Is it normal for your brain to wake up before your body?
I didn't know where to ask this - biology, health, dream analysis, etc... so I thought I'd ask in the good ol' psychology section. I may change my mind and put it in health later.
Since I was a teenager I would once in a while (about a total of 7 times now) have an odd occurance. I would wake up but my body would be completely asleep. I couldn't move my eyes lids, legs, arms, anything at all. Each time it would scare me (I would be afraid I had either gone into a coma or never be able to get up) and it would last for what seemed like a minute or two.
I would push but nothing would happen. Usually the first movement would come (after much pushing) with my fingers or toes, then gradually the rest of the body until finally I would leap out of it all at once and gain control of my body.
It's sort of like when your foots asleep... only with your entire body. I've been told I was probably dreaming it, but I know I wasn't. Is this normal?
Answer:
Yes. What you're talking about is called, "Sleep Paralysis." it occurs during REM sleep, and it's no big deal -- just a right bother, that's all.
During REM sleep, we dream, and our bodies are paralysed at that time. It's nature's way of protecting us from physically acting out our dreams; otherwise we'd all be engaged in some potentially dangerous activities when we're dreaming. Sleep paralysis is natural and happens to all of us. Many people think that sleep walking is a form of dreaming, but it's not. It occurs when you're in a different level of sleep, when your body isn't paralysed.
Yes, the mind can partially wake up during REM sleep, and you will feel paralysed. The best thing to do is try to ignore it, and either go back to sleep, or "think" yourself awake. Believe it or not, You can do this by giving yourself math problems to solve in your head.
It still happens to me occasionally, and it's a real pain, but nothing to be concerned with -- it's totally normal and natural. Cheers, mate.
this hasn't happened to me but my mum gets this sometimes, she panicked at first but she's used to it now.
Yes always!
I don't know... but i am up for good two hours now and i think it's my Brain that's still sleeping... :-)
I'd get that checked out Bluey. Nothing to worry about as other posters have said but sometimes a spin through the EEG turns up all kinds of interesting stuff. My brother in law had this and found he had been living with a very mild series of mini strokes. No damage, just took some medications and got on with his life. Don't take my word though, see a medical professional
When we're asleep, one part of our brain is also resting while the other part is working all the time. It's normal for our brain to wake up first. Brain controls our everything.
It used to happen to me quite a bit in my late teens and early 20's, but it's been a while now. I would wake up for a bit, still be very tired then suddenly I couldn't move and my dreams would come to life in my room. I would hear music, hear voices and footsteps and I even felt hands on me and felt someone get into my bed. It used to scare the crap outta me!! I felt awake but I couldn't move while things would happen, then all of the sudden I could move. I read somewhere that it was quite normal, drifting in and out of sleep, the body freezes but the mind is still dreaming. It's scary when you can't move, but even more so when you experience scary things at the same time. I think we are normal!
It is normal,but It is also scary. When It happened to me I felt some negative presence so I tried to move a.s.a.p. I counted till 3 and then I got back control over my body.
If It happens often to you,you might try astral travel.
Jack's right, i learnt that in my biological psychology course on Sleep.
During your sleep, your brain is active in certain areas; but most motor areas shut down (except in sleepwalking where the motor areas are somewhat active as well during dreams).
When you wake up, it takes time for the brain to activate other areas such as the motor areas of the brain. The conscious part of the brain is usually active first, that is why you know that you are awake and consciously 'order' your body to move but cannot.
Take note that this doesn't happen all the time because in sleep your brain cycles through varying stages of brain activity from high (dream sleep or REM sleep), to very low brain activity (Stage 4 Sleep). When you wake up from a sleep stage with lower brain activity, it takes a slightly longer time for your brain to return to its active waking state.
thats happened to me before, its a freaky feeling. Its almost like an out of body experience. Next time it happens, try to travel to the next room, wouldn't that be cool if your soul could go anywhere while your body is asleep?
More Questions and Answers:
What does my bf wants exactly.?
What's wrong with me?!?!?
What you will do if u r left alone in lonely island?
What approach to psychology interests you most?
