It is called a false awakening.
Understanding False Awakenings
A false awakening is a specific type of dream experience where an individual believes they have woken up from sleep and are now in their real-world environment, but in reality, they are still sleeping. This can be a very vivid and convincing experience, making it difficult to discern from actual wakefulness until the person genuinely wakes up later.
Common characteristics and elements of a false awakening include:
- Perception of Reality: The sleeper has a strong conviction that they are awake, often going through routine actions.
- Mundane Scenarios: The dream sequence might involve typical daily activities, such as getting out of bed, getting dressed, checking the time, or performing household chores, which adds to the illusion of reality.
- Sudden Realization: The true awakening is often accompanied by a distinct and sometimes disorienting realization that the previous "waking" experience was, in fact, part of a dream.
- Recurring Loops: In some instances, a person might experience multiple false awakenings in succession, leading to a confusing cycle where they "wake up" numerous times only to find themselves still dreaming.
When Do False Awakenings Occur?
False awakenings most commonly occur during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. This particular stage of sleep is characterized by heightened brain activity, which is very similar to brain activity during wakefulness. REM sleep is also the phase most closely associated with vivid dreaming.
The unique conditions of REM sleep, including its strong link to dreaming and the brain's active state, create an environment where the mind can construct an incredibly realistic "waking" scenario within the dream. This can lead to the unsettling sensation of having woken up, even though the body and mind are still deeply immersed in the sleep cycle.
