My girlfriend seems to enter dream sleep right away. As soon as she falls asleep, she starts moving abruptly, with her muscles twitching and relaxing rapidly. She often makes sounds like moans or clicks her teeth, sometimes waking herself up. When I check on her, she tells me she was dreaming. This rapid transition to dreaming shortly after falling asleep makes me think she enters dream sleep almost immediately. She has a stressful job and frequently gets insufficient sleep. Could this be causing her immediate entry into dream sleep, or might it indicate a condition like narcolepsy? I think a doctor’s visit is in order, but I’d appreciate hearing from anyone with similar experiences.
My husband experiences the same, and I always assumed it was normal while I struggle to fall asleep for hours.
It sounds like you’re describing hypnic jerks or myoclonus, possibly due to insufficient rest or stress. These are generally normal, but it might help to focus on better sleep habits and stress reduction.
Directly entering REM sleep is possible with prior sleep deprivation, though typically deeper non-REM sleep stages occur first, making this behavior unusual. What you’re seeing are likely hypnic jerks, which are common, benign, and not a concern. Dreaming might occur in all sleep stages, but REM is known for vivid dreams.
My husband is similar, falling asleep immediately. Initially, light noises can wake him, but he soon enters a deep sleep.
This might be tied to her sleep shortage or something more complex like narcolepsy. However, stress and lack of sleep can definitely alter regular sleep patterns.
It sounds like sleep deprivation. I know someone who would stay up late and then fall asleep the moment they hit the bed.
She might consider undergoing a sleep study. Rapid entry into REM could be indicative of narcolepsy.
Adding to others, the twitches you describe are hypnic jerks, quite common and not a concern. Rushing into REM could indeed point to sleep deprivation as confirmed by her work situation. Consulting a doctor to document these observations and possibly adjust her work schedule to allow more sleep could be beneficial. Not addressing sleep deprivation can significantly impact long-term health.