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THE RIGHT QUESTION – You slip quietly into a more or less deep sleep and suddenly you start; feel like you’re falling into space. Explanations of the phenomenon with three sleep experts.
On the back, on the side, in the fetal position… Everyone chooses the position that seems most convenient for him to sleep. Except that an unpleasant sensation can suddenly disrupt this delicate phase. we feel ourselves falling into the void. This strange sensation has the gift of instantly jolting you, even waking you up, when your heart beats a little faster. Bad dream? Reflex? Dr. Sylvie Royant-Parola, psychiatrist and specialist in sleep disorders, chronobiologist Claire Leconte and researcher Christelle Peyron at the Lyon Neuroscience Research Center summarize this phenomenon.
Muscle and brain mismatch
Even if there are few scientific studies on this topic, as noted by neuroscience researcher Christel Peyron, the most established hypothesis shows that there will be a gap between the brain’s sleep and sleep muscles when we move from light sleep to deep sleep. . “When we sleep, there is a gradual loss of muscle tone,” explains the scientist. Only if this brain-related release is too fast, the latter perceives it as a fall and tries to regain control by contracting the muscles. In practice, this jolt to sleep requires first the lower body, then the rest, before returning to normal. On average, it takes one to two seconds.
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Less commonly, this brief muscle contraction may be accompanied by visual or auditory symptoms. “We can actually see ourselves falling into a hole or even hear noises that don’t make sense with falling,” explains chronology biologist Claire LeConte.
Survival reflex.
About 70% of the population has already started sleeping for a day, reports Claire Leconte. Is it possible for that feeling to be passed down from generation to generation? At least that’s what some scientists think. According to them, this mechanical movement comes from ancient times, when man lived in trees. In order to survive in the wild, the latter would therefore have evolved sleep tremors as a survival reflex to avoid falling during sleep. Logical reasoning for Claire Leconte. “From the beginning, our biological rhythms are the result of the adaptation of the first living things to the environment, to the rotation of the Earth around the Sun.”
Sleep diary
Hypochondriacs can be calm, their fear of falling asleep is completely benign, claims sleep disorder specialist Dr. Sylvie Royant-Parola. Neurologist Christel Peyron confirms. “There is no effect on sleep, generally most people go back to sleep automatically. Some kids don’t even realize it.
Our current society emphasizes the suppression of sleep and therefore the shaking
Claire Leconte, Chronobiologist
However, certain factors can increase the frequency of these outbursts. “The more tense and strained a person is, the more likely they are to experience this dissociation of motor and cerebral control,” notes Sylvie Royant-Parola. Coffee, alcohol or cigarettes… Use of stimulants before sleep, which can affect the nervous system, also increases the recurrence of the phenomenon. Without forgetting the activities that use the brain. “Watching TV, checking your cell phone, or having fun on camera, our current society pushes us to change our bedtimes and wake-up times. Which ultimately increases sleep pressure and, therefore, shock,” notes chronologist Claire Leconte.
In the event that these tremors are repeated and the sleeper experiences some discomfort, relaxation activities such as yoga or meditation are strongly recommended before going to sleep. On the contrary, sports are prohibited after dinner. “By relaxing, we promote muscle relaxation before sleep and avoid creating too much of a contrast between the body and the brain,” says Dr. Sylvie Royant-Parola.
And if you have more time, keeping a “sleep diary” will set the record straight. “We record sleep and wake times, wake periods, and dream content every day in an attempt to contextualize and evaluate the error,” suggests chronology biologist Claire LeConte. If problems persist, do not hesitate to consult a health care professional.
*Originally published in September 2019, this article has been updated.
Source: Le Figaro
