I think I know what hypnogogic hallucinations are; I think they are
illusory experiences that one perceives as one would an actual, waking
experience. I understand that it is hard to distinguish whether one is
actually doing it or "dreaming" it. Please tell me what a hypnopompic
hallucination is.
I was under the impression that the falling sensation was due to a brief
interruption in heart beat- that the sudden awakening and sitting upright
was due to a jumpstart from the sympathetic nervous system. Was I misinformed?
At 09:22 AM 02/08/2000 -0600, Cheryl B Schwartz wrote:
>Kirsten:
>
>In response to your question about why we dream of falling and then jerk
>awake right before hitting bottom, this may provide some insight.
>
>We are known to experience events called hypnogogic and hypnopompic
>hallucinations associated with falling asleep or waking up. It is during
>these transitions to/from sleep that these hallucinations
>occur. Frequently they are of the falling/flying variety, but can also be
>auditory or tactile, etc. It is not known why falling is so common, I
>suspect that answer would lie in the realm of dream interpretation and
>stresses in a person's life. However, the sensations are completely
>normal (albeit frightening at the time) and indicate no pathology of the
>sleep process.
>
>I hope this answers your and your students' question. Sleep is a
>fascinating field -- we all do it, and yet it seems we know so little
>about it. (In reality, we actually do understand quite a bit about it.)
>If you have any futher questions, feel free to contact me at one of my
>e-mail addresses.
>
>--Cheryl :)
>
>former polysomnographic technologist (that's jargon for the person who
>hooks up patients and monitors their sleep all night, while not
>getting any her-/himself) and current lecturer at NEIU.
>
>************************************************************************
>* Cheryl Schwartz, Ph.D. *
>* [EMAIL PROTECTED] *
>* OR *
>* [EMAIL PROTECTED] *
>* - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - *
>* If logic is in the eye of the logician, *
>* then is wit in the eye of the wittician? *
>************************************************************************
>
>
>
>
Dr. Joyce Johnson
Assistant Professor of Psychology
Developmental/ Experimental
Centenary College of Louisiana
PO Box 41188
2911 Centenary Blvd.
Shreveport, LA 71134-1188
<http://www.centenary.edu/~jjohnson>
office 318 869 5253
FAX 318 869 5004 Attn: Dr Johnson, Psychology
