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Sleep Paralysis: Awake But Still Asleep
Biology 202
2000 First Web Report
On Serendip
Sleep Paralysis: Awake But Still Asleep
Hiro Takahashi
A person may wake up and find himself unable to move or speak as if he is frozen. He also may hear footsteps, see a ghost-like creature, or feel someone sitting on his chest. Throughout the history, people considered this phenomenon as work done by evil spirits. However, the modern science can explain the terrifying event as a Sleep Paralysis.
A Sleep Paralysis is possibly a hereditary disorder in which one experiences very frightening seconds or minutes of total body paralysis with little respiration and eye movements (1). A victim in this state feels awake, but he cannot move or speak (2). In addition to the immobility, the common symptoms include feeling choked or suffocated, hearing strange noises like footsteps and voices, seeing beings or dark shadows, and feeling an existance of someone in the room (1). Although these symptoms often direct the victims to believe in ghosts, mistransmission of neural signals in the brain causes Sleep Paralysis. When a person sleeps, his brain sends signals to inhibit any muscle contraction (3). If he comes into consciousness before the brain sends signals to activate muscle contraction, he cannot move his body, and consequently, become "paralyzed"(2).
In order to understand how a body becomes paralyzed while the person is awake, it is necessary to understand sleep cycles. In a mammalian sleep, the brain activity undergoes two different states called non-REM (NREM) sleep and REM sleep, which differ very much from wakefulness (3). NREM and REM sleep alternate cyclically through the night; in human, about 80 minutes of NREM sleep starts a night of sleep, about 10 minutes of REM sleep follows, and this 90 minute cycle is repeated about 3 to 6 times during the night (3). During NREM sleep, a body produces few movement, but the body has capability of tossing about in bed and producing some other motor events, such as sleepwalking and sleeptalking (3). The cardiac-muscle contraction and breathing occur at a uniform rate, and the eyes move slowly (2). During REM sleep, on the other hand, heart rate, respiration rate, and blood pressure vary (3). The eyes move rapidly because most dreaming takes place in this period, and the sleeper probably "look" at the moving objects in a dream (2).
The brain's control over muscles during REM sleep points out that in this period, a body is normally in the state of total paralysis, called a "nonreciprocal flaccid paralysis" (3). Probably to prevent a person from "acting out" a dream, the brain sends signals to inhibit any muscle contractions (2). Although some peripheral muscles, such as the muscles of the fingers and face, still twitch, the large skeletal muscles become relaxed, or "paralyzed" as a result (3). Some evidence supports that the motor paralysis of REM sleep protect against the acting out of one's dreams. A patient who suffers from rare syndrome called REM Sleep Behavior Disorder lacks the normal nonreciprocal flaccid paralysis, and he acts out violent dreams during REM sleep, often with injurious consequences (4). For example, a 60-year-old surgeon dreamt that he was attacked "by criminals, terrorists, and monsters who always tried to kill [him]" and fighting against them in the nightmare, he was actually punching and kicking his wife who slept in the same bed (4).
A nonreciprocal flaccid paralysis during REM sleep is accomplished actively by postsynaptic inhibition of motorneurons (3). Although the exact process of motor inhibition is not clear, some neurotransmitters and hormones are known to generate the many components of REM sleep. Aministering physostigmine, an inhibitor of the catabolic enzyme, increases the concentration of acetylcholine within the neurons in the pons, making it possible to artificially generate and start REM sleep in the middle of NREM sleep (3). Carbachol, the cholinergic agonist, produces a period of REM sleep in cat when directly injected into the pontine tegmentum (3). The hormone melatonin, a "master hormone" (5) that mainly controls circadian rhythms, also seems to play an important role in enhancing the REM state; the level of melatonin secretion by the pineal gland reaches its lowest during REM sleep (5). Such neurotransmitters and hormones probably activate or inhibit the activity of second messengers, which then activate or inhibit the third messengers, and so on till the last messenger inhibit the synaptic transmission or cause hyperpolarization of the motorneurons. And if, for some reason, the nervous or endocrine system continues to release the neural inhibitors, a person may experience Sleep Paralysis as he enters awakefully into or awakens directly from REM period (2).
While the modern neuroscience can describe the state of Sleep Paralysis as some errors of the neural transmission in the brain during REM sleep, a person who has seen or heard ghost-like figures/voices may easily believe that eveil spirits fully controlled his entire body. However, the images or noises, which the victim believes that he has seen or heard, are most likely hallucinations; and hallucinations, too, can result from the brain activity. In the 1960's, the Canadian neurologist W. Penfield introduced that electrical stimulation of the temporal lobe can cause the auditory hallucinations in the wake state (5). The buzzing or ringing sounds in the ears and other auditory hallucinations are closely associated with the activity of the auditory cortex and involves the temporal lobe (5). During the early period of sleep paralysis, the activity of the temporal lobe increases significantly, sometimes inducing hallucinatory sense (5). Similarly, the visual cortex generates internal visual stimuli, causing the victim to "see" terrifying figures during the paralysis (5).
