Serendip is an independent site partnering with faculty at multiple colleges and universities around the world. Happy exploring!

Sleep Paralysis: Awake But Still Asleep

Submitted by SerendipUpdate on Mon, 01/07/2008 - 4:21pm

Biology 202

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

2)The Body During Sleep

3)Basics of Sleep Behavior

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

SerendipUpdate's blog

Comments

SP cure

Submitted by Serendip Visitor (guest) on Tue, 01/10/2012 - 10:45pm.

I have experienced sp since college, usually when I nap. I used to be able to feel physical form,like hugging or kissing and so on with my boyfriend but it would always change, the kisses would hurt. I knew i was dreaming, i would try to stop the dream but couldnt. The only way was to pray and banish the demon that i created, out of panic.. This was centered around guilt, something religion instills in us. Im married now and the guilt and dreams are no longer there. The cool part was that i could physically feel him, the weight of him, see him, everything but his face....weird. Now when i have SP its when I take a nap, on my back, on the couch. I hear walking, talking, i could open my eyes and see the kitchen. I forced my eyes to stay open but could feel them darting back and forth wanting to close. I was calm so i felt a cat jump down from above me and i pet him. I could feel his fur and body and hear his purr. I tried to remember what i had read on the web. It said to remain calm, and don't fight it. It had said to blink, or squeeze your eyes tight over and over again and That helps to break the sp. it works because that part is not paralyzed and it sends a message to the brain that you are awake. The more you understand it the more logical you can be. It does tie into stress and anxiety so if its a daily occurrence i would seek medical help for anxiety. The past two times it happened after taking allergy meds, zertec and generic benedryl. I am a light weight so the drowsy affects linger. Hence the naps.
If you think about it, it is kind of cool that you think you've gotten up and done things but never budged a muscle. Its the frustration and panic that makes the sounds evolve into scary scenarios. I heard walking today, a toilet being plunged and a cat jumped down to visit. I remember feeling the cat but a i forced my eyes to look,there wasn't one there... How cool is that. I admit i did struggle today to awaken until i remembered the "squeezing of the eyes trick". I thought i was supposed to stick my finger down my throat to activate the gag reflex, so i tried that. Funny, when i did come into consciousness my hands were under the blanket, never moved to pet a cat or activate a gag reflex.
So, from what i can tell, you can have some control over this sp thing. Just remain calm, don't fight it, go back to sleep until your chemicals even out or BLINK your eyes as hard as you can over and over...it worked for me.
Oh , and before my nap, i thought to myself that i might risk having an sp, the power of suggestion might have come into play. Most times i set an alarm so that theres no chance of it happening and my mind knows this and it doesnt happen. Using the couch is not a good idea.
I am 44 and healthy.

I experienced the same thing

Submitted by L Marshall (guest) on Wed, 01/11/2012 - 11:24am.

I experienced the same thing maybe a week ago. I, like you, experience SP when I take naps. I just had a baby and she is 3 months so you can imagine how many naps I take. This time was different because when I experience SP I usually only can feel a presence in the room or see a spider but this time I was sleep on the couch with my daughter when I felt pressure on my lips as if I was being kissed, twice at that. I tried hard not panic and didn't dare open my eyes. It's almost like it mimics my boyfriend.

SP cure

Submitted by Serendip Visitor (guest) on Thu, 01/12/2012 - 9:16am.

I found that i was thinking about my boyfriend as I took my nap so the brain already created a dream plot, because of SP the dream state and the partial awakening state coinciding the dream seemed real. I have always been a light sleeper and an avid dreamer. I could dream volumes. I did experience it quite a bit during pregnancy. I think because being on my back was the most comfortable.
It doesnt scare me anymore so my SP experiences are rare and they are not scary. In the past i did hear scary low voices near my ear. I would fight to wake up so hard because if i slipped back into the dream further I thought I would get stuck. i would call out to my husband for help. He said my calls were undescernable.
I guess I am more fascinated by it now and relieved to read all the blogs. There is are a lot of similarities between the stories.
My daughter has exoerienced SP and her friend at school has too.

Sick of it!!!!

Submitted by Serendip Visitor (guest) on Tue, 01/10/2012 - 2:57pm.

I can't explain why it happens or what causes it but I am just plain sick of it! I hate being scared! I do not watch scary movies because I believe you are only scared of what you put in your mind (wise words of a friend). The first time it happened to me I saw something running almost made it a blur to see it clearly but then it stopped and looked at me. I wasn't as scared of it as I was the not being able to breath. That was when I was 17 and now it has happened about 7 times. This morning when it happened I looked into it because I'm so sick of it and glad to read this article but there are so many unanswered questions.... How come it only happens when I'm completely alone in the house? How come I am always aware that there is an evil gloom or shadows around me? I wish they would say something to me so I can try and figure it out but all I can here is walking. Like it sounds when someone walks on a hardwood floor.... I'm tired of it but I know I can't stop it. Helps to know I'm not the only one.

I was actually looking for

Submitted by Serendip Visitor (guest) on Sun, 01/08/2012 - 4:48pm.

I was actually looking for info on when you dream that you've woke up but then you realise your not and try to wake yourself up but you keep falling back into sleep. Its really scary! I had got up to go toilet in the night then got back in bed and it felt like someone was pinching my ear, gently at first then it became really painful. So I sat up looked to see what time it was then fell back to sleep. I thought I was still awake tho but as if there was someone in my room with me. So I tried to put the radio on in which I moved over unplugged one plug and put in the radio yet when I couldn't hear it I realised I hadn't done anything and was still asleep so I kept pulling the covers up in desperation to wake up but as I thought I had I would soon realise I hadn't moved at all. I even felt myself fall out of bed at desperately plug the radio in only to realise I was still asleep! I was panicking and it just seem to repeat itself until I really did wake up.
I often have dreams like this, but this is the first one I've had since before I was pregnant (I am nearly 9months now). Before I would get them a couple times a month and usually wake myself up by pulling myself up to a sitting position. It would be a great effort and when I manage it I usual wake up feeling calm and its only in the morning that I get freaked out.
Does anyone know what this is called and why it happens? Quite often but not always I feel as if there is a presence and on a couple of occasions I have dreamt someone is trying to take me away.
I get the sleep paralysis too but I dont really find it scary as I've always thought its were my brain wakes up before my body and all I do to wake it up is wiggle my fingers until the feeling comes back.
Gonna find it hard to go sleep now tho after reading these posts : /

think this comes under false

Submitted by Diana Dillon (guest) on Wed, 01/11/2012 - 11:55pm.

think this comes under false awakenings

Excellent essay on the

Submitted by Serendip Visitor (guest) on Sun, 01/08/2012 - 1:01pm.

Excellent essay on the subject! Very clear and concise. Thank you :)

I just want to say...

Submitted by Vitaliy (guest) on Sun, 01/08/2012 - 6:05am.

