Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!seismo!lll-crg!ames!ucbcad!ucbvax!decvax!mcnc!rti-sel!dg_rtp!throopw From: throopw@dg_rtp.UUCP (Wayne Throop) Newsgroups: sci.misc,sci.med Subject: Re: Dreams as a reaction Message-ID: <760@dg_rtp.UUCP> Date: Mon, 15-Dec-86 16:45:00 EST Article-I.D.: dg_rtp.760 Posted: Mon Dec 15 16:45:00 1986 Date-Received: Wed, 17-Dec-86 04:43:15 EST References: <43@wjh12.UUCP> <733@dg_rtp.UUCP> <4101@jhunix.UUCP> Lines: 34 Xref: mnetor sci.misc:137 sci.med:390 > ins_amap@jhunix.UUCP (Mark Aden Poling) >> throopw@dg_rtp.UUCP (Wayne Throop) >> (Cites a study showing that cats are partially paralysed during sleep.) (actually only during REM sleep...) >> So, your body is paralyzed in dream-state sleep so that you >> don't thrash around and hurt yourself. > I've heard basically the same things before, but they don't explain > a recent incident that happened to me. In a dream I was fighting somebody, > [...]I awoke in great pain, > and now have a nice little scar on one of my nuckles. > does anyone want to have a crack at explaining > why I've got this little scar on my hand? I've had similar experiences, and explain them to myself this way. These situations happen when the dream state lasts longer than the paralyzed state, and are fairly rare. Usually, one stops dreaming before the paralysis wears off. But if the dream is particularly vivid, frightening, or whatever, one can get to a confused, near-awake state before the paralysis wears off, and the confusion in turn lasts until after the paralysis has worn off. Then, before the "real" situation has had a chance to establish itself, and still acting in the dream situation, you "feel" the fading paralysis, work this into the dream situation, fight to overcome it, suceed and... blammo, punch the nightstand, twitch violently as you hit bottom in a falling or running dream, scream out a warning you couldn't get out when trapped in molasses, or whatever. -- Like punning, programming is a play on words. --- Alan J. Perlis -- Wayne Throop!mcnc!rti-sel!dg_rtp!throopw