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john65pennington's avatar

"Wipe the sleep out of your eyes". exactly, what does this mean?

Asked by john65pennington (29258points) June 19th, 2010

When i was a boy getting ready for school each morning, my mother would tell me, “wipe the sleep out of your eyes”. i did not think about this then, but now, i am wondering exactly why she made this comment to me. was she telling me that other people will read my dreams, if i did not wipe the sleep out of my eyes? i know that “sleep” refers to that little white unknown buildup located on each side of our eyes. Question: so, how did this phrase come to be and is this just another “old wives tale”?

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8 Answers

AmWiser's avatar

Good question, but I would take it to mean exactly what it implies, wipe the boogers out of your eyes, they’re disgusting.

Facade's avatar

Some people call the morning eye crusties “sleep.”

Buttonstc's avatar

But it rings and we rise, wipe the sleep out of our eyes…..

Cheer up , Sleepy Jean.
Oh, what can it mean to a daydream believer…...

Maybe your Mom was a fan of the Monkees?

CMaz's avatar

It means either eye boogers. Or… WAKE UP AND GET YOUR ACT ON!

But in a nice mommy type of way.

jeffgoldblumsprivatefacilities's avatar

“Wipe the sleep out of your eyes” = Rheum removal.

Yeah, Rheum.

zenele's avatar

Sleep in your eyes is to eye sand crusties as “the powder room” is to toilet. Etiquette.

@chazmaz You’re good, unless its mucopurulent discharge.

john65pennington's avatar

Sleep boogies? thats a new for me. thanks all.

Mr_Paradox's avatar

The crusties are actually dried tears.

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