Depending what you read, anywhere from 40% – 60% of Americans say they don’t get enough sleep. Around the world, even in some of the most laid back countries, people say they are deprived of the sleep they crave.
Sleep…it’s something we all do, and it’s what we’re talking about this week.
A Quick Note: While we normally record podcasts in person, this podcast was recorded online. Somewhere between the pre-show babble we usually do to almost 10 minutes into the show, the recording dropped out. Yep, for the first time in almost 90 episodes, we finally hit a problem. So just imagine the first part of this week’s episode is that part you can’t remember from a dream.
We start off by talking about how much sleep, on average, we each get a night. Well, we did talk about that, but it’s part of the lost recording. Shawn said he gets between 4-5 hours or sleep…Christopher usually gets 7-8. From there, we moved on to how often we dream, or — more accurately — how often we remember dreams. (Shawn rarely remembers dreams; Christopher remembers them most of the time — and even shared some recent dreams.)
Next, we discuss the strangest recurring dreams we’ve had and if we’ve ever used things from dreams in the stories we write. Rounding out the dreaming section, we talk about why we think we dream.
We definitely dedicate some time to lack of sleep, kicking off this section by discussing what keeps us from sleeping. We know that the recommended sleep numbers are simply that: recommendations. Find out how much sleep we each need to function regularly. Also, find out if either of us have ever had problems with insomnia.
The mind can do strange things when one does not get sleep. (We recommend this episode of Kenny vs. Spenny if you have about 22 minutes to kill.) Find out not only the longest we’ve each stayed awake, but also what it did to us. Then we move on to talking about if we’ve ever been unsure if we’re awake or asleep…and if we’ve ever walked, talked, or done other things in a sleep state.
We close out this week’s episode by discussing if we think there is more to sleeping and dreaming than just recharging the brain and body.
Want to talk about your weird dreams, how long you’ve been awake at one time, or any other sleep-related thing? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.
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The first 10 minutes was a dream… 😉
I’ve had recurring theme dreams all my life. I’m either in a dark, littered, decrepit, and abandoned institution, or walking along a dark street. Once I was in an airport. I’m trying to navigate my way home, but I keep getting lost and end up going around in huge circle. Every time I try another path, I eventually end up in the same spot. Of course, I don’t have any means of calling anybody to help.
A variation on the decrepit institution (always in a school in this one) dream is I’m urgently trying to find an acceptable restroom to use. Every restroom I check is absolutely horrifying with trash and crap everywhere.
I often dream I’m in school and it’s the last day of class, and I realize I’ve been forgetting to attend several of my classes all semester. I don’t even remember where they are, and I’m in a panic, trying to figure out how to find them and do all the assignments I missed.
Some recurring theme dreams I had in childhood: I was in a house perched on the edge of a cliff. The house would sl-o-o-owly tilt over the side. Or I was in an out-or-control car, barreling down the street. Another one from childhood – I would wander my neighborhood and walk into peoples’ houses through their back doors, then exit through their front doors. I went from house to house doing this, and dreaded it, but somehow couldn’t help myself. It was like I was addicted to the behavior. The walking through the houses dreams were so vivid, so hyperreal, that for years I thought I had actually done it. This was quite embarrassing, and I told no one. But the doors were always unlocked, the people were always not home, and I was never caught. So I eventually realized they were dreams.
The dreams I have – at least the ones I remember – are almost always nightmares. No wonder I’m a horror writer…
Recurring dreams for me are the elements mentioned in the podcast, elevator dreams, wandering through huge houses/buildings, and…pee dreams!
The pee dreams are always funny because I know, obviously, that it means I drank too much water after the evening walk or I had tea or something much later than I should have…and need to pee. But…I’m fortunate enough that my bladder works well and there are those times I might stir awake and think, “Okay, I should pee, but…I want to sleep!” and I doze back to dreamland. But then the dreams become ridiculous, like standing at the top of a waterfall with my back arched back, just wizzing away. Finding a urinal in a mall or school or wherever I am and…liquid cannon and a feeling of relief. Fortunately, I’ve never woken up in a puddle, but when a pee dream hits, I know that, “Okay, you win…” and I get up to pee no matter how comfy the bed feels. It always seems to happen about half an hour before my usual wake up time…like my bladder thinks, “Close enough…gonna ease up and wake him…”
I’m good with nightmares and creepy…as long as it’s just me. If people I care about are in the dreams, then it’s not cool.
The dream that got cut from the podcast was a zombie dream I had, in which a friend who had been infected offered to bite my arm because, as he put it, “If you get chowed on by the horde, they won’t be so kind to think where they are biting you.” I let him, and it felt…kinda cool. We had 24 hours before turning, and it was kind of like a frat house that wasn’t a frat house…because this friend and I are the furthest from being in a frat. But everyone got excited because the woman running the place was making fried chicken, and apparently her fried chicken was the best. I mentioned that I don’t eat meat and my friend said, “You’re about to start eating much worse than chicken…”
“You’re about to start eating much worse than chicken…” LOL That whole story should, er, be a story!
Oh yeah, I haven’t had this dream in a while. I’m in school (usually) or walking around outside. Somehow I forgot to put on pants or underwear, and I’m just wearing a shirt. Embarrassed, I’m trying to figure out where I can get something to cover myself, and trying to pull down my shirt as far as I can to cover my bum. But I gradually realize nobody is paying attention, much to my relief.
I have that one, too.
It’s sometimes scary, the similar strange aspects we have in common. I know I’m older than you, but I would not be surprised if we were unidentical twins separated at birth (with a time machine).
Hmm . . I think I have a a couple years on you. But we’ll call it even. 🙂 And yes, the similarities between us are . . ruminatuous. I almost hesitate to mention any more of my life experiences or characteristics. lol
I have exploding head syndrome.