"Learning" while you sleep.

[gasp]

I've noticed over the years on this forum people have said it is possible or impossible to learn certain behaviors while you sleep.

Here are examples where I believe learning while sleeping occurs:

- I learned to not sleep on my back, ever.
- I learned to hold my tongue on the roof of my mouth and to not open my mouth while sleeping.
- I never dropped my baby once when nursing and falling asleep, and even dreamed I was still pregnant while I slept nursing her once. When I woke up I was relieved to see her sweet face. (The dream shows I was actually asleep)
- My brother learned to hold his rifle and sleep in the military. He never dropped it once.

What do you all think?

[Janknitz]

I'm one who has said that many people (not everyone) CAN learn to sleep with their tongues on the roofs of their mouths. Does this learning actually take place at night? I don't know. I suggest that people practice all day whenever their mouths are not in use for eating or talking and hope it will carryover at night.

It may be that the subconscious can continue learning to some degree while we are sleeping. And there can still be response to stimuli (e.g. air rushing out of the mouth causes you to shut your mouth) that helps learning along even while sleeping.

Remember the old wives tale that you can learn academic subject by listening to lectures during your sleep? I don't think that really happens, but . . .I have some insomnia issues so I listen to podcasts all night long. Sometimes the podcasts penetrate my dreams in odd ways--it fascinates me what becomes part of my dreams. So some information is getting through my subconscious on one level or another.

[chunkyfrog]

My asleep self is not so cooperative, although I was able to sleep on my back, as ordered, after my surgeries.

[JDS74]

I learned to not roll over and sleep on my right side at night. I get pretty immediate feedback when the happens and wake up abruptly (its a medical condition and not an elbow.)

I learned to not chew on my Oracle mask and ruin it so it had to be replaced - that was a very expensive issue but I don't do it any more.

I learned to not breathe through my nose while asleep and dispensed with the nasal clips that were a real annoyance.

So, yes, I agree that some sleep behaviors that are detrimental can be "unlearned" and replaced with ones that are beneficial.

[gasp]

It would seem from our examples that we can change our behaviors while sleeping.

Now if I could just learn how to hold my throat open and achieve REM

[Judge Nap]

My brother learned to hold his rifle and sleep in the military. He never dropped it once.

There are two tricks required to be able to do this.

1) Fall asleep holding the rifle in such a position that when the muscles in your hand relax, the rifle does not fall to the floor.

2)The rifle should be held in such a position that, if you change sleeping positions, the rifle falls onto a hand or arm without falling out of the bed. Usually, I would awaken briefly and reposition myself and the rifle. It's not too hard to learn to do.

But you cannot learn to hold a muscle in a certain position while truly sleeping. If you could, I would have gotten a full nights sleep many times while standing up.

[gasp]

My brother learned to hold his rifle and sleep in the military. He never dropped it once.

There are two tricks required to be able to do this.

1) Fall asleep holding the rifle in such a position that when the muscles in your hand relax, the rifle does not fall to the floor.

2)The rifle should be held in such a position that, if you change sleeping positions, the rifle falls onto a hand or arm without falling out of the bed. Usually, I would awaken briefly and reposition myself and the rifle. It's not too hard to learn to do.

But you cannot learn to hold a muscle in a certain position while truly sleeping. If you could, I would have gotten a full nights sleep many times while standing up.

Well, I guess that may just rule out the brother scenario. But I'm still voting for changing learned behavior like letting my mouth closed while sleeping and others posted here.

By the way, thanks for serving!

[Sheriff Buford]

I agree about the learned behavior while sleeping. Those without a hose hanger learn to "mess" with the hose all night. I have learned to fiddle with the mask while sleeping, and I've learned to keep my mouth open all night, and allow my puffy cheeks to help in the mask-seal.

Sheriff

[Goofproof]

My brother learned to hold his rifle and sleep in the military. He never dropped it once.

There are two tricks required to be able to do this.

1) Fall asleep holding the rifle in such a position that when the muscles in your hand relax, the rifle does not fall to the floor.

2)The rifle should be held in such a position that, if you change sleeping positions, the rifle falls onto a hand or arm without falling out of the bed. Usually, I would awaken briefly and reposition myself and the rifle. It's not too hard to learn to do.

But you cannot learn to hold a muscle in a certain position while truly sleeping. If you could, I would have gotten a full nights sleep many times while standing up.

One thing you learn in the military, is how to make the most of a opportunity to catch a few Zzz's when the chance arises.

The way not to do it, caught me in Viet Nam. After a couple of weeks of 20 hour days, I was on guard duty, at 3 a. m., while guarding the P.X., I was standing up in the open with my M-14 slung and fell asleep. I fell down on the M-14 the charging lever almost broke my rib's, I went down like a ton of bricks. Not a good place to guard, the rats were the about 20 pounds,they would run between your leggs, and almost knock you down. Jim

We always look out for each other, this job was looking out for P.X. breaking and fire. When guarding the camp it was more serious, one place on the edge of the base we guarded we were no more than a early warning system, all we could do is make noise, and give others time to deal with the problem.

Back in the 90's, I used subliminal tapes to improve my frame of mind and movation, they worked great didn't they¿ ⊙

[gasp]

Wow Jim, interesting story! Glad you didn't break your ribs on the lever, still ouch! Those rats might make US big city rats jealous for sure. I've only heard tales and have never seen one.

I think subliminal tapes only work for some people, kind of like hypnosis doesn't work for everybody. Some can't even be hypnotized.

[Goofproof]

Wow Jim, interesting story! Glad you didn't break your ribs on the lever, still ouch! Those rats might make US big city rats jealous for sure. I've only heard tales and have never seen one.

I think subliminal tapes only work for some people, kind of like hypnosis doesn't work for everybody. Some can't even be hypnotized.

We weren't allowed to shoot unless you had a body to account for the shot, so I devised sling shots, with rear for ammo, never hit one as they were fast and we had no lights. We were prepared for anything as long as we sent home and had our families send it. A year with no flashlight, imagine the money we saved the government.

Best I had was gasoline-powered lanterns, the funny thing I was in charge of keeping 72 portable generators in working condition. The last 3 months, we got two 100kwh generators, and 6 civilian Japanese to keep them running. Jim