Can A Dream Kill You? Can it?

[cadastro 0]

I think it's possible as I have experienced many times nearly dead while sleeping. Many times did I dream that I was in a tunnel or down in a deep well (no water) hiding from bad guys running after me. And I suddenly woke up catching my breath and rushing to the fridge to drink cold water. Then I wouldn't like to fall asleep again 'coz my same dream might continue and finally kill me.

[jopak134 0]

dream can certainly kill you. dying while you are dreaming is impossible.

dreaming is really a wonderful tool. it reflects the person's feelings, state of mind on that day before he slept.

i have heard of someone got a heart atack because of a bad dream, and some winning a lottery.

a pleasant dream will make you relax when you wake up, and reversed if you are having a bad dream

i know this is a little bit off topic but sleep paralysis and dreaming has a link for me.

Sleep paralysis is a condition characterized by temporary paralysis of the body shortly after waking up (known as hypnopompic paralysis) or, less often, shortly before falling asleep (known as hypnagogic paralysis).[1]Physiologically, it is closely related to the paralysis that occurs as a natural part of REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, which is known as REM atonia. Sleep paralysis occurs when the brain awakes from a REM state, but the bodily paralysis persists. This leaves the person fully aware, but unable to move. In addition, the state may be accompanied by hypnagogic hallucinations.
More often than not, sleep paralysis is believed by the person affected by it to be no more than a dream (although it is possible it is in fact a dream: i.e., a false awakening).[citation needed] This explains many dream recountings which describe the person lying frozen and unable to move. The hallucinatory element to sleep paralysis makes it even more likely that someone will interpret the experience as a dream, since completely fanciful, or dream-like, objects may appear in the room alongside one's normal vision. Some scientists have proposed this condition as a theory for alien abductions and

this was taken from wikepedia

[cayhan 0]

some ppl believeing dreems! but ur just dreaming so i dont htink it can kills ya

[Archangel_Baw 0]

I've heard the saying that If you die in your dreams you die in real life, I think perhaps it may have happened to some people, but not to me so I believe it is possible I just hope it doesn't happen to anyone, ever!

[gameratheart 0]

I've had plenty of dreams where I died before I woke up, and I didn't die so I think it debunks this myth...

Same here, so I doubt that a dream by itself can be lethal. As everyone says, and I agree, it is the consequences of a dream, NOT the dream itself, that can be fatal. Edited February 14, 2008 by gameratheart (see edit history)

[RandomEmoChik 0]

Yes it can. Thats why in dreams you always wake up before u hit the ground, never get hit by a car, always wake up when you're about to die. Dreams are fooling the mind, so if u die in a dream, the mind confuses it with real life and dies of shock. And u never drown in a dream becoz if the minds thinks the body is drowning, then it shuts down the lungs so you don't inhale water, thats why if you dream about going underwater, u always wake up coughing. You may dream that ur about to die, but u never actually do.

Edited March 2, 2008 by RandomEmoChik (see edit history)

[galexcd 0]

Hmm.. I voted no because I don't think it can, but now I'm thinking about it.... What are dreams really? Well they are controlled by your subconscious. Well what if your subconscious decided to get creative and kill you? It has that kind of control, I just don't think it does it. You can't live without your subconscious... But I don't know if that's ever happened... and if it has I doubt its called "your dream killing you".... more like your subconscious killing you... Interesting topic though.

Edited March 2, 2008 by alex7h3pr0gr4m3r (see edit history)

[saitunes 0]

I think that its like an in built safety mechanism that if something bad (like death) is about to occur in the dream out brain pulls us out before its too late... I've had plenty of times where I was about to die, (falling etc.) and just before i wake up heart pounding...I voted no, but i think its maybe possible, if your brain doesn't get you out...

[Revan 0]

I've died in my dreams before and have been told a bunch of times this is psychologically dangerous, but I never really understood why. I love the feeling of realizing a truly horrible dream was nothing more than a dream. I don't think a dream has the ability to instantly kill you, but maybe it caused you to do something that kills you in your physical environment. Interesting question...

[galexcd 0]

Well there is an xkcd comic that just perfectly sums this whole debate up... so if you don't mind I think I'll share it with you:

 

 

[threepach 0]

it's a quite interesting questioni think it can kill but it will be a very rare condition. some dreams are so real to us that we can not realize that it is just a dream. many people who try to kill themselves and jump from hight were killed because of heart attack and not because of physical injury. so if your mind does create a frightening atmosphere that your body couldn't take it you may die. then i can say congratulation for having such a strong mind

[hasaki 0]

It's an urban myth with no scientific backing, just like falling in your dreams means that you'll die in real life. Some "scientists" say that when one dies in their dreams, they wake up, does this not contradict what your "scientist" says? One can only die by not differentiating a dream from reality. For e.g an individual can dream that his wife has cheated on him, this dream maybe so vivid that he may think that it really happened. The next morning he awakes not remembering the dream, but has developed a sort of malice towards his wife, this is all subconscious. I have seen this happen on many occasions. I can only think that this can lead to someones death.

[breakboi 0]

I dont think that a dream can kill you because its just a vision.

[Plenoptic 0]

I do not believe that a dream could physically kill you, at least in the sense that I think you are discussing here. A dream for the most part is your senses at workand your brain while you sleep away. I see it as television while you sleep. I guess it might be considered killing you if you have a heart attack and die because of something you saw in your dream but any other method I would think would come indirectly. As others have said it might lead to a way ofyou being killed because of a way you acted upon the dream or something but other than those possibilities I do not see a way it could kill you.

[k4m1k4z3 0]

I'm not really sure about this, There is a possibility that you can die depending on what kinda of dream it is. Constant dreaming of nightmares there is a chance, But I'm not sure if you can yet i haven't read or heard anything about dying in a dream.I haven't had a bad dream in a long time and don't plan to either.Do you know anyone who has died of experiencing this?