It seems like since joining this forum I am analyzing everything to do with my dreaming! Whereas this would never bother me usually, after reading about sleep stages I wanted to ask a question.

Am I right in thinking the first sleep stage (NREM1) would just be lightly sleeping, not fully unconscious? Last night I went to bed before my partner, and as I fell asleep (I was pretty tired after a weekend of traveling / driving) I was dreaming instantly. The dreams were just the usual, non lucid dreams, but I would wake up after maybe 5 minutes, and be kind of shocked that I was dreaming so fast. It happened about 5 or 6 times until my partner joined me in bed, then I fell asleep fully.

I even think that during one of the dreams, I was a little shocked to think 'wow, I'm already dreaming.' And then woke up. So I guess that was a very short lucid dream!

Anyone have some better info about why I was dreaming as soon as I nodded off?

Thanks!