Sleeping while awake?
By Cahaya
@cahaya1983 (11121)
Malaysia
December 13, 2017 7:23pm CST
It's called microsleep. (Another term I have to thank the Internet for.)
It makes me realize one thing: we don't necessarily understand the struggle that the human brain goes through, sometimes.
You know that state between nodding off to sleep and jolting awake a few seconds after that? Parts of our brain actually shut down during those few seconds, but the rest remain awake. In other words, our brain nerve cells are tired, and they're demanding rest.
The dangerous part of it is that we're often not aware of that brief unconsciousness, which is a common cause for road accidents.
When was the last time you fell into microsleep? Do you often push yourself to stay awake?
24 people like this
23 responses
@sabtraversa (12952)
• Italy
14 Dec 17
I sometimes deprive myself of sleep if I need to wake up early but couldn't go to bed as early. I experience the microsleep, and I tend to be very irritable until I hit the hay. 
There have been a few times I simply fell asleep, literally. 
There have been a few times I simply fell asleep, literally. 5 people like this
@cahaya1983 (11121)
• Malaysia
15 Dec 17
I actually experienced that at work a few years back! I had to commute quite far to work at the time and usually left home very early in the morning.
I had to commute quite far to work at the time and usually left home very early in the morning.4 people like this
@DianneN (246906)
• United States
14 Dec 17
I was asleep in the car coming home from dinner with my husband on a highway. He fell asleep, too, while driving and the crash against the divider woke us both. We returned a few days before from Hong Kong and had jet lag. Thank goodness we didn't kill anyone or ourselves. The car was dented badly, but we were able to drive it home and get it repaired. I guess my hubs fell into a microsleep.
4 people like this
@cahaya1983 (11121)
• Malaysia
15 Dec 17
Oh no, I'm so glad both of you didn't get hurt! My sister got into a similar accident too on her way to work but fortunately she didn't get hurt. She had to travel quite far back and forth at the time. It's scary how accidents can happen because of this!
3 people like this
@DianneN (246906)
• United States
16 Dec 17
@cahaya1983 Thanks, and I'm glad your sister didn't get hurt either. There are so many ways that accidents can happen that it's scary!
2 people like this
@KrauseHome (36448)
• United States
16 Dec 17
My husband has a really bad issue with this one. From time to time I have experience this.
2 people like this
@cahaya1983 (11121)
• Malaysia
16 Dec 17
I tend to experience that whenever I don't get enough sleep. Once I remember falling into microsleep during my Calculus class.
@Madshadi (8849)
• Brussels, Belgium
15 Dec 17
@cahaya1983 if I’m in the pool water keeps me awake. But some lessons I give from the side of the pool. There, and with that blower keep heating into my face, I get really sleepy.
2 people like this
@cahaya1983 (11121)
• Malaysia
15 Dec 17
So you're a swimming coach? I didn't know you can nod off in the pool while giving lessons!
2 people like this
@cahaya1983 (11121)
• Malaysia
15 Dec 17
@Madshadi Oh yeah that makes sense. Well good that the kids didn't notice.
2 people like this
@MarymargII (12422)
• Toronto, Ontario
15 Dec 17
Often if I'm about to nap- I will jump start awake or alert for a few times. Then I may or may not fall asleep after that.
3 people like this
@marlina (154166)
• Canada
17 Dec 17
@MarymargII , It happens to me too once in a while.
1 person likes this
@cahaya1983 (11121)
• Malaysia
15 Dec 17
Yes sometimes during the day it happens when I'm reading and that's a sign that I should take a nap.
1 person likes this
@pitsipeahie (4278)
•
14 Dec 17
I don't know if its the same but I have moments when I unexpectedly nod off only to be awakened with a sudden head jolt/ jerk usually on bus rides on my way home from work or when I'm staring at the computer for long hours.
2 people like this
@cahaya1983 (11121)
• Malaysia
15 Dec 17
Yeah it happened to me too. Actually the last time it happened was when I was watching a movie, I think it was boring, that's why I dozed off.
1 person likes this
@1hopefulman (45123)
• Canada
17 Dec 17
I remember it happening once when I was in the car at a re stoplight while I was waiting for the light to change to green and it scared me a lot. Thankfully, most of the time that that happens I am in bed.
1 person likes this
@1hopefulman (45123)
• Canada
19 Dec 17
@cahaya1983 I must have fallen asleep for an instant and I felt the car moving and it really concerned me.
1 person likes this
@cahaya1983 (11121)
• Malaysia
20 Dec 17
@1hopefulman Oh so the car actually moved? Glad nothing bad happened!
1 person likes this
@cahaya1983 (11121)
• Malaysia
19 Dec 17
Oh wow really, glad to know that it didn't happen while you were driving. That would be a lot worse.
1 person likes this
@yanzalong (18984)
• Indonesia
14 Dec 17
I'd rather have a rest for a while. I remember driving on the highway, so I quickly pulled up and stopped for 10 minutes/
2 people like this
@cahaya1983 (11121)
• Malaysia
15 Dec 17
That's good. It can be dangerous if you doze off while driving.