I just want to say... Science? Science is cool and fun... BUT just because a scientist could explain how something works doen't mean there is no Creator. I have noticed that people make it seem like there is no Creator just because some scientist explained how something happens or figures out what chemicals are released during a dream or what the brain is doing while a person is having this "spell." Thats nothing! JUST BECAUSE WE KNOW HOW SOMETHING WORKS DOESN'T MEAN NO ONE CREATED IT. Here is a quote by a smart person by the name ALBERT EINSTEIN "We are in the position of a little child entering a huge library filled with books in many languages. The child knows someone must have written those books. It does not know how. It does not understand the languages in which they are written. The child dimly suspects a mysterious order in the arrangements of the books, but doesn't know what it is." Yes all we know is that we see that there are some sort of laws "science laws" and we see how somethings work but... Really WHY? And don't start telling me... Because theres is gravity... cause then there is another big but WHY? And WHY? And then you will say "well we didn't get there yet, but we are getting closer... LAME LAME LAME. Do you people realize how much more intelligently this "nature (including us)" is created. We could build a robot and program him to walk a little and do some things, sure.. but look at us we walk, jump, think, when we get a wound it heals, we "reproduce." our bodies run on such low voltage and our fingers, hands, feet, etc bend in so many different directions, the way we learn, we have little feeling "sensors" in every little square millimeter (even smaller than mm) of our body, now just looking at that, that is crazy Intelligence. Do you think we could create a robot like that? Any real scientist who actually is smart and not just a trained idoit knows we are a creation and not just something that formed by itself. Evolution? now that's just STUPID. Everything about us, everything about the world, the universe, is organized and put in a good working order. Example. The Liver knows its job and does it on time, the Brain does its job on time when a person feels thirsty thats because his brain is ordering it because it knows you need to keep your body cool and lubricate your joints, etc. etc. So people if you have a Spell like this don't just go to the doctor the will just call it a "DISORDER" (just looking at that, they call it a "disorder" I wanna say "oh so there is an 'order' to begin with" exactly there is. Back to this "Sleep Paralysis" as they call it. I want to say for some of us that get it, it may be a good thing in a way because if could help us change the way we live our life to a better way. There is a Border, One Border, which divides The Holy God (Creator) and Satan. On God's side of the border is all the good things like good deeds, love, peace, etc. on Satans side of the border is stuff we are usually really interested in like alcohol, drugs, zombies, hate, lust, bad music, hollywood, etc. Now when we are on Satan's side and because we are on his territory, he could mess with us. We need to try to come to God's territory and ask him to make it fun for you to do good deeds instead of it being fun for you to get drunk. After all he IS the Creator and HE knows how to reprogram us and remove the bad viruses we have in us and that lead to death the same way viruses break a computer. I recommend that people with these "spells" or just any person to start praying to God (the Creator) and asking for the truth, ask him to lead you the right way. When you have a chance and if you are alone home try pray to God loudly (you might be shy of yourself at first) but just do it especially if you just had a spell like that. Pray loudly tell God that you are sorry for all the bad, start remembering the bad things you might have done, ask for forgiveness, ask him to come into your life and protect you, ask him to bathe you in the Holy Spirit, ask for the weapons of the Holy Spirit which would be the "tongues" that the people were praying in, in the Bible and these tongues work as a weapon and a symbol of the Holy Spirit against Satan and his Demons. These "tongues" is like you will be praying in a different language that you don't know. You don't need to know you will just pray with your spirit words don't matter, to get this "tongue" after asking for forgiveness and asking God to bathe you in the Holy Spirit you can just say the word give, give, give (meaning to give you the Holy Spirit) and if you feel a gentle spirit approach keep asking and just let go of you tongue, meaning don't keep trying to say the word "give" if might sound like you are saying ive ive ive, don't pay attention to what you are saying don't think just feel and give voice and say what ever word it turns out keep praying strong. You will then have what they call "Tongues" And don't worry you have not become crazy thats what some people thought in the Bible when they say some people praying in tongues. Once you recieve the tongues you will always be able to pray that way and if you will ever see a ghost or a scary thing start praying in tongues and trust me you will beat them. These tongues work even in nightmares and if you are sick you can pray and be healed depending on how much you practice and how strong it is in you, and how much you value it, you could even heal someone with cancer.

sleep paralysis

Submitted by oliver (guest) on Sun, 01/08/2012 - 5:10am.

I had this a few nights ago didnt feel any ghostly prescence i just could not move at all my brother was in my room getting clothes and when i asked him he said he thought i was just sleeping with my eyes open. I tried to tell him but couldnt make any sound or movements

sleep paralysis

Submitted by Serendip Visitor (guest) on Sat, 01/07/2012 - 2:24pm.

Im 16 years old, and this happened to me just last night. It felt like something had been sitting on my chest, as if some sort of ghost like thing had pinned me to the bed. I tryed screamin for my mom but no sound came out.. i was like a was whispering but tried with all i had to yell. After a few minutes a jolted up finally being able to move again. Worst thing i have ever experienced.. glad i read these and its not some ghost or something.

the first time

Submitted by amber (guest) on Sat, 01/07/2012 - 9:55am.

This happened to me about a month ago. I just decided to look it up now and find out what it was. I had been sleeping on my left side facing my alarm clock. I opened my eyes to see what time it was because I had awoken. Once I opened my eyes they kept moving back and forth rapidly as if in rem sleep. I didn't think of that at the time of course. The only thing my half asleep brain could think was why I couldn't focus on the numbers. I tried to sit up but everything began spinning and I received a massive headache. I ended up getting fed up with it and kind of dizzy so I closed my eyes and went back to sleep. In the morning I remembered everything and just assumed I had awoken during rem sleep somehow. I don't remember being scared or seeing anything besides the bright green of my alarmclock. I thought the whole experience was pretty cool actually.

dream state

Submitted by Serendip Visitor (guest) on Wed, 01/11/2012 - 3:17pm.

i also had this happen to me .i awoke paralized ,but what woke me first was my arms flooping very hard like a seizure,i then noticed i couldnt feel anything or move anything except my eyes.i saw no deamons ,but did think i was in the process of dying.istarted to pray and drifted back to sleep after about an hour,i also could not speak.ive never had anything frighten me as bad as this experence did.the next couple of days i have had a headache and felt really bad.i did make a doctor appt.but cannot be seen for 2more weeks..i am so afraid this will happen again that i cant sleep well now.nothing was cool about this at all.

fluttering clock numbers

Submitted by Deep Dreamer (guest) on Sun, 01/08/2012 - 2:52pm.

Amber I had the same digital clock experience. I do agree with your REM theory. Please read Deep Dreamer's: Sensation so Real.

Awake But still Asleep

Submitted by Gaurav Tewani (guest) on Sat, 01/07/2012 - 4:52am.

I am 23 years old. I am experiencing it from past 4-5 years. It is mostly when I have not taken seven hour sleep a day before or my day have been very stressful. What I see in dreams is totally irrelevant it involves too much violence, but this time something else has also happened, it has happened to me two days in a row. This time at the end of it, a very sparkling light shines in it I saw the face of my schoolmate who died an year ago and they day before yesterday I was killed.This has rarely happened to me when I am taking normal sleep.So is it related to something when you are not sleeping for normal 6-8 hour sleep?? Should I see any doctor????

Maybe an explanation of the freakyness.

Submitted by Ash (guest) on Sat, 01/07/2012 - 4:49am.

I've been doing a lot of reading a research on this as I've FINALLY decided to try figure out if anybody else is having these. It turns out, there are quite a lot of posts around that seem to mirror the symptoms I have and there is a rational explanation. I must admit though, quite a lot of peoples version of events seem very weird and strange even to the point of view of somebody who has these himself. Although... read on, I have a reasoning for that.