How an episode of Sleep Paralysis induces visual or auditory hallucinations is still not clear, but it seems to have a significant relationship with anxiety (5). For anxiety is a neurocognitive event closely related to both psychological and physical processes, the extreme anxiety or panic may cause the release of several different signal molecules that trigger all kinds of physical events (5). A person experiencing Sleep Paralysis feels mortal fear or extreme panic, and hence, the brain generates and releases internal visual or auditory stimuli, producing hallucinations.
Also, hallucinations during Sleep Paralysis may happen, for one keeps dreaming even after some parts of his brain wakes up directly from REM sleep. Since the nervous and endocrine systems continue to release the neural inhibitors which sustain the paralysis, it may be possible that those systems keep releasing the neural activators that stimulate dreaming. Thus, a person continues to "see" the images and "hear" the noises produced in the dream that he has just had in REM sleep from which he has awaken.
Understanding more neural concepts of Sleep Paralysis, some researchers now hypothesize that a very rare condition called Sudden Unexplained Nocturnal Death Syndrome (SUNDS) may closely relate to Sleep Paralysis (1). Upon the death, a SUNDS victim produces no body movement even though he experiences a myocardial infarction and strong breathing difficulties and should straggle in agony (5). The death may be caused by the extreme muscle atonia during Sleep Paralysis, which is so severe that even the cardiac muscles and the diaghragm paralyze (5).
Until I started researching on this subject, I have believed that the total paralysis of a body is due to an evil taking absolute control over the body. However, the interactions between neurons in the brain can explain this seemingly mysterious phenomenon in a scientific way. Although the explanation is not complete yet, for there are many unclear processes about Sleep Paralysis, the current hypothesis appears to reject the possibility of ghosts on this matter. Of course, it is impossible to completely disprove the existence of "spirits", "minds", or "God" affecting one's behavior. Nevertheless, like Sleep Paralysis and SUNDS, many or the mysterious conditions and behaviors which are only explained in supernatural terms probably result from brain.
WWW Sources
1)The Evil's of Sleep Paralysis
4)REM Sleep Behavior Disorder: A Neurologic Dissociative Sleep Disorder
5)Recurrent Isolated Sleep Paralysis
Comments made prior to 2007
I have been trying to figure out what was going on in my sleep untill i read this.Now i am happy to know what my body was expeiencing. It's quite scary your first couple experiences of sleep paralysis but now i'm gonna stay calm when it is happening to me and try to get my own understanding of the experience ... Jeremy, 21 March 2006
I have had sleep paralyisis at least once per month for the last 8 years. I am 29 as of this writing. I just had the experience about 1 hour ago and thus has caused me to do reasearch about it on the net. I noticed that many Dr.'s contribute this to anxiety, stress and other factors. My question is ... why is there always an evil presence in that concious yet body is still asleep phase? Today I heard a loud static sound, and opened my eyes to a spider crawling all over my arm. When I prayed to God, or said His name (Jehovah) the spider would start to disappear. I finally went thru my mental prayer when I awoke. This leads me to believe that it is more of a spiritual occurence, because I never have positive images while in this paralized state. I know there are many things in which our ancestors thought it was demonic rather than scientific, only to find there was a scientific explanation. However, I think this is different and cannot be simply written off as "scientific". There is not enough proof to show that it is scientific.
About a month ago I had another episode of sleep paralysis and I saw a small presence in the room with me. It was dark, and I could not see it's face (I am getting chills typing about it right now). My question is, why is there always an evil presence not only associated with my episodes, but so many others I have read about? ... Abel, 24 August 2006
i was thinking it is evil who do that during night but now i find out why. I am suffering from sleep paralyze possibly every nigh spicily when i have dinar ... Salah Nasser, 28 January 2007
I used to have this sleeping disorder when I was a child. It has come back once or twice with adulthood, but otherwise, it is in the past. I used to, with great effort, move my hand to my face and pull an eye open, which would wake me up, but sometimes the struggle was too much and I would go on into a deeper sleep.
Since the brain can do this to me, can it also cause me to get migraines just as I am about to wake up?
It seems, as I have discovered, if I get less than 4 hours sleep a night, I do not get migraines. If I get 6 hours or more, it's about a 90% chance I will wake with a migraine. Later in the day, I get an hour or two nap and that is the routine as it works. Doctors just sort of treat the migraine and don't get into the sleep thing I have. I take MaxAult for the migraines when they do get me.
I woke one time, and just as I woke, I felt this white-hot needle going into my head... bingo. A migraine in 5 seconds. That is how they can occur. I wake with them otherwise. I figure it my brain doing things it shouldn't. I have a clean bill of health otherwise.
