If it is what I think it is, I occasionally experienced this near wake-up. It's as though my brain automatically registers and processes information in the surroundings without my consent.
Scenario: There are people talking in the room.
- If I'm awake and concentrating on something, or even when I'm not thinking of anything in particular, I won't be hearing them at all.
- During that period, my brain actually follows the conversation whether or not it is to my liking. Later when I'm wide awake I can recall the exact words I heard, despite the fact that I wasn't thinking at all during the conversation, and, judging subjectively, I considered myself when in that state still asleep.
Other times included this time a mouse was making subtle noises as it made its way into my room (I stayed in a wooden room back then). I could hear its movement, I could feel its presense, and I KNEW there was something there, but I didn't wake up, nor did I want to, nor did I even have the idea to wake up. Suddenly I was like "pineapple this" and sat right up and the mouse ran away in surprise.
Scenario: There are people talking in the room.
- If I'm awake and concentrating on something, or even when I'm not thinking of anything in particular, I won't be hearing them at all.
- During that period, my brain actually follows the conversation whether or not it is to my liking. Later when I'm wide awake I can recall the exact words I heard, despite the fact that I wasn't thinking at all during the conversation, and, judging subjectively, I considered myself when in that state still asleep.
Other times included this time a mouse was making subtle noises as it made its way into my room (I stayed in a wooden room back then). I could hear its movement, I could feel its presense, and I KNEW there was something there, but I didn't wake up, nor did I want to, nor did I even have the idea to wake up. Suddenly I was like "pineapple this" and sat right up and the mouse ran away in surprise.