I noticed around the same time I started having these SP (Sleep Paralysis) events I had also started realizing during quite a large percentage of my dreams that they were just dreams. Which lead to me attempting to 'wake up', when what would happen was, I would 'dream that I woke up' which, is kind of commonly known as "False Awakening".
If I remember correctly, one of the first times I had this Sleep Paralysis was when I had a few "False Awakening's" in a row (in the same dream) as it didn't take me long to realize I wasn't waking up at all. Then I would 'actually wake up' only to find myself totally incapable of moving anything except my eyes. Yet, I would still continue to, what I believe, partly dream.
Now, I mainly only ever get it when I'm waking up and mostly when I've had very late nights to the point of running into the morning then had no choice but to oversleep.

It's nice to know that there is a theory that has a scientifically explainable reason for SP by your body messing up the REM sleep pattern where your body is meant to be simultaneously: #1) Unconscious, #2) In a state of Atonia, #3) In a state of dreaming.. except apparently, some peoples bodies either failed to make sure you were Unconscious before entering such state or failed to stop the Atonia and Dreaming when you gained Consciousness. With me, it's the latter.

With my own experience, plus the information I've just read all over the internet... including what I already knew but forgot about REM Sleep, I'm going to try explain my theory to the main question most people, including myself have about the one thing that so far seemed unexplained by any logic. That is:
Why is it does nearly everybody always perceive their "hallucinations" (for want of a better word) to be sinister and/or evil? Why does just about everybody feel that any being or presence they detect to be malevolent and meaning harm?

Let’s break this down.
People who have researched this have come to a theory that Sleep Paralysis is basically your body half waking up without doing so properly... so you gain consciousness but your body forgets to stop releasing the chemicals that induce "Atonia" and whatever causes you to "Dream"

The thing is, there are two types of dreams right? There are dreams, and then there are nightmares... everybody knows about them... the only difference between a nightmare is that it's scary.
Well, being awake but not able to move is scary, anybody who's had it will admit it's probably one the scarcest things that can happen to you, especially when it's one of the first times it's happened to you.
So basically, you wake up, can't move... becomes a scary situation... then you may start "hallucinating" and "hearing things" which "scientifically" is just you still partly dreaming while being mostly conscious.
However, seeing as we've established that this is a scary situation to be in, the "Dreaming" becomes a nightmare... so anything in it is instantly perceived as scary or some kind of threat.
So if you are normally dreaming and you see a smiling, laughing person ... that's just all seems to you… a smiley laughy person. However if you are having a nightmare and see a smiling, laughing person, that smile can, and most probably is interpreted as a menacing smile plus an evil laugh, and since this is a dream/nightmare, your own consciousness will then ad lib anything else on top to make it more fit your perception of 'scary' or even 'evil'.

So it only goes to reckon that if you are already scared silly, anything you see, hear or sense is also going to be scary. It wouldn't be surprising if you started seeing/hearing the fears that scare you the most. So if you are really scared of snakes... they you will probably start seeing, hearing or even feeling snakes around you.

This sort of coincides with something called a "Tetris effect" where basically, if you are exposed to something often enough, then aspects of it can sneak into other times of the day/night in your life that normally don't involve it. Here is an example:
If somebody reads a lot of ghost books, regularly watches ghost movies, even maybe talks to people about ghosts... then it is most probably likely that their dreams also involve ghosts.
If that person then had a Sleep Paralysis event, it is very, very likely that they would 'see' a ghost. The main differences being, unlike a dream, it will seem very much more real as they are conscious and looking out of their eyes into the room they are in and that the most definitely will remember event unlike they would a dream.
The problem is, if they told anybody that they know, they would probably not be taken seriously, as those people would be aware of them already watching/reading ghost material.

What doesn't help is that I'm pretty sure that none of us would of known about SP before we had it... and even then as it seems, for many years after. Ask yourself this:
If you had of know all you do know, BEFORE having a SP moment... would you have been anywhere near as scared? Would everything you believe you saw and heard been as malevolent and scary? Or would it have been like I mentioned before... like a different case of "False Awakening" where you are fully aware that it is just a dream? Except in a case of Sleep Paralysis you are mostly conscious.

Also, I noticed a few people mention two things that apply to me that I have, just a slight theory of explanation.

First, ALOT of people mention they can wiggle their toes and/or fingers. Well, I happened to have just learned last week, that your fingers and toes don't have any muscles that are responsible for movement of the digits. Sure the still have muscles such as arrector pili muscles ect etc but what is responsible for movement is the tendons. As far as I've looked up today... Atonia affects just your muscles, even then... not even all your muscles... otherwise you wouldn't be able to breath, your heart couldn't beat ect ect.
There are even drugs that can induce a state of Atonia in people where they are 100% conscious but can't move. Even then, with a bit of willpower and persistence, even people drugged up to a state of Atonia have been known to manage to overcome the drug. So if you can move even a finger while in a state of SP then good on you!

Secondly, some people say when they fully snap out of SP they seem to be 'opening' their eyes even though they 100% KNOW they were seeing everything before... I've even seen somebody say their partner was looking at their eyes and said they were closed while they were able to see everything their partner was doing.
Well... try this... lie on your back and close your eyelids as much as you can before you can't see out of them... just when you can see but it's all a little dark. Now, at that point... even though you can see, anybody looking at you would see your eyes as closed. Thing is, when you are awake and trying to do this, your eyelids may kinda flicker so it would be hard to convince somebody that you were asleep.

You may have noticed, I've used the word "THEORY" to describe both the Scientific and My own explanations. I've only chosen to read nearly everything in an open mind since I know 100% that I am affected by SP, then settle on the most rational, logical explanation.
Most of the research done on sleep/dream patterns is largely inconclusive due to it being very hard to study. So it only goes to say that any research on SP would be even harder to study.
As for me, I can't claim to be any expert on the matter as I’m no neuro-scientist but I would hope that being somebody affected for many years by this may go some way to having some credibility on my attempt at explaining my reasoning things to others who also are affected.

So my suggestions to all of us would be... next time it happens... try remembering these points and just tell yourself... "It's just a dream where I am almost 100% conscious!"
Remember, things you see or hear are just as likely to be harmful to you as anything you see or hear in an actual dream. Then try to either, Go back to sleep... (I've managed that) or Totally wake up.

As long as this post is, I hope it is of some help, reassurance and some ways to explanation to people.
Cheers.

help

Submitted by Serendip Visitor Kelly (guest) on Fri, 01/06/2012 - 2:43pm.

When i was very young i use to get night terrors but that passed. Now at the age of 24 and more now after the birth of my daughter i get what they call the sleep paralysis. It is the most frightening experiences i have ever felt in my life. I cant begin to explain them but i will try. I a lot of it has already been explained by other people. I didn't realize there is so many people out there that have these experiences. I wake up usually the same time of night maybe twice i a week. At the hours of 3-445am. I don't know if i am still asleep or what but i will wake up and everything is black and i see a face of a man with black eyes sometimes. I feel extreme dread, sadness and panic like something awful is happening and my heart races. I feel like i have trouble breathing and yet i cant seem to find the strength to pull myself out of bed to wake up fully. I see everything like the street lights outside but its almost like i'm looking at things in a fog or a trance. I feel like someone is shaking me or pushing me down into my bed. I also hear a horrible screaming like non stop, i think the feeling of dread and the yelling at me is the worse part. I can't talk or scream for help. But when i get these all i want to do is runaway but i cant even do that. At the end of these i am always grabbing my head. I do not know how long these lasts but i do know i get up sometimes and walk around other times i'll roll over and touch my boyfriend and fall right back asleep. Than when i do wake up in the morning i remember them. I told my boyfriend about this and he explained to me something they say as to the devil or the which riding you or on your back. When i wake up to this i am always on my back. Doctors have told me that i am having "panic attacks" in my sleep but if that's the case why am i awake and seeing things and hearing things? One time after i had one of these i fell right back asleep and went into a deep sleep where i had a dream of my grandfather who passed away a few years back. My grandfather was like a father figure to me, i loved him so much. In the dream i ran to him and hugged him and he told me "everything will be okay, they cant get you" I see that as him visiting me in my dreams as a spiritual event. I use to long for the dreams where he would visit me and it was this a coincidence right after this terrifying experience?

