In dreams, why do we always wake up just before we die?

[WhereIsMyMind]

I was dying in a very vivid dream and I could feel the life leaving my body, it all felt real.
But just as I was about to pass, my body seemed to force itself awake. Why do you think this happens?

[Idonthaveausername]

Because your imagination is only vivid enough to feel the sentation of dying, not of death itself or it would cause you too much stress upon waking. Dreams of death and dying indicate stress in your waking life, not a desire to die

I often die in my dreams and have felt total death a few times. It's the sudden feeling of all sensation leaving, but I usually wake up shortly after. I can feel things when I'm dreaming and I tend to die violently (suffocation most common, venom or poison, and then being shaken to death like you would a baby) so my death dreams are extremely painful and exhilarating with the death a complete loss of sensation. When I wake up from them, I'm usually sweating and breathing fast

I have lucid dreams and sometimes lucid nightmares, so sometimes the lucid nightmares will kill me. Those are weird because I know I'm not actually dying, but it feels the same and I know I'm trapped in it

[vishna]

Hmm, I dunno. I often fake dead so the thing leaves me alone, then I get up and if it comes back, I fake dead again.

or

If I 'die' I go, "nah, no, I'm not really dead" and I get up again XD

[Razzle-Bedazzle]

It's strange, because I always wake too during vivid dreams of dying or being killed. It's rare I dream of death though. My dreams are usually nice dreams

[El_Muffidore]

Good question. Although maybe that was reality and you did die and now you're spending the last 7 minutes of brain activity asking this question. Have you ever had sleep paralysis? Where you are at the edge of sleeping, your body is paralyzed but your mind is still active. I had one about a couple months ago. I felt out of body. I tried turning the light switch but nothing happend. I knew I was asleep but couldn't move or wake up. I then felt the urge to run... From something. I ran as fast as I could, got outside and yelled up to my bedroom "GET OUT!". It was the freakiest thing. The mind is pretty complex in a simple way.

[WhereIsMyMind]

I've had sleep paralysis twice. Both times were nightmares, it wasn't nice. I didn't feel out of body. It was like my body was limp and lifeless and I was trapped in my head and I knew I was dreaming but I couldn't wake up and creepy shit was happening around me.

[El_Muffidore]

Yup... Though in some cases if you're able to ignore the fears and realize you are dreaming you can actually have lucid dreams. Control everything with your mind. I've only experienced it once.

[akadatank44]

Good question! I've actually discussed this with my friends before xD I've expierenced this as well. Maybe it's our bodies and our internal clock saying ok it's time to wake up. Its not even about the dream itself. Cuz what are dreams for? To entertain us while we sleep I've always thought at least lol. So our bodies know when we usually get up. Kinda like turning off the tv before you go to bed or somewhere. This usually happens when I'm getting up for the day so thats why I think that. Have you expierenced sleep parlaysis before?

[WhereIsMyMind]

Sleep paralysis is horrible, it always seems to involve some creepy presence lingering around as it's happening.
I was on a 6 hour car journey and I fell asleep and had an episode, I woke up and the sky outside was red and the two people sat in the front turned around and looked at me with black eyes and the one in the passenger seat said something like "time to wake up". It was unsettling. Then I realised I wasn't in reality and was telling myself to wake up but it wouldn't work, it took a while until I did. I think I was making noises in my sleep.

[akadatank44]

It is horrible. Yeah people who say that it's almost like a demon. I've heard and read some scientists believe that sleep parlaysis is why people claim to be abducted by aliens or have seen ghosts or demons. Who knows but it's definitely not anything I'd wish upon anyone.
Wow that's creepy! Have you suffered from it alot?

by the way I have to say you remind me of a young Vanessa Marcil. She is an actress. I believe she was on Beverly Hills 90210 haha.

[WhereIsMyMind]

It's a really mysterious phenomenon. Maybe it's a gateway for demons and aliens. I think seeing ghosts is a different thing though, they probably have their own gateway to reality.
It's happened to me twice, and I had a lucid dream once. Lucid dreams are more vivid and overwhelming, not necessarily scary. But sleep paralysis is always unnerving. I hope it doesn't happen again but odds say it most likely will, so oh well.

And I didn't know who that was, but I just looked her up. I'll take that as a compliment 🕺

[akadatank44]

Yeah it is really a strange feeling and phenomenon. Yeah maybe it is! Who knows. Well hopefully it never happens again! I'm sure that day you were feeling weird after. Like wtf was that? Lol.

Haha yes I meant it as a compliment! I kinda had a thing for her growing up 🙈 haha her and Kelly from Saved By the Bell.

[WhereIsMyMind]

Yeah I was disorientated lol 🦄
They're both pretty and very brown 😊

[akadatank44]

There are some scary things that can happen when you sleep. I had night terrors growing up. And those are scary because you'd have no idea your doing anything and no recollection of anything happening in the morning. So you feel like you've slept all night. Mine I'd be very angry and upset yell and I even punch a hole in the wall which is very out of character for me. I'm a pretty calm and cool kinda guy lol. So I'd wakeup and my parents had to explain what happened and why my hand was sore lol. I'm so glad I don't have those anymore!

