dreaming under general anaesthetic

[19891988]

Is it possible to dream when you are sleeping due to general anaesthetic? Or at least, has anyone out there ever dreamed of anything when under general anaesthetic?

If it isn't possible, then why?

Big thanks to anyone who can enlighten me on this subject.

[Lil O'lady]

I have had a general anaesthetic 4 - 5 times in my life, and each time I have experienced what I would describe as a complete blackout with no sense of any time having passed when I came round.
I suppose the chemicals are designed to 'shut you down' physically and mentally? Whereas when you go to sleep and dream, you are able to feel, touch, smell - and of course wake up.
But maybe others have different experiences.

[dundurn]

The sensation of dreaming occurs at quite a low level of sleep. Effectively you are approaching wakefulness and "interrupt" your unconscious brain performing housekeeping duties like packing away your short term memories from the day before. That's why dreams very often bear resemblances to episodes from the recent past but jumbled up with older memories and associations in a rather incongruous fashion.

Under general anaesthesia the intention is to "knock you out" so that there is no possibility of your experiencing any pain. This level of unconsciousness precludes any interaction of the sort that produces the effect of a dream.

[sandmaster]

When I was a child I had several teeth extracted under general anaesthetic (gas as we used to call it). I aways had the same dream. Something was chasing me and I was terrified. It eventually caught me and as I tried to pull away my body stretched and stretched until it snapped (like an elastic band). That was when the dentist would be trying to wake me up!! It certainly made an impression on me because it is still clear in my mind and I'm now 61.