Is it your body's mechanism to wake you up!!

Submitted by Deepak (guest) on Fri, 01/06/2012 - 1:54pm.

I am 37 years old and had SP just twice. First one 7 years ago and another just yesterday. For me its bit mild, no shadow, no noise, no tired feeling, and I fall asleep again within 2-3 minutes.

First SP in 2003 winter
I could not move my body, could not speak, could not shout, and struggled a lot to wake up completely. I did feel that someone was sitting on my chest, not allowing me to get up, and someone holding my legs also tightly. I was sleeping alone in my room, although my roommates were with me in the other rooms.

Second SP in 2012 .. again in winter
Same symptoms, but now I did not feel that someone was sitting on my chest. I remember I tried to shout 'help help' and at last could actually shout 'helllllllllllllllppp'. My wife was sleeping beside me who was in deep sleep and could not hear me, but my mother heard it who was awake in the other room for some reason (early morning). I could hear her coming out of her room and switching on the light to check what happened, and then I fell asleep again like nothing happened.

Some points..
- I get mild migraine sometimes, so can relate SP to some neurological problem
- Both time I was sleeping on my back, and feel that certain nerves get pinched / or may be get oversimulated when you sleep in a certain position for a long time
- All of you work long hours sitting in a same position, like software professionals? It affects your spine and surrounding nerves (especially neck region) badly, so again some neurological problem.
- When your body is at a very high risk of too much deep sleep, may be due shortage of blood supply to the brain, then SP is your brain's natural attempt to wake you up. Its like giving electric shock so that u can wake up. During day time blood circulation is on the higher side compared to sleeping time when your body is resting, and may be for this reason SP occurs mostly when you are sleeping.
- The more spiritual you are (positive thoughts, not superstition and other things), the more you believe in science, then there are high chances that you will not experience any 'paranormal activities' during SP.
- If you get SP frequently, can you try to install a video camera (a simple webcam will do) to capture and analyze those moments?

Well these are my personal thoughts.

sp

Submitted by Brian S. (guest) on Fri, 01/06/2012 - 5:17am.

I believe that scientists attempt to rationalize or explain spiritual happenings when they have never experienced them themselves. The reason i am on this page is because I have just experienced this occurence. Like many others I have read, it happened after watching a movie. My SP had nothing to do with the movie I saw (although it was a horror movie). I felt as if I was trapped in my bed, in my sleep; I could not move, and I could not wake up eventhough I tried very hard to do so. I felt an evil presence watching me and I was dreaming that people were coming into my home to kill me. I wanted to get up to protect myself and my home, but could not move or fully awake. All i could do was pray. I recited the Lord's Prayer, a few hymns, and the name of Jesus. After which, the spirit left and I awoke, and I came to my computer to see if anyone else had ever experienced this. So here I am.
From what i have read and experienced, I conclude that while watching a movie, or looking at certain things on the net, a person's subconsciouness becomes open to spirits. I believe I will be careful what I let in from now on, and definately keep the Lord with me. God Bless.

Sleep paralysis

Submitted by Leisa (guest) on Sat, 01/07/2012 - 9:37am.

Wow, I just had to reply to your comment simply because it sounds identical to what happened to me early this morning. It always happens around 3am for me. I felt the prescence but as usual can only move my eyes around, I know I am awake because the tv was on and I can see what's on, this time I did something different I felt something unnatural and quickly closed my eyes reciting the lords prayer and saying over and over again Jesus protect me, as soon as this was done I re-opened my eyes and was able to move. All the other times this has happened I've had to wait until I was unparalyzed and it is indeed scary. I believe like you that sometimes you can open doors to let things in when you watch certain things. I did watch a horror movie as well last night. I just thought it was interesting our experiences were similar on the same night.

I have noticed that when I

Submitted by Jody (guest) on Mon, 01/09/2012 - 11:30pm.

I have noticed that when I wake up after the SP I look at the clock and it is around 5am or 5:30. My husband watches scary movies all the time and I can't get him to stop. He doesn't have SP but I do.

SP

Submitted by Serendip Visitor (guest) on Mon, 01/09/2012 - 6:17pm.

I have had similar experiences, though for me it is not after watching a scary movie. I wake up because I think I have heard something, like footsteps in my room, or the door opening. Sometimes I even think I see something moving in my room, but I have a hard time focusing and keeping my eyes on it. I always feel that what is happening is evil in nature.

I agree with the main article that this can be due to our brain miss firing in our sleep, but I do not think that can account for ALL of the experiences that everyone is having. When it happens to me, my immediate reaction is to pray and call on Jesus’ name. After doing so, the anxiety goes away, I no longer feel threatened, and I am able to go back to sleep. I am still not able to move, but I am no longer scared.

I asked my 12-year-old son if he ever had a feeling of waking up in the middle of the night and not being able to move. He said that, yes, he has had that happen to him, but no, he does not have a scary feeling. What he does is he starts moving his toes and fingers, then he can slowly move the rest of his body. This is also in line with the article…. My advice to all is to pray to Jesus when you feel scared. Whether it is your mind playing tricks on you, or an evil presence trying to mess with you in your sleep, praying can help in either case. When this happens to me again, I will first pray, then I will try wiggling my fingers and toes. If it works for my kiddo, it should help me too :)

Glad I've found an answer!

Submitted by Serendip Visitor (guest) on Fri, 01/06/2012 - 5:12am.

I've experienced these for a few years now. Used to be a few times a week but now it is rare. I had one last night though so thought I'd research and I'm glad there's a known phenomenon.

I used to get it more often if I laid on my back to sleep. Suddenly I'll be looking around me and I'll feel like I'm being weighed down. I'll be struggling with all my strength and panicking trying to wake up, feeling like I can't breathe properly. It feels like my eyes are open and I can see properly. Almost like I can see through my eyelids. Then suddenly I'll jerk awake, sometimes after hearing what sounds like something ghostly shouting at me really loud.

It occurs differently in different places. When I was at University I sometimes had a nap on the sofa while one of my housemates sat watching TV. I'll feel like I'm completely awake but completely paralysed. I'll be screaming at the top of my lungs but no sound comes out and I'll be using all my strength to try to grab my housemate to get her to wake me up but couldn't move my arm. Then suddenly I'd jerk awake in a panic. It was so weird because I could see so clearly even though I was asleep.

Last night was a new one because my girlfriend was laying next to me and leant over to kiss me. I leant over to her and was fully aware of what I was doing but suddenly just before I got to her, I jumped backwards and woke up in panic. It was so weird as I actually started moving towards her despite still being asleep and could see everything and was aware of this but then suddenly jumped.

