Just a question. When you fall in your dream and wake up with your heart racing and scared to death, is that a good indication that you have returned to your body after a OBE? I read it somewhere. Just curious to hear imput. Be nice

There's a name for it, I forget what it is. It happens to me, but I've never had anything I'd call an OBE. Not that I remember anyway.

Yes, it's a good indication, but not necessarily the only explanation. Sudden transistions from REM sleep through the hypnopompic state to being fully awake can generate a dynamic sinking feeling. In the case of an OBE, the time or intensity of the fall does not necessarily reflect the distance traveled -- could be two hundred miles or just two inches. Dreams of riding, gliding, driving, levitating, jumping, catapulting, soaring, and flying are also good indications of OBEs. Forcing yourself to wake up prematurely during these kinds of dreams can yield some startling results.

this isn't what i actually thing (i liek the OBE theory) but scientist state that this is a reflex from when we were apes and we used to sleep in trees and if you fell you'd grab onto the tree or summit from this reflex i don't fully understand it though

Incredible! This makes a lot of sense. For anyone who has slept in a tree, and I know someone who has, the most likely time to fall is upon awaking. Going to search engine now...

so the ones that fall from trees could be having sleep paralysis, lol

I think the falling sensation or falling off a cliff dream are hypnagogic sensations. Kind of similar to SP in that the same sensations are experienced across all cultures.

I hate that falling feeling..

Just before you go to sleep your mind jumps from images to images, experiences throughout the day, and extremely strange thoughts that dont make sense. Seriously.. ever remember coming awake just before going to sleep and u were busy thinking of something extremely strange but it slips away from you? Thats because ur short term memory isn't working very well. Neways, because of the vast amount of thoughts ur brain is cyphering through one of these could by a sensation of jumping on a trampoline for example, or falling off of something. If ur perceiving what ur dreaming as reality then ull instantly spark a reflex and come awake ready for action with heart pumping. Its simply a reaction to a perception u perceived as you were falling asleep.

I think I misunderstood your question. Do you mean "dreaming of falling BEFORE you go to sleep" or "dreaming of falling AFTER you've been asleep"?

why does similar question comeup. and makes a new thread.. can't be helped.

It's called a hypnic or hypnagogic jerk. It's possible that you slipped out of your body a few inches while falling asleep, then suddenly re-intergrated with it.

Medical viewpoints are explained here:

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-hypnic-jerk.htm

Hope you're ok.

That happens to me in class alot. You right about to fall asleep then you dream/think about falling an *jerk* yout twitch and everyone finds it amusing.

sounds like a hyper ren state, but real quickly, might be OBE, or maybe just a subconcious thought.

Nothing paranormal about that. St Q's post explains it quite well, although according to what I have read it is a reflex to make the body circulate blood to the regions which aren't getting enough.