Trivia Tuesday: 45 Trivia Bits That Are Ought to Make You Feel Smarter

Have you ever felt slipping and falling very suddenly as you fall asleep? We’ve all had this feeling at least once, and some have it more often than others. You know what we’re talking about- involuntary muscle movement that suddenly happens as we fall asleep.

There are many theories suggesting an explanation for this phenomenon. One theory suggests the hypnic jerk goes back to our primate ancestors; it would jerk them awake and prevent them from falling out of trees while sleeping. Another possible explanation relates to stimulants like caffeine, stress, and anxiety.