# 10 Cool (And Crazy) Things Your Body Is Doing While You’re Asleep

- Link: https://stayathomemum.com.au/news-opinion/general/10-cool-and-crazy-things-your-body-is-doing-while-youre-asleep/
- Published: 2016-07-16T12:01:05+10:00
- Author: Clare Whitfield

## _We often think about sleep as ‘wasted time’, when we aren’t really accomplishing anything in our busy lives. _

This means that we aren’t always prioritising sleep as much as we should, leaving
us fatigued and sleep-deprived.

Well, we can guarantee that after reading this article, you’ll never look at sleep
the same way again. It turns out that the time we spend sleeping is actually a pretty
busy time. Sure, our minds are away in dreamland, but the rest of the system is 
chugging along doing all the useful, and totally cool, things that we need it to
do to survive! Here’s what your body does while you’re asleep.

[⌊Woman sleeping peacefully illustrating body functions during sleep⌉⌊Woman sleeping
peacefully illustrating body functions during sleep⌉[

## **1. Your Body Temperature Decreases**

[⌊Child lying in bed with thermometer checking for fever while sleeping⌉⌊Child lying in bed with thermometer checking for fever while sleeping⌉ ](https://i0.wp.com/stayathomemum.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/parenting.com_.jpg?quality=89&ssl=1)

via parenting.com

According to sleep specialists, just as you’re falling asleep, your core body temperature
takes a dive. There’s a reason for this, as the drop is actually a signal to your
brain that melatonin should be released. This melatonin is what affects your body’s
sleep/wake cycle, also called your circadian rhythm. Basically, the melatonin is
what tells your body that you’re ready for sleep. The point at when you’re coldest
is around 2:30 in the morning, so you better be rugged up enough or getting too 
cold could wake you.

## **2. You Do The Full Body Jerk**

[⌊Woman experiencing chest pain while lying in bed indicating sleep discomfort⌉⌊Woman experiencing chest pain while lying in bed indicating sleep discomfort⌉ ](https://i0.wp.com/stayathomemum.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/nymag.com_.jpg?quality=89&ssl=1)

via nymag.com

Pretty much everyone has experienced this at some point in their life. They’re called
Hypnic Jerks, and they’re basically a full body spasm that happens just as you’re
falling asleep. Most people get the feeling that they’re falling when they happen.
Experts aren’t exactly sure why people get them, but there are suggestions they 
could be linked to anxiety or an irregular sleep schedule. So if you’re one of those
people who gets them, make sure you aren’t cuddling up to anyone when you fall asleep!

### Next Page: More Cool Things Your Body Is Doing While You’re Asleep

![author avatar](https://i0.wp.com/stayathomemum.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/
12/clare_whitfield_profile.webp?quality=80&ssl=1)

 Clare Whitfield Chief Editor

 Clare Whitfield is the Editor of Stay at Home Mum and a recognised voice in practical
home management for Australian families. Based in the northern suburbs of Sydney,
she balances editorial leadership with life as a stay at home mum to two school 
age children. Her background in home economics and more than a decade of experience
in recipe development, family budgeting, and household systems inform her work.

 [See Full Bio](https://stayathomemum.com.au/author/clare_whitfield/) [  ](https://stayathomemum.com.au/author/clare_whitfield/)