Research
Jolting awake often associated with poorer sleep and higher anxiety, survey finds
The Brief
- A new study published in PLOS Mental Health links frequent 'sleep starts' (jolting awake while falling asleep, also called hypnic jerks) with poorer sleep quality.
- The same study reports greater insomnia severity and higher anxiety among people who experience these startles than among those who do not.
Why it matters
The findings associate a common, usually harmless experience with sleep and anxiety problems, which may help clinicians and researchers identify people with poorer sleep. The reported links are correlational and come from a survey.
Who’s affected
- people who often jolt awake while falling asleep
- sleep and mental health researchers and clinicians
- #sleep
- #anxiety
- #insomnia
- #hypnic jerks
- #mental health
People who frequently startle awake while falling asleep—a phenomenon researchers call "sleep starts" or hypnic jerks—report poorer sleep quality, greater insomnia severity and higher anxiety than those who do not, according to a new study published in PLOS Mental Health by Tanja…