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The sleeper, confronted with the necessity of dreaming, seeks those conditions under which he can dream most safely, pleasurably, and with the least expenditure of energy. These conditions are partially secured through choice of a time to dream, determined by the fact that the ego maintains in sleep an awareness of time relationships. Economic timing occurs under conditions of adequate ego control; however, should the pressure from the unconscious be exceedingly strong and the conflict with the ego acute, or the ego defenses disorganized, a state of emergency ensues and the sleeper awakes. The ideal time for dreaming is in the morning or around awakening, because during that period sleep is most shallow, the dreamer is closer to consciousness, and there is therefore the added defense of accessibility to reality. The dreamer has the awareness of the easy availability of a tested defense (waking), behind a primary defense (dream work) should the conflict with the unconscious dream wishes become acute. Dreams interrupted by an alarm clock may represent special adaptations of this economic dream factor. In one case they provided also a magical feeling of controlling time and dreams.