What happens to reality when we sleep?

Cidat September 14, 2023 at 13:40 4050 views 13 comments
We typically sleep for around 6 hours every day, but I wonder what happens to reality when we sleep. Do we wake up in the moment after we fall asleep / lose consciousness?

Comments (13)

PeterJones September 14, 2023 at 14:04 #837513
Not sure what you mean by the question but you might like to look up the word 'Turiya'. . .
Leontiskos September 14, 2023 at 17:54 #837565
To quote the eminent philosopher John McCrea:

Quoting When you Sleep, by Cake
When you sleep,
Where do your fingers go?
What do your fingers know?
What do your fingers show?
Nils Loc September 14, 2023 at 18:34 #837575
Reality goes on for those who aren't asleep. They might look at your unconscious body and count the hours.

And so we'd expect, when the earth loses its last sleeper, that the universe is deaf, dumb and blind to itself -- like one asleep.

180 Proof September 15, 2023 at 04:52 #837698
Quoting Cidat
I wonder what happens to reality when we sleep.

What are the grounds to "wonder what happens"? Sleeping is real, ergo (at least that aspect of) "reality" happens.
unenlightened September 16, 2023 at 14:31 #838026
If you are very good, and say your prayers, then Jesus will protect you while you sleep from all the goings on. You would not believe what goes on while you sleep...

“From ghoulies and ghosties and long leggedy beasties and things that go ‘bump’ in the night, Good Lord, deliver us!”

Luke September 16, 2023 at 16:37 #838064
Quoting Cidat
I wonder what happens to reality when we sleep


Much like in the movie Dark City, all the buildings get rearranged and everyone's identities and memories are altered.
LuckyR September 16, 2023 at 17:49 #838076
Well according to some interpretations of Hume, it no longer exists, until it can be observed by a human to given it existance.
Cidat September 16, 2023 at 19:35 #838104
Reply to LuckyR Don't we experience change while we're asleep? Reality must keep track of all other organisms' state and location.
LuckyR September 16, 2023 at 21:23 #838117
Reply to Cidat
The majority believe so, yes.
BC September 17, 2023 at 02:15 #838134
Quoting Cidat
Reality must keep track of all other organisms' state and location.


It would be nice if reality did keep track of everything, but "reality" does no such thing. It can not because "reality" is a concept, a mental object--a rather big mental object.

We are not entirely out of touch with the world when we sleep. Our brains are busy doing something (???) 24/7. Your brain "puts you to sleep" and it "wakes you up". They can keep track of time well enough to wake you before your alarm goes off (unless it has decided to sleep through the alarm).

Some animals that can't afford to have both sides of their brain sleeping at the same time put the left half of their brain asleep and keep the right side awake -- then switch.

If you were the only organism on earth, your question would be profound, Fortunately, the earth is full of creatures that sleep, perchance to dream.
wonderer1 September 17, 2023 at 04:07 #838147
Quoting BC
We are not entirely out of touch with the world when we sleep. Our brains are busy doing something (???) 24/7. Your brain "puts you to sleep" and it "wakes you up". They can keep track of time well enough to wake you before your alarm goes off (unless it has decided to sleep through the alarm).


Yes. It was striking the first time I underwent anesthesia - the difference in time sense between waking up from sleep and coming out of anesthesia.
BC September 17, 2023 at 04:52 #838151
Reply to wonderer1 Anesthesia really is different than sleep. Does one feel "rested" after anesthesia? I haven't felt "rested" afterwards. It was an "empty experience". I woke up with surgical wounds and discomfort but no recollection of the surgery. But then, I quite often wake up in the morning with no recollection either -- no dream memory, no sense of the night having sped by. (On other occasions it seems like a lot happened -- memory of complicated dreams, waking up several times, full bladder, etc.

One thing about waking up from anesthesia -- there has always been a nurse on hand when I've woken up. I don't know what it would be like to wake up in a room alone in the dark, say. One would have to put 2+2 together one's self. Might be scary.
Corvus September 17, 2023 at 09:11 #838169
Reply to Cidat Quoting Cidat
We typically sleep for around 6 hours every day, but I wonder what happens to reality when we sleep. Do we wake up in the moment after we fall asleep / lose consciousness?


Reality keeps on existing as it has been. To the sleeper, the reality disappears, as he/she enters either into a dreaming state or total black out (unconscious state).

When waking up, the sleeper's memory will bring the person back into the normal reality that he has been sleeping, not newly born or thrown into the world at that moment.