Even dreaming can't escape the pain Do you ever have dreams that are so intense that they feel real? Dreams where you are falling, or being chased, or fighting someone? And then suddenly, you wake up with a jolt, heart racing and gasping for air? It's an eerie feeling, isn't it? And yet, for some people, even this isn't the worst part of it. Imagine dreaming that you are the hero of an action movie, fighting your way through hordes of bad guys. You are dodging bullets and throwing punches, feeling invincible. And then, suddenly, in the middle of a fight, you get hit. Except, it's not just a dream hit. It's a real hit. Someone has punched you in the face. You wake up, heart racing, but this time there's a sharp pain in your jaw as well. This is what it's like for some people who suffer from a condition known as "sleep start". Sleep start is a type of sleep disorder where people experience sudden muscle contractions, often accompanied by vivid dreams. It's also known as hypnic jerk, because it usually happens as you're falling asleep, during the hypnagogic state. For most people, these jerks are harmless and don't actually wake them up. But for some, the jerks are violent enough to cause them to wake up with a start, and sometimes even injure themselves. It's not entirely clear what causes sleep start, but it's thought to be related to our nervous system's working during sleep. Normally, our muscles are paralyzed during sleep to prevent us from acting out our dreams. But in some cases, the paralysis is incomplete, and our bodies still react to the dream stimuli. This can result in sudden jerks and sometimes even full-blown movements. Unfortunately, there's not much that can be done to treat sleep start. For most people, it's just an annoying inconvenience. But for some, the pain and disruption to sleep can be quite severe. If you or someone you know suffers from sleep start, it's worth speaking to a doctor about it to see if there are any options for managing the condition. In the meantime, just remember that even dreaming can't always be a respite from pain. Our bodies are complex and sometimes unpredictable, and we just have to learn to live with the quirks they throw at us. Sweet dreams – or as sweet as they can be, anyway.