What causes the falling sensation that sometimes occurs while sleeping? Do dreams affect one's equilibrium?

Question

I have experienced this sensation when I was dreaming about falling and when I wasn't dreaming about anything. This makes me wonder if the falling sensation is actually what caused me to dream about falling rather than vice versa.

Answer 1

The state when we are dreaming - during REM (rapid eye movement) is the state where we are such in a deep sleep that we don't move. That may explain why some people when waking up are unable to move. Of course there are times, that the sleep is so light that actual conversations or happenings in the outside world are incorporated in dreams (like conversations for instance). I don't think there's a study on the causes specifically of the feeling of falling in sleep. But rest assure, that the body memorizes the length of our beds and so that is why we rarely, if not never, fall from our beds.

"Dreams of falling are powerful images that lends itself to some interpretations. Sigmund Freud offers the interpretation that a woman dreaming of this symbolizes her surrender to erotic temptation. Falling would be an example the wish reflecting her desire to return to infancy when a child who fell was picked up and held in reassuring arms. Psychiatrist Emil Gutheil suggested that falling could be a metaphor for the loss of equilibrium in many forms: loss of temper, loss of self control, a falling away from accepted moral standards. Contemporary theory holds that falling usually reflects insecurity—a sense that there is nothing to hold onto" (Think Quest)

Answer 2

when i've had this type of dream it indicated a feeling of being out of control. I can't imagine it affecting equilibrium when awake. That's an inner ear mechanism. Rahter than be alarmed by the dream go further in to examine it and see as I did what the dream was telling me so I could use it in my wakened state

Answer 3

i experienced this many times before. i think our body has a natural alert defense system nerves that triggers our body to react in times of danger. when we dream of danger our brain transmitted a danger signal from our nerve to our muscles thats y we always have the falling in dream sensation

Answer 4

I like that feeling when in my almost dream state I feel that and it allows me to have the freedom of flying and often I do fly in my dreams.

Answer 5

It's because when you fall asleep, you're "falling" into your subconscious mind. That's what causes that falling feeling.

Answer 6

I HEARD IF YOU HIT THE PAVEMENT BEFORE YOU WAKE UP , YOU END UP DYING BUT I DONT KNOW IF ITS TRUE.. BUT I GET THIS ALL THE TIME WHEN I AM A SLEEP.