“The bed is falling under me”

[Daniel and the Lions]

Has anyone heard a child say, “I feel the bed is falling under me”? My son sleeps on the top of a bunk bed, and recently he told me that he felt the bed was “falling under him”. If he would have said that he feels he is falling off the bed, it would have been easier to understand, but I am having a hard time understanding the way he said it (“I feel the bed is falling under me”).

 

[Sabertooth]

Does he have a fear of heights?

(I have had dreams like that where I fell after the bed and landed [hard] in it.)

If it persists, you may want to have his ears checked.
(They can effect his equilibrioception [sense of balance].)

 

[SkyWriting]

Has anyone heard a child say, “I feel the bed is falling under me”? My son sleeps on the top of a bunk bed, and recently he told me that he felt the bed was “falling under him”. If he would have said that he feels he is falling off the bed, it would have been easier to understand, but I am having a hard time understanding the way he said it (“I feel the bed is falling under me”).

That is likely "The falling dream" and a majority of people experience it. But not all.
As people "end" a dream and start to wake they experience "falling" just as they wake up. For me, it was always a soft landing.

 

[Subduction Zone]

I used to sometimes have a falling dream when I was going to sleep too. I remember them always happening shortly after I fell asleep. It felt as if I fell onto my bed and would wake up with the thump. It never got to be a serious problem for me.

 

[Vesper_Jaye✝️]

I’ve had falling dreams before. They’re scary! Especially when you’re younger and don’t know what they are. Also, sometimes you can have the sensation of falling after riding on rides like a rollercoaster or fast water slide, or if something has happened to the ears or brain. When I had a concussion, I felt like I was falling when I closed my eyes. I would check his bed to make sure that there was nothing wrong with it and to reassure him, and maybe take him to a doctor if the problem happens regularly.

 

[pdudgeon]

Has anyone heard a child say, “I feel the bed is falling under me”? My son sleeps on the top of a bunk bed, and recently he told me that he felt the bed was “falling under him”. If he would have said that he feels he is falling off the bed, it would have been easier to understand, but I am having a hard time understanding the way he said it (“I feel the bed is falling under me”).

Is there room in the bedroom to separate the beds, so that both could be on ground level? That would answer the question, and provide him with extra security while he slept.

 

[Anthony2019]

Sounds to me like a myoclinic jerk that happens to some people as they start to fall asleep. The theory is that as they start to enter sleep,the muscles become relaxed, but the brain confuses this light sleep with wakefulness and causes the muscles to respond inducing the sensation of falling and jolting.

 

[Lost4words]

I once had a dream where i was falling from a great height.

When i woke up i had actually fallen off of the top bunk in my kennel!

 

[Hazelelponi]

Has anyone heard a child say, “I feel the bed is falling under me”? My son sleeps on the top of a bunk bed, and recently he told me that he felt the bed was “falling under him”. If he would have said that he feels he is falling off the bed, it would have been easier to understand, but I am having a hard time understanding the way he said it (“I feel the bed is falling under me”).

I have a horrific fear of heights (it's my only fear and it's paralyzing for me) and I can understand your son's statement... So maybe his sensation is somehow a combination between a real fear, and the confusion of sleep verses wakefulness when you're first asleep.

When fear strikes, if it's actually a fear of heights, he's probably becoming dizzy and feeling like he might pass out... That's confusing for a child as to what is causing various sensations, and he may be unable to articulate the problem well, as well as being unable to understand it himself.

Try getting his bed to ground level (stop putting him on the top bunk) and as another suggested get his ears checked out.

 

[Daniel and the Lions]

Since he is younger one—and therefore not as tall—it is easier for him to go up, and he always enjoyed sleeping on the top. He has slept a few times in the bottom, but he has always taken the top because he wanted it. What could have changed so drastically that all of a sudden he now has a fear of being on the top bunk? Second, I am not sure I understand what you mean by “confusion of sleep versus wakefulness when you’re first asleep”. Can you tell me more about this?

 

[Daniel and the Lions]

Is there room in the bedroom to separate the beds, so that both could be on ground level? That would answer the question, and provide him with extra security while he slept.

Before getting the bunk beds, they used to have separate beds, and actually these beds are still in the house, stashed nicely piece by piece under their bunk beds. Since we have acquired the bunk beds, however, there were other modifications made to the room, and at this point, it would be hard to change again—not impossible, but hard, since some of the changes were made to accommodate the older boy, who is 15.

 

[Sabertooth]

He has slept a few times in the bottom, but he has always taken the top because he wanted it. What could have changed so drastically that all of a sudden he now has a fear of being on the top bunk?

He may not be afraid of (bunk bed) heights.
It just seemed like the obvious first question.

Is the sensation described in the OP happening frequently?

 

[Daniel and the Lions]

Sounds to me like a myoclinic jerk that happens to some people as they start to fall asleep. The theory is that as they start to enter sleep,the muscles become relaxed, but the brain confuses this light sleep with wakefulness and causes the muscles to respond inducing the sensation of falling and jolting.

How do myoclonic jerks develop? I mean, why would the brain all of a sudden start behaving differently? This is not something he used to have. He first told me about this only recently. He always used to sleep well.

 

[Daniel and the Lions]

He may not be afraid of (bunk bed) heights.
It just seemed like the obvious first question.

Is the sensation described in the OP happening frequently?

When he first told me about it, i had the impression it was something frequent. Two or three days ago I asked him if he still has that impression, and he said that he does not have the impression as much.

 

[Daniel and the Lions]

Does he have a fear of heights?

(I have had dreams like that where I fell after the bed and landed [hard] in it.)

If it persists, you may want to have his ears checked.
(They can effect his equilibrioception [sense of balance].)

Could depression affect the ears or any other organs which have to do with the senses? (Or I should say, could depression affect the senses?) One thing I have noticed in myself after losing sleep over the relationship with my wife was that my ears all of a sudden started to ring. Ringing ears is another thing my son has complained about. He said that it is not continuous, but sometimes he has ringing in the ears.

 

[Daniel and the Lions]

Could depression affect the ears or any other organs which have to do with the senses? (Or I should say, could depression affect the senses?) One thing I have noticed in myself after losing sleep over the relationship with my wife was that my ears all of a sudden started to ring. Ringing ears is another thing my son has complained about. He said that it is not continuous, but sometimes he has ringing in the ears.

 

[Sabertooth]

Could depression affect the ears or any other organs which have to do with the senses? (Or I should say, could depression affect the senses?)

I am not sure how, but I am not a doctor.

One thing I have noticed in myself after losing sleep over the relationship with my wife was that my ears all of a sudden started to ring. Ringing ears is another thing my son has complained about. He said that it is not continuous, but sometimes he has ringing in the ears.

All the more reason to have his (and your) ears checked.