Thanks for your time. Have a good day ... Jay, 11 February 2007
I have a question, and hope someone out there has an answer, it has been months and I have thus far failed to find one. Has there ever been a record of anyone receiving the effects of sleep paralysis without having been asleep? The reason I ask this, is a while ago, having not slept in a few hours, I was sitting at my computer, and it seemed to have happened to me. Within seconds I was too tired to hold up my own head, and my breathing got very difficult. Then I began to feel a sort of dizziness as my limbs lost feeling, and dropped to my side. after this, the dizziness turned to near blindness. I could see, but nothing would focus, and everything I tried to look at seemed to dart around like a mosquito. By this time I had no feeling in my entire body, could move nothing without quite a bit of concentration, and I could barely breath. My mother heard me try and make out some kind of cry for help, and found me there spilled into my computer chair. She rolled me to my bed, and poured me into it. Within about 10-15 minutes I had regained everything I once had, but my sea legs did not ware off for another ten or so minutes. I went to the emergency soon after. I had an E.K.G. and a C.A.T. scan, with no results, and I piss less in a week then the amount of blood they took that night. After basically telling me I was lying, the doctor told me that my symptoms did not fit anything at all. What I do know, is I have been researching the issue ever since, and can only base my problem on Sleep Paralysis. All the symptoms match. And again, my question....Has there ever been a record of someone under the effects of sleep paralysis without ever having gone to sleep? I hope you can shed some sort of light on this subject, as it,...well, it freaked me the hell out, and no one has been able to answer me! Thank you for your time ... Mitchel Henderson, 7 December 2007
I used get this "evil paralysed me" feeling when i was paralysed and usually saw a ghost. i tried to shout or move but no sound escaped my mouth and couldn't move at all. it happened again yesterday and was almost convinced that ghosts/evil spirits were getting the better of me. But, me being a practical and logical guy, erjected this theory and started researching on this phenomenon. I came across this research paper on Sleep Paralysis. This greatly helped me in alleviating my fears. And next time i "see" a ghost during sleep paralyses, ill just laugh at it ;-) Thanks for the research ... Siddarth, 10 December 2007
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| This paper reflects the research and thoughts of a student at the time the paper was written for a course at Bryn Mawr College. Like other materials on Serendip, it is not intended to be "authoritative" but rather to help others further develop their own explorations. Web links were active as of the time the paper was posted but are not updated. |
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Comments
:)
Finally someone who understands lucid/astral dreaming :)
I suffer with sleep paralysis
I suffer with sleep paralysis I've noticed that the later I go to sleep the more chance I have of it happening. Or if Im extremely tired, I feel its yourself telling yourself you need more sleep. I'm terrified everytime I go to sleep I hate it how any1 could enjoy this really surprises me!
I started getting this around
I started getting this around 8 years ago i hate it but have learned to control it by focusing on moving my toes as soon as i do it the rest of my body relaxes it makes it less frightening when u feel in control i found that when i panicked the longer the episode takes.
FUN
I get these too and its kind of fun sometimes. It happens frequently so i just stay calm and try to enjoy it. I end up falling asleep.
My Experience
Thanks a lot for this article. It was very informative. I am 54 years old, and have had this condition for many, many years. I thought the account of having detailed dreams was very interesting, I dream, but my dreams are seldom anything I can remember, and not anything like being in the "real" world. I was also struck by the story of trying to contact a partner, that was interesting, and also trying to relax and then shake it off. What prompted me reply today, was just having an episode, and then looking up the details of what was happening to me. When I was younger, I absolutely thought it was evil spirits, but do not any longer. (Even though I'm a believing Christian). I know that today, I was very tired when I dozed off, and was asleep and dreaming (a dream I can't remember - which is usual for me) and then I slowly "woke" and found myself paralyzed. This is what usually happens, but this only happens to me sporadically, about three or four times a year. When I do realize I am frozen, I gather myself together, and with all my might try and move. Usually, it doesn't work the first time, but it makes me more aware, and then on the second try, I can move. When this happens, I always have great feelings of sheer terror, like someone is holding me down, and sometimes, my wife tells me I mumble, or on occasion scream out loud. I know that on occasion I have woken in this state, and thought myself "possessed" and the instances of the shouting or mumbling is me "talking" to whoever is the adversary in my dream that is doing it to me, and then with effort I awake and have movement. I had a work injury three years ago,and have had two operations,and am on heavy pain medication now, but that has had no effect on the episodes. I have learned to live with this, and don't know how anyone can change this happening to them. It was good though, to read all the experiences others have had.
***Did my Spirit leave my body *****
I experienced this just last night. I awoke scrared and was saying the lords prayer. I was not awake but thorugh I was I raised up out but knew I was not really awake I even walked to my bed room door to close it but I couldnt. This is when I knew something was weird. Then I tried to wake again and I couldnt talk my tongue was tingiling and the side of my face was doing the same. I got up went to my spiritual table got florida water wiped myself and went to sleep and slept very good. MY question is next time when this happends should I not fight it just let it happen?
lucid dreaming and astral projections! :D
Dont fight it. Demand that you want to leave your body and it might just happen! :)
This is great you will be able to fly go to any place you desire. Mayne at first nothing will occur but when you stary reading more on this and doing research you will find ways to do anything with it.
