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Sleeping Disorders and the I-Function

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Biology 202
1998 Third Web Reports
On Serendip

Sleeping Disorders and the I-Function

Rehema Trimiew

As we all know, sleep is an important part of our lives. Without the proper amounts and type of sleep, fatigue and other problems can arise. Generally, we can clearly distinguish between a sleeping person and a person that is awake. With sleeping disorders, the distinction between an awake person and a sleeping person becomes more intriguing. What is the difference, how does it relate to the I-function and consciousness? Each sleeping disorder has its own unique answer to this question. It is essential to understand sleep to fully appreciate it. However, many aspects of it remain a mystery. We do have some degree of understanding of sleep. Within our sleep cycle a type of unusual sleep occurs, REM sleep. During this cycle the periods of REM sleep are interspersed with slow wave sleep in alternation. Each period of REM sleep (there are usually 4 or 5 periods a night) lasts for approximately 5 to 30 minutes. During these periods a sleep paradox occurs. An enormous amount of brain activity takes place; this is sometimes even more activity then when awake. This clearly indicates that sleep is not simply to rest our mind and not to think. So, during this period our brains are extremely active, yet there is usually no input or output. During this period, along with the random eye movement (REM), there is a complete loss of muscle tone. Essentially, at this point, the motor system is paralyzed (normally the body inhibits any movement). The autonomic nervous system also alters its behavior. The regulation of body temperature is lost and the blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rates shows increased variability. REM sleep can be detected by measuring the electrical activity of the brain with an electroencephalogram. At this point, the EEG will show the same pattern of activity as when the brain is awake.

It is fascinating that at this point, REM sleep, where dreaming is frequent, the body shuts itself down. If, as suggested in class, the I-function is active at this stage, it is interesting that all body movement is inhibited. During other stages in which there are synchronized EEGs, and the I-function is not supposed to be present, the body does not inhibit all motor activity. This seems to imply that when the I-function is present it will control the body as it sees fit. One of the more ubiquitous parasomnias is sleep talking or somniloquy. This disorder is characterized by often nonsensical or difficult to understand verbal vocalizations during sleep. The person may carry on conversations and seem to speak as if they are awake. This is not constrained to a specific stage of sleep; it is present in REM and NREM. Regardless of the stage of sleep, this is an extremely common disorder allows talking. Frequently we talk during the day, utilize our I-function when talking and remember what was talked about. This is not the case with somniloquy.

Sleepwalking, known as somnambulism, is a very interesting disorder. The symptoms of this disorder, walking while asleep, occur during slow wave sleep, in the first third of the major sleep episode. People can vary in their symptoms, from sitting up in bed, to doing more complicated activities such as preparing a meal. In addition, there is difficulty in rousing the person from the episode and amnesia following the episode. Generally, the sleepwalker has a blank face and is unresponsive to efforts made by others to communicate with them. Sleepwalking is more common in children. It also seems as if children do not inhibit their actions as much as adults do. This poses the question Are we born with an I-function? Do children develop their I-function and because it is premature, they are more likely to sleepwalk? Could the I-function be present in these synchronized periods? Is that why adults do not sleepwalk as much as children, because their I-function inhibits the behavior? Does sleepwalking occur when the I-function is distracted and allows unattended behaviors to occur?

When sleepwalking is in its most severe form, episodes take place nightly and those that are affected are prone to physical injury. Sleep walking is not caused by a medical condition or the physiological effects of a substance. As a result of the episodes, sleepwalkers can feel embarrassed, anxiety, and confusion after learning of their sleepwalking. After an episode of sleepwalking, they do not report being conscious as they might be in a dream or in real life. However, the sleepwalker may seem to act as if they were awake.

Because overexertion and lack of sleep can trigger sleepwalking episodes, getting enough rest is suggested. Moreover, stress can result in sleepwalking. A calming ritual or relaxation exercises before bed may help. Since the person is walking around in their sleep and in the dark, removing dangerous objects and sleeping on the ground floor of the house is advised. Although, some individuals are able to navigate easily and safely through their surroundings without serious harm. Hypnosis has also been found as a helpful treatment for somnambulism. The drugs that have been found helpful include benzodiazepines, diazepam, or lorazepam. Older men are more likely to be afflicted with REM sleep behavior disorder then the general population. The newly discovered REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD), is marked by complex and violent behaviors and an unawareness of surroundings. This is unusual, not only because it occurs during sleep, but because it occurs during REM sleep. Ordinarily, this REM stage of sleep is characterized by "REM atonia", which is muscle paralysis. These older men attempt to carry out "violent moving nightmares" which are characterized by attack behaviors, locomotion (particularly running), orientating and exploring behaviors (staring, grasping, head raising, reaching, searching, etc.), and a minimal syndrome of twitching and a jerking of the limbs and body. Could RBD occur because the I-function is active and the body fails to inhibit the actions as it usually does? The mind of the person would be conscious and the I-function would be active. However, the person does not receive any of the real input from his bedroom. The person simply ignores the input and generates his own internal environment which he navigates through in his mind and in real life. The person would be just like any one who is awake except seeing, feeling, hearing, tasting, and smelling things that do not actually exist. To detect RBM, family interviews, polysomnographic monitoring, psychiatric monitoring can be used. In the people with RBM, the location of the disorder in the nervous system varied greatly. This indicates that it is not always found in the same location in the nervous system. Some people that are physically debilitated by a disorder while awake, become quite active during the night when their RBM occurs. Another way to detect RBM, is by using the electromyograph. This device detects muscle activity. If the muscles of the person are active during the period of REM atonia, then the diagnosis can be made (muscles should not be active during REM sleep).

