Anyone know...

[soilsigh aingeal]

What it means when you act out during a dream? A while back I had a dream I was punching someone and I woke up and I was punching the bed... Does that mean that my dream was just very vivid or something else?

[Xeen]

I've wondered about that.

I've known people to wake up, punching, biting, etc.

I don't know.

[Shanti]

It means the part of the brain that causes a temp kind of paralisis during sleep, didnt kick in all the way.

[GreenEyes]

It means the part of the brain that causes a temp kind of paralisis during sleep, didnt kick in all the way.

Would that be the same reason for talking in your sleep? Just curious about this one.

[Jenne]

Yup, that's basically what it is--a disconnect betw the brain and the functions it "normally" carries out while you sleep--like paralyzing you so that you rest. It doesn't respond to outside stimuli as readily, etc.

That's how my hubby (who's a peds) explained it to me, anyway...

[Faeawyn]

It means the part of the brain that causes a temp kind of paralisis during sleep, didnt kick in all the way.
yep...thats it. My ex-husband punched me in the face once while he was sleeping. He wasn't sleeping for long after that :lol:

[Raihn]

You all got here before me. ;)

But I have to put my two cents in and agree with everyone else. It's all about the brain functions during sleep.

There is also an opposite side to this happening (just to throw this out there) that is actually a more serious condition called "Sleep Paralysis"...in which the mind only half awakens from sleep and the body remains paralized. Often, people describe seeing images like shadows or faces as though still in a sleep-like state, but are completely unable to move or physically react whatsoever. The effect can take from five minutes to even a half an hour to wear off. A very frightening experience indeed.

But fortunately, these two conditions are not directly related...which is good.

[mucgwyrt]

My mum dreamed she had an argument with my dad once, and wouldn't speak to him for 2 days after :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Sylvan]

This used to happen to me when I wasn't getting enough sleep.. I was killing myself with my work schedule, and it showed up in my dreams (and waking).

One time I dreamed that I was trying to stock the cigarette racks that hung over the register at the convenience store I worked at, at the time. No matter what I did, I couldn't get the cigarettes to go into the racks. I woke up kneeling on my pillow, pounding on the wall at the head of my bed. :lol: That freaked out my ex pretty bad..

[soilsigh aingeal]

Thank you all for the info!

[hedgecub]

I sometimes act out if I'm in that state where I'm dreaming but very slightly awake. I think it makes sense 'cause as you wake up, the temporary paralysis lifts so if I'm punching someone in my dream, I may also end up punching someone in real life.

I feel sorry for my partner sometimes ;)

[mucgwyrt]

This used to happen to me when I wasn't getting enough sleep.. I was killing myself with my work schedule, and it showed up in my dreams (and waking).

One time I dreamed that I was trying to stock the cigarette racks that hung over the register at the convenience store I worked at, at the time. No matter what I did, I couldn't get the cigarettes to go into the racks. I woke up kneeling on my pillow, pounding on the wall at the head of my bed. :lol: That freaked out my ex pretty bad..

Its a crap feeling when you just can't let work go! Like they own your soul! :lol:
I used to work in a food court, and I'd go home and dream of serving people monotonously! :lol:

[soilsigh aingeal]

Well if I remember correctly, I was kneeling in my dream and punching my fiance while he was lying down and when I woke up I was sititng up punching the bed, turned in the same position so he's lucky that he was on the other side of me!!! :lol:

[Xeen]

So does sleep paralysis have anything to do with... well I dunno how to explain it.

It happens to me quite a bit, sometimes. I'll 'wake up' and I'll have my eyes slightly open, and see things from my dream going on, and I'm kinda aware of what's going on.

A few times I think I actually dreamed that I had an out of body experience, 'cause I've found myself with my eyes open, looking at an angle a bit higher than my head, and then suddenly I'd kinda snap back and wake up the rest of the way.

Is that sleep paralysis, or something similar, or something completely different all together?

[Sylvan]

A few times I think I actually dreamed that I had an out of body experience, 'cause I've found myself with my eyes open, looking at an angle a bit higher than my head, and then suddenly I'd kinda snap back and wake up the rest of the way.
That used to happen to me too. I don't think those are dreams, but I hesitate to say "out of body" or "astral projection" since I've never been further than like 2 inches away from myself, and it was never on purpose...

[Raihn]

So does sleep paralysis have anything to do with... well I dunno how to explain it.

It happens to me quite a bit, sometimes. I'll 'wake up' and I'll have my eyes slightly open, and see things from my dream going on, and I'm kinda aware of what's going on.

A few times I think I actually dreamed that I had an out of body experience, 'cause I've found myself with my eyes open, looking at an angle a bit higher than my head, and then suddenly I'd kinda snap back and wake up the rest of the way.

Is that sleep paralysis, or something similar, or something completely different all together?

Hmm...it may be a very mild form of Sleep Paralysis, though it sounds more to me like the effect of being half asleep. Being half asleep is similar to a very mild version of Sleep Paralysis, but I do not believe it is something to really worry about. When I was younger, I used to do that all the time. Along with sleep walking. :)