Many people might not know this, but dreams can actually jolt you awake. It’s not just a story made up in horror films or novels, it’s something that happens to people in real life.

Dreams can be so vivid and realistic that they startle you out of your sleep. It could be a nightmare or a happy dream, but either way, it can be quite a shock to the system.

So why do dreams jolt you awake?

It turns out that there’s a scientific explanation for why this happens. Dreams are generated in the brain during the rapid eye movement (REM) stage of sleep.

This is the deepest stage of sleep and it’s when people usually have the most vivid dreams. During REM sleep, the brain is active and working hard to process all of the information from the day.

This can sometimes lead to dreams that are strange or unsettling. If you’re jolted awake by a dream, it’s because your brain was in the middle of processing that information.

When you’re suddenly awakened, your brain is still in REM mode and it can take a few minutes for it to adjust back to reality.

So if you’ve ever been jolted awake by a dream, now you know why. It’s just your brain working hard to process all of the information from the day.

However, there are some other reasons why dreams jolt you awake like:

• Stress
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Nightmare
• Sleep Disturbances 

If you’re regularly having dreams that jolt you awake, it’s important to talk to a doctor or mental health professional.

The Science Behind Why Dreams Jolt You Awake?

When you’re falling asleep, your body starts to relax. This often includes experiencing hypnic jerks, or brief muscle spasms.

A scientist once found that the majority of people who experience hypnic jerks also report having dreams that jolt them awake.

So it’s likely that the two are related. Dreams that jolt you awake are usually the result of your brain still being in the REM stage of sleep.

Sleep deprivation can also cause your body to have more of these jerks. However, they’re generally harmless and nothing to worry about.

So if you ever wake up from a dream feeling startled, don’t fret—it’s just your normal daytime motor control activity seeping into your sleep state.

Why Our Brain Causes Us to Wake Up in the Mid-Dream?

There are a few theories as to why our brain causes us to wake up in the middle of a dream.

The first is that it’s a way to protect us from danger. If the brain senses that we’re in danger, it will jolt us awake so that we can be alert and aware of our surroundings.

The second theory is that it’s a way to release built-up stress and anxiety. Dreams can often be stressful or anxiety-inducing.

If we’re jolted awake in the middle of a dream, it’s because our brain is trying to release that stress or anxiety.

Dreams that startle you awake

There are some curtain dreams that might wake you up. Some of these dreams are:

• A loved one dying
• Being chased or attacked
• Falling from a great height
• Losing teeth
• Taking a test you’re not prepared for
• Receiving a surprise
• An earthquake
• A car accident
• A natural disaster
• Unexpected things happen

These dreams can be so vivid and realistic that they cause you to jolt awake. However, they’re usually not a cause for concern.

If you’re having regular nightmares or dreams that are causing you stress, anxiety, or depression, it’s important to pay attention to the details of the dream in order to know the right interpretation.

Dreams that scare you awake

However, there are also some dreams that might scare you awake are normally those types of dreams:

• nightmares
• night terrors
• sleep paralysis
• hypnagogic hallucinations
• murdering dreams
• explosions

All of these dreams can be pretty frightening and may cause you to jolt awake. Those dreams usually are related to some sort of mental health disorder.

Therefore, if you’re regularly having these types of dreams, it’s important to seek professional help.

How Dreams Can Jolt You Awake When you Fall asleep?

There are a few different ways that dreams can jolt you awake. The most common is a hypnic jerk occurs.

A hypnic jerk is a brief muscle spasm that often happens when you’re falling asleep. It’s your body’s way of jerking you awake so that you can be alert and aware of your surroundings.

However, there are also some other ways that dreams can jolt you awake. For example, if you’re having a nightmare, your body may react by trying to wake you up. This is because nightmares can be so frightening that your body wants to protect you from them.

There are also some medical conditions that can cause you to wake up from a dream.

For example, sleep apnea is a condition that can cause you to stop breathing for brief periods of time during sleep. This can cause you to wake up gasping for air, which can be very jarring.

Do Dreams jolt you awake dangerously?

No, generally speaking, dreams do not jolt you awake dangerously. However, there are some exceptions to this rule.

For example, if you have sleep medicine like apnea, a condition that causes you to stop breathing for brief periods of time during sleep, it can be dangerous. This is because when you stop breathing, your blood oxygen level drops.

But in most cases, people jolt awake because of a normal bodily reflex. When you dream, your brain is more active than when you are in a state of deep sleep. As a result, your body is more aroused.

Your heart rate and breathing quicken, and your muscles may twitch. It’s all part of the experience of dreaming. But sometimes, this increased activity can cause you to jolt awake but not cause danger.

Fun facts about why dreams jolt you awake?

90% of people have experienced dreams that jolt them awake.

50% of people experience hypnic jerks awake and cannot remember what they dreamt about.

Most people experience their first hypnic jerk awake in their teenage.

Hypnic jerk awake is common in people who are sleep-deprived.

Stress and anxiety can increase the number of hypnic jerks a person experiences.

The percentage of each emotion in dreams that jolts you awake is:

• Fear: 28%
• Anxiety: 19%
• Anger: 16%
• Sadness: 14%
• Disgust: 11%
• Surprise: 04%
• Joy: 03%

How to prevent dreams jolt you awake?

There are a few things you can do to prevent dreams from jolting you awake.

First, make sure that you’re getting enough sleep. This will help to prevent nightmares and night terrors.

Second, try to do body relax before bed. This will help to reduce the amount of stress and anxiety you’re feeling, which can also prevent nightmares.

Third, keep a healthy sleep schedule. This means going to bed and waking up at the same time each day. This will help to regulate your body’s natural sleep cycle and prevent dreams from jolting you awake.

Fourth, pay attention to your sleep hygiene， which means making sure that your sleep environment is clean and comfortable. This will help you to relax and fall asleep more easily.

And finally, if you’re regularly having dreams that jolt you awake, it’s important to seek professional help. This can help you to identify any underlying mental health sleep disorder that may be causing the dream.

Final thoughts

Dreams Jolt You Awake can be a disturbing experience, it will affect your sleeping quality and daytime performance.

But we still don’t need to worry too much about it, in most cases, it won’t cause any harm to our health.

By understanding why dreams jolt you awake and how to prevent them, we can hopefully reduce hypnic jerks happen.