Named the unexpected cause of the sensation of "falling" when falling asleep

Scientists have discovered an unexpected connection: SSRI antidepressants provoke "sleep jerks." Researchers from Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University have found that taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors significantly increases the risk of hypnic jerks when falling asleep. The research results are published in the scientific journal Cureus.

These jerks are familiar to many people as a sudden sensation of falling or a sharp jolt at the moment of transition from wakefulness to sleep. Despite the usual harmlessness of such phenomena, in some cases they can significantly worsen sleep quality, cause anxiety, and even become a cause of insomnia or exacerbate depressive states. The scientific team suggests that SSRI medications disrupt the natural chemical balance of the brain, leading to such unexpected reactions of the body.

SSRI group medications, including the widely known fluoxetine, function by increasing serotonin levels in the brain. Serotonin performs a crucial function in regulating mood, sleep, and emotional state of a person. The principle of action of these medications is to block specific proteins that normally return serotonin to nerve cells after its release. As a result, this neurotransmitter remains active in the intercellular space longer, which helps improve the emotional state of patients with depression and anxiety disorders.

During the study, it was also found that similar sensations of "falling" when falling asleep can be provoked by other factors: excessive caffeine consumption, nicotine exposure, and increased stress levels.

The authors of the scientific work emphasize: despite the fact that hypnic jerks are usually with