falling asleep
Entering dreamland gradually
Falling asleep is the transition from wakefulness to sleep—the gradual process of losing consciousness as you drift off.
The phrase captures the involuntary, almost gravitational quality of the experience: I was falling asleep during the movie.
It can happen deliberately in bed or unwantedly during a lecture.
- nodding offFalling briefly asleep
- head bobbingRepeated vertical head motion
- dozeBrief light rest
- drift offBegin sleeping gradually
- dozingLightly, briefly unconscious
heavy eyelids · slumber · eyelids · rest · somnolence · melatonin · snooze · warm blanket · circadian rhythm · drowsy · microsleep · out like a light · heaviness · counting sheep · yawning · dropping off · nap · snoring
- sleepnap, doze, slumber, naps, snooze
- viewing habitswatching, binge-watching, channel surfing, viewing, marathon viewing
- thresholdslimit, threshold, brink, edge, boundary
- transitionstransition, blending, segue, fade, changeover