Meditation in a dream

[OlderWiser]

This is very strange. I've never experienced anything quite like it before, and I don't know what to make of it.

Bit of background: I've had very vivid dreams for all of my life, and I have pretty good recall of them. I don't always remember all of them, but I've found that the the ones I don't remember are usually unimportant. I also have that which I think of as "significant dreams", which are symbolic messages from my subconscious or superconscious or something like that. They have a different quality to them, they stay with me, and most of the time I can work out the symbolism reasonably well. I've also had dreams that I would classify as astral travel, but they're rare.

That being said, last night and this morning I was dreaming, but I can't remember the actual dream content, other than having woken up - completely refreshed and before the alarm went off, which is strange for me - with the distinct and clear belief that I had been meditating in my dream. I can't explain how I know this, but the impression is unshakable, so I know that it's significant in some way, I just don't know what.

I've never achieved lucid dreaming, though I'm again working on it (I tried for a while and then gave up for years and now I'm back at it). I wasn't lucid as far as I can tell (I would have been consciously aware, yes?). I just feel very strongly that I was actually meditating while I was asleep.

I do have a tendency to dream about something I'm trying to master, and I've recently (in the last six weeks or so) stepped up my meditation to a more serious level, so I suppose it could be that, but that doesn't quite "ring true".

I'm not bothered by this, I'm just intrigued and a bit puzzled. Anyone have any insights? I did a Google but mostly got things dealing with lucid dreams. Thoughts? I'm open to suggestions (so long as they're polite )