I've had similar experiences, and (having studied neuroscience as an undergrad and in casual / amateur research in the many years since) feel there's a lot of untapped potential to leverage in our hypnopompic and hypnogogic states (at the fuzzy boundaries of sleeping / wakefulness). Fascinating stuff.

(tangent) Also, please forgive my question which may seem impolite but I really want to know: why did you type "whilst" instead of "when" or "while"? Have you ever said the word "whilst" out loud, in a normal conversation? More letters, an extra (half)syllable, zero meaning or nuance added, I just don't get it. I wonder this every time I see it, mean no disrespect and would be grateful for a straightforward reply. (/tangent)

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spaghettifythis 8 hours ago | parent | next [-]

Not op, but I often do say 'whilst' out loud. It feels more structured and certain than 'while', which feels floppier as a word.

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skinfaxi 8 hours ago | parent [-]

It's to be used when the word that follows begins with a vowel sound.

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moi2388 5 hours ago | parent [-]

Is it? Do you have a source for this? Afaik ‘while’ is often used in US English and ‘whilst’ in British English.

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	▲	finghin 4 hours ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		both are definitely used in modern British English, but whilst is strange to my ears as I grew up in Ireland

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slicktux 6 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

No offense taken; I do say it out loud during conversations ; at times. I find myself ‘saying’ it more in my head whilst having a stream of consciousness moment.

I find that I have two personalities and my writing/text personality is much more sagacious and better spoken (if that makes sense??)