The content of the nightmares that RBD people suffer from is highly unusual. Generally, they try to defend themselves or family members from an attacker. Rarely are they the primary aggressor, an animal or unfamiliar person ordinarily is. Moreover, the odd dream content is acted out by the dreamer while in REM sleep. Some people have sustained fractures in their ribs, digits, vertebrae, sternum, gotten bruises, lacerations, sprains, joint dislocations, cartilage tears, torn nails, rug burn, pulled hair, nose bleeds, and traumatic headaches. In addition, other people in the bed have been injured. Because of the accidents that can occur while acting out dreams, many people take desperate means to prevent injury. Some tie themselves to their beds, others use sleeping bags, pillow barricades, or padded waterbeds. Sleep can contain walking, talking, and even carrying out complicated behaviors as can be done when awake. Is the I-function present? In some cases, while asleep, the I-function is present (lucid dreaming). If it is possible to be conscious, talk and carryout behaviors while asleep, why is sleep so different from when we are awake and why is it so difficult to understand? In addition, if we can carry out all of these behaviors with out our I-function why do we have the I-function? It is interesting that the body normally inhibits any movement that is made while the person is sleeping. Is it to prevent any action without the I-function? Clearly, the I-function serves a purpose and may have a role during sleep. While sleeping the person can be conscious, have the I-function present and create a new reality that seems real to them, this seems like being awake except for the person determining the input.

1. http://www.cmhcsys.com/disorders/sx93.htm http://www-leland.stanford.edu/~dement/

2. http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/1837/library.html http://www.rls.org/

 

 

Continuing conversation
(to contribute your own observations/thoughts, post a comment below)

10/17/2005, from a Reader on the Web

HI, I have been talking in my sleep for the past year, constantly, I use to talk all the time, and then it stopped when I was diagnosed with Bi-polar disease. after 17 years the doctors took me off of Lithium and put me on Lamictal, which like a miracle drug. But, this is when I started talking again. I use to walk in my sleep but stopped when I was on Lithium. I actually ran out of the house and ran into our back yard, then I woke up! Kind of funny but scary. I also have had night sweats and terror for many years probably since my early 20's, I am now 60. I am glad to see talking is common, although I am very fatigued in the mornings. I also take Lamictal, Clonapin, zoloft in the evenings. Very interesting article. Thank you for this info. I feel better about it. Sincerely Victoria Kelley PS: Many years ago when I was in my 30's, I actually almost climbed out of a second floor window.

Additional comments made prior to 2007
Hi, Thank-you for the very interesting article.
I have only sleep walked on a few occasions but last night has to be one of my most scariest episodes.

I have only been home for a few days from Easter camping, and last night i thought (in my dream) that i was slill camping and i was walking around for my tent for ages as you do. Finally after quite a while i looked around the room and finally relized 'hey im not even camping, im at home' then relizing while looking around the dark room, 'I'm in the bathroom!' not only that but i was standing in my bath tub!!

A very funny thought, however i was very, very freaked out at the time!
Im only 15, and am scared easily, im hoping this sleeping walking does not occcur to often ... Laura Hanbridge, 19 April 2006

 

 

Hello, I am Paul, I live in Norway, Nearbo, I am student of 18 years old. I am very desperate to know what has been happening lately to me, I think I am possessed by something, someone... I dream this nightmare since one which craft game we played at one party at 2006 New Years Eve. I was supposed to be a medium, and we were calling a murderer's soul which was supposed to be the one man's who killed some girl 5 years ago in same town were we had celebration. During the process, people said that my voice changed and I talked in voices of unexplainable, perhaps the same murderers voice. After the ritual, I did remembered nothing, but my friends were most terrified and shocked, that this whole thing worked. Now about almost every week I am having a nightmare about that process of witch craft that I am possessed by something I can't control. When I wake up, I am still speaking in tongues I CAN'T CONTROL, as well as whole body! I can feel it, that I am awake, because my parents saw me once doing it and they think I lost my mind! I don't know what to do... I am going out of my mind, I need help, or advice! Anything! ... Paul, 11 January 2007

 

 

I've discovered my own sleep paradox, even though this is not anything most people haven't been aware of. In a nutshell, the problem is that we do not fall asleep while consciously thinking about sleep. We generally nod off thinking about other things.

 

I have never been insomniac but I have noticed that the more worried I might be about falling asleep (due to worrying about my performance at work the next day), the more difficult it is to fall asleep. This last week, I had a bout of sleep that was triggered by bad news from an ex girlfriend but then snowballed out of my own head.

 

I started to feel as if I HAD to be thinking about other things than my ex or sleep itself, to fall asleep. The harder I tried, the less capable I was. After two nights of 3 or less hours of sleep (despite sleep aides) and one completely sleepless nights, I committed myself to the emergency room. A doctor prescribed some sleeping pills and suggested that try staying awake until evening, at which point I take the pill.