2 Questions down and I see this is a tough audience early Sunday morning? Is everybody asleep?
What do ants have that we need to emulate?
Why don't most people realize that after a couple of years after A TRAGEDY,,,,in their?
How can I fix this in just 30 minutes...?
Can drug use turn a perfectly nice and well-mannered guy into?
Have you ever felt?
Since I was a teenager I would once in a while (about a total of 7 times now) have an odd occurance. I would wake up but my body would be completely asleep. I couldn't move my eyes lids, legs, arms, anything at all. Each time it would scare me (I would be afraid I had either gone into a coma or never be able to get up) and it would last for what seemed like a minute or two.
I would push but nothing would happen. Usually the first movement would come (after much pushing) with my fingers or toes, then gradually the rest of the body until finally I would leap out of it all at once and gain control of my body.
It's sort of like when your foots asleep... only with your entire body. I've been told I was probably dreaming it, but I know I wasn't. Is this normal?
Answer:
Yes. What you're talking about is called, "Sleep Paralysis." it occurs during REM sleep, and it's no big deal -- just a right bother, that's all.
During REM sleep, we dream, and our bodies are paralysed at that time. It's nature's way of protecting us from physically acting out our dreams; otherwise we'd all be engaged in some potentially dangerous activities when we're dreaming. Sleep paralysis is natural and happens to all of us. Many people think that sleep walking is a form of dreaming, but it's not. It occurs when you're in a different level of sleep, when your body isn't paralysed.
Yes, the mind can partially wake up during REM sleep, and you will feel paralysed. The best thing to do is try to ignore it, and either go back to sleep, or "think" yourself awake. Believe it or not, You can do this by giving yourself math problems to solve in your head.
It still happens to me occasionally, and it's a real pain, but nothing to be concerned with -- it's totally normal and natural. Cheers, mate.
this hasn't happened to me but my mum gets this sometimes, she panicked at first but she's used to it now.
Yes always!
I don't know... but i am up for good two hours now and i think it's my Brain that's still sleeping... :-)
I'd get that checked out Bluey. Nothing to worry about as other posters have said but sometimes a spin through the EEG turns up all kinds of interesting stuff. My brother in law had this and found he had been living with a very mild series of mini strokes. No damage, just took some medications and got on with his life. Don't take my word though, see a medical professional
When we're asleep, one part of our brain is also resting while the other part is working all the time. It's normal for our brain to wake up first. Brain controls our everything.
It used to happen to me quite a bit in my late teens and early 20's, but it's been a while now. I would wake up for a bit, still be very tired then suddenly I couldn't move and my dreams would come to life in my room. I would hear music, hear voices and footsteps and I even felt hands on me and felt someone get into my bed. It used to scare the crap outta me!! I felt awake but I couldn't move while things would happen, then all of the sudden I could move. I read somewhere that it was quite normal, drifting in and out of sleep, the body freezes but the mind is still dreaming. It's scary when you can't move, but even more so when you experience scary things at the same time. I think we are normal!
It is normal,but It is also scary. When It happened to me I felt some negative presence so I tried to move a.s.a.p. I counted till 3 and then I got back control over my body.
If It happens often to you,you might try astral travel.
Jack's right, i learnt that in my biological psychology course on Sleep.
During your sleep, your brain is active in certain areas; but most motor areas shut down (except in sleepwalking where the motor areas are somewhat active as well during dreams).
When you wake up, it takes time for the brain to activate other areas such as the motor areas of the brain. The conscious part of the brain is usually active first, that is why you know that you are awake and consciously 'order' your body to move but cannot.
Take note that this doesn't happen all the time because in sleep your brain cycles through varying stages of brain activity from high (dream sleep or REM sleep), to very low brain activity (Stage 4 Sleep). When you wake up from a sleep stage with lower brain activity, it takes a slightly longer time for your brain to return to its active waking state.
thats happened to me before, its a freaky feeling. Its almost like an out of body experience. Next time it happens, try to travel to the next room, wouldn't that be cool if your soul could go anywhere while your body is asleep?
The answers post by the user, for information only, FunQA.com does not guarantee the right.
More Questions and Answers: