🚀 go-pugleaf

> 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      <the-known-world>!mcnc!rti-sel!dg_rtp!throopw