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This is perfectly normal:

He nodded at her in agreement.

How about this?

He fell asleep in the bus. I watched him nod, his puffy hair brushing the seat in front of him.

Is nod in this case inappropriate because it's an unconscious act? If so, what' s a more appropriate word?

EDIT:

When I typed in "I watched him nod" on Google, I only got results that refer to a "conscious" nod:

Angie said, as she watched him nod at that [...]

Ryan commented as he watched him nod to the other [...]

That's why I'm a little confused.

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  • 2
    "Nod" is also a figurative way of saying "sleep."
    – Robusto
    Sep 1, 2015 at 15:27
  • 2
    The second type of nod is characteristic of someone transitioning from wakefulness to the first stage of sleep, so it's not fully conscious nor fully unconscious.
    – user98990
    Sep 1, 2015 at 15:29

2 Answers 2

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To nod may also refer to an unconscious movement:

To nod:

  • (intr) to let the head fall forward through drowsiness; be almost asleep: the old lady sat nodding by the fire. (Collins)
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    This is thus general reference. AHDEL adds the non-sentient-at-any-time agentive usage: 4. To sway, move up and down, or droop, as flowers in the wind.
    – Edwin Ashworth
    Sep 1, 2015 at 16:55
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More commonly:

He fell asleep in the bus. I watched him nod off, his puffy hair brushing the seat in front of him.

Using nod off eliminates any confusion with the other sort of nodding.

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