On youtube look at spirit science 9
It tells what were able to do it is NOT EVIL.
protection
Many people think that they are saved when they are not, and they are attacked just the same as a nonbeliever. One must have the Holy Spirit in them. It causes a shield of light to surround your body, and anything demonic just bounces off of it. Just ask God to bring His Holy Spirit into you, and you will never be bothered again. I know this because black magicians have told me that they cannot touch some Christians or send demons into them because they have a protective light surrounding them, and I ceased to be attacked when I received the Holy Spirit.
God Bless
amen my friend
amen my friend
I've read some these comments
I've read some these comments & I can relate to some of the experiences. You feel as someone is sitting down on your chest & you're trying to scream at the top of your lungs but no voice comes out of you !! I've been experiencing this over the past week & I'm pretty much sleep deprived to a max of 2-3 hrs sleep! IDK what to do anymore to sleep . I fear that I might not wake up this is some scary shit I can't seem to understand.
Sleep Paralysis
I have been having sleep paralysis since i was 15 years old and i am 53 years old now and i can remember the first time it happened and slowly over the years it has got stronger and stronger to the point that i dream and am convinced that i am awake and not asleep i have read many things that relate to my condition including lucid dreaming where i am in a dream and afterwards i know i was dreaming but at the time i thought i was awake so to give you one example, i came home and i went to sleep on the couch i then woke up and the sun was streaming in through the window so i got up and went to look out the window and i could see trees and little green hills with a early morning mist and little bunny rabbits hopping about it looked so peacefull and i remember looking at this scene in front of me thinking this is great the most fantastic feeling of peacefullness, i was not concerned with the fact that the previous night when i went to sleep on the couch that through that window was a carpark and not what i could now see, i was not afraid and as far as i was concerned i was fully awake, then as i am looking through the window i can hear someone knocking on the front door so i go to answer the door and there is no one there now they are knocking on the back door and when i go to that door there is no one there, so i sit down and start scratching my head and my brother walks into the living room with his friend and i say, :what are you doing here and he says to me i brought paul to see you then i look at the clock and say oh my god i was supposed to be in work at six oclock, then in a instant i was in complete darkness and i could see myself asleep on the couch, even though it was dark i could see myself very clearly and felt as though i was floating face down and was floating down towards my body which i could see was asleep on the couch all the time this was happening i was convinced i was awake, then i was conscious of trying to move my body and the more i tried to move i could hear thousands of birds chattering away in my head the more i try to move the louder the birds got and the my breathing got shallower and shallower to the point that i thought this is it i am going to die, so i somehow accept what is about to happen then i calm myself down the noise in my head gets less and i get control of my breathing but i still feel like i have no arms or legs so stop trying to move and once i am calm i move as fast as i can and in a instant i am awake and i am on my feet standing by the couch in darkness within a second the alarm clock starts ringing for me to go to work, now that is just one episode of many and i have never written it down before but can remember every detail like it was yesterday when in fact it happened 30 years ago, the reason i came on here to post was because i had a episode last night and over the years it has become more scary to the point i am convinced something pure evil is trying to get me so when i am paralyzed i try to make noises for my partner to wake me up and that worked last night as far as lucid dreaming goes i once read that ( a person who can go into a dream and control the dream then this person will control his whole destiny ) i believe this is true as i have gone into dreams and said out loud ( this i my dream and i can do anything i want) and i do but when it is time to wake up i get the paralyzed thing so that is the only down side to that, maybe the sense of evil thing is because you are paralyzed you are at your most weakest so open to attack i dont know but i would like to think there is a positive side to all this i would be interested to know if anyone has had the same experience as me also i have had many dream that have come true, so sort of believe dreams are there to guide you through life
Last night
What a horrible nights sleep i had i went to sleep around 2 30 and i was dreaming i couldnt breath move or do anything was so hard to wake up i was asleap but awake everytime i mannaged to wake i would fall back to sleep to the same dream and the same would happen again scarry really scarry thanks for this site was really worreid still am a little but least now a know what it is, ive had the whole not being albe to breath b4 but ive woke up from it then gone back to sleep and been fine but last night this lasted around 3 hours
very unpleasing
This has happened to me often times but I never kept a record of it. Sometimes it happens to me while I am napping and I can hear my family and everything around me but I cannot respond or awake, however I tried to move the part of my body that I felt was loose and my mother said she she seen me moving but she thought that I was just pretending to be sleep.....Then there's the time when this is occurring and I am always dreaming a horrible scary like dream. Usually zombie like creatures trying to attack me or some out of the ordinary crazy scenes... I usually try to jump out of it but it's too powerful, so then I try to just ignore everything and go back to sleep witch is usually my easy pass out of it lol.
