Falling asleep is always pleasant. The person lies down in a comfortable bed, turns off the light and closes his eyes. Images, woven from the impressions of the past day, begin to flash before my eyes. Gradually, thoughts get confused, become less and less clear, and the person falls asleep. The moment of transition from wakefulness to sleep passes imperceptibly.
What happens when you fall asleep
At the beginning of the 20th century, scientists suggested that a special substance accumulates in the human brain during wakefulness - hypnotic toxin, "or sleepy poison." French researchers Pieron and Legendre conducted a series of experiments with dogs and made sure that the maximum amount of hypnotic toxin accumulates in the human body at the time of falling asleep. During sleep, the "sleepy poison" is neutralized and disappears by morning. Scientists took blood from dogs that had not slept for a long time and poured it into sleeping dogs. Soon after the transfusion, the sleeping dogs would begin to yawn and fall asleep. However, Pieron and Legendre did not succeed in isolating the "sleepy poison" from the blood of the test subjects.
The theory expressed by the French is supported by many scientists. They believe that falling asleep occurs as a result of two processes. Firstly, a person is affected by a still unknown substance, conventionally called hypnotic toxin. Secondly, by the end of the waking period, the active centers of the brain that are responsible for the thought process, reaction, receipt and processing of information are gradually turned off.
When the internal clock reaches a certain point, the person begins to want to sleep. A hypothetical "gateway to sleep" opens, which makes it possible for consciousness to disconnect and escape from reality. In the presence of favorable factors - silence, darkness and comfort - the active centers of the brain are suppressed by the inhibiting centers, and rest begins. In a dream, hypnotic toxin is neutralized, the active centers resume their work, and by the time the "gate of sleep" closes, a person wakes up from the slightest irritant.
Astral theory
In addition to the scientific version, there is also the astral theory of sleep. According to this theory, a person at the moment of falling asleep goes to another world. The conscious turns off, and the unconscious comes into the light. To control or at least "catch" the moment of transition, you cannot do without training. It is known that some people can wake up at will, having a bad dream or having set their "internal alarm clock" in advance for a certain time. Likewise, the ability to control the transition can be trained.
When you go to bed, try to keep your consciousness on the surface. It is important to feel the fine line that separates wakefulness and sleep. At that moment, as thoughts begin to get confused, turn on your fantasy and bring an image to the stage of consciousness. If you succeed in doing this, then you can assume that you have managed to "catch" the moment of falling asleep.