 

A couple hours later, I started having a panic attack. In my exhausted state, I felt as if my future held a very strong depressant every night to sleep (one capable of overcoming my conscious objections to sleeping) or staying awake 48 to 72 hours at a time until sleep literally just overcame my body, whether I was driving or what. I would never sleep like I used to. The logic just seemed so air-tight: sleep is essential for life, but it is essential you not think too hard about it while trying to attain it. That humans have slept well for thousands of years has required them to NOT be overly aware of this little nagging fact. This has generally not been a problem for anybody because there are always more specific, timely concerns to think about while drifting off. Unfortunately for me, I cannot think of anything more timely or important than sleeping itself.

 

I went back into the emergency room and they could see my shaking, persperation and rapid speech. I handed over my clothes and gave blood and urine samples. I am happy that I was able to explain this paradox to a social worker and to the lab aide and to the nurse. A doctor who didn't see me prescribed lorazapam (for my nerves and to help me sleep) and a doctor whom I had seen earlier that morning had prescribed trazadone, an antidepressant and sleep aide. The aide also shut off the lights, gave me extra blankets, and encouraged me to try to sleep by thinking about a road trip. I tried but couldn't.

 

When it became time to go, I was given my clothes back and I brought my prescription to the safeway pharmacy. It took a very long time there and by the time I got home, the panic was beginning to build again. Even after taking the anti-anxiety meds and lying down, I could not sleep. I was losing my facilities, as at one moment a voice (indication that I was almost dreaming) said: "What if your name was like John instead of Antonio"? and compelled me to change my posture. I was almost asleep but my fevered, jealous consciousness took hold of me soon enough again. My panic grew to the point of wanting to be back to the ER and being given a general anesthetic.

 

At some point, I must have simply given up and inadvertantly started thinking about something else for just long enough for sleep to steal over my body. I slept for around 18 hours in a row, waking up about 5:00 a.m. the following day.

 

I feel great now but I have no idea what the future holds. Do I need hypnosis? could it help? anybody else have this problem? I still feel as if I will never see sleeping the same way as before about five days ago and that I face a lifetime of challenges with sleep ... AH, 21 July 2007

 

 

I have looked all over the internet for some type of information on this and have come to many dead ends. So I have decided to put myself out there and in hopes, someone can understand, offer advise, or has been there.

 

It starts off: This doesn't happen frequently, but once a month is scary enough. I lay down to sleep, and I find myself awake, fully conscience. Can add, multiply, speak to myself (inside my head of course), but cannot move or open my eyes, because I am asleep... technically.

 

Like tonight for instance. I had a dream that I was asleep in a car, in the drivers side, and when I woke (inside the dream) the car was moving backwards fast as if the parking brake failed, I looked out the passenger's back window and noticed that the car I was in barely missed a truck, but all of the sudden I knew I was dreaming, I said to myself in the dream, I'm dreaming! I'm dreaming!.. and everything stopped. So there I was ... stuck ... Charles, 17 September 2007

Comments

Serendip Visitor's picture

Reply

I do this al the time!! I half wake up and I don't recognise my husband.... I think he is a stranger. Last night it happened again, I even went as far as tidying the bathroom and putting a top on so that a) they wouldn't think I was scruffy and b) do they wouldn't see me topless!! I just go back to sleep and if I wake up again I can recognise him and I can remember what happened as well!!

Jade's picture

woke up and didn't recognise my husband

Am so glad I'm not alone, thought I was going mental last night. I hadnt been very well and fell asleep on sofa. My daughter was in bed and my husband watching tv in armchair next to me. I had only been asleep about an hour and then i woke up and looked right at him and said where's Dad (which is a strange thing to say as i have no Dad). I think he thought i was still half asleep and thought i was talking to my daughter about where he was so he said don't u mean me, Rick. So i said yes wheres rick, has he gone to bed. I kept asking him where rick was even though I was looking right at him. I wasnt asleep as i remember everything i was saying. He looked a bit worried and said, babe I'm Rick. I then recognised him and burst into tears. How is it possible i didnt recognise my own husband. I wasnt asleep so i wasnt sleepwalking. I'm only 32 so don't have a degenerative illness. It really upset me

christina's picture

me too!

I have also been having the same sensation on and off for the past few years. I will wake up and jump out of bed with the feeling that my SO is a stranger or someone else inappropriate ( like a male relative) to be in the bed with me. (Disclaimer: I've never been abused or anything like that.). I usually get up and go to the couch. By the time I get downstairs I usually come back to reality. It's very odd, and the boyfriend seems to think I'm loosing it.

Serendip Guest's picture

Forgetful friend

the same thing just happened to me! my best friend was in my bed and she said "what happened" at about 5 in the morning (waking me up), and when I turned around she got scared and said "who are you?" that freaked me out and I sat up and just kept asking her "what?" followed by her calming down and saying "are you okay?" I said "do you know who I am," she said "yeah," and it wasn't even a minute later. She said she remembered not knowing who I was but didn't seem scared. I still can't sleep, I'm trying to figure out what happened because it was scary but she fell back asleep. we've only been asleep for a few hours, do you think she maybe sleep talked?

Penny's picture

talking in sleep

Hi,

Looking for information about talking in my sleep.

My Boyfriend says my talking in my sleep is getting out of hand, to the point he is worried.

He says I am talking to up to an hour at a time, at which sometimes it is very loud, and,also a different voice, as if someone else is in the room talking to me.

Dose anyone know what causes this behavior?

I have no memory of anything..dreams or other wise.