I'm glad I can look at it rationally though... I'd hate to be sitting there actually believing it is ghosts or a strange parallel world! I have triggers including stress, bad diet and not sleeping properly. Because I worked that out I changed my lifestyle and now I very rarely get them. I got one last night because of a lapse in my behaviour as I was out late and working longer hours.

Unless the spirits know these things and only come after me when I'm stressed, tired and full of junk food? That would be convenient wouldn't it? But then again religion always is cirumstantially convenient because if it wasn't easier than rational thought, nobody would believe. The reason why people are religious is because rationality requires you to have to apply more thought to something rather than palming it off as religion or spirituality.

Sensation So Real

Submitted by Deep Dreamer (guest) on Thu, 01/05/2012 - 3:17pm.

I just remembered another dream I had that turned into a brief SP. I was sleeping on my left side when I opened my eyes after hearing the jingle of my lover's belt buckle as he was removing his jeans. My back was facing him. I smiled w/ anticipation thinking he must have come home early from work. Sometimes my man would come home mid-day & snuggle up to me. We would cuddle while having light conversation until we both fell asleep. But this time the jingling continued for too long, so I turned around, but my mate was not there! I jumped out of bed & peeked out the window to look for his car...no car. I searched all through the house, but couldn't find him. I returned to bed knowing I heard his jingling buckle & was disappointed that we would not be spooning. To comfort myself I took a deep breath & was suddenly on my back paralyzed. A bit of my hair was in my eyes, but I couldn't raise my hand to brush the hair away from my face. I could see the digital clock, but couldn't focus on the time because the numbers were unstable (jittering very quickly like butterfly wings). Not only were the numbers dancing/shaking, but my head was jerking as if I was having a seizure. This went on for 15 seconds until I snapped out of it gasping for air. Once my breathing retuned to normal I re-positioned myself in bed then clearly heard my boyfriend call my name. The sound startled me & I panicked thinking something bad happened to him. I immediately phoned him at work. I asked was everything OK & he asked why. I didn't share what just happened, but he assured me he was fine. I convinced myself I must have been dreaming when I heard the jingling, then woke up when I turned around to see him, but he was never there to see.

I've experienced vivid SP

Submitted by Deep Dreamer (guest) on Tue, 01/03/2012 - 5:47pm.

I've experienced vivid SP nightmares since childhood. My most recent episode involved me sleeping on my tummy when I suddenly realized my body was stiff as a board. I was also aware of a small dark presence at the foot of my bed. Slowly the shadowy threat approached me then quickly raced to the left side of my face. I told myself to remain calm & looked closely at the figure. It was a black fuzzy puppet. It tickled my cheek & I giggled (I think it laughed, too). I think because I conviced myself to be brave the threatening "vision" transformed into something less horrific. From my on-stomach position I could look back to see the entire back of my body. In a "waking state" I would not be able to do this. A rectangular "scanner" the size of a dust pan magically appeared & begin scanning the back of my body from my feet to my head. It seemed to be searching & removing something. The vacuum like pressure was similar to a tranquil massage & I could see a white light slowly pulsing as it scanned me. Most of my SP's are terrifying. I often have complete body paralysis, see a shadowy monster & sometimes feel intense physical pressure in my ribs, breast or a knee cap. The pain is so excruciating I want to cry & I occasionaly hurt for a few seconds after I awake. Sometimes the spook speaks to me. The message is often garbled or in a strange language. Other times I can hear other people talking, but I can't see them. The "fuzzy puppet phantom" was the 1st SP I had that was initially frightening then soothing. I've noticed in the last few days after that SP I am calmer, my concentration is clearer & I'm physically stronger.

What I've discovered during these SP's is I can always detect the room is "not mine". Try focusing on certain things in the "dream room". There will always be some small detail that is different in the sleep scene compared to reality. The door knob will look different; the carpet has changed; the window is smaller or larger or on another wall...something will be off. Once you become more lucid in your SP state you can begin to calm yourself & take control of the dream terror. Tell the creepy spector you know it is just a projection of your inner fear/anxiety. Let it know you are not afraid & that you are aware it will not harm/kill you. Also humming any tune will create a peaceful vibration that will eventually break the spell of the SP.

I believe SP nightmares are manifestations of constant worry/distress. The mind & body try to relax & rejuvenate during sleep. But when you are focused on "waking issues" the mind & body disconnect as you move from one dream stage to the next or when you attempt to wake up. These hallucinagenic disconnects can occur during hypnagogic sleep (falling asleep). You may hear loud bangs, ringing, a voice calling your name or feel you are falling or flying as your mind & body try to relax & re-link. Or you may experience other types of audio/visual hallucinations during hypnapomic sleep (waking from a dream). Your mind & body are always making an effort to adjust or keep in sync while sleeping or awake.

Its starting again

Submitted by Serendip Visitor_ Aaron (guest) on Mon, 01/02/2012 - 10:30pm.

I thought it stopped, but this sleep paralysis happened to me this morning. I woke up ay like 6:00a.m. and for some very odd reason, I can tell that if I try to go back to sleep, I know that when I wake back up, I'm not gonna be able to move. Still, I fell asleep anyway and when I woke up later, sure enough, I was paralyzed. I was trying so hiard to move but I couldn't. I was lying on back and my eyes were darting all around the room. About 5 seconds later, I was able to move again. It was strange because when I regained movement, it felt as if my eyes were just opening, but during my paralysis, my eyes have already been open the whole time. It's like during my paralysis I was seeing through my eyelids. Hard to explain. If my eyes were closed during my paralysis, how was I able to look around my room?

Help for SP

Submitted by Serendip Visitor (guest) on Wed, 01/04/2012 - 5:14am.

I'm a very experienced victim of SP. I noticed it happens on those nights where i feel vibes in the room...as if I'm not alone. Is this the demonic spirit waiting on me to fall asleep? On nights like this I simply just stay up and use FB and Twitter to keep me awake. Tonight is one of those nights obviously. Haven't experienced SP in about 2 weeks. i feel this works pretty well considering i use to Get it 2-3 times a week. On nights where i have to sleep i put my ipod in my ear and eye covers on my eyes. Can't hear shit n can't see shit. No terrors :)

sleep paralysis

Submitted by Diana Dillon (guest) on Mon, 01/02/2012 - 1:37am.

Have been getting sleep paralysis on and off most of my life ,always hear people calling my name , knocking on the door , having a conversation that I can't quite make out or sometimes just feel like someone is in my house or room . Always a scary experience but discovered somewhere along the way that when I recognise what is happening in my dream if I make myself calm down and go back to sleep (in my dream) then wake myself up I can get out of it . Would like to know if anyone else wakes up with sore muscles from the struggle ? Havn't seen it mentioned anywhere and I used to experience this when I struggled internally to break free (to no avail) .

Yes, the last SP I had left

Submitted by Deep Dreamer (guest) on Tue, 01/03/2012 - 6:12pm.

