17 replies to this topic

[Vaulti Mila]

I have a legitimate question, and this isn't a joke, I'm seriously wondering about this.

At first I thought I was just imagining it, or only dreaming it, and I realize that when you sleep walk, you aren't aware you're up and about, but I have to ask this question, take a shot in the dark that someone else maybe even possibly have had an experience similar to mine. Has anyone ever sleep walked without actually having the ability to walk in the waking hours?

I'm an incomplete para at the T6/T7 region and I have some function in my right leg, but my left leg won't actually support any weight so I can't stand without the parallel bars or a walker, let alone walk, however the doctors told me I WILL be able to walk again, it's just going to take a lot of time, and a lot of effort.

But I've been having these dreams that I'm walking, which I've been having since forever, only had two dreams where I'm in a wheelchair at all since surgery, but this dream is different. The last two that were different from the others, were just simple things, walked to the kitchen in my house, over to the living room petted the dog sometimes, got some water, and went back to bed. They were extremely vivid, clear dreams, but the thing that gets me the most is that anything I moved in the dream is exactly where I left it upon waking. The thing is that when actually awake I don;t have the use of my legs like that. I can't walk yet, not even. I just wanted to know if something like that is even possible, or if anyone thinks it's possible.
Also, the night I got a big glass of water, is the only night I've wet the bed since coming home on April 1st of this year.

Does anyone think this could happen? Or am I just having crazy coincidental object placement when I wake up?

[Trinity]

To be fair if you can walk in your sleep then you will be able to walk when you are awake, if you can't then the causenot would be psychological and not physical.
Dreams can be very vivid things sometimes, maybe you dreamed of a big glass of water because you were fast asleep and your body needed to pee and translated this into a dream about a glass of water, it sounds silly but it cold be true! How about you take some photos of each room before you go to bed that you can compare in the morning after one of these dreams to see if anything has indeed moved, or could you hire a motion sensor video camera for a few nights and point it at your bedroom door? You may find that answering this questions actually helps you to sleep better at night as your brain will be able to shut off easier

[Slowlegs]

I agree with Trinity, if you can't walk in real life you won't be able to walk in your dreams. If so, I would consider going to a psychiatrist and not a physiotherapist. Do you ever get UTI's (urinary tract infections)? I find UTI's can cause me to have really vivid and often weird dreams, it is one of the markers I use to let me know how bad my UTI is getting. One side effect of a UTI can also be loss of bladder control for some. You may like to check for a UTI.

[Scott_C4-5]

I walk in my dreams, though its usually with a limp. (weird) But I also fly, travel in space, fight aliens and the other night I was Captain America and it is all incredibly real. I lucid dream somewhat often and it is fun as hell. Anyhow, as the others said, if you can't walk while you're awake then you can't while you're asleep. Unless, that is you had a psychotic breakdown and you paralysis is imaginary and your REM cycle over-rides your mental disorder. (That sounds like a good movie, I best get to writing.)

[dangerousdave]

Ummmmmmmmmm
Why not place something up against the door so if it opens it knocks it over
Interesting but easy to discover if your dreaming or not

[LeahC]

I concur with the previous posters, the only way that would be possible is if your paralysis was psychological.

[The Black Sheep]

I had something similar happen to me about 5 years ago, but not quite as noticeable.

When I was diagnosed, the doctors said I was simply hysterical, and even though I know that's not true now, there's always a question about whether or not PART of it is all in my head. I went to a hypnotherapist in 2003 and actually kicked the counselor while I was under. Most of the time I didn't go under because I'd get nervous and toot, but this one time I distinctly remember kicking her knee like it was a dream. When I came out, she said we'd sit the chairs farther apart next time because of it. I have dreams that I'm walking, kicking or swimming, and when I wake up all the blankets and pillows are on the floor, and sometimes there are new scuff marks on the wall. Even my spasms can't be that organized, so part of it definitely is still psychological.

Best evidence that I am somewhat crazy is that I stand with better balance when I'm drunk or slightly toasted. Definitely recommend what the other posters have and see someone specifically for the psychological paralysis, if it exists.

My home remedy only applies if you're legally old enough, but maybe try getting smashed and "forget" reality.

[wheelzoffortune]

I used to walk all of the time in my dreams. I was paralyzed over 29 years ago and I didn't start seeing my wheelchair in my dreams until a few years ago, when I finally accepted my injury.

[Ratticis]

I once had a dream in which I walked to the bathroom and took a leak, then when I woke up the sheets were wet

[allister]

Ratticis, on 09 July 2011 - 05:00 PM, said:

I once had a dream in which I walked to the bathroom and took a leak, then when I woke up the sheets were wet

LOL........I know that deram to.......!

