Waking up, but still dreaming
Edward711 posted:
Sometimes I wake up, or think I'm awake as I'm aware of my surroundings, but will see something or believe something that isn't real. Sometimes it's harmless or even "neat", such as waking up to see a person looking at me who then walks away and doesn't respond to something I say. But more often it's frightening, waking up and thinking the ceiling fan is coming at me and pushing my wife out of the way. Or waking up and thinking I'm being attacked and struggling and yelling before I realize it isn't real. This can be very embarrassing when it happens in sight of or in earshot of others. I know this is similar to something Elias posted. I don't know if a sleep study would be of use because it doesn't happen often enough to suspect it would happen while at a sleep study center.
5 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:Waking up, but still dreamingSometimes I wake up, or think I'm awake as I'm aware of my surroundings, but will see something or believe something that isn't real. Sometimes it's harmless or even "neat", such as waking up to see a person looking at me who then walks away and doesn't respond to something I say. But more often it's frightening, waking up and thinking the ceiling fan is coming at me and pushing my wife out of the way. Or waking up and thinking I'm being attacked and struggling and yelling before I realize it isn't real. This can be very embarrassing when it happens in sight of or in earshot of others. I know this is similar to something Elias posted. I don't know if a sleep study would be of use because it doesn't happen often enough to suspect it would happen while at a sleep study center.
Byroney_WebMD_Staff responded:
Dear Edward711,
I'd definitely see a sleep disorder specialist. Even if you have a sleep study and you don't have an episode, your doctor can get a diagnosis and discuss treatment plans. While no one has been hurt yet by your actions, it's probably a good idea to get it checked out.
In case you didn't check out the links I gave to Elias, here they are:
Parasomnias
REM Sleep Behavior Disorder
Best wishes for better sleep,
Byroney
I'd definitely see a sleep disorder specialist. Even if you have a sleep study and you don't have an episode, your doctor can get a diagnosis and discuss treatment plans. While no one has been hurt yet by your actions, it's probably a good idea to get it checked out.
In case you didn't check out the links I gave to Elias, here they are:
Parasomnias
REM Sleep Behavior Disorder
Best wishes for better sleep,
Byroney
Report This| Share this:Waking up, but still dreamingDear Edward711,<br /> <br />I'd definitely see a sleep disorder specialist. Even if you have a sleep study and you don't have an episode, your doctor can get a diagnosis and discuss treatment plans. While no one has been hurt yet by your actions, it's probably a good idea to get it checked out.<br /> <br />In case you didn't check out the links I gave to Elias, here they are:<br /> <br /><a href="http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/guide/parasomnias">Parasomnias</a> <br /> <br /><a href="http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/rem-sleep-behavior-disorder">REM Sleep Behavior Disorder</a> <br /> <br />Best wishes for better sleep,<br /> <br />Byroney
Kaculka responded:
I've been experiencing the same for years now. My friends even convinced me to see a neurologist several years ago but everything was OK. I agree that this can be very embarrassing. I partially wake up from a dream - enough to open my eyes, see the room I'm in but unable to realize that the rest of the scene is not real. I talk to people that are not in the room or see things that are not there. My husband usually looks different and I either accuse him of trying to hurt/kill me or of being someone else. I even asked him a few months ago, in all seriousness, if he was an alien!! I also speak different languages with ease, even the ones that I normally struggle with. I remember everything I say and do. It wouldn't bother me so much if most of these "visions" weren't negative. A few nights ago I saw snakes in our bed and even when I turned on the light, I still believed they were there.
Report This| Share this:Waking up, but still dreamingI've been experiencing the same for years now. My friends even convinced me to see a neurologist several years ago but everything was OK. I agree that this can be very embarrassing. I partially wake up from a dream - enough to open my eyes, see the room I'm in but unable to realize that the rest of the scene is not real. I talk to people that are not in the room or see things that are not there. My husband usually looks different and I either accuse him of trying to hurt/kill me or of being someone else. I even asked him a few months ago, in all seriousness, if he was an alien!! I also speak different languages with ease, even the ones that I normally struggle with. I remember everything I say and do. It wouldn't bother me so much if most of these "visions" weren't negative. A few nights ago I saw snakes in our bed and even when I turned on the light, I still believed they were there.
Spankyrae responded:
You could look up hypnagogic and hypnopompic hallucinations for more info... that's what I figure it to be for myself. Before I read the scientific explanation, I likened it to a combination of dreaming yet being awake. Once I discovered there was a reason this was happening to me (and that I wasn't crazy!), I didn't think it was necessary to get a formal diagnosis.
For me, it happens in the middle of the night, I wake up and have "seen" a variety of things, ranging from scary to harmless. Sometimes it's people I know, sometimes it's a shadow, most times I "see" objects like vines on the ceiling, exercise equipment. One night I "saw" a teddy bear on the ceiling so I got out my camera to take a photo. By the time I did all that, my brain woke up to realize it wasn't real.