scary shit
my name is Joe, im 20 and have had this happen to me since i was young. i have read a good amount of these comments and have had a number of the same experiences. ive seen people idk walk into my room and stare at me, ive seen scary ass images of demonic things stabbing me, or biting me, ive tried to yell and nothing came out, ive tried to move. one of the scariest things that had happened was i woke up got out of my bed walked to my bathroom to turn the shower water on, as i let the tub fill up i went back to mm room only to see my self sleeping in the same position i had just woke up in. This crazy intense feeling of fear came over me and i started screaming and shaking myself. only to wake up on in the same exact postion i had saw myself sleeping only to be surprised by the sound of running water in the bathroom. i ran to the bathroom and the tub had overflowed about an inch or so over the tub as if i had really been both sleeping and awake... i dont sleep walk and have never had a history of sleepwalking. what the hell happens to me when i sleep? i dont wanna see a doctor im affraid something is wrong with me. but its to the point where i only get on average 2-3 hours of sleep a night. someone talk me off this sleeplessness edge please im really not a crazy person until it comes time to sleep then my head fucks with itself
Experience
I havent experienced it like this WOW. I am no expert but form reading the comments I think this happends when we dont get enough sleep. An avergae of 2 - 3 hous of sleep is not enough try sleeping the normal hours I think 6 - 8 and it usually stops happening. You are not crazy many people experience this.
what we have here is the power to lucid dream
Go to youtube and look up 'Spirit Science 9'
What we have is a good thing trust me :)
Thanks
I love the youtube link, I am so researching this now. Thanks for the link.
astral projections :D
This is very fun. People might think im lying but i have no reason to lie.
I dont anyone will read my comment though.
What we have is amazing and we cant get hust by it its not evil in nature we think what we want and it comes to reality.
To those of you who think sleep parylyzes is bad go here it is amazing i promise you ive done this many times!
On you tube look up spirit science 9
Theres even books on this. It is NOT EVIL
im used to it, now i know the term "sleep paralysis"
It happens to me i guess 3-4 times a month. Actually it happened few hours ago while trying to get a nap during my break time. Before, a friend told me that it happens because of my sleeping position, i dont think so,. Every position i had during sleep still, im having these series of sleep paralysis. I can see evrything, my friends chatting, my sister sleeping beside me but, there are these evil creatures, scary creatures, and i feel that they wanted to kill me. As i was saying, few hrs ago, i felt like they are pulling my leg and i can see my own body lying on nthe bed, im used to fighting it. Then i see ghosts ( or from what i believe bad spirits disguising as one trying to scare me , as if they can ) i will try to move a finger on my foot, then i can feel that im kicking but still cant move or breath, someone so heavy is lying on my back,sometimes chest ,choking me.. then ill try to scream but i cant.. after several attempts,, trying to struggle waking up.. when i finally say.. " in Jesus name ! Leave me alone. I'm not scared of you. i only fear one thing. That's my GOd!" then followed by a prayer.. " then i can finally feel my blood flowing normally.. im awake,, though sometimes, after waking up,, count few seconds i can feel my eyes closing again although im trying to fight it,, but felt like someone is making me fall back to sleep ,, and it continues,, so what will i do? well same thing call out GOD's name :) tried and tested..
Serendip
Hi Serendip:
The only way to God is through His Son Jesus Christ. When you pray for healing from sleep paralysis, ask God that you be healed by the stripes of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
In Christian love,
Danny
Danny
Amen !
Amen
Amen
Luke
Hi Luke:
I haven't read that sleep paralysis is dangerous, however, I read somewhere that it might be related to epilepsy. I haven't told my doctor about it because I suffer sleep paralysis and I can usually wake myself up. I'm afraid let my brain go back to sleep.
As with epilepsy, I'm sure there are some meds for this condition, but I'm just not into drugs. Luke, if you're have sleep paralysis often, you might want to start with a neurologist. Lastly, seeks God first and ask for healing.
Paralyzed
This recently just happend to me this morning I had a dream and ended up waking up and I went back to sleep for 3 seconds and I found myself paralyzed not moving but I can see everything somehow I woke myself up I felt a presence like something trying to posses me but I ignored it and tried waking myself up and I did few minutes later I went back to sleep and found myself in the same situation but this time I said dear god and I started to shake really fast than I stopped and 1 minute later I woke up now I'm writing this it . It was so scary.
It just happened to me :(
Lately its been happening to me alot, but i realize that it only happens to me when i go back to dleep.. Usually my boyfriend. Wakes up early for work, so i would wake up to help him and go back to sleep. Thats when trouble happens. It feels as if every source of energy is cut of and ten my body gets into a shock mode, i dont know if its because im fighting to wake up or if its because, like now i can fall asleep again :( but i think its a form of seizure, do people die that way? I dont think teres an answer for that as of yet . But here is the wrost part , when it happens im completely out out control, im half awake and i cant move, my face was inside the pilloww amd i couldnt move or get up to avoid shoking to death, i prayed god. The woke up but barelyz zzz
Advise anyone?
