Dreaming with eyes open...

[Hy_side]

This has happened to me a few times, I would leave my eyes open then sort of drift into a dream, I would not see anything other than the ceiling in front of me, but I could feel my dream... Like if in the dream I was pushed down the stairs, I would jump up in my bed (Sit up really fast) and wake up, and only then I would realize my eyes were open the whole time. This is really strange, anyone know what's going on? It's happened to me a few times. Oh yeah, I would sometimes talk in my sleep as well as toss around.

[OpheliaBlue]

That's called an LSD induced hallucination. I'm just playing. But that does sound pretty unique. I've never heard of that before. Maybe it's like those dudes in the military that can sleep standing up. Were you ever in the military? Anyway, I'll ask my step-dad about it. He's a shrink. Anybody else here have any experience with this?

[Peregrinus]

I've never had that with my eyes open, but occasionally I will get really vivid tactile hallucinations (sometimes without a lot of visual imagery) when I'm about to enter sleep-- like if I'm walking and stub my toe in the hallucination, I'll feel it in my real toe and jerk my foot back in bed. The eyes open part is interesting, though. Do you daydream with your eyes open very often?

[Hy_side]

Yeah, I daydream alot (sort of...). Mostly in my elementary/middle school years, where I would just shut out everything in reality and think of something, but it is NOWHERE as near intense as this. No, I haven't been in the military before.

[Syntex]

Your in some kind of medatative trance. It's like being lucid during a N-REM cycle of sleep. Your eyes are open, because nothing closed them, like normal sleep would push you to do. The amazing part simply is that you can fall into a trance like that ... comfortably and automatically with your eyes open and without full falling asleep. Its bascially what happens after you stare into space too long... and have a good imagination. -Daniel

[OpheliaBlue]

[quote] Your in some kind of medatative trance. It's like being lucid during a N-REM cycle of sleep. Your eyes are open, because nothing closed them, like normal sleep would push you to do. The amazing part simply is that you can fall into a trance like that ... comfortably and automatically with your eyes open and without full falling asleep. Its bascially what happens after you stare into space too long... and have a good imagination. -Daniel Woah, did NOT know that man. So people can hallucinate when they meditate, as they would when dreaming?

[Hy_side]

[quote] Your in some kind of medatative trance. It's like being lucid during a N-REM cycle of sleep. Your eyes are open, because nothing closed them, like normal sleep would push you to do. The amazing part simply is that you can fall into a trance like that ... comfortably and automatically with your eyes open and without full falling asleep. Its bascially what happens after you stare into space too long... and have a good imagination. -Daniel Well I can't do it on command... But at least I know what's happening to me... Err Do you mind explaining what N-REM is ? Oh, is it something I should try to do more often? Will it benefit me? hehe, Thanks.

[LewisM]

If you took up meditating then who knows, maybe you could tap into the ability to enter a trance easily. I sometimes get this, when lying on my back (I normally sleep on my belly) I have hypnagogic imagery and then notice my eyes are half open. It doesnt make much of a difference since most of my room is pitch black (I notice that my eyes are still open because I can see the light coming through the cracks around my door)

[Syntex]

Non-REM is the stages 1,2,4 in sleep... The deep sleep, where little dreaming occures. People who sleepwalk/talk do it in N-REM Non-REM simply means Not having Random Eye Movement, your in deep sleep. And yes people who are really good at meditation can hallucinate or have visions. It's extremely difficult it takes years of practice... The best you can probably hope for is doing it naturally like you are now... find something that keeps your eyes closed. Some people can just slip into a hypnotic/trance state easily... some don't. Just depends on how Passively Attentive you can be. -Daniel

[Hy_side]

Thanks for clearing that up guys, so I understand that it is a good thing to be able to hallucinate whenever I want? Is it possible to still be lucid in a non-REM state?

[ronso]

I guess it's possible to be lucid in any stage. I saw my ceiling in my dream this morning, kinda half transparent... but sleeping with eyes wide open sounds impossible for me, would never make it

[Joseph_Stalin]

I haven't fully experienced this, but I have seen hypnagogic imagery a lot. Basically all of my blues turn yellow, and red spots appear. But then my eyes start to dry out a little, and water. Overall, it's weird.

[Hy_side]

Alright thanks guys, I will keep practicing my "eyes open" sleeping... I guess...