Yes, the last SP I had left me with intense neck pain. I believe the soreness is due to constricted blood flow caused by an awkward sleep position. During sleep you are unaware of your true body position. Yet the uncomfortable body posture is somehow manifetated in your dream state as a struggle. The initial dream struggle is actually you trying to conquer your waking anxieties/fears. The battle/struggle is intensified by your twisted body pose while sleeping.

reply

Submitted by Serendip Visitor (guest) on Tue, 01/03/2012 - 1:11am.

yes i feel sore in my neck from trying to get up and make myself wake up for real i'm 31 and this been going on all my life at least 3 times a week going to talk to my doctor about this to see if its some meds for this disorder

i believe its stress, try

Submitted by Serendip Visitor (guest) on Tue, 01/17/2012 - 10:32am.

i believe its stress, try takeing or doin meditation to rid stress from ur body ( stress is the cause to most illnesses and diseases if not all of them) please try for urself it wil not only work but ul be freeing urself and feelin good

sleep paralysis

Submitted by Serendip Visitor (guest) on Sun, 01/01/2012 - 11:22pm.

well im a teen and i have most everyday not even at night diring the day like when i went too sleep on the cheer and i couldnt move i tired to screen help but they could hear me but im used to it but the crazy thang is when i was little like 9 or 10 i saw my self sleeping like i was die or something looking down at my body then i just woke up what is happening

No night terrors

Submitted by Serendip Visitor (guest) on Sun, 01/01/2012 - 11:19am.

I have experienced sleep paralysis but never had an experience short of trying to wake myself up. I unlike many others I have read do not have a deep religious background and actually hold a scientific degree. My thoughts are your brain tries to explain what is going on by filling it with its background. Since I do not believe in the supernatural my brain does believe that as an option and therefore does not dream it. Not sure this is relevant but often I am able to detect dreams and then take control of them. Next time I have a an episode I will see if I can make myself believe there is a spirit present, that is if I remember while I am panicked I am paralyzed.

I am also from a non

Submitted by Diana Dillon (guest) on Sat, 01/07/2012 - 5:31am.

I am also from a non religious background and don't see demons but iI do always hear voices in this state and get afraid that since i'm paralised anyone could do anything to me without being able to put up a fight . I am starting to wonder if this dream state manifests a persons worst fears since some see spiders are they afraid of spiders in waking life ?

sleep paralysis

Submitted by mia (guest) on Mon, 01/02/2012 - 4:41pm.

When I went thru these episodes many years ago...and although I hold various scientific qualifications....I didn't actually see hear or think of the supernatural....I could feel the weight on me and could feel something real and tangible...I was puzzled and scared as to why I couldn't move or shout...its only years later that I understood and read about the various religious perspective on the whole thing...and it made more sense.....science can and does have a theory on everything...if it doesn't...it will find one that fits....I am of a scientific mind but as I get older it is so so clear that there are things that science cannot explain and that are yet to be discovered or yet to become credible.....it was the scientists and the like of old that insisted the earth was flat!!...until proved wrong.

lucid dreaming can relate

Submitted by Mohammad (guest) on Sun, 01/01/2012 - 4:38am.

I experience sleep paralysis on occasion but it is never terrifying anymore. I had also been trying to lucid dream for quite some time ane I understand how REM sleep and NREM differ greatly but I have found that sleeping for shorter periods of time will make someone more inclined to remain in REM sleep; essential for Lucid Dreaming. Thus, waking up during the REM sleep period in sleep paralysis still provides my brain with all my strong physical impulses I was, in a way, already consciencetly experienxing inside my dream. I also wear glasses so I try to rely on my ears and sense of touch more than my eyes sometimes so visual stimuli don't really affect my perception of my sleep paralysis experience. I also find I can break from the sleep paralysis, but return to sleep shortly after but in REM sleep. It could be that REM sleep and NREM sleep cycles durations may change in some people for whatever reason (most commonly seen as stress on this page) and seem akin to other sleep adjustment issues like jet lag or even mattress firmness. There are people getting a sound night's sleep and our sleep paralysis and discomfort may just be our brains averting to a flight or fight responce to emphasize the issue though we may not want it to (like how allergies are the cause of our own immune system). Our body is designed to keep itself alive but we must make a conscience effort to respond to its message and try different practical solutions to nail sleep paralysis so we can finally get some sleep!

hallucination or real?

Submitted by aime (guest) on Sat, 12/31/2011 - 10:21pm.

The world is a mystry.. so our beings are also...How do you explain the earth gravitating and how our mind works... no one exept the creator knows. I have been experiencing these "sleep paralysis" for many years. It is scary to sleep alone.. I would wake up suddenly from a sleep.. i can see the room but I cant move.. my eyes are moving because I am looking around. I can see the foot of my bed and my own feet. The scary part of the paralysis or what ever it is, is when I feel a presence in the room with me.. Most of the time when I get it I dont see them... but I can hear them closeby.. I feel the matress go down. a month ago, I felt my hand being lifted and a hand grasping my hand and squeazed it. I like to believe that experience was my mother, she passed away a year ago. I did see these beings in my room four different ocassion. One was a small lady with white clothiing and a hat.. she looked up and i woke myself out of it because I did not want to see her face... the others are merely dark clothing beings...with or without capes and hat..I saw on standing on my bed.. i only saw her fro the knees down...my deceased mother and 2 daughters have it too. I am scared because i believe my sister inlaw died from it. the night before she died she was having a nightmare... and my nephew did not wake her.. she died the next morning.....scary stuff!!!

sleep paralysis

Submitted by Serendip Visitor (guest) on Fri, 12/30/2011 - 5:27am.

Hi, this has happened to me twice many years ago...I was sleeping next to my cousins when I woke and opened my eyes, I felt weird...then I felt a weight on my chest, I couldn't move...I felt this weight push me down into the bed and then slowly move down onto my abdomen area...I could feel my back being pushed into the mattress with the weight...I turned to my cousin who was next to me and tried screaming and shouting but nothing came out of my mouth...I tried and exhausted myself...couldn't move or nothing...I know I was awake...and terrified....
I follow Islam and I definitely know and believe it is the jinns...we have read and learnt about this in the quran...and is common knowledge that these beings exist on earth and are made of fire...we cannot see them usually but they reside side by side with us...there are good and bad jinns as in humans, the evil ones often visit and even possess humans, they can fall in love with humans and even have sex with us...other cultures also report on this...read up on incubus, incubi.....we have for centuries...ppl who exorcise these jinns from ppl with prayers...or we can protect ourselves with prayers and incantations...these jinns eat sleep have children just like us...but problems happen when the dark evil ones become obsessed by us and cause havoc and even some mental illnesses.

I'm just wondering if anyone

Submitted by Serendip Visitor (guest) on Fri, 12/30/2011 - 2:32am.

I'm just wondering if anyone else had a similar experience.
I was asleep, dreaming about my father, and my sister watching a movie (or playing a video game, can't quite remember). We were in a rickety house, and I could see myself standing in the background. I looked up at a clock, and realized the setting was very similar to most of my nightmares.
Then, I realized I was asleep. An odd, orange cat usually stalks me in my nightmares, and so I thought, "I hope that cat doesn't show up."
All of a sudden, It felt as if I was caught between to worlds. My vision was split in half, and I could see myself, lying on my bed, paralyzed. My lips were open, my eyes barely open, and my hands shaking. A soft hum came out of my mouth. That was the "real" world. What I find weird about this, is that I could see myself.
In my "dream" world, I saw myself, standing, paralyzed, my hands curled into fists. I was screaming my heart out, trying to shatter the strong layer of darkness I felt surrounding me. It felt like an out of body experience, and I wasn't one to believe in things like that until this occurred.
After a while, I broke free, and my joints felt stiff, and I was completely mentally exhausted. I had been having a hard time falling asleep, and 30 min after I had finally fallen asleep, I woke up to being exhausted again. I still had to go to school. I was terrified to go back to sleep, and ended up going to school on 30 min of sleep.
So, my questions are:
1) Did you guys know you were dreaming, and snap out of it to just end up in SP?
2) Did you experience the same "out-of-body" feeling I did?
3) How do you all snap out of it?

