You’re half-asleep with your head resting on the desk during your lunch break. All of a sudden, your leg kicks violently, your head snaps up, and you’re wide awake in a split second. This __1__ sensation is called a “hypnic jerk,” a common phenomenon that strikes just as your body starts to relax, but your brain mistakenly hits the panic button.
A hypnic jerk is an involuntary muscle spasm that usually occurs during the __2__ from wakefulness to sleep, especially during the early stages of sleep. As the body begins to relax, muscles loosen and breathing slows down. One theory suggests that the brain sometimes __3__ these physiological changes as signs of falling. In response, it sends quick signals to the muscles to contract, leading to a jerking movement. This reaction is believed to arise from a misfiring in the reticular activating system, the part of the brain that __4__ wakefulness and sleep. In simple terms, your muscles suddenly twitch — as if your body is instinctively trying to __5__ onto something to avoid falling.
Although a hypnic jerk is often accompanied by the sensation of falling, the two don’t always occur together. The falling sensation may __6__ a hypnic jerk, but many people experience one without the other. In fact, some jerks are so mild that the sleeper remains __7__ that they’ve happened.
Photo: AdobeStock I 照片：AdobeStock
Several factors can increase the __8__ of hypnic jerks, including stress, excessive caffeine consumption, and irregular sleep schedules. Even poor sleep posture can play a role. Sleeping in an awkward or unsupported position may amplify the sense of instability, making the brain more __9__ to misread your body’s relaxation as falling.
Frequent or extremely disruptive hypnic jerks could be a __10__ of sleep disorders, in which case consultation with a sleep specialist may be needed. In most cases, however, hypnic jerks are completely harmless. It’s just your brain freaking out and trying to make sure you’re safe.
午休時間，你頭靠在桌上半睡半醒。突然，你的腿激烈一踢、頭猛然一抬，一瞬間就完全清醒了。這股讓人嚇一跳的感覺是一種被稱為「入睡抽動」的常見現象，正當你的身體開始要放鬆，但大腦誤判情勢而讓你陷入驚慌，此時就會發生這種情況。
Photo: AdobeStock I 照片：AdobeStock
入睡抽動是一種不自主的肌肉抽搐，通常發生於從清醒轉換到睡眠的過程中，尤其是在睡眠的早期階段。隨著身體開始放鬆，肌肉會鬆弛、呼吸會減慢。一種理論認為，大腦有時會將這些生理變化誤解為墜落的徵兆。作為回應，大腦會快速向肌肉發出收縮訊號，導致抽搐。這種反應被認為是起因於網狀活化系統失靈，該系統是大腦中調節清醒和睡眠的區塊。簡單來說，你的肌肉突然抽動——就像你的身體本能地試圖抓住某些東西以避免墜落一樣。
雖然入睡抽動通常伴隨著墜落感，但兩者不一定都會同時發生。墜落感可能會引發入睡抽動，但許多人只會經歷其中一種。事實上，有些抽動非常輕微，睡眠者甚至沒有注意到。
有些因素可能會增加入睡抽動的可能性，包括壓力、過量攝取咖啡因，以及不規律的睡眠時間。甚至睡姿不良也會造成影響。以不舒適或無支撐的姿勢睡覺可能會增強不穩定感，使大腦更容易將身體的放鬆誤判為墜落。
頻繁或極度干擾性的入睡抽動可能是睡眠失調的症狀，在這種情況下，可能需要諮詢睡眠專家。不過在多數情況下，入睡抽動完全是無害的。只是你的大腦嚇壞了，並試圖確保你是安全的。
What Did You Learn?
(A) grab (B) symptom (C) prone
(D) unaware (E) transition (F) trigger
(G) startling (H) regulates (I) likelihood (J) misinterprets
參考答案 :
1. G 2. E 3. J 4. H 5. A
6. F 7. D 8. I 9. C 10. B
Words in Use
1. sensation n. 感覺，知覺
After sitting for too long, I felt a tingling sensation in my legs.
久坐後，我覺得腿部有刺刺的感覺。
2. involuntary a.
不由自主的，無意識的
Irene let out an involuntary gasp when she saw the snake.
艾琳看到那條蛇時，不由自主地倒抽一口氣。
3. loosen vi. 鬆動，鬆開
No matter how hard I pulled, the knot wouldn’t loosen.
無論我多麼用力拉，那個結都鬆不開。
4. contract vi. 收縮；縮小
The fabric contracts after being washed in hot water.
這種布料用熱水洗會縮水。
5. instinctively adv. 本能地
The baby girl instinctively turned toward the sound of her mother’s voice.
那名女嬰本能地轉向媽媽聲音的方向。
Practical Phrases
1. in a split second 一瞬間
My cat darted under the sofa in a split second when it heard the loud thunder.
我的貓咪聽到巨大雷聲時瞬間衝到沙發下。
2. hit the panic button 驚慌失措
意指大腦像是按下了按鈕一樣，啟動了驚慌反應。
Some investors hit the panic button during the market crash and sold all their stocks.
市場崩盤時，有些投資者慌忙拋售所有股票。
3. in response 作為回應
The audience cheered in response after the band announced they’d perform their hit song.
該樂團宣布要表演他們的熱門歌曲後，觀眾以歡呼作為回應。
4. arise from. . . 起因於……
Conflicts often arise from misunderstandings between people.
衝突常常起因於人們之間的誤解。
5. play a role 造成影響，起作用
Stress can play a role when one
makes important decisions.
在做重大決定時，壓力會造成
影響。
聽文章朗讀及講解: https://ivy.pse.is/455bfu
本文出自常春藤解析英語雜誌: www.ivy.com.tw
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