To you sleep experts,
When does the "jerk" occur? Somewhere back when, I learned it occurred
in Stage Two sleep and have said this, calling it the "nocturnal jerk" for
years when teaching about sleep. Intuitively I thought the nocturnal jerk
must occur with the spindles and especially "K-Complex" observed in brain
wave patterns in Stage Two. Put simply, I thought this was the brain
telling the muscles, "it's time to go to sleep." Recently I read that the
hypnic jerk occurs in Stage One. Feeling quite surprised, I did a quick
search and a second reference also said it occurs during Stage One. I
really find this information difficult to believe, Stage Two with the
spindles and K-Complex just seems much more likely to me. So, I need your
help. Please explain to me what you know about the "jerk."
I am wondering if there is a difference between the "hypnic jerk" (is
this head nodding while listening to a lecture or driving a car) and the
"nocturnal jerk" (is this the body jerk that occurs as one is falling off to
sleep for a longer period of time)? I don't know.
For amusement when I talk about the "jerk" I point out that we are "not
talking about the person you sleep with!" This almost always gets a good
laugh from the students.
Thanks for your knowledge on this subject,
Laura Valvatne, Ph.D.
Psychology
Shasta College
11555 Old Oregon Trail
Redding, CA 96049
(530) 225-4954
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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