1 person likes this
@cahaya1983 (11121)
• Malaysia
19 Dec 17
You mean what they post on Facebook when they're sleepy?
1 person likes this
@averygirl72 (37726)
• Philippines
14 Dec 17
I think I experience that microsleep. I feel I'm sleeping but I'm aware of what's going on around or I feel my sleep is shallow
2 people like this
@cahaya1983 (11121)
• Malaysia
14 Dec 17
Yes lack of sleep is a common cause, that's why it's dangerous to drive when you didn't get enough sleep.
2 people like this
@hereandthere (45651)
• Philippines
16 Dec 17
i remember two incidents that happened to my co-workers, years apart, different companies. in the first one, two guys, both sleep deprived. the one driving was jolted awake when the wheels passed over the metal grates at the underpass.
the other one was a female officemate whose mother was hospitalized. when she was driving home she was jolted awake when her car hit the curb on the right side of the highway. apparently it swerved from left to right while she was asleep.
good thing in both cases, these people were in the non-rush hour side of the highway.
1 person likes this
@hereandthere (45651)
• Philippines
17 Dec 17
@cahaya1983 yes, both were lucky. i hope your sister doesn't take chances again.
1 person likes this
@cahaya1983 (11121)
• Malaysia
18 Dec 17
@hereandthere Me too. She actually had to travel quite a distance from home to work before, so she had to leave very early in the morning. Now she lives somewhere closer to her workplace so it's a lot better.
1 person likes this
@cahaya1983 (11121)
• Malaysia
17 Dec 17
Oh no...they didn't get hurt did they? The most recent case happened to my younger sister, due to lack of sleep also. Fortunately she didn't get hurt. Some people aren't very lucky. 
I think some people are confident that they can push themselves to stay awake but it's really very dangerous to drive in that condition.
I think some people are confident that they can push themselves to stay awake but it's really very dangerous to drive in that condition.1 person likes this
@bluesa (15023)
• Johannesburg, South Africa
21 Dec 17
This happens to me most nights. I drift away in front of the tv I hear the tv and sounds around me, but as soon as I go to bed I seem wide awake, I wish the microsleep I have on the sofa in front of the tv would let me sleep when I head to bed.
1 person likes this
@cahaya1983 (11121)
• Malaysia
22 Dec 17
I know right! It happens to me too, funny how sleepy I usually am before that and how wide awake I would be after that brief sleep.
1 person likes this
@bluesa (15023)
• Johannesburg, South Africa
27 Dec 17
@cahaya1983 yeah, it's very frustrating.
1 person likes this
@cahaya1983 (11121)
• Malaysia
14 Dec 17
That's good, because that usually happens when you're sleep deprived.
1 person likes this
@cahaya1983 (11121)
• Malaysia
19 Dec 17
You didn't doze off trying to understand what they were telling you though, did you?
1 person likes this
@YrNemo (20261)
•
19 Dec 17
@cahaya1983 I still have no clue what they talked about, but I managed to say, 'yeah, really, Are you serious?' and made quite a few appropriate noise! A few times I got caught out when one said, 'Why did you say so? I asked you a question and you said, 'Really!'
1 person likes this
@dpk262006 (58675)
• Delhi, India
14 Dec 17
Thanks for introducing the term micro sleep. It sometimes happen, when I am sitting idle.
1 person likes this
@dpk262006 (58675)
• Delhi, India
15 Dec 17
@cahaya1983 Yes, you are very right that it could happen during a boring lecture of a in a meeting.
1 person likes this
@cahaya1983 (11121)
• Malaysia
15 Dec 17
Yeah, or in the middle of a boring lecture or meeting, I suppose.
1 person likes this
@cttolledo (5460)
• Legaspi, Philippines
18 Dec 17
It's good to know about microsleep, I think we should be informed about it well.
1 person likes this
@cahaya1983 (11121)
• Malaysia
19 Dec 17
Yes sometimes we don't even realize it because the duration of that unconsciousness is too short, which is why it could be dangerous.
@PainsOnSlate (21854)
• Canada
22 Dec 17
If i'm tired and need a nap I take one. I rarely just fall asleep without causing it myself.
1 person likes this
@cahaya1983 (11121)
• Malaysia
22 Dec 17
I take a nap during the day too, sometimes. But sometimes when I'm too tired I tend to doze off while watching a movie even if I had already taken a nap earlier.
1 person likes this
@ridingbet (66857)
• Philippines
17 Dec 17
it is better to wake up after a microsleep than sleep well soundly, because it can be a neurological disturbance.
1 person likes this
@cahaya1983 (11121)
• Malaysia
17 Dec 17
You mean a neurological disturbance can cause someone to fall into a state of microsleep?
1 person likes this
@ridingbet (66857)
• Philippines
18 Dec 17
@cahaya1983 an altered level of consciousness as drowsy is different from sleepy. so, when one is seen as drowsy, maybe the brain has lesser oxygen supply and that is not good.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
17 Dec 17
Oh dear. In that case I have micro sleep a lot
1 person likes this
@cahaya1983 (11121)
• Malaysia
19 Dec 17
I'm pretty sure many of us have fallen into that state at some point.
1 person likes this
