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| in between wakefulness & sleep (Photo credit: JAZEL KRISTIN) |
Likewise, someone who may be in the company of the waking dreamer may be equally startled or confused by the waker's behavior. A sleep partner may be awakened by the waking dreamer's erratic actions or, if awake already, find the waking dreamer to be a curiosity and even at times frightening or amusing.
The waking dreamer may also rise in a semi-conscious state and enter into the presence of another or others who are awake. This can be disconcerting, annoying, or funny depending on the circumstance. The scream in the night that rouses others to the dreamer's bedside can also occur, especially in the case of children who have had nightmares.
Stephen T. McCarthy's comment in the previous post sums it up nicely: "Huh?" Waking from the dream and taking that experience into the waking world can be very confusing to everyone involved.
Here's a funny story that my mother used to tell about my father. This occurred when I was a baby. I was the first child in my family. My parents, still in their twenties, were living in an apartment in Cleveland, Ohio. In the first couple of years my mother's mother would sometimes come to stay with them to help my mother take care of me and to help out with the household chores.
My mother always laughs when she tells about the night when she and her mother were sitting in the living room and suddenly my father ran out of the bedroom in his pajamas with a startled look on his face as he shouted, "Who poo-pooed in my hair?"
He stood there in the hallway looking confused for a moment until he apparently came to his senses and turned around and went back to bed, leaving my mother and grandmother laughing until they were in tears.
Obviously my father had been dreaming, but it was so real to him that he awoke believing the incident was real. His confusion lasted long enough for him to leave his bed and query those in the living room. That was a disoriented awakening.
Have you ever had particularly funny or embarrassing dream disorientation experience? Have you ever been present when a sleep partner or another sleeper nearby awoke in a confused state? How long did the disorientation last and what was their reaction and your reaction?
I don't know that I've personally had this happen. 'Waking in a confused state', at least not more than my normal confused state. My best and most vivid dreams seem to come in that 'waking up period' and I usually try to linger there as long as possible. As in, when I start to wake up, I really take my time about it (although, I seem to do that even if I'm not dreaming - I'm not a morning persons, or maybe I should say a 'wake-up' person, because I don't necessarily do it well, no matter the time of day).
ReplyDeleteMy oldest daughter used to wake up and come out of her room, her eyes would be open and she seemed conscious. When I asked her what was wrong she would start to speak jibberish. At first, I was a little freaked out, then I thought; 'oh, she's sleep walking', but when I told her to go back to bed, she would say; 'OK, mommy,' and let me put her back to bed. In the morning she remembered everything, but could never say what the jibberish was all about.
I still find that pretty strange and I believe that she still does it from time to time.
I've had lots of dreams that repeat and eventually came true, but mostly when I was younger. Now I have unique nightmares that become more outrageous the more stressed I am. But only once did I have to turn the light on to get back to sleep. That was a few years ago after major remodeling to our bedroom -- I was sure we were being haunted by an angry ghost because we'd made so many changes.
ReplyDeleteMy husband will have a complete conversation with me, but never remember it when he's zonked.
Love the dream / nightmare muse.
I'm so not worried about confused and disjointedness in dreams, for my life is a series of disjointed, disorientated mucking fuddling confusion.....
ReplyDeleteGreat story about your dad! I've never liked taking strong doses of codeine, because they've given me hallucinatory dreams. I'd rather be uncomfortable than feel like my worst nightmares are coming true. Julie
ReplyDeleteI dreamed I was trying to hide Jesus (yes as in Christ) from the Roman soldiers. I took Him to all real present day places but where ever I took Him the soldiers founf us. Finally I took Him to our farm and to my disgust we were found. Jesus looked at me and said it was alright. He said "It's o.k. to face your destiny." It was so real I roused myself from the dream and wrote what He told me on a peice of paper by my bedside. When I did wake up the next morning I thought I "dreamed" I wrote down what Jesus told me. Several days later I found a peice of napkin and in a very shaky hand writing I wrote "its ok to face your destiny." I saved it and look at it often. Thanks for visiting my guest post and commenting.
ReplyDeleteFarawayeyes -- I recall my oldest daughter doing similar things. I probably have as well.
ReplyDeleteYolanda -- I'm not sure if my wife and I have ever had a "dream" conversation. If we did I don't remember.
Jason -- I've had periods I my life that were similarly confused and mucked up.
Julie--Maybe I need to consider a post about the influence of drugs or other things on dreams.
Debra -- Your dream sounds like a very good one to have. An awesome message.
Lee