[wheeliebear75]

I dream all sorts of stuff; I've been a number of different animals, I've done those things I miss doing as an AB like surfing & skiing (yes I know others have done it as paras) AND things I didn't get a chance to do like swinging my kids around or giving them piggy back rides.

I end up with dreams of being a public restroom and every stall is the regular kind....but in my DREAMS these regular stalls are only about 18in-2ft wide & a good 5-8 feet from doorway to toilet. Luckily I haven't had any accidents in YEARS!

When I'm SOUND ASLEEP + having nausea my dreams tend to stick me in a small lifeboat going up & down on a choppy ocean....I wake up to being very much sick to my stomach if not actively puking.

But I'm going to go with the rest that physiology would prevent you from walking in your sleep if you can't do it in real life. Even though a person who is sleep walking is unaware of what they are doing, their brain is still sending & receiving messages from the limbs. Being an incomplete is it possible that the brain may be subconsciously saying "Wait a minute here, hold back, we need to heal up 1st!" even though the window for "healing" is narrow our brain doesn't necessarily recognize this?

[Ginny]

Hmmm...I'm not buying the 'if you can walk in your sleep, you can walk while awake' theory. Why would that be? What does a dream have to do with the very real physical limitations that prevent us from walking? I walk with canes but dream all the time that I just get up from a chair and walk across the room with no problem. However, in reality, my feet are numb, my hips are weak and my balance sucks. So, any explanation?

[The Black Sheep]

Ginny, on 18 July 2011 - 12:10 AM, said:

Hmmm...I'm not buying the 'if you can walk in your sleep, you can walk while awake' theory. Why would that be? What does a dream have to do with the very real physical limitations that prevent us from walking? I walk with canes but dream all the time that I just get up from a chair and walk across the room with no problem. However, in reality, my feet are numb, my hips are weak and my balance sucks. So, any explanation?

I think what the OP was asking is if there was any psychological barrier that is preventing someone from walking while they're awake. They're having weird experiences where they dream they're walking, and when they wake up things are physically moved around, as if they actually had done them, rather than it being just a dream.

I had a weird dream that was way out of the norm for me last night. I had a dream I was a man and I'd cut my penis off, but I had to pee really bad, but was having difficulty with the stub that was left... How can I dream I have a penis when, obviously, I'm a woman. I have no experience with a weenie, but I did in my dream.

My theory is that the brain forgets what we deal with in reality. You can imagine you have full use and strength in your legs because when you're sleeping, your brain conveniently forgets it.

... still weirded out by the weenie dream. So bizarre!

[davjed]

Sounds more like a nightmare to me Blackie.......wonder what the analysis of that is?????

[The Black Sheep]

davjed, on 18 July 2011 - 03:24 AM, said:

Sounds more like a nightmare to me Blackie.......wonder what the analysis of that is?????

haha, I think my bladder was full, but yeah, the whole weenie part is a mystery. I often dream I have to pee when I really have to, and it wakes me up...

[Irish Wheelz]

I had never had a dream where I was walking. Most of them are usually in my wheelchair.

I had a dream where I had to take a huge crap, like literally a huge one. Next thing I woke up and I was crowning. I tried to find my wheelchair in the dark, but I couldn't so I started to panic. I fell out of my bed and I'm crawling on the ground thinking "F**k the chair, I gotta get to the toilet." I'm ripping my pajamas pants off along with my boxer. Then trying to get on the toilet from the ground was a challenge, midway up there. Plop! Good thing I live by myself, because that would be very embarrasing at the time if somebody was there.

[dianna318]

I am getting away from nightmares to happier dreams but I don't think I have had a dream of me in a wheelchair or using crutches.

I want a dream that I am with tall dark and handsome and I am

[love&hate]

Thats interesting. Just last night I had a weird experience with dreams as well. In my dream I was walking , running and driving motorcycle around the town I used to live when I was young. The intriguing part was that while I was dreaming I was aware of it. So basically I was dreaming but I knew that Its just a dream. Wait what? haha! How crazy is that. I was doing anything I wanted in this dream cause subconsciously I knew it is a dream. I was thinking about it when I woke up and was talking about it with my brother and we agreed thats really cool. Thats a first time this happened to me. Anyway, I have no idea hows that even possible. Weird things are happening when we sleep sometime my dreams are so real. Somebody once said that while being asleep dreams are your reality.

Edited by love&hate, 07 August 2011 - 01:50 AM.