Is there a name for this?

Sometimes if I wake up in the middle of my sleep cycle I can't fully fall back to sleep.  During this time I have what are kind of like dreams, but not entirely.  They are hard to explain, they are dreams, but they are also my thoughts -- whatever is bothering me at the time.  Mostly nightmares, but very different from nightmares or dreams in the REM state.

Whatever they are called -- I hate the damn things.  They are never of anything good and yesterday they forced me to actually get up before I had enough sleep.   

It is almost like they pick out your worries and then turn them into a worst case scenario.  Now during this you are not totally asleep and for the most part know it isn't real, but it effects you just the same.  It is like conscious thought mixed with dreaming. 

At this moment I am still frightened about sleeping again.  I have no choice but to sleep.  Damn waking/sleeping dreams! 

Comments

[Jason L]

Flickering dream -like images on the threshold between sleeping and waking are called : hypnagogic dreams .

I hope I'm not prying , but if you don't mind disclosing it could you describe what you've seen in those sorts of dreams ?

[Lesley]

Well, back then what I was seeing were my dead sisters. That was not too long after the second one died.

Right now, I see my dead cat. He was taken by a bobcat about a month ago. I see him sitting in the chair looking at me. I am happy for a brief moment until I realize he is really dead.

So I see dead people and dead pets.