The muscles in your upper chest suddenly contract and you take in air, then your voice box closes, creating that “hic”. While most hiccups go away on their own or after drinking a glass of water, they’re usually harmless, unless they don't go away, which could signal a rare condition called “intractable hiccups”. See a doctor if this happens. Otherwise deep, slow breathing to relax the muscles should help.
Uncontrollable twitching
Despite feeling quite odd, a rapid muscle twitch in your arm, leg, or eyelid, is quite common and not anything to worry about. Caused by minor muscle contractions in one area, most go unnoticed. Lack of sleep, stress, exercise, and anxiety can worsen or trigger twitches, but they usually go away after a couple days. Doctors also say they can also be a sign of an autoimmune disease or a side effect of a medication such as an antidepressant or estrogen. If you’re worried or the twitching persists, see your doctor.
Jolting awake just as you start to fall asleep
We’ve all been there: You’re just about to nod off and bam! You wake up suddenly. This is officially termed “hypnagogic or hypnic jerks,” the sensation results from sudden brief muscle contractions and is quite common. As the brain transitions the body from wakefulness to sleep, hypnic jerks can happen. Or when you’re sleep deprived or stressed. While they’re usually not anything to worry about, if the occur frequently, it’s best to look at further investigation.
Yawning when someone else yawns
According to a study published in the journal PLOS ONE, yawning when you see another person yawn is common and is not linked to tiredness or energy levels. The study, which involved 328 participants, confirmed that some people are more susceptible to contagious yawning than others. Overall, 222 of the participants yawned contagiously at least once. Interestingly, contagious yawning decreased with age but did not appear to link to empathy or time of day, as previously believed.
Your nose bleeding out of the blue
Despite being a little scary by their very nature, the root cause of nosebleeds is not really scary at all. Typically occurring because of dry nasal passages (like on airplanes) or picking your nose, other causes of nosebleeds include irritation due to allergies, colds, sneezing, blowing your nose too hard or overuse of decongestant nasal sprays. You can expect most nosebleeds to stop on their own, but to halt the flow, keep your head forward, and squeeze just below the bony part of your nose and hold for 10 minutes before checking to see if the bleeding has stopped. If it doesn't stop within an hour, go and see a doctor.