sueñovigilia

Sueñovigilia is a term used in Spanish-language discussions to describe a phenomenology at the boundary between sleep and wakefulness in which dream-like imagery intrudes into waking consciousness, or in which elements of dreaming persist into the day. It is not a widely standardized clinical category, but a descriptive label found in popular accounts and dream-work literature.

The word combines sueño (dream) and vigilia (wakefulness or vigil), signaling the overlap between dreaming and waking states. As a neologism, its meaning can vary across sources and is generally used outside formal sleep science.

Accounts of sueñovigilia include brief visual or sensory fragments from dreams experienced during the onset of sleep, transitions between sleep and wakefulness, or occasional dream-like scenes during waking hours. Some reports resemble hypnagogic imagery, while others involve moments of lucid awareness during dream-like experiences. The experiences are usually transient and do not imply a pathological condition in healthy individuals.

In scientific terms, very similar phenomena are studied as hypnagogia (sleep onset) and hypnopompia (awakening), and lucid dreaming is typically explored within REM sleep. The term "sueñovigilia" remains largely informal and is more common in dream-enthusiast communities and contemporary Spanish-language writing than in clinical literature.

People who explore sueñovigilia often keep dream journals, practice mindfulness, and use reality checks to distinguish waking experiences from dream content. Maintaining regular sleep schedules and avoiding sleep deprivation support healthier sleep and dream experiences. If dream-like intrusions cause distress or impair functioning, consultation with a sleep specialist or mental health professional is advised.