# do  I open my eyes by instinct in the morning?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-open-my-eyes-by-instinct-in-the-morning/689749>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 1, 2014, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-open-my-eyes-by-instinct-in-the-morning/689749 "2014-06-01T05:00:50Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![copperwindow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@copperwindow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/copperwindow)\
**Post date:** [June 1, 2014, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-open-my-eyes-by-instinct-in-the-morning/689749/1 "2014-06-01T05:00:50Z")

</div>

when I wake up in the morning,do I open my eyes by instinct or is it a choice? I know it would be hardto wake up without opening my eyes, what would it be possible?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\
**Post date:** [June 1, 2014, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-open-my-eyes-by-instinct-in-the-morning/689749/2 "2014-06-01T06:28:44Z")

</div>

ISTM (but it’s hard to be sure), I commonly wake up in the morning and lie in bed for a long time with my eyes closed. At least, I kinda think that’s what I do. And I don’t think I always open my eyes first and then close them again. Sometimes I doze off again, sometimes repeatedly, so that I may be in-and-out of it or a long time, all with my eyes still shut.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![RiCu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19adc/32.png) [@RiCu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RiCu)\
**Post date:** [June 1, 2014, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-open-my-eyes-by-instinct-in-the-morning/689749/3 "2014-06-01T06:52:31Z")

</div>

Occasionally when I wake up, my eyelid sticks to my eye, and opening it hurts like hell. (IDK why this happens).

I therefore wake up and keep my eyes shut while I work up the courage to slowly open them.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\
**Post date:** [June 1, 2014, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-open-my-eyes-by-instinct-in-the-morning/689749/4 "2014-06-01T09:06:39Z")

</div>

At least some of the time I would say it was instinctive.

Like when you have one of those “wake with a bump” dreams: walk, walk, walk, _TRIP_! Awake.  
In that case I may open my eyes very quickly without thinking.

(A wake with a bump dream is a recognized kind of dream, with a sciency name. Can’t find/remember it right now though).