I've snapped out of dreams to

Submitted by Golebraki (guest) on Sat, 03/31/2012 - 3:08am.

I've snapped out of dreams to end up into SP but I don' think I was lucid dreaming. And I've snapped out of SP only to end up in an even more intense SP. That only happened once but it was the worse because I snapped out of it at least 2-3 times just to land right back into an SP with a stronger feeling that something was sucking my body out of bed.

I've never had an out of body experience but one time it felt like my soul rotated to a different degree then my body was in. Very strange.

I have never figured out how to snap out of it but I just wanted to mention that my second to last episode wasn't that scary. Actually it felt kind of pleasant. I woke up unable to move or speak and thought I heard my friend come over and that my roommate was speaking to her. I really wanted to go up and say hi but I couldn't. Then my bedroom door opened and a hand reached out as if trying to help me out of bed. That's when I snapped out of SP only to be disappointed that no one was home.

I'm wondering if the not so scary SP experience was due to the fact that I was happy and excited my friend was over? Not in a state of panic like all my other episodes.

OUT OF BODY

Submitted by AIME (guest) on Mon, 01/02/2012 - 11:18pm.

Couple nights ago, I had experienced my spirity roaming around the house after dosing off to sleep. I never sleep alone because I am afraid.My hubby works graveyard shift and I end up staying with one of my daughters room. I felt leaving my daughter's room and walking around.. i saw my other daughter and her friend in the living room watching TV.. I heard a popping noise and I turned around and walked around somemore... Everything in the room looked so clear...even in the dark... I went back to my daughter's room and saw her there.. As soon as i layed down...I woke up to I guess reality???...My daughter who was watching TV in the other room was knocking.. because the door was not opening... the doorknob was stuck....creepy....I had seen also myself looking down at my body while my spirit was on the ceiling...

Re: Wondering

Submitted by Serendip Visitor (guest) on Sun, 01/01/2012 - 12:03pm.

I have never had an OBE as you had but I often realize I am dreaming. Sometimes I take control of my dream then quickly wake up, on occasion I "wake up" only to find I'm still asleep in a dream that basically is me in my bed at home. Once I realize this too is a dream I basically just wait until that dream is over. To snap myself out of SP I focus on breathing and wiggling my toes and fingers. The mental exhaustion is the worst because you are afraid you will fall right back to sleep into another SP.

Sleep Paralysis

Submitted by Anthony Ray (guest) on Thu, 12/29/2011 - 11:11pm.

I've Had this once and there was no evil presence, well kind of. So i was having a dream, and there's a cave. I walk into it. There's a nice family in it. and then the child comes over and says something about a dream machine, about going into other or your dreams (?) So he forces me inside. There's just flashing lights, and then the child turns different colors, and has a evil voice and it's like he's speaking in some sort of a weird language (demonic tongue?) wake up. cant move. cant breath. after 3 minutes i'm fine but terrified, anybody got any idea what the hell happened?

sleep apnea/ SP

Submitted by michelle petersen (guest) on Mon, 01/02/2012 - 6:36am.

honestly i dont know what it means. ive had this occur for many years now. not quite so often but enough to where i beg for it not to happen. ive been terrified to go to sleep on account it would happen again. when it happens to me im in the middle of just caught in between of sleeping and still aware of my surroundings, and it would just hit me. ive never had an out of body experience or my eyes open. when it happens my eyes ar closed and i cant talk, or move a finger, toes ... nothing. and its the most scarest feeling in the world and when it does happen im strugglen like crazy to get out of it. it lasts for a minute or 2.. but in that case for people such as ourselves 1 minute alone is a long time to feel this... "thing" happen. the last time it happened was a little ove a week ago, except for this time i couldnt breath.. in or out, and i clearly heard my husband ask if i was ok and with every fiber in my being i tried so hard to say no and couldnt, when i came to.. my husband was asleep. and i woke up crying like crazy. because my worst fear of death is not being able to breath and that lasted for what seemed like forever, and i couldnt go back to sleep. everytime this occurs and i wake up i cant go back to sleep and all i do is get on my labtop and google like crazy. to this day im scared of falling asleep in fear of going through this " thing" and terrified of not being able to breath. i dont know why they gave this a scientific explanation.. cause why does 90% comment feeling like theres someone present in the room. if it was a loved one they wouldnt do something like that to us.. which only leave the scarey part.. something everyone talks about.. a dark present feeling. ive never seen anything but im hallucinating.. hearing things while im going through it.. when no one is awake when i come to. i hope yours gets better... if you would like to talk at all about it im for it. its hard to talk to people about something they've never experienced, but i feel talking to someone who does understand makes me feel better cause they know what its like to go through it. good luck with everything and god bless!!

I hate this.

Submitted by Serendip Visitor (guest) on Thu, 12/29/2011 - 9:04am.

I had SP again this morning for the first time in months, I took my husband to work and came home to get an hour more of sleep before I had to go into work (it only seems to happen after I am awake and then go back to sleep) I was laying on my back when it happened and I heard my daughter calling me but I couldnt move nor speak back, I knew she was at her grandmothers so I just kept telling myself she isnt here, she isnt here, then i kept trying to open my eyes and I finally did, but I felt like I couldnt stay awake for long and feel right back asleep, going right back into SP, this time I kept hearing my dogs chain walking around my bed, I dont know if my eyes were open or closed but i saw my dog lay down next to me after awhile of constant chains everywhere ( a very blury vision i might add). I eventually forced myself to awake again, and the same thing happened it was like i was forced to fall back asleep again this time i was laying on my side (usually when im onmy side it doesnt happen but not this time), this time it was like a dream I saw a random truck pull up with a random guy and he looked over and he said to me Jesus is with you, and he drove away, I continuously keep saying to myself Jesus is with me, Jesus is with me, and I awoke. Weird stuff, scary too, It never fails that the evil precense is around me when i am in this state. Im not sure if I believe that it is scientific.

I thought I was going crazy

Submitted by nellsiegirl (guest) on Thu, 12/29/2011 - 8:12am.

I am so glad I found this page. I had my first experience of SP when I was about 10 years old but only now have realised what it was. My 2nd experience was only a few months ago (31 years later).... I woke up and couldn't move at all... I thought something was on my bed, like a cat at the end of the bed trying to get comfortable. I was scared as I don't have a cat and for the fact that I couldn't move. This only lasted about a minute and then I could move. I sat up and looked around and then just thought I was dreaming so went back to sleep only for it to happen again. the exact thing. A feeling like a cat on the end of my bed and I couldn't move yet again...This time it seemed to last longer and at first I was scared and then I calmed myself and told myself it's a spirit watching over me(I am a spiritual person) That seemed to help me calm down until I could move again. I actually posted this on a psychics web page trying to find out if anyone else had experienced it.

A month or so later I woke up and rolled over to cuddle up to my partner. I was laying on my side snuggled in and realised I couldn't move. I was awake but couldn't move... I was petrified!!!! I had horrible thoughts going through my head.. I remember I was thinking I felt like one of 'Freddy Cruegers' victims in the movie where he kills them in their sleep while they are dreaming....... I was screaming in my mind and trying to move to get my partner to wake me up before I was killed.. It was one of the most terrifying experiences I think I have had. When I finally could move I opened my eyes and was sobbering from fear... My partner had no idea what I had just gone through. I felt like I was going crazy. How on earth could I be paralysed....

