When a person falls out of top bunk bed, when do they wake up?

Question

Is it just as they start to fall?

During the fall?

Or only after they hit the floor?

If it is the first two, why do they wake up?

Why do people even fall out of the top bunk in the first place? Won't you subconsciously try to grab at something even if you are asleep or just waking up?

Answer 1

this has happened to me actually.....long time ago.

I woke up as I was starting to fall.

Why did I wake up then, because all of a sudden there was no mattress supporting my weight, It would wake anyone up I would imagine, as I dont think you have to actually hit the ground to realize that something was very different.

I fell off because the bunk bed was a piece of c**p, and the bar on the side broke off essentially as I rolled against it.

I would imagine anyone would try to grab something, but all of a sudden just popping back into consciousness, it would take a few sec to understand what is going on

Answer 2

I'm sure it's different for everybody, personally I'd wake up just before or as I'm falling, surely some could sleep all the way through.

Answer 3

This is the greatest question I have ever seen asked on this site.  I wish you were getting more answers.  They should choose your question as one to highlight so you will get lots of answers.  This is the kind of thing that yahoo answers was made for.  I am proud to contribute my thoughts to such a worthwhile question.  I don't believe they would wake up "just as they start to fall" because if they woke up as they were rolling off they would stop themselves.  I think they would not fully awaken during the fall because it would happen so fast.  Now when they hit, I'm sure that would wake up most people, unless of course it knocked them out.  I wonder if you can be knocked out when you are already asleep?  I have another question for you to ponder.  Do more people falling out of a top bunk land on their face or their back?  Is it possible to fall out and land in a standing position?  If it is, could they then begin to sleep walk?  Keep up the good thinking!  You have made my day.  I can't wait to find the answers to these top bunk questions.