Monday, March 27, 2006

You ever have that dream...

Where you're slipping and falling and then your body gets weird and you wake up because it feels like you really literally fell? You know what I mean? I do it periodically, usually when I'm just falling asleep and it totally pisses me off because then it wakes me up. I'm always stumbling off a curb when I have these dreams. I just read on MSN what that's about:

Sleep starts
One moment you’re drifting off to la-la land, and the next instant—whoa!—you’re dropping off a cliff. Sleep experts believe the brain sometimes gets the wrong message from the body during the transition into sleep, and associates the lack of muscle tension with being in midair. Arms and legs then jerk suddenly as they would to break a fall. Not yet realizing the body is simply at rest, the brain also instantaneously conjures a story to account for the sudden jump, and that’s why we picture ourselves falling, slipping or missing a stair.

6 comments:

Matt said...

I find that happens to me when I'm falling asleep on the train, which is unfortunate, because I probably look like a total idiot to the other commuters. Luckily, half of them are already asleep as well.

Mind Sprite said...

I did that once in a high school class. Since I had my head rested on my folded arms, it drew quite a bit of attention when I flailed my arms out and scattered notes, pencils and fabric samples all over the room.

Rachel said...

That happens to me all the time! I thought I was just a freak. Glad there's a logical explanation!

Chicken said...

I am terrified when that happens and it is good to know what the hell is going on.

... said...

Jo- the reason it is curbs for you is because you have some kind of resident fear of being hit I think...from all that walk commuting you do.

Jodi said...

Yes, I've had that happen many times and it is always freaky!