India, Feb. 19 -- Have you ever jolted awake from sleep because it felt like you were falling? There is a name for this feeling, and Dr Sudhir Kumar, a neurologist at Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad, explained what it is called in a post he shared on X on February 18.

"Ever felt like you are falling. just as you are about to sleep, and your body suddenly jerks? That sudden 'shock' that wakes you up? It is called a Hypnic Jerk (also known as a sleep start). And no, it usually does not mean something is wrong with your brain," Dr Sudhir explained in the post.

The neurologist further outlined everything you need to know about this phenomenon, including when the hypnic jerk occurs, how it can be described, whether it is normal at all, when you ...