We emphasize healthy sleep habits at Titus 2. Four years ago on a social media site I asked a question: “Is it just me or has anyone else ever experienced this?…..Today I laid down on a quilt on the floor of my office for a short cat nap, feeling very sleepy after lunch. I had a meditation CD playing low. I dozed off and slept maybe 15 minutes. As I began to awaken it was totally quiet. I was conscious of the quiet for about 2 seconds, then it was like a switch flipped and suddenly my hearing was awake and I could hear the music playing. That same sensation of a delay in the awakening of my sense of hearing has happened to me maybe 4-5 times. I would be conscious of awaking, but of hearing nothing, then suddenly it’s like the hearing part of my brain startles awake and says, “Quick, she’s awake! You’re supposed to hear something!” And I will instantly hear the TV playing or conversation, etc. The first time it happened it rattled me. Now I’m aware of it but not alarmed. Is it just an aging brain thing or sign of a neurological problem? I’m having a sleep study in a few weeks (my first one in over 11 years)…..I must remember to ask the doctor about it.”
a number of people responded about their experiences of sleep paralysis and about other sleep issues but only 2 confirmed this experience on their lives. One woman said it happened to her more as a child, generally after a nap. I found this info about such phenomena:
“Threshold consciousness (commonly called “half-asleep” or “half-awake”, or “mind awake body asleep”) describes the same mental state of someone who is moving towards sleep or wakefulness, but has not yet completed the transition. Such transitions are usually brief, but can be extended by sleep disturbance or deliberate induction, for example during meditation.” I found this online….maybe I’m just more self-aware, since sleep becomes so much more an issue as people get older. I generally sleep 5-6 hours a night….maybe this occurs when I actually NEED to sleep longer.