This happened to me about an
This happened to me about an hour ago. I was fighting so hard to move and occasionally felt like I was doing it, but reality would could crashing down and I would be lying in my bed again. Awake and mostly aware of my surroundings, except for a series of strange hallucinations/dreams. I tried to scream and move countless times but couldn't which was really scary as I was very aware that I was lying face-down, with my nose and mouth pressed into the pillow. I felt like I couldn't breathe, and maybe I couldn't but I didn't wake up until about 10 minutes after that realisation. I like to believe that the body would wake up once you can't breathe at all. I'm not sure, but I think I woke when my face was so pressed into the pillow that I couldn't breathe.
This happend to me once
This happend to me once I thought I was awake but actually I was I heard a voice that said "he's asleep" so I tried to wake up but I couldebt move or talk this help I was really scared
Living with Deep Sleep Paralysis
I am now 46 years old and have been living with this condition since I was about 18yrs old. It has terrified me my whole adult life, I had psychiatric treatment for it about 15 yrs ago, when I was just too frightened to sleep, and thats when I first heard the term. I was prescribed medication, but after a while I stopped taking it because it made me drowsy but my body felt like I wanted to go out for a run!!.I learnt to relax when it came, and it was almost every time I closed my eyes to have a sleep, no matter where I was. I could hear everything happening around me but I just couldnt move n yes the terrifying images and voices would constantly be there... My husband grew used to the noises I would make when this would happen and would wake me up but there were times I would attack him and not know I was doing it. Other times I would awaken from these 'dreams' with scratches all over my body as if I had been scratched with something extremely sharp and these would sting when I showered. I could go on and on about my experiences with this condition, the image (there was always just one) and the voices..... but I have learnt to deal with it in my own way (just relaxing and letting it pass and not being scared) and I have found the experiences are now occurring further and further apart. People are really freaked out when I tell them about my experiences and put it down to demonic forces, which I too was once convinced that was what it was, there was something evil following me around. But the mind is a very powerful thing and if you learn to control/understand it you can overcome just about anything, because it can also feed on your fears, and I think this more than anything was the root of my problem, the more scared I was the more it ocurred and the more terrifing it was each time.
guest
It happend to me today i woke up and the cover was over my face and i couldnt move and it was like someone was whispering in my ear i didnt know what was it saying but it was getting louder and louer i know i was woke beacuse the phone was ringing and i heard my girlfriend say get the phone adn my body was just so cold and the only way i could gain control over my body was to roll slowly off the sofa man it was scary but next time im going to try saying jesus my dad said it worked for him
Sleep Paralysis
Hi we're students at Gramercy Arts High School and we are doing a project on Sleep Paralysis. We would really appreciate it if you could share your experience with us in depth because we would love for you to be part of our project. Could you please contact us on my name is Adelin or at (Kellen). Thank you very much we really appreciate it.
Husband experiencing sleep paralyses
I'm very glad I came across this page. I can not sleep because my husband and I were discussing this extremely frightening experience he has on occasion. We got into the discussion of my sleep walking and he brought this up again and it really got me concerned this time because he said he finds it very difficult to breathe during these insane episodes he has. I researched it and found this page which is very helpful in knowing what it is. I hadnt even ever heard of this and am so glad it is an actual disorder and not something majorly wrong with him. I read through posts to find that people even see images and hear voices which he hasnt experienced thank God, that would make them so much worse I think. He tells me that he can see and hear everything in the room but can not move. The entire room shakes like there is an earthquake and he tries to move but cant, eventually, he does come out of it and realizes the room isnt shaking but that is just his mind's explanation for him trying to rapidly move his body in order to wake himself. The only thing that has me scared now is the SUNDS. I hadnt heard of that before now and it has me worried considering he tells me it is very diffcult to breath during these episodes and I'm wondering if they have a medication that can help with this???
Agreed
I do the exact same thing I don't have the ( evil feelings ) but I wake up and can't move
And it is very hard to breathe at times not all the time but most I can hear
Myself breathing and I try to move to wake myself up
I'm more calm about it now but I wasn't in the beginning and here
Recently it has happnd quite a bit it drives me crazy it is one of the most scary feelings ever
All I can do is try to hit myself but I can't get my hand up that easy and holding my eyes open is very hard.
I wouldn't worrie about the ( SUNDS ) because this disorder happens many of times to a lot of people and how
Many people you hear die from that? Plus all I do is pray about it God answers prayers keep that in mind
I am 22 years old and it's been happening to me for a few years. It is nice to know I'm just not a weirdo I thought I was losing my mind when it first happend.
I tried asking people and there all like .....uhmmmmmmm , but on the other hand it must be hereditary because my little 16 year old cousin does the same thing.
would this cause waking up in
would this cause waking up in the night and everything in the room be small and seem really far away? because i can't find anything about this unless people were n drugs or something and that wouldn't be my issue.
Fiona Surmon
Hi Fiona, like I wrote Stephen, I don't have fearful dreams with my sleep paralysis. It just is scary and uncomfortable for me to have my brain becomes conscious, however, I can't move my body. I use breathing a limited limb move to try and wake up. I don't want to fall back to sleep.
