20 things that happen while we sleep

Sleepwalking More likely to affect young children than adults, sleepwalking is a behaviour disorder that happens during deep sleep. Its common triggers include sleep deprivation, sedative agents (including alcohol), febrile illnesses and certain medications.

Falling Sensation Almost 70 per cent of us have experienced it: the sensation of falling that jolts us awake just as we are going to sleep. The involuntary muscle twitches in our limbs or through our entire bodies are called hypnic jerks

Sleep intercourse It’s not an excuse to grope a sleeping partner. Sleep intercourse is a real disorder. WebMD calls the practice “unromantic, even dangerous,” with couples reluctant to talk about it because of shame.

Exploding Head Syndrome According to Time magazine, about 10 to 15 per cent of people experience Exploding Head Syndrome, where “all of a sudden, the person wakes up having heard a really loud noise, like an explosion, a flash of light

Narcolepsy With this chronic sleep disorder, people feel excessively drowsy during the day and may have “sleep attacks,” nodding off without warning. And generally bosses don’t like people snoozing on the job.

Grinding Teeth We used to think that grinding and clenching our teeth at night (bruxism), in our sleep, was a product of stress or a bad bite. But new research shows it may be a result of interrupted sleep breathing, which happens during sleep apnea.

Night Terrors Almost 40 per cent of children are affected by night terrors, where they experience episodes of screaming, fear and flailing while sleeping.

Sleep Paralysis As a person moves between stages of wakefulness and sleep, sleep paralysis is the feeling of being conscious but not being able to move. The condition is rarely linked to underlying psychiatric problems.

Snoring If you’re a couple, snoring is probably a fact of life. You’re either the culprit or victim. The problem occurs when air flow through the nose and mouth is obstructed through, say, a deviated septum, poor muscle tone in the throat and tongue, and for other reasons.

Sleep Texting We’re so attached to our smartphones that apparently sleep texting has become a thing. Says a doctor on CNN:

Nocturnal Groaning Catathrenia is described as groaning sounds emitted during expiration of breathing, during deep REM stages of sleep. This nocturnal groaning isn’t linked to any worrisome medical conditions and doesn’t lead to sleep deprivation—unless you are the partner of a groaner.

Sense of Smell Sleeps One reason we need to have smoke alarms in our homes is because our sense of smell also takes a rest as we sleep. So while sounds may jerk us awake, the smells of smoke and burning may not.

Eyes Move When we fall into the deepest stage of sleep, our eyes get busy. In the REM (rapid eye movement) stage, our eyes, as the name suggests, move rapidly in many different directions.

Human Growth Hormone As we sleep, especially in the deep stages, human growth hormone (hgH) is released, helping to regenerate muscle, bone and tissues. This kind of “beauty sleep” may be prompted by low glucose levels when we’re under, as well as by other factors.

Kidney Function Slows Many of our physiological activities slow down as we sleep. For example, our kidney function slows and the amount of urine we produce is reduced. This is why many of us can make it through the night without visiting a washroom.

Dreams We all dream but no one really knows why. The stories our minds play for us can be bizarre, alarming, beguiling and so real that you think they are real. The most intense dreaming occurs during REM sleep.

Sleep Apnea This condition occurs when the upper airway becomes blocked during sleep, reducing or completely obstructing airflow.

Sleep Hallucinations Hypnagogic hallucinations can happen as we are falling asleep—the vivid illusions may involve images, smells, tastes, tactile sensations, sounds, movement, or feelings of flying or falling.

By Sahil Saifi Thank you