Strange sleeping habits and their origins

[mypetlizard]

I was thinking last night about how it's a very common and seemingly irrational fear people have in regard to sleeping that if your feet hang off the bed or are simply exposed something will grab you. I don't know how much I need to even explain this because I think it's extremely common, right? I've seen a lot of memes about it.

Personally, I like to have my feet completely covered and "tucked" when I sleep, and I even prefer to have my head covered in a blanket, as well. I have gone through phases where I've adjusted to not doing this at all because in some months it's so hot that doing this is unbearable.

I can't pin down what it was, but I have heard about other behaviors like this that are kind of like vestigial habits embedded in the psyche of mankind that at one point in time were necessary for survival. Of course, thinking about animal nesting habits I realize it's likely this all originates in finding safety from predators during those vulnerable hours of the night.

What are your thoughts? :dog:

[Orph]

I have a sleeping habit/behavior called snoring. I personally believe this behavior goes back to the day's (and night's) of the caveman. At night, the caveman would stumble around in the dark looking for a place to sleep. Coming upon a cave, Mr. Neander Tull would then listen for any snoring sounds which would indicate whether the cave was occupied or not. If he heard snoring, he would move along to another cave. So snoring was very vital to the caveman, so that he could get a good uninterrupted night's sleep. It was also vital for Mr. Tull because waking a caveman in the middle of the night was a good way to get beaten severely about the head with a club.

And so, snoring was handed down through the ages and is still with us today. Which is also why some of us are single.

[DeDukshyn]

Well if you live in the forest or jungle, you do have to be much more careful when you are sleeping - all kinds of critters that come out at night that might disturb your sleep or present a danger. So there's likely some genetic memory from old times when our sleeping facilities might be less secure.

I actually like hanging my feet off the bed when I sleep. :)

I used to have "something" touch my feet when I slept - I'd awaken to something grabbing or touching, usually my left foot, but there would never be anything physically there. It didn't bother me too much, but I did wonder what that was all about. It doesn't seem to happen anymore since I moved ... maybe a spirit of sorts trying to get my attention.