Stephen
Hi Stephen:
Thank you for your comment. I don't have scary dreams that go along with my sleep paralysis. My brain just wakes up and I can move my body. Sometime I can get a leg moving or and arm and twice I was able to move myself off the bed falling to the floor, now that wakes my body up. Although, once I hit my lip in the night stand and received a fat lip.
Any any of you all seen a doctor regarding sleep paralysis and received a diagnosis? Did he or she prescribe and medication?; which I not a big fan of taking.
Calling Out Jesus' Name
I read a comment that calling our Jesus' name helps them overcome sleep paralysis; interesting, we can be healed by the stripes of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
Sometime I wake up after only a couple of hours of sleep and sometimes it takes me awhile to fall back to sleep when I usually dream. I refuse to take any sleep aids.
Cornelio
You Sir have it exactly right, God created all of us and we can rely on Him to do His will in our life including dealing with sleep paralysis. Now folks, I read somewhere that sleep paralysis is form of epilepsy. What say you all (pl. Texas speak).
I once experienced a sleep
I once experienced a sleep paralysis a couple of months ago, I felt alot of pressure on my chest and shoulders, my eyes were open and I was wide awake I was screaming for help but no around could hear me it was terryfing it felt like someone was stopping me from talking, I was crying. So I called out saying 'Allah (God) please help me' and all the pressure on me went and I could speak again. From that day I realised that god will always help us if we call for him. Every night before you sleep turn to god ask him to protect you and forgive you. I pray that we don't go through this.
Sleep Paralysis???????
I dont know but ive had this since i was about 13 yrs old, and now im 25. The most recent one was lastnight as i fell asleep, the usual happened were i couldnt move, but this is the first time i saw a demonic creature with an evil smile, he was almost to the color of green, with big ears and horns. I have seen the shadows, the dog running around the ceiling, an old man and demonic noises. What i agree with all of you guys is that when this happens i always pray, i grab my rosary and start to say jesus name and i wake up seconds after that. Ive gotten to the point that i dont want to sleep anymore. I dont think this is a scientific thing, but something evil that wants to harm you.
Might help...
Been experiencing this for almost a year now. Heard people say that you're supposed to say Jesus' name, or recite the Lord's Prayer in your head to end it. I am not religious, but if this is what works for you, that's great. This may sound kind of dark, but I find it helpful if you just learn to accept your fate. Like when I am in sleep paralysis, it is very hard to think rationally. I immediately think that I am going to suffocate and die or be killed by someone in my room, but then I begin to think that if I die right then and there, then it was just meant to be. I know it sounds kind of silly, but it's something that works for me
Sleep Paralysis now and then...
I always received more comments about the sleep paralysis..I usually feel or get this when I slept in front of a door..That's how the way I get paralyzed..I really can't move and see things unusual..Last Thursday it happened again..I feel someone put a pillow on my face and I really can't breath. I feel cautious that it looks like I'm very awake..I saw faces sometimes and hear scary voices..I just moved my feet to be awake..Let's just not forget to pray before we sleep, for me that's just the only way we must do to avoid it..Remember God is always with us..To Erika Lynn..Don't be scared:-)
i get it too
thank you, i know what it is called now. iv been getting this since i was a kid. i got it more as a kid but still get it every now and then as an adult. mainly it's just waking up and not being able to move, speak, blink or anything. i will try rolling from side to side and it takes about 10-40 seconds before it wakes me up. tonight was different tho. i was having a nightmare were my mum called me in the back room, only to find there was a big none shaven man standing there and he pulled a gun on me, i then woke up to find myself in this sleep paralysis again but this time i seen the guys arm with the gun in his hand pointing at my side, i then let out a scream but nothing come out. i also heard some strange noises that sounded like a phone ringing on my chest, however my phone is off and has a song as a ringtone were as this was a funny noise. it scared the hell out of me and im trying not to go back to sleep because usually when it happens it happens a few times that night and not just once. usually i just think of happy thoughts and ignore it and go to sleep, but usually i dont see things. i was and still am scared to go back to sleep. i do beleave in spirits however i do beleave this is scientific and has nothing to do with spirits. maybe im just telling myself that cause im to scared to go back to sleep. im 22 and to scared to go to sleep, wow. it can be scary enough without seing things as i panic if someone is just standing over me wile im awake as i feel like im 'stuck'. not being able to move is scary enough for me but now seing things aswel is making me not want to go back to sleep. usually ill get this when im very tired and havent had much sleep. now i know what it is im hoping to get back to sleep and ignore what ever it is that i "see". it was very interesting to hear all of your storys of what has happend to you.
what happens, and how i deal with it.
