I’ve been reading these boards for a long time and this is the first time I’ve had a question for you all, so help out if you can!
Last night I couldn’t sleep because of this and I’d love it if you guys could help me solve what was happening.
I had spent the day at a large amusement park here in New England, and came home very very tired. When I lay down to sleep it was immediate, but I dreamed of riding a rollercoaster and woke up with a jump, feeling very strange.
My immediate sensation was that I was very heavy and very light at the same time. I felt as it my body was rising in a wierd way. I shook my head and snapped out of it. However after a moment of closing my eyes and attempting to sleep again, it came back. This time I had the distinct sensation that I was lying down and sitting up at the same time. I opened my eyes and the sensation remained the same. Again, focusing my head and moving a little helped. This continued for the next few hours, every time I closed my eyes or tried to relax the feeling of strange dizziness/displacement returned. It was incredibly frustrating and made it impossible to continue sleeping because it was such a strong sensation.
I mentioned it to a friend this morning and he gave me some crap about astral projection. I smiled and nodded and said thanks, but I don’t believe a word of it. Did riding all those rides yesterday do something with my inner ear, creating a weird dizziness? If so, what was going on in there to cause such an intense sensation?
And, furthermore, what could I have done to make it stop and go back to sleep?
I’m a little grumpy this afternoon due to lack of sleep, so if it ever happens again I’d like to know what’s going on and what I can do to get rid of it.
So help me debunk my friend’s astral projection nonsense (I don’t really believe in OBEs) and bring some hard science in here!
Well, there’s plenty of evidence for dizziness and precious little for astral projection. Considering that you spent the day at the amusement park I’ll assume that you were riding the rides, maybe getting a lot of sun and not as much fluids as you otherwise would (that’s what always happens to me when my buddies and I take a long roller-coaster weekend), the idea that you might be a little dizzy isn’t unusual! And as you said you kept waking up and feel under the weather due to lack of sleep (and dreamed about rollercoasters)…I see very little to suggest “astral projection”, looks like a normal outcome of your day frankly.
What evidence does your friend offer to support AP?
If it continues to disrupt your sleep, you obviously should see a doctor about it. You’re almost certainly right that it involves the inner ear.
Out of curiousity, does shifting position help at all? For example, do you get the same effect while lying on your stomach?
I have the same problem when I go to an amusement park-when I try to go to sleep the night after, I feel like I’m still on the rides. I suspect it’s common.
You ever have sinus trouble? Allergies?
Serious hay fever has gunked up my ear canals.
I would suspect muscular fatigue and subsequent reaction(s).
If it continues seek medical advice.
I’m sure it is. I remember a couple of times when I spent the day fishing and felt like I was rocking back and forth when I went to bed at night.
The sensation of floating is very common, especially when you’re in that border region between sleep and awake. I think it’s related to hypnopompic hallucination.
In any case I’ve had it before and never associated it with AP. I’ve also had this odd sensation that I’m growing larger in all directions while lying down seemingly awake but probably in fact a bit asleep.
Like, totally, duh… :smack:
The above should have read hypnogogic hallucination (which occurs while falling asleep) rather than hypnopompic (which occurs while waking).
My vote is for something known either as Benign Postional Vertigo or Benign Paroxysmal Vertigo.
http://www.merck.com/mrkshared/mmanual/section7/chapter85/85d.jsp
You’d been spinning around at the funfair all day, and the sensation was influenced by moving and shaking your head.
Funny, I just had this sensation over the weekend. Went canoeing for about 8 hours Saturday. That night upon lying in bed and closing my eyes, was instantly cognizant of the sensation that I was still floating down the river.
Assumed it to be something to do with your eyes/brain getting “used” to the constant background motion for an extended period of time, so upon stopping it takes awhile to readjust.
Or it could’ve been the beers. 
Next time, just go to bed with a nice, form-fitting tinfoil hat. That way, when you start to astrally project, you’ll bounce off the tinfoil and back into your head.
Problem solved, dude.