I do not sleep well at all, I am always tired when I get up.

Seems as though my best sleep is between 7am to 10 or 11am.

I do take scripts to help me sleep and to stay asleep, plus meds for depression.

Have had a sleep test done, was told I have sleep apnea ,yet they never offered a sleep mask of any kind. They said I was an obnoxious snorer and removed my uvula and fixed my deviated septum.

I would appreciate any input.

Serendip Visitor's picture

Sleep walking

I have often slept walked and had rambling conversations with my eyes open without remembering it later. In one case turned all the lights on in a room without remembering it. Later i was told i had my eyes open during it. I don't really want to stop because it is kind of interesting to learm about what I've done while asleep. I would like to know what it means.

Mell's picture

dreaming before sleeping

I have something very weird. I go into rem sleep before actually going to sleep. Ive had this for over 2 years. I can only move my mouth to act out speech and my whole body goes heavy and sort of parylized. I can stay in this state for about 15-30 mins i come out of it then go back in and eventually i end up sleeping with no dreams during the night. This also can occur when i am sitting down. But it only happens when i am on my own. If I here a night the whole thing stops.

cassandra's picture

i use to have night terrors

i use to have night terrors when i was a child, and i still do, but i cant remember what they are....also, when i fall asleep i end up waking up sitting indianstile one my bed for more than 3 hours.... i don't know what causes it and i don't know how to fix it.... it freaks out everyone i know, and my fiance tells me that i can't be woken up and that i sleep with my eyes open sometimes while sitting up.... i dont know what to do!! please help

Serendip Visitor's picture

Your post about night terrors

Hello,

I have some things to share with you concerning this experience.

I want to help you, and I truly believe that what I have to share with you will help you, if you are willing to listen and receive it. However, many people get turned off when religion and Jesus are mentioned.

Often times experiences like this are interlaced with pain in one's life, either emotional or physical. Is there something that you have been dealing with in these two areas of your life?

I am not going to jump on you and force religion down your throat if you do not want to hear about it, but, as I said, I have more to share with you, so if you are interested in hearing, please let me know. I can be reached via email at

I wish you the best

Serendip Visitor's picture

You are right to assume that

You are right to assume that people will be turned off by your message. The year was 2011 when you posted this nonsense- not 1611.. please drop the religious horseshit and join us in the real world.

wendy's picture

religion and sleeping

Im interested. So talk.

Serendip Visitor from AK's picture

sensitive to people around me when I am asleep

I don't know how active this site is currently but I read the article and it makes sense just don't know if anyone has any advice for me. I don't talk in my sleep. I don't act out my dreams. But what I have done and probably will still do is something that sometimes frightens me and sometimes makes me think it may be a good thing. I just want help in controlling it, harnessing it if you will. I protect my self when I sleep.
Now, that sounds good if I'm being attacked but never have been. Here are only two examples:
When my son was asleep and I was rocking him as a baby. I was starting to nod off too. Next I knew, I had pushed back the foot stool, my legs extended, swung my son on my left side while simultaneously swinging up my right arm in front of me. Apparently my husband came home early and was "just gonna lean in for a kiss on us looking so sweet". But he moved fast enough back, barely, I missed him with my right fist. I never knew I moved until he said something and i forced my eyes open.
And more recently. My husband has been deployed for 6 months (new to Army) and he came home for 2 weeks. During that time he did something similar. Leaned in for a kiss (standing above me next to the bed) and this time all I remember was feeling and hearing a click. Apparently I actually connected with his jaw, but the click woke me enough that I never followed through with the punch. And this time it was my left arm swinging. (I was laying on my right side)
So here is my question. And to answer anything now, no i have not been physically or mentally abused by my husband ever! and never physically abused when growing up. I am 33 yrs old now and this has been happening since probably my early 20's. Any ideas on what this is and how I can convince myself to recognize who it is and if they are a threat before I actually swing? I have never been in a real fight in my life so throwing "perfect punches" is confusing me and my reactions. I have learned however, in the flight vs fight, I apparently am a fight..... suggestions on this would be appreciated.

Melody's picture

Dreams

Hi. I have read all of your posts above about the problems you have had during sleeping. Speaking in tounges, shaking, kicking, hitting, talking, walking etc. You are not crazy, you are not possesed by an evil spirit. During my life beginning as a teenager and until today at age 50 I have experienced several of these symptoms. Not every night, not every week but off and on during my life. Do you know what I think the problem is? Possibly a combination of hormone changes in the body, STRESS and WORRY and vitamin deficiency. As I reflect on the times I have had the scariest dreams, it was during times in my life that something stressful was happening such as a divorce, moved to a new city, started a new job, break up with a boyfriend, an argument with a family member, also great amount of weird things happened at night during puberty an again during menopause stages. I started taking vitamins and minerals every day and I have had no more bad dreams except for the nights that I watched a scary movie before going to bed. So take your vitamins, if you must watch tv before going to bed then watch a comedy, if you are in the middle of a divorce, job change or a move please find ways to relax (Yoga?) and don't worry so much. Everything will be just fine.

Serendip Visitor's picture

Thinking while sleeping

I think while sleeping as I am awake. When I wake up I feel tired. I have been in this situation for quite lone time.

Do you recommend something ?

Thanks

rita's picture

somniloquy

serious cronic many years taking toll on health need immidiate hypnosis - can u rec someone?

kittdee (pronounced kitty)'s picture

i have a problem! Please help.

