# Weird feeling before sleep **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 26, 2002, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-feeling-before-sleep/105808 "2002-04-26T16:40:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr\_Salads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@Mr\_Salads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Salads)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2002, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-feeling-before-sleep/105808/1 "2002-04-26T16:40:18Z")
Last night I went to bed pretty late, and laid on my back keeping really still in the hopes of falling asleep quickly. I reached that point between sleep, and I had several feelings: - the first was me falling backward, immediately followed by me compressing into a small area - the second was my body speeding up, as if i was in a vessel going really fast, - followed by me slowing down and feeling that compression again I wasn’t entirely asleep, so midway through I opened my eyes. I can only attribute it to sudden movement of blood throughout my body, but I don’t know how that would happen. What’s going on? And, just to reassure, Im not a drug user or a drinker. Im in quite healthy shape. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2002, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-feeling-before-sleep/105808/2 "2002-04-26T16:52:40Z")
As I understand it, almost all sensation of motion when you are still has to do with fluctuations of pressure in and around the inner ear. Do you perchance have a cold or allergies that could have caused fluid to be draining in that area? ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Salads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@Mr\_Salads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Salads)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2002, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-feeling-before-sleep/105808/3 "2002-04-26T18:07:36Z")
Probably. Ive had a ringing in my ears for the last like, two years because of sinus problems. I went to bed with a stuffy nose and stuff. Wow, thats weird. Think I should go to the doctor? ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2002, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-feeling-before-sleep/105808/4 "2002-04-26T19:11:26Z")
IANAD, but this sounds to me like [labyrinthitis](http://my.webmd.com/encyclopedia/article/4115.13830), an inflammation of the inner ear canals that can occur after a respiratory infection. It usually goes away on its own. ---
**Author:** ![Nukeman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce7236/32.png) [@Nukeman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nukeman)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2002, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-feeling-before-sleep/105808/5 "2002-04-26T19:25:15Z")
I get something sounding liek this if I almost fall asleep while sitting up. My head nods, and I get a weird rushing, almost nauseous feeling. wierd. ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2002, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-feeling-before-sleep/105808/6 "2002-04-26T19:31:54Z")
Either that or you accidentally left a black hole underneath your bed. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2002, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-feeling-before-sleep/105808/7 "2002-04-27T00:14:31Z")
I usually experience one of two weird things: I’m half asleep, and all of a sudden, I’m convinced I’m falling, in which case I usually jolt awake… Or I’m half asleep, and just drifting off peacefully-and then I jolt awake. I hate them both. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Salads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@Mr\_Salads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Salads)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2002, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-feeling-before-sleep/105808/8 "2002-04-27T01:01:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Guinastasia \* > \*\*I usually experience one of two weird things: > > I’m half asleep, and all of a sudden, I’m convinced I’m falling, in which case I usually jolt awake… > > Or I’m half asleep, and just drifting off peacefully-and then I jolt awake. > > I hate them both. \*\* If Im not mistaken, the falling feeling is attributed to physical growth. But if youre not growing, then it might be what I have, which is some ear pressure. The suddenly jolting feeling is a result from “nerve-check,” as I like to call it. It’s a good thing you get those jolts. I think Cecil talks about it. Theyre like physical check-ups, letting your body know its in good condition. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2002, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-feeling-before-sleep/105808/9 "2002-04-27T01:04:56Z")
I often get a “rush”. It’s like a wave of sleep washing over my body. I think that if I didn’t notice it, then I would be asleep as soon as the “wave” passes. I kinda dig it. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Salads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@Mr\_Salads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Salads)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2002, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-feeling-before-sleep/105808/10 "2002-04-27T02:34:37Z")
Yeah, the whole sudden rushing and stuff was incredible. I got pretty scared, actually. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2002, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-feeling-before-sleep/105808/11 "2002-04-27T03:54:28Z")
> [@](#): > > If Im not mistaken, the falling feeling is attributed to physical growth That would explain why I always had this feeling when I was a child, and never since. But I can’t figure out _why_ growth would result in a falling feeling… ---
**Author:** ![Lure](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@Lure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lure)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2002, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-feeling-before-sleep/105808/12 "2002-04-27T07:03:50Z")
I’ve tried searching to no avail. The feeling you’re referring to is called \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ tic or syndrome.Can’t recall the name read about it years ago in a colomun not unlike Cecil’s. Sorry I can’t recall the name but any of the medical types that frequent these boards would know. Named after,guessing,the doc who researched the thing originally. Maybe more searching on a medical newsgroup board? IIRC it’s nothing to worry about. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2002, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-feeling-before-sleep/105808/13 "2002-04-27T14:14:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lure \* > \*\*I’ve tried searching to no avail. > > The feeling you’re referring to is called \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ tic or syndrome.Can’t recall the name read about it years ago in a colomun not unlike Cecil’s. > . \*\* That would be hypnogogic tic. Cecil discusses it in one of the columns of the first SD book. Since that’s the only SD book I own, and I’ve had it since I was 11, I’ve got _most_ of it memorized. Women love that in a man:D ---
**Author:** ![Epimetheus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@Epimetheus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epimetheus)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2002, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-feeling-before-sleep/105808/14 "2002-04-27T15:11:03Z")
I always was told that falling sensation was caused from falling into sleep too fast. (whatever that means) I used to get this alot, more so when I slept on my back. Many times I would jerk awake suddenly and wonder why I was awake with a mild sense of panic. ---
**Author:** ![femtosecond](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f08c70/32.png) [@femtosecond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/femtosecond)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2002, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-feeling-before-sleep/105808/15 "2002-04-27T16:03:46Z")
Here’s what Cecil has to say: [Why does my body jerk when I’m falling asleep?](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_423b.html) [Why do we twitch while falling asleep?](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_090.html) > [@](#): > > Twitches while falling asleep are called hypnagogic myoclonus, myoclonus being any sort of involuntary muscle spasm and hypnagogic referring to sleep. The twitches occur during very light sleep as the conscious brain gradually relinquishes control of the motor functions. **Often they’re accompanied by a sense of falling, or the feeling that something is flowing through the body, and sometimes people will experience vivid dreams or hallucinations.** There are many funny things our brains can do while moving down through different levels of sleep. Sometimes you hear sounds or voices, sometimes you jerk awake frightened and screaming for no reason. If you’re half asleep and think an old lady is sitting on your chest, that’s called hypnogogic hallucination. You can hallucinate you woke up and are floating through the nearest wall, some whackos call that an out-of-body experience. For lucid dreaming you try to keep your mind conscious until and after reaching the dream phase, being able to control your dreams. There is no gradation between hallucination and dreaming. Sleep paralysis is when you can’t move because your mind woke up but your body didn’t yet.