Thread: Why is it so hard to dial a phone number during a dream?

Haha, I tried to dial 911 many times but can never get it right. I press 9 but it shows I pressed something else, or the number on the keypad changes to another one, or I'm looking at 9 but my finger goes to something else and I'm thinking "what you doing damnit, press over theeeeere". It's so frustrating.

I think I actually got to talk to the police but they eithe don't hear me, or misunderstand, or something else.

Maybe a dream is saying "nope, you are on your own".

So far I had luck doing in my lucids everything that I practiced in waking life. Maybe next time when I'm dialing my mobile, I will pay attention and see how easy it is.

Entering codes on number pads, entering passwords on a tablet, objects continually falling through your fingers, being unable to count a small group of items: all the same thing I think. My guess would be we're pretty unfocused and "flighty" in dreams, not really paying attention to things. Or it's similar to the digital clock reality check: our brains have just not been around technology like this for long enough to be able to deal with it in dreams...

Thanks for your answers.

Yeah, I experienced a similar "flighty" state when I woke up for a few seconds one morning about three years ago - I tried to set my alarm at 7:20, but instead of this I ended up trying to write it as a text message ("P:20"), and then sent it to myself, lol.
I guess we act in a similar drowsy way in dreams.

It's similar to not being able to run. No one really knows why we have dreams like this. It's just a feeling of uncertainty in my opinion. You were doing something you weren't 100% confident about, though you weren't actually aware of this fact 'during' the dream.

Originally Posted by bjf552

It's similar to not being able to run. No one really knows why we have dreams like this. It's just a feeling of uncertainty in my opinion. You were doing something you weren't 100% confident about, though you weren't actually aware of this fact 'during' the dream.

I think you nailed it. I can usually run and dial without a problem, but I can't get into physical altercations at all. I can't punch, slap, kick, stab, or shoot anyone even if I'm in danger. My limbs kinda move in slow motion when I try and my vision goes a little blurry. Those are things that I'm insecure about in real life, and I think it reflects in my dreams.

Honestly, I feel like our new technology makes it easier to do things in a dream. Instead of typing a number in a dream, I just grab my phone and say "Dial 911" or "Bring me pizza" giving my phone orders and just skipping the middle man of the dialing and talking to someone on the other end. I have had pizza delivered quite a few times this way. You can always just hit an "app" (or program) in order to do something as well. Maybe a 911 app. Just hit the button and it calls 911, or ask a DC to dial it for you. You can always check out my dream control class for other ideas! Remember that creativity is the best form of dream control.
Dream Control and Stabilization

Here's a thought:

Given that you were not not lucid at the time, Laurelindo, could it be that your unconscious was intentionally not allowing you to dial 112? Okay, not intentionally, since your unconscious is you, but perhaps there was some background to the creation of your dream plot to which you were supposed to pay attention.

I'm not very interested in interpreting dreams, but I can't help but think that maybe you were trying to tell yourself something by being unable to correctly dial your emergency service. What that might have been I haven't a clue, of course, but it might be worth a thought.

Originally Posted by Sensei

Honestly, I feel like our new technology makes it easier to do things in a dream. Instead of typing a number in a dream, I just grab my phone and say "Dial 911" or "Bring me pizza" giving my phone orders and just skipping the middle man of the dialing and talking to someone on the other end. I have had pizza delivered quite a few times this way. You can always just hit an "app" (or program) in order to do something as well. Maybe a 911 app. Just hit the button and it calls 911, or ask a DC to dial it for you. You can always check out my dream control class for other ideas! Remember that creativity is the best form of dream control.
Dream Control and Stabilization

This is great! Voice-activated commands. No need to fiddle with complicated controls. And maybe you don't even need a phone, because you can "remember" that you're in a high-tech house/city/whatever with voice command microphones hidden everywhere.

Ugh, I hate these kind of dreams. Something bad will happen and I'll try to text my girlfriend, but I can't type properly, my fingers hit the wrong keys, and it's very frustrating. I think either it's just because it's an anxiety dream that makes everything more difficult, or maybe it has to do with a part of the brain that isn't fully active while dreaming.

I read/ heard somewhere that the part of our brains that handles communication (language, words, writing, numbers) is normally shut off during sleeping. Kind of like the muscles in our body going limp in REM sleep.

That said I have a friend who told me and I believe it to be true, that if any words do show up clearly in your dreams, those are important things to take note of, because the subconscious self is working really hard to make those happen.

Re: Alarm clock reality check doesn't always work for me. If my dream is set on a false awaking, it will generate a legible and believable time on my alarm clock. It will go as far as generating a really tired feeling self, I'll be too 'tired' to fully read anything I try to.

Reception is always crappy in a dream. Try switching to D-Mobile