Yesterday it happened again. I had fallen asleep on the lounge and my partner was across from me. I woke up and rolled over and closed my eyes again. I realised straight after I rolled over that I couldn't move. I was trying to turn my head to call out to my partner but I couldn't move. I was trying to yell but I couldn't get any words to come out. I was scared and getting into a panic and didn't know what to do.....
It is terrifying when it happens.... Not being able to move, scream or get help from someone you KNOW is right there beside you is a horrible horrible feeling. Knowing you are awake while this is happening is even scarier!!
.
I also suffer from migraines which can last up to 7 days and am now wondering if they are connected in any way ..

i have the same problem too :c

Submitted by anne (guest) on Tue, 12/27/2011 - 12:41pm.

it is good to find out that what i'd experienced since my childhood years is related to science..im a college student,taking pure science,not that i don't believe in science and all the research.well, i just woke up from sleep paralysed 20 minutes ago,and i must say this day is the worst SP i've had.it is very tiring,it's very hard to fight,i tried to scream out my roomate's name,but i guess she can''t hear me..im a catholic,in my SP period just now i've been chased by a group of murderers,with knife on their hand,their faces are demonic,this SHIT is fucking scary! and their run very fast too! and then i started to pray Lord's prayer 'Our father' ..and usually this prayers work,and i will slowly wake up,but this time the people who are chasing me say something to me 'do u think we doesn't know to say prayers?hahahha' then,they started to say the same prayer as what i pray.i felt scary and felt like dying,'how am i gonna make them dissapear them if 'they' reciting the prayer that i used to scared them..then i repeatedly scream 'Jesus' at the top of my unheard voice.and i woke up..i cried,not because i was scared,ii am extremely tired and hve no power left to fight anymore.HOW AM I GONNA LIVE WITH THIS ?my mother hve the same problem too,the research stated that it is an hereditary disease,now i know.and there's one more experience of SP,during my first week in college,evryone felt tired cuz it's the orientation week,and ive been having SP very often throughout that first week ,so when my friends and i was resting at our dorm's room at one noon,i told them about what i experienced the night before,about my SP problems n blah3..and on that same day at night time,a black tall figure appear beside my bed and scream in a deep voice 'why did u tell ur friend!' ,then my SP start immediately after that scary shit thing dissapeared,it's like a punishment of telling people of what 'they' hve done to me.i don't know what to feel or thing about SP,i don't know what to believe,but all i can do is pray and accept that i hve to live with this.

Dreams

Submitted by UseFaith (guest) on Sun, 01/08/2012 - 11:19am.

This happens to me but do not be discouraged. Look to God for help, when I was sinning I had this with seeing many scary things but when I got my life right I do not see things anymore. I just can't move, I believe that it happens most of the time when I allow different people in my house. People can bring spirits in your personal space. You have to try to notice a pattern. Read God's especially, 12For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Ephesians 6:12 KJV). I have accepted the fact that I am a dreamer and God gives me dreams and the devils tries to attack me in my dreams. I have to make sure I am in the word of God, praying, and worshipping God daily.

Just woke up from one of

Submitted by Daniel (guest) on Mon, 12/26/2011 - 3:50am.

Just woke up from one of these sleep paralysis. Scared to death. The first time I had one I did see a figure on my chest. Very demon looking.
Having that "thing" look at you in the face while you cant move puts a chill in you. Didnt wanna sleep for days.
But this second time I didnt see anything but I was hearing things.
Saying they are doing this to you and they have complete control.
I have no idea who "they" is but it was scary and I'm just sitting here trying to figure it out.

i want sleep paralysis out of my life.

Submitted by Rather Not Say (guest) on Tue, 12/27/2011 - 8:39am.

Ive been experiencing what people call sleep paralysis pretty much my whple life. I agree with the previous comments that if this is what science says it is y do i only see bad things. If I'm still dreaming do to the disorder y isn't it ever good things i see? Im at the point where i don't sleep most nights do to the fact that i need someone to watch me while i sleep. I get drunk most nights so that if it does happen i won't realize it or remember it. Im very lucky on nights when I'm sober and don't experience it. I've tried every sleeping position invented and it changes nothing. I was sleeping very well a minute ago without
problems. It was the footsteps itself i always hear dat woke me up into this terrofying paralyzation. I do believe some things that happen during this stage are hilutanations, do to the fact wat i saw to be a person gripping on to my arm with 2 hands was nothing more then a extra cover thrown on me(but i swear i felt the hands holding on to me). I find the experience to be a lot less scary wjen i just close my eyes during it. When i have noone to watch me sleep i sleep with the cover over my head so when it happens i only hear things and don't have to see anything. Im tired and don't get much sleep. Are there any suggestions someone can give me to help me out? I just wanna be able to sleep like a normal human.

I have been expercing sp for

Submitted by susan stevenson (guest) on Sun, 12/25/2011 - 9:15pm.

I have been expercing sp for nearly 11 years now ! It can happen 2 or 3 times a week or once every few months its a very frightening expercinc i dont really know the cause but it first happened after my husband left me ; one time i do remember was trying 2 wake up and as i tried i could not move a muscle or open an eye during this i heard my daughter jump out of bed and run across the landing 2 my room i could feel her breath on me as she stood by my bed as i tried 2 wake! then i heard a zip bein undone but i knew i had a duvet over me not a sleepin bag i got really scared it took a lot of my power 2 move but i did and as i looked round 2 see my daughter no1 was there! i walked 2 her room and she was in bed fast asleep! iv heard a lot of things when this happens IE a loud fuzzy noise with ppl talkin in background plus iv heard some1 walk into my room footsteps and no1 in the house but me . i sometimes hear som1 jump onto the bed i feel it move about like som1 is on the bed like a child jump on it . this is so frightening sometimes it occures more if i take a nap during the day or if i wake in early hours and fall bk 2 sleep i also think it occures more if i sleep on my bk . iv never felt any1 on my chest or that i cant breath. all i know is i have 2 use all my power 2 wake coz if i dont i might never wake again. i believe this is spirt world contact and i really need 2 know how 2 close down be4 i sleep as they have more power when im sleeping than awake maybe they want 2 give me a message from the other side but i fight it by trying 2 wake. this is scary shit i hate it !!!!!!

Remote Ready Biology Learning Activities

Scanning electron microscope image of SARS-CoV-2

Remote Ready Biology Learning Activities has 50 remote-ready activities, which work for either your classroom or remote teaching.

About Student Papers

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.

Narrative is determined not by a desire to narrate but by a desire to exchange. (Roland Barthes, S/Z)

What's New? Subscribe to Serendip Studio

A Random Walk

New Topics

Plant Growth Puzzle – Photosynthesis, Biosynthesis and Cellular Respiration

4 weeks 10 hours ago
Download Minds-On Activities for Teaching Biology

4 weeks 3 days ago
Cellular Respiration and Photosynthesis – Important Concepts, Common Misconceptions, and Learning Activities

4 weeks 3 days ago
Negative Feedback, Homeostasis, and Positive Feedback, with Breathing Experiment

4 weeks 4 days ago
Minds-on Activities for Teaching Biology

4 weeks 4 days ago