Sometimes when I go to sleep my boyfriend tells me that he will wake me up. He says that I am able to talk and move, and be aware of what he is telling me and be able to respond to him just like i was awake, but in the morning I don't remember anything? I havnt got up or walked around in my sleep...yet...but I might??? Im just wondering what might this possibly be??

NewJersey8's picture

Hey if it makes you feel any

Hey if it makes you feel any better i have the same thing happen. Except im a guy and my girlfriend has noticed. I dont think you have to be scared about it just have fun with it. I know you havent walked yet but my girlfriend can get me to dance with her while im asleep if she tries hard enough. Im a terrible dancer as it is and apparently in my sleep its just funny. Have your boyfriend wake you up while youre walking or in a conversation or something. Thats always really funny. I dont think its anything to be worried about.

n's picture

Dream in a dream?

I hope someone can help. This expirience comes and go, I'm awaiting to come again to experiment something, but in the mean time someone may be able to tell me what's this about.

I wake up for one reason or another, sometimes I need to go to the toilet, others I feel I wake up from a nighmare and I'm trying to go to my housemates room.

- I find it extremilly dificult to get up, my body is extrimilly heavy and I feel that I can berely move or walk. I feel like I'm having to break through some invisible barrier that is very dense.
- I'm about to reach the place I intended and I can' move forward ... and then all of the sudden I'm back in my bed ... and I repeat the same, till I just give up and fall sleep.

Serendip Visitor's picture

hi last night something scary

hi last night something scary happened and im trying to make sense of it from what i can remember, my baby coughed a few times then i heard her choke so i jumped up ran to the door as i got there there was a loud noise like a van out side but this was 3 am, it made me jump i turned round and my husband jumped up and started shouting what sounded like jibberish and grunting noises and started coming towards me next thing im on the sofa screaming crying and trembling shouting dont kill me. my husbaned turned the light on and suddenly his voice was clear and i an here him saying whats wrong he said i just jumped up rang to the door screaming so he thought someone had broke in and was asking me whats going on but all i was doing was screaming at him. i dont know why i thought he was going to kill me he didnt nothing wrong im so confused and scared. took ages to calm down and stop shaking and neither of us could sleep so we ended up staying up im just really confused as i was sure i was awake!

bhuvan's picture

hi my problem is as i start

hi my problem is as i start thinking i get some semi state tnat all my thinking appears pictorially i.e,as a play being played in front of me or by me.even night in sleep i some times pass urine thinking it to be real going on.this is disturbing me a great please help me

Serendip Visitor  Diana Garza's picture

My dreams won't let me sleep

I dream that I have a certain amount of time to do something (find my way out of my room) my room suddenly has different trap doors and things are not in the same place. I totally can't remember some of the other things I feel I have to do. Also when I wake up I looked at my clock and it was a jack-o-lantern or a shark. No, I don't take drugs and I am not on any medication. This happens 2 or 3 time a night.

Diana

peggy's picture

numerous sleep/dream disturbances

i have so many issues at night assosicated with sleep i actually try to avoid it. lately i have been waking up and finding that i am acting out what i am dreaming i.e. i dreamed iwas holding a puppy and reached down and was kissing it on the head, iwas immediatley awoken to find myself doing the same actions it was funny, however this is something that is new that just started and it is disturbing also. another problem is as i am drifting off to sleep i will hear a loud noise such as a hammer being hit on a board on top of my head or someone yell my name very loudy and very quick. another issue is of course vivid nightmares and sleep paralysis, those latter issues have been going onfor years since i was a child. please help.........

amanda's picture

I 2 have the same problem

I 2 have the same problem with when sleeping I dream of pale smooth sand it looks like cream then I would hear a loud boom and I would hear people talking low then it will get loud n louder people would start crying and arguring I would start sweating n shaking I would try to get up n I can barely move im awake and still hearing it I have to force my self body n mentally to get up n stop dreaming .. & sometimes when I have a dream of me getting into a car accident or when skydiving or jumping off a bridge or me jus falling my body would jump n twitch n I would actualy feel the impact n it use 2 scare me cuz it started when I was like 11 n now im gunna b 15 n it rarely happens n im use 2 it . I had a dream that I was with the grinch[who stole christmas] n beetle juice[oldmovie] in like this inside dark wonderland in a factory and I would feel them hurting me n I would cry in my sleep n then everytime I try to escape that would put me in this lil clown car n put plastic rap around my body n my face n they would chain my hands to the steering wheel n put the heat on and I would wake up not breathing n my mom would come and help me she would rub me on my back n scream for me to breathe n I was wide awake then I would start breathing fast n cry my cuzin said for me to stop I told her how I cnt control my dreams then she said I need help but I told her idk where to go the docs wud tell me its nothing n to take sleeping pills n its jus a phase

Kimberly's picture

Help with my daughter

My daughter crys in her sleep alot but I can't get her to tell me whats wrong. This has been going on for a few months and then more recently she has been acting things out. She will end up laying the opposite way on the bed, or laing half on the floor. Also tonight she was screaming and crying, I went in to check on her and she was sitting up on the floor acting like she was digging a hole on the ground with her hand. She was really frantic and upset. When I asked her what she was doing she didnt really respond and fell over, like she fell back asleep. But she was never quite awake. I picked her up and asked her again what she was doing and she said "I was doing what I was supposed to do". Then she wouldnt or couldnt tell me anymore. Please help me, what can I do to help her.

