Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Getting Going

I am almost finished the second sock of a pair.

Today, I have started to swatch the Yak yarn and Merino/Cashmere/Silk tweed yarn I bought in Hamburg.

My feelings have been all over the place, though nowhere near as bad as the first week. I am not struggling to cope. I just don't like it!

Today, I sorted out a dog sitter. A pleasant woman I have known for 7 years. An aquaintance really. She is kind and unassuming, in her 50's. Iasked her today and she said yes. As I was leaving, she said she did not want paying. I did not tell her anything of recent events until after I had asked what I wanted to. I thought it would be unfair to tell her first as I needed to be sure she wanted to dog sit for me and not do it out of guilt. This is only for days out of course, not holidays.

I wonder if anyone knows what this is. It is an experince I have had many times over my lifetime but last night it was very powerful and more scary. Often, as I am laying down to sleep, I hear a 'whooshing' sound in my head and I start to feel like I am being pulled out of myself. I cannot move but I am compeltely conscious. It is most unpleasant. Last night it was sudden and started by a really loud high pitched hum in my head and then the very strong feeling of being pulled out of my body and spinning. Again I couldn't physically move and I was totally conscious. I managed to 'pull' out of it and put the light on and stayed sitting up for a while.

Now I know that we all have sleep paralysis to prevent danger whilst we dream. However, I am not asleep when this happens. I also am aware that some people report leaving their body.

I am baffled by this. I have tried not to fight it and see where it leads but I always end up struggling to break the hold it has on me. I always succeed in that though it often feels like I won't. Also, when I have tried to go with it, the feeling of being dragged out and spinning gets intense.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is a mystery Colin..it could even be Menniere's syndrome and laying down causes the balance in your ears to change ..Mum has it and it does odd things.The other feeling like that could be a panic attack which can be caused by hearing your blood pumping in your head.These are often set off by hearing your own heatbeat.Considering the stress you've had it could be a rise in blood pressure .So it's a vicious circle stress sets off high blood pressure your brain interrprets it as a reason to get adrenalin pumping and that can have the oddest affects.

Gillian said...

I have floating and flying and even crash landing dreams but no fear, unpleasantness or whoosh.
But if I hear a noise in the night that I do not like the sound of, I freeze. I have tried to call out to Robert on a couple of occasions and have not been able to make a sound come out and I cannot move a muscle or even breath.
I haven't researched dreams so I'm just glad when morning comes.

Glad you have found a dog sitter. I love your description of her as pleasant, kind, unassuming and in her 50s. I nearly match up!!!

Cheers Gillian

Annie said...

I have a similar whooshing sometimes, Colin. I, though, usually welcome it as it follows some insomnia and, to me, signals that my body is finally going to let me sleep.

Anonymous said...

Colin, it is something in your inner or middle ear. You might have a chat with a doctor about it.

Anonymous said...

Colin, glad to see you're still knitting socks! I cannot explain the "whooshing", but the high pitched sounds in your ears might indicate a blood pressure problem. This is also known as tinnitis, which in some cases becomes permanent. A lot of people have it, me included. It is a nuisance at times, especially when you're in a quiet room. The only time it doesn't bother me is when I'm asleep!

Pat H in Carencro LA
Member of Socknitters

Anonymous said...

Hi Colin, congratulations on the tribunal decision, well deserved! Your socks are always so well knit and comfy looking. Glad to hear that a friend will help out with the pups :)

Lastly, I had a reaction to a sedative for sleep similar to what you describe. It became more pronounced when i was withdrawing from that med. It is not a nice experience. The drug was called Halcion, don't know if it is still used or what the generic name is.

Hope things get better soon! Wooly hugs from Niagara.

Anonymous said...

What you are experiencing is something called astral catalepsy... there is nothing wrong w/ your inner ears, you're not having a panic attack, and you don't need a doctor. Your spirit travels as you sleep, you just don't normally feel the transition. This time you did. But you are perfectly allright. You can research it or try finding Sylvia Browne's Dream Book, that helped me when I had similar experiences :)

Anonymous said...

I've heard of a disorder where you wake - but your sleep "payalysis" doesn't get "shut off" so you can't move. Perhaps it's something similar to that. I'd check with your doc, or a neurologist - as the wooshing you describe and feeling of being removed from yourself is very similar to what I've experienced before a seizure. (I had them many years ago)