Sleep perception, thing....

[Reaper]

Does this sort of thing happen to you once in a while???

 

Earlier today I took a nap, of which I always do when I wake up early, for about 1.5 hrs. And then, I woke up, well sort of. I say sort of because I don't know if I was awake.

 

Like, I know it wasn't dreaming, since I was aware of my surroundings, but I couldn't get up or move that much, even though I wanted to. My head and body felt too heavy to move. Of course, my sight was a bit distorted, and eyelids were barely open, but I knew I was not hallucinating and could actually see. I could feel some part of my body moving like my fingers, but I felt like I did not have much control over it, more like "yeah, I can move them, but not really". I couldn't really make much noises either, with great effort I could manage a faint whisper. Its kinda like getting knocked right out.

 

It took me a little while to become fully awake and actually move off of my bed. It just suddenly came to me to, meaning that I was in this state and then suddenly I had the ability to move and got up straight away.

 

I don't know, is this some sort of psychological state, like you are in some sub-conscious state? Or is this some sleep problem that I may have. I put it in psychology section because a lot of it deals with perceptual issues. I don't know how to describe it, its like, your awake but you're not, at the same time. I guess this is an issue of your brain being awake, but your body isn't, is such a thing even possible????

[Revenged]

REM sleep ('Rapid eye movement' sleep)... all the muscles in the body are paralysed except for the eyes that rapidly move for some reason...

[Wormwood]

Ancient people used to call it a "mara" from which we get the word nightmare. The modern terminology is sleep paralysis. It is a fairly common disorder I believe.

[Revenged]

Ancient people used to call it a "mara" from which we get the word nightmare. The modern terminology is sleep paralysis. It is a fairly common disorder I believe.

 

it is not a disorder... REM normal is normal and you require it to function... if you didn't have any REM sleep you'd have narcolepsy...

[Royston]

it is not a disorder... REM normal is normal and you require it to function... if you didn't have any REM sleep you'd have narcolepsy...

 

REM sleep isn't a disorder like you said...it's essential, but sleep paralysis certainly isn't essential, like Lockheed I used to experience this as well, when taking afternoon naps, you can see your surroundings (as though you're awake) but you can't move and you can't breathe properly. It can be very scary if you've never experienced it before.

[Revenged]

ok, i get it...

 

'Sleep paralysis is a condition characterized by temporary paralysis of the body shortly after waking up (known as hypnopompic paralysis) or, less often, shortly before falling asleep (known as hypnagogic paralysis). Physiologically, it is closely related to the paralysis that occurs as a natural part of REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, which is known as REM atonia. Sleep paralysis occurs when the brain awakes from a REM state, but the bodily paralysis persists. This leaves the person fully aware, but unable to move. In addition, the state may be accompanied by hypnagogic hallucinations.'

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_paralysis