in bed/on bed

[diamondcutter]

The truth is that not all sleepwalkers walk. Some simply sit up or stand in bed or act like they’re awake when, in fact, they’re asleep!
Source: https://www.rchsd.org/health-articles/sleepwalking/

I’d like to know if it’s good to use “on bed” instead of “in bed” in the second sentence above.

 

[jutfrank]

No, that's wrong.

 

[teechar]

I’d like to know if it’s good OK/okay/natural/correct to use “on bed” instead of “in bed” in the second sentence above.

No. "On bed" would be unnatural.

 

[emsr2d2]

I'd use "sit up or stand up in bed". However, it's unusual even for a sleepwalker to stand up in bed - that suggests that they are upright but their feet are still on the mattress!

 

[diamondcutter]

Hi, Emsr2d2.

I think it can be imagined that when a person stands up in bed, his/her feet are still on the mattress and are covered by the quilt or blanket.

 

[tedmc]

What about "stand on the bed"?

 

[Skrej]

I think it can be imagined that when a person stands up in bed, his/her feet are still on the mattress and are covered by the quilt or blanket.

True, but nothing in Emsr's comment excluded that possibility.

The point is that it's unusual for anyone to stand on the bed itself (as opposed to standing beside the bed.) Whether or not their feet are still covered doesn't make it any more or less odd at that point.

What about "stand on the bed"?

Same result - grammatical, but rather unusual, especially for a sleepwalker.

I have stood on my bed when trying to change a light bulb, but of course that was a rare occasion. The only other 'normal' reason I can think of to stand on a bed is to jump on it - again a fairly uncommon (and generally frowned upon) act.

 

[emsr2d2]

The only other 'normal' reason I can think of to stand on a bed is to jump on it - again a fairly uncommon (and generally frowned upon) act.

Especially, I discovered, in Ikea!

 

[teechar]

Ikea's mattresses are amongst the worst in the world. I digress...

 

[Skrej]

Ikea's mattresses are amongst the worst in the world. I digress...

For sleeping on or jumping on?

 

[teechar]

I haven't tried jumping on them, but they're back-destroying for sleeping on.

 

[Tdol]

What about "stand on the bed"?

If they were in bed (under the covers), then in makes more sense to me. I would stand on the bed to reach something on a shelf, for instance.