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Scientific mysteries of sleep revealed

Science Explorer has considered three sleep-related issues as the year reaches the end. Digital Journal assesses the latest sleep-related research.

First is twitching, which sometimes happens when you’re drifting off to sleep. As someone starts to doze off a little bit, eyelids getting heavy, their entire body can sometimes twitch to the extent it wakes the person back up. Researchers describe this event as a hypnagogic jerk. It is a type of involuntary muscle spasm. The hypnagogic state refers to the transition between wakefulness and sleep. The associated muscle spasms can be spontaneous or they can be triggered by external stimuli, such as sound and light.These cause nerves to ‘misfire’ at the wrong point in the transition from wakefulness to sleep.

Involuntary muscle spasms occur with up to 70 percent of people. They tend to be linked to stress, caffeine, and fatigue. If they happen often, it may be worth reviewing lifestyle factors.

The second sleep-related fact is yawning. Why is yawning contagious? The effect not only happens with people but also with the great apes. Some scientists think yawning is related to a person’s level of empathy — the more empathetic a person, the more likely they are to yawn if someone else does so.

Finally, when we close out eyes why do we sometimes see white spots (or even colorful blobs) on the back of our eyelids. These spots are called “phosphenes.” They form because they eyes are emitting biophotons (biologically produced light particles.) They relate to the way the brain is processing information.

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Written By

Dr. Tim Sandle is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for science news. Tim specializes in science, technology, environmental, business, and health journalism. He is additionally a practising microbiologist; and an author. He is also interested in history, politics and current affairs.

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