Every time I lay down for a nap or start to fall asleep in a meeting (that's generally EVERY meeting I attend and there are many) I start to dream. Here's the really weird part: I start to dream BEFORE I fall aspleep. I can still hear what's going on around me. It's been going on for years and I thought everyone did it. Now, after asking, I find almost no one does. Except for one guy I met at a managers meeting. He said it happened to him. Then he pulled out his Darth Vader machine and said he hoped it didn't bother me. He said he has sleep apnea and that the machine changed his life dramatically. I'm going to go to the doctor because many of our symptons match. I've been pretty miserable for most of my adult life (35 years).

So, are my dreamlets (as I call them) normal or a sleep apnea thing or am I just weird? Thanks for any replies.

This may be off the wall but ...

What if you don't even have the slightest idea of what a dream is?  What if you do dream but have absolutely no conscience memory of your dreams?  Could you be in a day-dream state and think it is a dream state?

Metaphorically speaking, maybe I interpret dreams as in 3D movies while your interpretation is a power point presentation.
Maybe you are in for a real treat (feature presentation) if you are diagnosed with sleep apnea and will soon start therapy.


_________________
Success Nourishes Hope

Billthedreamer,

No, you're not alone with the dreams.  I had them occurring for a year or two before being diagnosed with OSA.  They would occur when I would have "micro-sleeps" at my computer screen.  It's a weird feeling to be dreaming and still be somewhat aware of what's going on around you.  This is one reason I thought I had narcolepsy/cateplexy as it seems to be a symptom of that, too (from what I had read).  I guess I'm glad to hear that there is someone else that's experienced it besides me.

After about 5 months on CPAP therapy, I no longer have the daytime sleepy episodes including the dreams and feel much, much better.

Get it checked out and they'll go away for you, too.

Best wishes,

DW