Nested dreaming

Don't know if it's the right forum, but it's the best I could pick.

So, In the past few weeks I've been "rationing" my inputs. One of them includes drinking. With doing that, i've been sleeping without the benefit of being excessively medicated to get a nice consistent full nights sleep.

I've had this issue in the past and throughout my life, but lately in the past 5 days I've had it just about every night.

I don't know if it's a real thing, it's what I call it.

It's like dropping through "layers", dreams in dreams in dreams(at best, I figure I've been 4 or 5 layers down). Now, this isn't lucid necessarily or even any sort of varied dreaming. It's the same dream, I dream I am sleeping and dreaming and have to wake up, only to wake into the same scenario(very accurate reality of my room) and then "awake" into another of the same rooms where there is "something off" only to realize I'm dreaming and need to awaken again.

What's interesting is that it's hard to determine exactly when, in the dreams, I'm actually awake. When I'm really awake there is an obvious certainty but it feels soo odd.

Another feature I notice is that I can't escape it. I'm sure everyone has awoken from a dream and if it was good you want to fall asleep and "resume" that mental state. This is the exact opposite, I drift back off in minutes and start the same process over again. The worst part is that as I go from level to level, time seems to compound. I'll reawaken after another "bout" that felt like hours, just to see it's been five minutes. Not bad, until you have to go through an hour or two of this in the early am. And it feels real. So even if I only "fall asleep and wake up" a dozen times, with the "nesting effect" it feels like a hundred.

In the end, I don't worry about it, other than I literally lose out on hours worth of sleep and it makes for extreme unease just even at the idea of falling back asleep, which I ironically have no choice because i'm so tired.

Just thought it was interesting.

I have had these experiences too. That's pretty much all I have to add. I like the name you gave it: nested dreaming. It's disconcerting and also fascinating when I experience it.

originally posted by: Ellie Sagan
I have had these experiences too. That's pretty much all I have to add. I like the name you gave it: nested dreaming. It's disconcerting and also fascinating when I experience it.

Like a nesting doll, it's what I'm reminded of.

I agree, I'm fascinated by it, but it's also very "odd" when you are going through it. Like a yo-yo, going up and down through the layers.

The other night, after what was I assume the first iteration, I literally awoke with my whole body "tingling" like a buzz you get from an electric fence.

a reply to: ZapBrannigan3030


Ack I don't know what to say. I have had that happen too. Never knew what to make of it. I thought it was alien. But then again, I'm a.. pfft... I don't know what I am.

Used to happen to me a lot when I was younger, and since you mention it. I have been having them occur again in the past week or so.

It's gotten to the point where I know I'm dreaming, and I want to wake up, but I can't. I try all of my usual tricks to wake up, but it takes a minute. Then, I feel so relieved that I'm awake, but then I have to go through a checklist to make sure I'm actually awake.

I've been had a few too many times to take things for granted.

It makes me really wonder if one day I'll actually wake up from this one as well, but this is the one I'm most conscious in.