Can anyone explain? Please?

OK, I had an experience last night that I'm hoping someone can explain to me....I'm pretty much a newbie to controlling my dreams, although I've had a few spontaneous events.

I woke at about 5am and in a dozy kind of dreamstate & decided to try some of the things I've been reading about. I have no idea if it was the right thing to do which is why I need advice. Anyway, I rolled on my back and was drifted off to sleep again while repeating the words 'I want a lucid dream' over and over in my head. I also fucussed on the pillow beneath my head, instead of what was going on inside my head.

What happened: within a few minutes I felt the strangest sensation in my arms and legs, and a brightness to my inner vision (not sure how to explain it). The weirdest thing was the feeling that someone had placed an enormous icepack on my head! Really. My skull felt....cold.

I started to worry and woke myself at that point and couldn't get back to sleep for a while.

What happened?!

Likely nothing - you were probably just imagining those things. Phantom feelings if you will. I'm sure there's a scientific word for it, though I can't think of it right now.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by whitby_jet

What happened: within a few minutes I felt the strangest sensation in my arms and legs, and a brightness to my inner vision (not sure how to explain it). The weirdest thing was the feeling that someone had placed an enormous icepack on my head! Really. My skull felt....cold....

What happened?!

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It sounds to me like you might have started down the path of a successful WILD - hanging on to a thread of consciousness as you fall asleep. Focusing on body sensations is one of the ways I've experienced it, and the sensations can be weird indeed.

The next time, you might try focusing on the hypnogogic imagery rather than the body sensations. It might be more comfortable for you.

Head to the tutorials and read up on WILD. You'll have a better feel for what you might encounter that way.

Good luck!

Thanks, both of you, for your response. It's true I might just have been imagining things but I don't think so - it felt pretty real at the time. Mind you, I was half way to sleep so it's hard to know for certain. I'll try your suggestion pj, and check out the tutorials again too ;) .

Sorry, didn't explain myself very well. I don't mean you yourself imagining it, but your mind creating sensations (like pj said, the onset of sleep paralysis/WILD).

Many times when you are falling asleep or have woken up and are going back to sleep, your mind will do some strange things. For example, when you enter a WILD at night and your body begins falling asleep, you get all these crazy sensations such as tingling, vibrating, and numbness.

Thanks both of you, it just came as a bit of a surprise to get these strange feelings - I guess it's a case of getting used to them! At the moment I'm so tired I'm struggling to remember my dreams, let alone attempt any night-time wakings :D