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Published on: January 25, 2016
Daytime parahypnagogia: a state of consciousness that occurs when we almost fall asleep
E B Gurstelle1, J L de Oliveira
1Department of Psychology, S250, William Paterson University, 300 Pompton Road, Wayne, NJ 07470, USA. gurstellee@wpunj.edu
Abstract:
Based on a series of self-reports of a previously undescribed and undocumented experiential event, we are postulating the existence of a newly identified state of consciousness, daytime parahypnagogia (DPH). DPH is more likely to occur when one is tired, bored, suffering from attention fatigue, and/or engaged in a passive activity. Individuals describe DPH as a transient and fleeting episode that is dissociative, trance-like, dreamlike, uncanny, and often pleasurable; but, unlike a daydream, it is not self-directed. A DPH episode is spontaneous and may consist of a flash image, thought, and/or creative insight that is quickly forgotten. However, the individual remains aware of having had a DPH experience. This paper details the experiential characteristics associated with DPH. Through a brief review of the literature, the authors differentiate DPH from related phenomena and establish DPH as a unique and distinct altered state of consciousness.
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