Thread: Hypnagogic Question

Are you always paralyzed during a hypnagogic experience?

I often have those "dreams while you're awake" when going to sleep at night but I have never noticed I'm paralyzed.

Perhaps I should try to move and find out next time.

I've often wondered the same thing, and how quickly we get into it after going to sleep.

Well, I think I must not be experiencing hypnagogic imagery after all. I am able to move and my eyes are closed not open.

I'm either confused about the definition of hypnagogic imagery or I'm not experiencing it.

I experience "mini" dreams while my eyes are closed and while I'm drifting off to sleep, but I am not paralysed and I am still awake.

I actually had a similar situation a few times. But they rarely ever happen to me...

I dont know what they are, but this was also when i'd go to bed and I would feel like I stayed up the whole night on the peak of sleeping and wakenessness (If that makes sence)

Wonder if there was a corralation.

No, you don't have to be paralyzed to have hypnogogic imagery. But hypnogogic imagery isn't the same thing as dreams. You don't have to be asleep. You just need your mind to be in a relaxed, meditative state. These mini dreams that happen, these happen to me also, in the morning when I am awake but don't want to get out of bed. I just close my eyes and have a mini dream and open them 10 seconds later. Also if I'm sleep deprived and haven't slept in over 24 hours I can just close my eyes and have mini dreams.

Thanks for your reply. I had a brief look at your blog and look forward to exploring it more.

Just to clarify, if I'm lying in bed with my eyes closed, thinking about the day or about some problem or event, then out of nowhere I'm "watching" someone driving a digger... or I'm having a nonsensical conversation with someone... or I'm just "watching" some scene briefly... then realise I'm still awake and the scene disappears and then is replaced by another... what is that?

I have even talked to a partner after one of these "episodes"... lol... for example (this is just an example because I can't remember a specific event):

I might be watching someone baking a cake and I'll say to my partner "I prefer chocolate, not banana"... and my own voice "wakes" me up and my partner says "what did you say?" and I mumble a laugh and say "nothing" and realise I am mixed up in a dream while still awake.