Serendip Visitor's picture

unsual

hi, i'm jared, you didn't mention how old is your daughter, but anyway its very unsual situtions. i rarely heard or experience of this kind of dream,but common is waking, talking, laughing,. in your daughter has a simelar one,she do something that seem she sleeping and if you ask her she answer you just a couple of words prior to what she did and back to bed, this situation you can have an answer base of what my experiment.

i have sister was very uneasy during sleeping,she talk a lot of things that we don't understand a lot of them, and one time i woke angry about her,what was i did is i got my slipper and i hit her in her mounth, but i was realized that i was wrong.. so i plan to be with her for 1 week observing her daily activities and i almost record all her talks and moves, then during the night i be sure to take a notes of what she dreams about, you know what i found out...? most of the things she did during aslep is does unfenished and almost negative thing she've done duting her whole day activities.
so try this way..and you will be find out what you can do about your daughter..and after this experiment,try to help her daily activity and obserb does common thing she dream..and try to help her to avoid it if you encounter some during the day of your observation.
hope this could be helpful to you..
best regards..
jared.

Aashish Jain's picture

My girlfriend feels tremors while sleeping

My girlfriend is having this problem from long time.
She feels like earthquake is shaking her while sleeping.
She feels this every night..
Please help... what should she do?

Anonymous's picture

Paul in Norway

Your problem probably is not sleep-related, but spiritual. There have been many documented cases of demon-possession, dating back to the time of Christ. The witch-craft game you played may have opened you up to this influence. I suggest that you contact an evangelical church and ask for help. When Jesus Christ rose from the dead after dying on the cross He defeated Satan. He alone can give you freedom.

Dirk's picture

Paul from Norway

I get the same dreams or whatever they are as Paul........ Nice to see that you put it down as demonic possession. That's very reasurring. I wasnt involved in any witchcraft or summoning of spirits etc like Paul was but I wake up some nights (less than 5 times a year) and I am speaking like I am possessed in a very deep voice like the exorcist basically. I am fully aware of what is going on but I cannot fight whatever is making me speak like this. Usually I am dreaming about something evil taking me over and I am trying to fight it and the only way i can take back control of my body is to muster up all my energy and manage to sit up in the bed. The second I do that then I am back in control. I have been in bed beside my girlfriend and I am speaking like a demon and my eyes are rollin in my head and I am fully aware of it and thinking that if she hears me then she will think I am mental. Its very weird....... Personally I dont think its actually linked directly to demonic possession. I think its the fear of been paralysed or of losing control.... I think I become paralysed in my sleep and then struggle to regain control and that the voice thing is just a natural result of me trying to get control again............ at least thats what i hope. It is freaky tho,,

Serendip Visitor's picture

I have the exact same dream,

I have the exact same dream, i hate it. It's keeping me awake and afraid to sleep most times because of it. I won't wake up making noises but I do feel I'm fighting off something evil inside the dream which literally feels like it's taking control of my body. I always feel like I know when it's approaching too and try to awake before it happens. Just darkness around me and this horrible feeling of an entity of some sort trying to control me. I always call out to God and wake up. Then I do wake up. I've also been going through a serious amount of stress recently so it's quite possible that this is the reason why. It's so scarey.

Anonymous's picture

Strange sleeping disorder

For the last few years I have been experiencing the strangest sleep behaviour. I wake up usually around 2 am and even though I recognize where I am as my bedroom or some varying degree, I don't recognize my husband. I don't freak out but my heart rate goes up and I try to slide out of the bed without disturbing the stranger lying next to me. It takes me about 5 mins to slowly realize that its my husband and then I will get back into bed and go back to sleep.

I will also wake up and say the strangest thing emphatically believing what I am saying, even insisting. I am fully aware of what I say and remember word for word what I say and what my husband will say back to me but it is like I have no control over it. Once again I will slowly realize that I am talking nonsense, feel ridiculous and go back to sleep. What is this.....(please don't say crazy, please don't say crazy)

I remember every one of these episodes down to the minute detail.

If this helps, I always sleep on my stomach. Also I noticed this started getting really bad when my twins Autism got worse. Is it just stress?

Jerica Dziki's picture

Sleeping Disorder?

Hi! I am so happy to see that someone else has posted about the "talking in your sleep" issue. I too, will wake up from a dream talking to the person next to me as if they are experiencing what I'm experiencing. I am fully aware that I am talking to them and remember everything about our conversation but it takes me a while to realize what I am saying makes so sense. I have been searching online for answers but have found little about this... maybe because I don't know what it's called? Have you found any information? Please let me know if you have, this has happened to me numerous times and I am very confused and kind of worried about it.

Thanks so much!!

Jerica

Serendip Visitor's picture

Same Strange Sleeping Disorder

I have a similar problem. I will wake up in my own room and not recognise it at all. I will then get out of bed and start to rearrange the room thinking that someone is coming to visit or "whoever's" room it is is coming back. It is not scary but I often think someone is waiting outside my door ready to come in so I get in a bit of a hurry. A very small part of me knows what I am doing is wrong but the rest of me thinks it makes total sense. It can last from a minute to 10 minutes. If my partner is staying over I often wake up and have no idea who he is but I know that if I sit there and wait I might be able to work it out. I have had some very wierd conversations. I remember everything the next morning.

