h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Might need a bit of clarification, this one. I sleep walk, and talk and apparently I have parasomnia. I've been on various medications but apparently the most effective experiment thus far has been a rabbit teddy bear thing called harvey who was purchased for me by my wife. She got him for me to sleep with at night after seeing some thing about it on a documentary and, apparently, my sleepis much less disturbed. Any ideas why?

placebo effect?

Are you sure Harvey really exists?

How does he smell?

Ihad two ideas in my head as to what this thread would be about, from reading the title... Strangely, neither turned out to be true...

When one of your ideas turns out to be true, we have reason to be very, very afraid...

"Ihad two ideas in my head as to what this thread would be about, from reading the title... Strangely, neither turned out to be true... "

This made me laugh so loud, I appear to have awakened the neighbors...

Ok... I might be in the gutter... but at least I'm looking up at the stars...

I did ponder if I oughta mention that I also have a rabbit I often take to bed with me... But I feared people, with minds less pure than my own, may misinterprit this statement, so I felt it safer to withhold it... damn...

you acts as a bed

What does the rabbit get out of this (except for a sore...)?

benjaminpmoore, I have no scientific explanation for your experience. Some people believe that pillows or plush toys stuffed with various herbs have a relaxing or soporific effect. You didn't mention anything about that, so I think we can safely discount that.

Another thing is comfort. There is nothing wrong with making yourself comfortable, whether it is wearing your favorite cartoon character pajamas or hugging your plush toy. It is your bedtime after all.

Finally there is as Gnomon mentioned the placebo effect. There is nothing wrong with knowingly exploiting the placebo effect. The placebo effect makes use of ceremony.

We humans engage in certain ceremonies because they work. Not the content of the ceremony so much as the ceremony itself. So if you do a little ceremony that involves a nice warm shower, or wearing favorite pajamas, or refraining from strong drink or pizza, or taking sugar pills, or drinking cat-mint tea, or meditating, and you get restful sleep, wonderful.

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that I got two helpful answers and a load of flith. I even thought of specifically excluding 2legs, but I didn't want to be mean. Now I wish I had. The rabbit in question, just to reiterate, is stuffed. We have a real rabbit and a real hare, but their contribution tends to be nipping me whenI have gone to sleep or chewing my books if I leave them within range. This does not help my sleep.

benjaminpmoore, I don't think my comment was filth (although, why in the world you used such a provocative subject line, then complained about the response?), but clearly your mileage varies.

HN and Gnomon have both given good answers. If something helps you get good or better sleep, I wouldn't worry about why! I've been an insomniac for a couple of decades, ever since my husband died. I have a small pillow that I always sleep with and a tabby cat, but as you pointed out, live animals can be less than soothing, especially if they like to sleep on your feet! Thank Bob, she doesn't bite me.

Sounds like an experiment is due here.

It may well be some placebo effect.

Try sleeping with something else rather than a toy rabbit. Maybe something similar. A jumper stuffed with something soft, if that works maybe a honeydew melon(not joking) if something soft still works go for something very different but small i.e. the melon.

It should start to show what maybe the cause of the improved sleep. A subconscious throw back to childhood when hugging a toy meant you felt more secure?

Yes, I certainly wouldn't whinge about the responses you received. This is the first SEx thread I've read in ages, because your subject line did indeed catch my attention - although I'm well aware that the Science threads are usually pretty straightforward.

Actually, I was rather hoping 2legs would post...

I was wondering though, if it is helping you specifically because it is a rabbit, or would a stuffed bear or, for the sake of randomness, maybe a stuffed armadillo would have the same effect?

I know rabbits make some women relax in bed...after a time...

2legs...your work is done...sort of...

Ahhh... You worked out which sort of rabbits I was refering too.

I was thinking about this (in a more sensible way).

And, with stopping sleep walking (err that was mentioned as well as the other sleep problems was it?), was wondering....

I have a strange thing sometimes, when I've been away from my house, for a long while, then when I first come back, I often wake up, after the first few nights back, utterly unable to know where I am. partly I guess whilst I've only just woken and whilst still sleepy. But always, waht triggers me off 'remembering' where I actually am, is some familiar object; not the physical shape/layout of the rooms, positions of doors etc., but rather some object; might be as simple as touching my HiFi, or a houseplant, or some such, but as soon as I do, I'm totally awake and aware again where I am.

So... I wonder if maybe its a simular thing which might happen with the teddy, rabbit, or whatever soft toy it might be; As its there, in the bed with you, it even when your sleeping, lets you know where you are; your sub-consciouness kind of understands that this represents/means, that you are where you should be; thereby preventing your mind from waking you up, disturbing your sleep, sending you off sleep walking etc... I could do with explainging that better, but err, that'll have to do

Of course, it may be as simple as others have said, a kind of subconsciouness throw back to childhood, giving a sense, or greater sense of security and safety, and thereby preventing the mind wondering off and doing/thinking things that ultimately would normally give rise to one or more bits of sleep disturbance...

I must confess that sometimes, when I'm particularly emotional, I do take a rabbit with me to bed (stop sniggering; its a teddy-bear/soft toy rabbit, I was given when a teenager by a girlfriend).. and it is kind of soothing or comfeting especially at those times when I'm on such a emotional trigger that I'd otherwise often just start crying for virtually no rason wahtsoever (and I thought men wern't meant to get these hormonal unbalances in quite this way ) which reminds me I really must put the poor rabbit in the washing machien some time soon

It wasn't me who suggested the placebo effect, it was winnoch. I asked how the rabbit smelled, but didn't get an answer. Are there perfumes in the rabbit?

Even if there aren't, it is possible that the rabbit has a smell which you get subconsciously which makes you feel you are in the place for sleep. Small children do this, with a favourite blanket which has a particular smell, and it seems reasonably that you would do the same even if you're not consciously aware of it.

Er... right, in no particular order...

Spacecadet- I'm sorry, I wasn't complaining, I didn't mean to cause offense. I agree, if I had genuinely wanted to avoid smut, I would have used a less suggestive subject line. I have been here long enough top know what to expect, I was really just engaging in a tradditional old H2G2 game of 'blaming 2legs'.

Broelan- Yeah, I was sort of hoping 2legs would post too.

2Legs- Good theory, actually. I tend to sleep walk worst when I am away from home so (and much to my surprise) your unfamilliar environment theory has a lot to reccommend it.

Gnomon- sorry I didn't reply, lots of responses to remember. I have a very poor sense of smell and I am no especially conscious of the rabbit smelling of anything

Whoever it was who suggested sleeping with a melon- I am NOT sleeping with a Melon. My treasured copy of Michael Palin's diaries was RUINED by a pumpkin going soft (not in my bed, on the cest of drawers) and also, I think/hope my wife would object.

benjaminjmoore, it's okay; I wasn't offended, just puzzled. Not to mention, it occurred to me that you were being facetious -- about 3 seconds after I hit send! I like to indulge in blaming 2legs on occasion, myself. It must be done.

I happened to be taking to a nurse today, who works in the sleep lab at my HMO and also helps in the sonogram (ultrasound) dept. She said that people will bring in bits and bobs of things to help them sleep, or items they usually sleep with/around. One woman brought in her bedside table lamp! I have no idea what it would do for her...