It used to freak me out, especially seeing a figure. When I looked up this stuff and found a rational explanation, I felt a lot better. Now I can pretty much make it go away quickly or fall back asleep because I can tell myself it's just a hallucination/image. It's helped me a lot.
For me, it happens in the middle of the night, I wake up and have "seen" a variety of things, ranging from scary to harmless. Sometimes it's people I know, sometimes it's a shadow, most times I "see" objects like vines on the ceiling, exercise equipment. One night I "saw" a teddy bear on the ceiling so I got out my camera to take a photo. By the time I did all that, my brain woke up to realize it wasn't real.
It used to freak me out, especially seeing a figure. When I looked up this stuff and found a rational explanation, I felt a lot better. Now I can pretty much make it go away quickly or fall back asleep because I can tell myself it's just a hallucination/image. It's helped me a lot.
Report This| Share this:Waking up, but still dreamingYou could look up hypnagogic and hypnopompic hallucinations for more info... that's what I figure it to be for myself. Before I read the scientific explanation, I likened it to a combination of dreaming yet being awake. Once I discovered there was a reason this was happening to me (and that I wasn't crazy!), I didn't think it was necessary to get a formal diagnosis.<br /> <br />For me, it happens in the middle of the night, I wake up and have "seen" a variety of things, ranging from scary to harmless. Sometimes it's people I know, sometimes it's a shadow, most times I "see" objects like vines on the ceiling, exercise equipment. One night I "saw" a teddy bear on the ceiling so I got out my camera to take a photo. By the time I did all that, my brain woke up to realize it wasn't real. <br /> <br />It used to freak me out, especially seeing a figure. When I looked up this stuff and found a rational explanation, I felt a lot better. Now I can pretty much make it go away quickly or fall back asleep because I can tell myself it's just a hallucination/image. It's helped me a lot.
Omygoodness! I can't believe this has happened to others! I finally started to research what was happening to me. and like the others I wake up but still see whats in my dream. Last night I dreamed my cat was stuck in a vent. I got up talking to her to get her out. My husband was poking me saying "your dreaming, your dreaming" Honey I was wide awake! I said "let me do this" I remember ALL that, but after a few seconds (I guess) I knew I was pulling on the curtains and not a cat. This has been happening the last 5 or 6 years. More than once, I was finding spider(s) in bed.BIG ones! I even turned the light on and STILL saw the spider, I went to the living room and got my husband, (he was still watching a TV show)brought him in and POINTED to the spider! He moved the curtain then everything disappeared. I understand about being embarrassed! This whole thing is crazy!
Report This| Share this:Waking up, but still dreamingOmygoodness! I can't believe this has happened to others! I finally started to research what was happening to me. and like the others I wake up but still see whats in my dream. Last night I dreamed my cat was stuck in a vent. I got up talking to her to get her out. My husband was poking me saying "your dreaming, your dreaming" Honey I was wide awake! I said "let me do this" I remember ALL that, but after a few seconds (I guess) I knew I was pulling on the curtains and not a cat. This has been happening the last 5 or 6 years. More than once, I was finding spider(s) in bed.BIG ones! I even turned the light on and STILL saw the spider, I went to the living room and got my husband, (he was still watching a TV show)brought him in and POINTED to the spider! He moved the curtain then everything disappeared. I understand about being embarrassed! This whole thing is crazy!
Lenalove responded:
Its great to hear I am not alone. Something similar to that has been happening to me since I was very young. I am 22 now but I can remember it happening as early as the age of 8. My parents and i had assumed that with age it would slowly stop happening (similar to how my sleep walking has died down to almost nothing at this point) however this doesn't seem to be fading. What happens is I wake up and I am fully aware of my surroundings but I am seeing and hearing things That I later realize are not there. It is always accompanied by me feeling a great deal of fear. I have even been scared to the point where I go and wake others thinking that there is real danger only to be put back and bed and encouraged to go back to sleep. Sometimes this lasts About 30 second sometimes up to a minute. The next day I always seem to remember vividly what I saw or heard. Which is way different from when I sleep walk and can not remember anything. From what I can tell this condition is some form of Hypnagogia. However I am by no means an expert.
Report This| Share this:Waking up, but still dreamingIts great to hear I am not alone. Something similar to that has been happening to me since I was very young. I am 22 now but I can remember it happening as early as the age of 8. My parents and i had assumed that with age it would slowly stop happening (similar to how my sleep walking has died down to almost nothing at this point) however this doesn't seem to be fading. What happens is I wake up and I am fully aware of my surroundings but I am seeing and hearing things That I later realize are not there. It is always accompanied by me feeling a great deal of fear. I have even been scared to the point where I go and wake others thinking that there is real danger only to be put back and bed and encouraged to go back to sleep. Sometimes this lasts About 30 second sometimes up to a minute. The next day I always seem to remember vividly what I saw or heard. Which is way different from when I sleep walk and can not remember anything. From what I can tell this condition is some form of Hypnagogia. However I am by no means an expert.
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