2003年06月24日
horizontal sleep walking
I've done it for as long as I can remember, but it's been happening a lot recently. When I'm in that dreamy half-sleep stage and I trip over in my dream I physically jump. Sometimes I even fully wake up because of it.
I'm not sure what tripping over means dream-interpretation wise but it may be related to me being a little clumsy in real life perhaps.
This is as close as I've got to actual sleepwalking though. The Boy is a very restless sleeper but I haven't noticed him actually jumping at any stage. My younger brother can have conversations in his sleep but he never remembers what he says. The j-ster says that I have done this too on occasion.
The Boy sometimes snores so loudly that it wakes me up. I've tried rolling him over, pinching and punching, pillow over the face (I don't push down all that hard), but what I've found actually works is stroking him lightly on the forehead. No idea why - but it's a relief to have worked it out.
Odd that snoring should disturb me considering I'm one of those type of people who can generally sleep anywhere. Especially in moving vehicles. I'm usually asleep before take-off when I fly. I can sleep standing up on a train. Mum says that this may be a left-over from my childhood, I was usually asleep before we even got out of the driveway. Luckily I don't have a license to drive, ne?
Posted by mjd-s at 2003年06月24日 21:40That sensation of suddenly falling when you're on the verge of sleep is called a myoclonic jerk, although there are other kinds of jerks as well (stop laughing, I'm being serious here) such as the hypnagogic jerk (it's that little start that people give when woken).
This article from discovery.com has a bit more info, but the bottom line is that no one knows what causes any of these jerks (a bit like waking life, really).
Added by: jh at 2003年06月24日 23:10Try the dream dictionary.. http://www.sleeps.com/dictionary/dictionary.html But it doesn't mention tripping.
I often wake quickly with the myoclonic jerk (thanks jh for that definition) but my dreams are often that I am struggling to do something against a deadline and fumbling.. (this is fear of failure)
It's perfectly normal, you're perfectly normal, just keep telling yourself.
3.4. What is a myoclonic jerk?
This term denotes a common experience with sudden contractions of the big body muscles while falling asleep. This mostly causes a feeling of stumbling, falling or similar and subsequently waking up again. The exact cause is not known, it probably is some disturbance in the brain's functions in the first stage of sleep. Surely it is common, and does not cause serious problems unless it stops you from sleeping (but then you have general sleeping problems as well).
a psychology professor said: You're heart rate gets very slow, and and your breathing slows down quicker than normal. You brain may interpret this as your body dying, so it sends an electrical pulse to your muscles. Like a jump start. This is similar to a Night Terror, when you wake up absolutely terrified about something, but have no idea why.
Huh... "myoclonic jerk," gotta remember that. I get that sometimes. Always thought it was kinda nutty.
Added by: Luis at 2003年06月25日 14:42Gosh I experience myoclonic jerks?!
Added by: mj at 2003年06月25日 23:13isnt there another name for it, with an x in it. I remember coming across it in a dictionary one day but now i cant remember. I was given morphine after a back surgury and I was "tripping" all night long.
you can email me with the name if anyone comes across it. thankx