J.D.

"Usually this park is swarming with dogs," I said. Not ten seconds later, four sheep dogs, a rottweiler and numerous other breeds I didn't recognize came out of the trees at the bottom of the hill.

LMAO!- Is this a real life local park?

I was annoyed at myself for taking off my socks and shoes, because one dog kept biting my feet. I had to punch one dog in the head to get it off. Another one tried to bite my dog's ear off. I woke up with my heart pounding!

This is another curiosity of mine. How certain nightmares (or intense dreams) cause you to wake up with your heart racing, and others, I have awoken from 100% peaceful. No heart palpitation, no sweat, no stress. Yet in the nightmare I was terrified beyond description. This "light-switch fear" is a recent development for me...

It was kind of a weird dreamy version of a real park- typically!

Maybe the racing heart came from a greater sense of realism or something. Like, dreams where I'm directly threatened usually turn me the tiniest bit lucid. If somebody/something is after me, a little bit of me thinks, "this can't be real, nothing bad can happen"- and even though it's scary, I've got that knowledge as a kind of failsafe. On this occasion, the dog was in peril, so there was nothing to trigger the feeling of invincibility. I totally thought it was real- about as far from lucid as it's possible to get!

(I really hope they make comments count as posts again... It gets confusing otherwise.)

It was kind of a weird dreamy version of a real park- typically!

About this park - how long have you known about it? Is it a park you go to frequently?

Maybe the racing heart came from a greater sense of realism or something. Like, dreams where I'm directly threatened usually turn me the tiniest bit lucid. If somebody/something is after me, a little bit of me thinks, "this can't be real, nothing bad can happen"- and even though it's scary, I've got that knowledge as a kind of failsafe. On this occasion, the dog was in peril, so there was nothing to trigger the feeling of invincibility. I totally thought it was real- about as far from lucid as it's possible to get!

It makes sense that a loved one in danger triggers an "act first, think later" response. Emergency reaction training seems a significant part of normal dreaming. Having said that, I am getting at something a little weirder. It's normal that after a nightmare our heart rate is elevated. But...

Have you ever had a bad (non-lucid) nightmare filled with panic - woke up - and your heart was perfectly calm?

About this park - how long have you known about it? Is it a park you go to frequently?

I certainly used to go there a lot to walk the dog. Starting from around 10 years ago till fairly recently, when the dog got old and lazy!

It makes sense that a loved one in danger triggers an "act first, think later" response.

Ah yes, that's exactly what I was trying to say! I can't say for sure whether I've had a totally non-lucid nightmare where I woke up calm. Apart from anything else, I haven't really had that kind of nightmare in about... maybe 8 years. I can't remember how I felt when I woke up after ones that long ago. These days, any nightmares I have are usually quite easy to control.

What are your thoughts about waking up calm from a nightmare?

It sucks a lot when you miss a dream sign, doesn't it?

Nice dream

Apart from anything else, I haven't really had that kind of nightmare in about... maybe 8 years. I can't remember how I felt when I woke up after ones that long ago. These days, any nightmares I have are usually quite easy to control.

What are your thoughts about waking up calm from a nightmare?

It relates to super vivid nightmares I had in 2007. I'm still developing my thoughts really. Halfway planning to transfer those nightmares to a blog at some point. Another way, have you ever had an energetic dream bursting with emotion - awaken - and your heart and restoration is tranquil?

I also wanted to ask if you wake up with your eyes closed? What is the first thing you think when you wake up? Your general routine/process for dream recall.

That'd be interesting to read, let me know if you ever publish them.

I just remembered this little gem, which is kind of relevant. It was a lucid nightmare, where I was so physically and mentally knackered I couldn't even force myself awake. It was the most aware I've ever been in a dream- probably too aware. Anyway, inside the dream I was fucking frantic, trying everything to wake myself up. Running around screaming, trying to kill myself to shock an awakening etc. When I finally forced myself to wake up it was like I'd been sleeping like an absolute log. Standard heart rate and breathing. I reckon that was only because I was so deeply asleep though. Normally I'd be fairly certain I'd wake up a bit more agitated. The rest of that evening was funny, looking back... My mind was so mashed I tried to answer the phone by lifting a glass of milk to my ear and saying hello. If I'd done an IQ test then, I'm pretty sure a chimpanzee could've beaten me..