This happens to me only when I am extremely tired. I'm awake, I try talking and moving nothing happens. I used to panic because I could sometimes hear loud noises, have trouble breathing and feel someone touching me or see weird evil faces. but now I just say Jesus over and over and I usually wake-up instantly. The other day I had different experience it was all too much, it was loud and everything felt like it was moving rapidly. I told God it was too much I couldn't handle it and he woke me up. Don't be afraid, remember he is with you and he will never leave you. There is power in his name JESUS.
its a wierd feeling in the
its a wierd feeling in the dream i woke from my sleep not anle to move anything except my eyes looking around the room and seen a dark shadow by my feet then started to be draged around the room thinking to my slef wake up over and over in my head praying to god tha =t he would wake me from my sleep seem the more i prayed the more intense the draging over my body got till finaaly i relaxed and spoke to myslelf saying its only a dream waswhen i woke up ...it felt so real
happens to me 2
has happend to me for 4 years the 1st time could see dark hand like shadows holding my feet down , every time I can hear wants going on in the room but carnt move , few months ago I though I'm not going ot struggle to get out of this 1 had enough wanted to know whats going on , so I stayed realy still kind of like uve got pins and needels every where I wasnt scared this time it felt like I was kinda flooting out of my body then a voice said go to the mirrow I was to scared and woke up , since Ive been made awear that the mirrow is ment to be the other side I dont think bad way , since had 2 but can not stay still enough to know .
Feeling like you're move but you're not
I just recently woke up from one of these, I had one the other night where my eyes are open, I know I'm in my room. I can clearly see my surrondings. I had thoulght my dad had come in my room to ask me a question and I had responded, rolled over and went back to sleep. When I re awoke I was on my side and couldn't move. And it felt like someone was laying up against me, cuddling me but where I felt their touch it was cold. At first I paniced but then relaxed into it knowing nothing was really there. Only then it felt like they wrapped their hands around my throat. I couldn't breathe, I trie dto scream and move. And to myself I felt like I was making noise but I know my lips weren't opening. And I always feel like my hands do move, it looks like they do, sometimes I even swear I feel my hand brush against my sheets. But I register the fact that I haven't moved at all. Tonights wasn't so bad, I had been having a regular dream, came out of it but my body was frozen, I paniced. I simply want a way to awaken myself from this quickly. Since my body doesn't move at all, I continuely try to just keep blinking and forcing my eyes to stay open, but now I wonder if I'm even truely blinking.
sleeping paralsis
Hi I am not so sure if this is what happened to me, i was is bed, not asleep. Lying on my side i felt like somebody was hugging me from behind with there arms clasped tightly around my shoulders and the front of my chest. Also i could feel a slight body lying behind me and hair on my shoulder. I thought later maybe it was my hair as i have long hair, but realized my hair was in a tight bun on the top of my head? I was awake, so i said aloud I am going to turn around and look at you. I could turn my head to look back very slowly, i started turning my head as i half turned my head, the pressure of someone hugging me and lying behing me with hair on my shoulder just went away, just like that. I felt quite shocked. At the time I was sleeping at my fathers house who is terminal ill with lung cancer. I had been getting up and down all night? Does anyone have any idea. Yes I am a very spiritual person. I must say i did think sleeping paalsis was very interesting. What do you think?
2nd time
Last night was the 2nd time this has happened to me. I'm 23 and the first time was in september 2011. The first dream I was in this room laying on a table. I couldn't move and I heard a door open. I immediately starting feeling extreme fear, unlike your typical nightmare. I could hear something getting closer until something was on top of me. The best way I can describe it was this transparent figure. My arms were being held down as I struggled. In the dream I was "losing" this fight until I started telling myself, " I'm better than this...I.m better than this." slowly I started to rotate to wear the figure was under me and I was in top of it. At this point I woke up in the hotel I was staying at after awaking and falling back to sleep, I remember having another dream and in this dream I was jokingly telling people about the dream I had just had, almost as if I was supposed to shrug it off.. Last night was different... I was in my room here in my apt laying on my bed and looking to the door to my livIng room. I'm not sure if I heard my front door being opened but I definitely knew something was there. At this point the extreme fear came again,, but this time I couldn't see anything. Once again I was struggling to move and was trying to inch my way towards the edge of my bed. I even called out to my dog who sleeps on the floor next to me, for some kind of help. I want to say the words came out muffled but I'm not sure. Lastly, this voice said to me.. Come on Mr video games and that was when I woke. I checked the clock and had only been asleep for 20 min.
Sleep Paralysis but no Nightmare...
I've experienced this before but I've never had the nightmare. I'm usually waking up and I can't move my body and my eyes are open but I can barely move them around. It usually happens to me when I fall asleep in the backseat of the car. Once I was able to whisper to my mom who was next to me on the couch and she woke me up. Sometimes I'm able to come out of it by attempting to wiggle my toes then slowly start moving the rest of my body, but a lot of the time it doesn't work. However I don't have any of the other symptoms like thinking other people are in the room or someone holding me down. Am I experiencing the same thing as everyone else or something totally different?
Happens to me to and its
Happens to me to and its scary as hell!
Its like i have to force my body to move or i will die