I find there are few things that can ruin a night’s sleep more than that awful sensation of jerking awake in panic.

Perhaps you’ve experienced it on occasion – most of our readers likely will have at one point or another –

and if you haven’t then you can count yourself lucky.

For many, the feeling of being ripped from sleep is an uncomfortable one,

and is often preceded by the sensation of your body falling.

It’s like one of those dreams when you’re falling… falling… only to then start awake

directly before you hit the ground. You never really get used it, unfortunately,

and it can be difficult to return to a peaceful slumber after it’s happened.

But what exactly does this jerking sensation mean? Why does it appear to be a

fully natural and common occurrence among most all humans?

Is there anything that can be done to prevent it from happening?