Yeah they are both brown I never noticed that haha. You are a gorgeous young woman yourself! I bet all the guys by you jaws drop when you walk by them! Haha

bestanimations.com/.../...in-love-animated-gif.gif

[WhereIsMyMind]

Yes I've heard of those, they sound even worse than sleep paralysis. Sometimes something is trying to grab you and that's why you're thrashing around apparently.

And thanks, nice of you to say haha. Doubt it 😂

[akadatank44]

Yesh I'm glad I don't get them anymore. Ahh that makes sense.

You're welcome! Oh c'mon! I'm sure they are! Maybe not exactly like Donald 😂 but I'm sure they notice you! 😉

[jake253]

W T F tell me again how you think you knew you where about to die in a Fn dream a dream is a dream a near death experience is like major traumas i. e. Car accidents or drug overdose near death is when doctors are nurses brings you back from intensive care and some that do experience this are told they must return and finish what needs to be tended to but most do not want to return because of the awesome way the other side feels it's pure energy 7 ounces of it all humans have this your young and have a full life ahead of you so dream of something else it's easy to do and sometimes fun you have only just begun so thrive on feel me?

[nmhssh]

Dying in a dream is a stressful event, which causes your brain to release adrenaline. You can't sleep and have an adrenaline rush at the same time so you wake up. These dreams where you die and wake up are usually more memorable due to the fact that you wake up whereas most people don't remember 95% of their dreams.

[FusionGuy]

I've done something like that, I don't think our bodies like facing defeat and/or failure.
After waking myself up I tried to go back to sleep in my drowsy state and re-dream just to be successful in the original dream
I dunno how I did but I remember i was really disappointed if I couldn't get back into the dream

[meatballs21]

I think because you don't know and can't comprehend what would happen after that moment when your life is extinguished.

I suppose in a way that is how it would actually be, something bad is happening and then bam - it's over. Except, it's OVER over, you don't suddenly wake up and have the opportunity to reflect on it.

[Paris13]

We Catch Ourselves before We Fall and All... Just a Natural Instinct and Reflexes we Have Here, dear.
It has Happened to me through Sleep "Paralysis," and So very Scary. xx

[Paris13]

Thank you for the Like, hun. xx

[Paris13]

Thank you for the Vote of Confidence. xx

[hugs4rentSocialclub]

Body response to stimuli. If you haven't woken up. You might die for real since at that time your breathing is erratic... Heart palpitations might lessen the oxygen levels to your brain. That's why some elderly people die on their sleep.

[BeastRB]

Maybe because the stress from experiencing death in a dream causes jolts your brain back to reality

[Aizou]

Because it's something we cannot imagine. We have no recollection of what it's like.

[WhereIsMyMind]

But I have no experience at flying, but I still do it in dreams

[Aizou]

You don't truly fly in dreams, you think you do. We just imitate what we think it's like, because it's not a far fetched feeling, because floating is similar (swimming). Flying would be an entirely different experience, if it really happened.

[Notorisch_Arschloch]

Because that stupid fucking Spinosaurus Egypticus from Jurassic Park III has had PLENTY to eat, thank you very much. I am rather attached to my limbs, I'll be waking up now.

[Marcodju]

I'm assuming it's because death is what us humans fear the most? If you think about it our fear is triggered when we feel in danger. I'm no psychologist though :p

[Nadzzz]

because it may cause brain damage. experiencing death in a dream especially when it's so real may cause real brain issues
that's what i read somewhere

[DapperMelody]

I think you'd find if you hadn't woken up you'd have just transitioned into another dream. It was probably just a natural break in the sleep cycle so you woke up.

[HarryBenton]

Probably because you don't know what it feels like to die. Anyway you dream in the part of your sleep shortly before you wake up. Also the thought of death will activate your fight or flight response, which will cause you to wake up.

[sexcrazy12]

I am to understand that if you do not wake up just before you die n the dream then you will die in reality. something to do with the heart rate and breathing and pulse and stuff.

[WhereIsMyMind]

Maybe, because I do remember when I woke up my heart was beating fast and I was breathing heavily as I was about to die

[nmhssh]

You don't die in real life if you die in a dream lmao.

[Turquoise46]

I've heard it said that if you dream you died, your heart will stop.

[Ephemera1]

Technically if you die in a dream that means it's over so you just wake up.

[RhythmBlack]

You might self induce a heart attack from the stress of the dream? I don't know.

[cupidkisses]

Because if you don't wake up then you really die ( because of excessive excitement and adrenalin) so that's how your body save you

[Decentguy]

you lucky.
i wish if i ever had a dream like that, i won't wake up ever again

[Wingedz]

Fear of death, I usually die in dream and I never woke up because I don't care LOL