My guess is the part of the brain that deals with familiarity or memories does not wake up with the rest of you.

Apparently this state of mind is similar to being hypnotised. I.e. you are fully awake but believe and experience things that are not there.

My flatmates made me a sign next to my bed telling me it is my room and not to worry - purely so I can go back to bed and get some sleep!

Serendip Visitor's picture

Re: Same Strange Sleeping disorder

Hi,
This is the original poster from above. My husband made me a sign as well that seems to help a little it states: "Your Home, Your Safe, Your Husband is sleeping next to you, go back to sleep" Sometimes it helps, Sometimes it doesn't.

My doctor would like to put me on Ambian. I am still not certain if I want to become dependent on sleeping aids. He states that sleeping disorders of this nature are intensely disruptive. I feel exhausted during the day and just think constantly how lovely a nap would be. By the way, these episodes never happen during the day if I can get a nap in. I never stay up late even when company comes over. I just want to crawl into bed. I would really like to get a grip on this.

Another doctor suggested (believe it or not) marijuana. Being from California this is a legal possibility. He saids that it puts you in an almost immediate REM state (when you do go asleep) and bypass a lot of the sleep-awake time when these episodes usually occur. Sounds a bit sketch to me. I don't believe I will go this route.

Anonymous's picture

Same curious problem

Hi there,
I have the exact same problem (the top one) which occurs every few weeks - waking in the middle of the night, not recognising my husband, sliding out of bed, then eventually waking up and getting back into bed and going to sleep as if nothing happenned. I would love to hear if you find a cause / cure for it!

Serendip Visitor's picture

Oh...this may sound awful but

Oh...this may sound awful but it is great to hear that another person goes through this. It is not a good feeling thinking you are all alone in the world with a problem. I as of yet have not found out the cause of this disorder. All my doctor wants to do is put me on sleeping aid pills. I will reply once again if this does anything for me. Hang in there!

Anonymous's picture

conversations with people while the other person is asleep

hey,

My friend has been having some strange sleeping disorders that i cant find any website on. She can picture people in her dream and whatever we say to her while she is sleeping is said in her dream. And she speaks back. The first time this happened was over the summer. She started talking to me and i was asking her about the scene. She explained to me a wooded area and told me what i was wearing. After asking her about some sights she asked if she was asleep and i said yes. She then told me to wake her up. I did and she asked why i had woken her up. i started off telling her about what she had told me and then she freaked out and said she had dreamed all of that happening.

Last weekend she did it again at my birthday party. i had told my friends about this before and they just laughed. But they were all there and experienced it. This time the dream was very fun to play with. Who's ever voice she heard in her sleep was in the dream. the conversation went on for an hour. If i told her i was doing something like getting something to drink, she would see it in her dream. she woke hersself up when we were laughing too loud and asked why we were laughing. we had to explain to her that she was talking to us in her sleep. its one of the coolest but scariest things ive ever seen happen.

she refuses to tell her parents and is embarrassed about this. im not sure what to do or if she should see her doctor about this....

Kim's picture

My boyfriend does something

My boyfriend does something similar ... he talks in his sleep and I can have full conversations with him and he never remembers them and whatever question I ask him, he answers truthfully; which is great because he may not answer so truthfully while awake. lol But, something strange happened tonight when I was talking to him while he was sleeping. He told me he wanted to tell me a secret, but I had to promise not to mention it to him when he woke because he would get upset. He was talking about himself in the third person almost like a person with multiple personality disorder would do. He said, "Don't tell "Bill" when he wakes up". And I said, "Who am I talking to now?" And he said, "sleeping Bill", so don't tell "waking Bill" ...
So strange... then he proceeded to tell me something that I know he would never tell me when he was awake, so I know that he really doesn't realize he talks in his sleep, cause it was about a surprise engagement for me. Which, was nice to hear, but I'm sad now cause I feel like I am keeping a secret from him that I know about it, even though he was actually the one that told me. lol
Anyway, I'm wondering if there is a such thing as a second personality that only appears in the sleep stage? Sounds crazy, right?

Brian's picture

My girlfriend does the same

Hey kim, my girlfriend does the same thing and i feel guilty about it too.. no biggy though i dont think because she doesnt know and im not asking harmful questions or questions that we havent discussed while shes been awake.. but today we were talking and she referred to herself as the 'awake me' when talking about some of the stuff she'd done when she was awake.. i think its just that their brain realizes that theyre subconsciously awake, its almost like we are in their dream and they are talking to us there, as well as their body speaking.

Karl's picture

Hey! To girl with "The

Hey! To girl with "The boyfriend does some strange things"

My girlfriend has exactly the same thing! Or so I hope. I have been trying to look everywhere for somebody who could tell me what it is. Does he ever get up and try walking around? Does he kinda imagine things that are not there? Like if you were to ask him: "Bill touch my hand" and then you remove your hand from where it was...would he touch your hand where you just had it?

Does he talk in a childish like voice? Or with his normal voice?
Is he very emotional when he is sleeping?

And one last thing..how do you wake him up? It´s really trying to wake up my girlfriend (Maybe I shouldn´t really, but it has been going on for a whole year) I usually have to wake her up by putting my thumb just above her eye and pulling it up so I can reveal her eye to my face and a bit of light.

Anonymous's picture

Have you looked in to the

Have you looked in to the possibility of Lucid dreaming?

jade's picture

past life dream and speaking in tongues

I feel like im crazy for what im about to say. I just saw the movie 4th contact, its supposedly a true story. one thing that appened in the movie has happened to me. I will never forget this dream it was about 6 years ago i was at a small roadside motel in CT I awoke speaking in tongues. after seeing this movie I have this strong feeling the language I spoke was more or less the same language spoken in the movie.

this is what happened in my dream i was fighting of something i felt was absolute evil and i was in a one on one battle with the devil himself. i awoke from this struggle speaking in tongues. another time many years earlier i had a waking dream of the Mediterranean valley ( where the ocean is now) as the fertile crescent. and all the surrounding earth was a desert of white. time frame felt to me as if it was about 25000 to 30000 years ago

Ilsensine's picture

RE: past life dream and speaking in tongues

I have a theory for this, it makes a lot of sense if you listen to the entire thing. I do not expect to be putting it here but it deals with why people are getting more and more skilled as generations pass. This dream should be nothing for you to worry about its just the brain cycling through the data that is stored in it and re-indexing and sorting for applicable skills that may be required based on the past day/week/months ever changing needs.

I would love to hear all of your memories in detail just to see how much can be verified historically, i think doing that would help put your mind at ease.

gah's picture

i have this same thing i cant

i have this same thing i cant believe this.Please help anyone i dont think its a real demon but why do i talk like this.also it is not tongues because this is no real language.

Anonymous's picture

Can't sleep?

I can't seem to sleep anymore. I try relaxing my body and all of that stuff but it doesn't work. I wake up in the middle of the night. I can't go to sleep and I feel like I am concious all the time while sleeping. It's like my body is sleeping, but not my mind. It never shuts up. It really bothers me and I can't have a good sleep anymore! What should i do? I think, I've been under stress for a few years.. but I can't do anything about it! Please reply!

Mike's picture

Violent Sleep Activity

For over a year now I have been trying to fight a disturbing sleep activity. I become disturbed by a threat of some kind, sometimes it's people, some times animals. I would always be to paralyzed to respond. I knew I was dreaming so, I thouhgt I would face my fears and cure my sleep anxiety. I eventually found myself waking up yelling at the threat or cursing it. My dreams became more relaistic as if to compensated for my awareness of it. I became more animated, swinging with my fist and sometimes hitting my hand on a nearby object. Now I launch myself at the threat, and oftentimes find myself on the floor or upside down against a wall several feet away from my bed. I have hurt myself a few times. I am always defending my life, property or body, and sometimes I am defending people I don't know from unreal circumstances. I don't know that I am not awake. I hardly ever know the participants in my dreams. This is very scary. I think it may have something to do with real life stresses, diet, dehydration, and too hot to sleep somtimes. Whatever the case may be, I don't sleep with sharp objects for protection. If this is a contest between me and my dreams, I believe I will retreat.

Prenone's picture

REM Sleep Disorder

I am having the same type acting out problems. Too many of my dreams are triggering acting out episodes. My wife is in fear of me being injured or my injuring her. Last night was the final straw . . . I dreamed something was attacking my face and head and in response I fought it off by beating at the tendrils while pulling away. Next thing I knew I was falling out of bed while beating myself about the face, neck and head. My wife was scared and perplexed as just what to do (I have hit her in the past). I have self inflicted abrasions on my face, neck and head. I made an appointment with my doctor this morning first thing!

Arunabh's picture

speaking in dreams

My summer holidays are on .Last night(4/6/2009)I was speaking in dreams(according to my friends)we all are living in camp and they said "whoa u were talking in dreams,you were speaking bad words" but the next day I don;t remember.

JEM's picture

Nonsensical, complex conversations when first woken up

Over the past few months, I frequently engage in completely nonsensical conversations with my boyfriend when he first wakes me up in the morning (he is an early riser by nature - I am not). The conversations are syntactically correct and often include use of advanced vocabulary but are completely comprised of fictional characters I am unfamiliar with along with random fragments of actions or knowledge of things familiar to me. These conversations will ensue for anywhere from 1 to 6 minutes, at which point I reach a sort of "blank slate" state, with no memory of the conversation except, in some instances, for a word or two. I can go for weeks without these conversations transpiring and then they seem to transpire every morning for up to two weeks. What is this?

Joe's picture

Sleeping.

Hi my name is Joe, my problem with my dreams is that I actually act out. I've had these dream in where I am being chased. Then I get into a corner and then I tend to kick and kick violently. I know I am kicking but I'm actually thinking that I am kicking my bed. However, I am actually kicking my wife. She has awoken me up and yells at me to stop kicking her. It's weird because I know I am kicking but I don't know I am kicking her. This type of dream has happened at least 6 times now. However, the last one of these dreams I had happened last night. And the reason why I finally decided to research and write is because this time. My wife tried to wake me up because I was really hurting her. And when she pushed my back and yelled at me I lounged at her in attempt to her even further. Believe me, I love my wife and absolutely do not want to harm her in anyway shape or form. It's just that this dream takes over me and I have absolute no control over.

gah's picture

joe

For years i had a dream of a big concrete ball rolling trying to crush me after years of having this dream I was found to have epilepsy and now i know the ball was me fighting off a seizure.