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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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Comments
Same thing
Iv had this too as long as I could remember I would wake up but couldn't control myself but it was weird because sometimes I would get up and it was like I wasn't in control and I would look around unable even say anything and a bunch of things that where not even there would be there and walls would always seem huge and I would see things on them. And the worst thing as stupid as it sounds I would see a needle going into me but I would see it in third person point of view and then I would wake up crying but sometimes it would be so late that I just cried myself to sleep noiselessly. One of the worst times it happened to me was when I was little and lived in my aunts basement and I would see the scariest things. It hasn't happened lately though last was about 2 years ago but I feel it may happen again soon.
I thought i was CRAZY!
Now, i read this, and i was lost for words, because it described all that i had been trying to say for years...
Not many people could say that they know what i was talking about, and it kinda made me worry that i was crazy!
But now i know that i'm not... not at least where this is concerned...
I am writing this because i was scared for a long time, but this helped me to better deal with what had been happening.
At a time it was so bad, i did not want to sleep, and for days went without sleeping, because i was scared that i'd not be able to get out of it... Sometimes after it happens once, i'd fall back asleep, and within what feels like 15 mins, it would happen again... Last year it was the worst, but this year so far, it has not been as bad.
I am so happy i was able to read this.
-Rehanna
sp
i have had this exprience too only i first dremped of it. i had dreams well i felt like my body was being taking over by something evile. sometimes the evile spirt or something would drag me in the dream. sometimes it would supres my breathing. anyways thiers was one dream where the evil sprit was pushing my head down against the flour and also suficating me in that dream im fighting the evile thing , i try to take my hand and claw at its fingers, the fingers that are pushing my head with intence force aginst the ground anyways i end up waking up form the dream and as i wake up i fill my hand ontop of my head in the same position of atak aginst the spirits hand in the dream. lately i've been experiensing this state of awaking from a dream . i wake up then in the real world im no longer dream only this time i cant move. i fill a presure holding my hands down. i cant even scream thoughe im screaming. wait let me refrace that im screaming but its like a scream in the inside that i wont come out its out but no one in the room can here it . i know cuz i use to sleep in my mom room from being so scared and i would see my mom asleep while in this state and as i scream she wouldnt wake up. it was only me by myself batlling to get out of this state.i would escaped only when i screamd gods or jesus name. even in my dreams i only escaped the evile sprit only after screaming gods name constenly. it was like god is the only one that could wake me from that state in reality and in the dream. its quite scary because both in the dream and when i wake i fill like i cant breath. this seems like the closest explantion to what im dealing with excluding the dream parts. cuz i truly can not move when this happens and i cant speek,my eyes are open and i still feel the presense of evile sometimes. it creeps me out and sometimes im afraid to sleep. funny thing is it happens when im really tired. i try to go to sleep when im not really tired anymore. it helped some but still not enough. this sounds like a bunch of misspelled crap sorry. i think thiers more to it then science but oh well. oh one thing i notice is people see a dark man when they go through this. ive never seen that. but i remmebr one time this happened to me and i could fill the presence of something my body started shakeing really bad from how scared i was. i also have cried in real from a dream i was haveing this have hapeen to me like 4 times that i can remember in my life by the way im 18.though um i havent had the other stuff i mention earlyer hapen to me till now this year. sorry for how long it is
I get this quite often
the past few months I've had this exact issue, but i didn't really think much of it. i just thought it was something to do with the fact that i hadn't slept for 24 hours(i stay up late playing video games or watching tv) many of you have said that you would try shifting but were unsuccessful, but i may have a solution to that. from experience, i find sleeping close to the very edge of my bed helps a lot, because as long as i shift one my legs even an inch off my bed, it would break the paralysis. i even went as far as making sure i could fall off my bed, and that helped a lot. it seems any really sudden movements can break the paralysis but its impossible to do so if you can't move more than a few inches. I'm not sure if my solution is healthy or not, but its just what I've found to help my situation.
sp
I have realized that my sp isn't as bad as some peoples are but it happened to me 4 times while I was sleeping. The last time was the worst because I was laying on my back and I knew that my papaw was on the couch with me and that he wasn't talking to me but I heard a man's voice say that he was going to kill me and that I couldn't run and then he started to laugh but I woke up crying. I have never heard or felt anything like that before so I think it is getting worse. I also think that I might have inherited this from my dad because I was explaining this to him when I got home and he says that he has has the same thing happen to him.
I guess have a diesease
Hey, dis is being hapening to me for many years now, I am 25 and from when i am in my senses i know this keeps happening. I tend to wake up at night in my sleep and find myself on some corner of the bed only to realise that when my sister lets me know and wakes me up, but when i sleep alone ders no one to let me know what happened that night, along with this i even get up in my sleep screamig and yelling that snakes or some other creepy creatures are next to me and when my sister wakes me up i realise that it was jus a bad dream may be. But what worries me more is dat why is it happenning so often atleast once a week and its getting on my nerves now. Plese help me or let me know who can i go for help. Thanks
Mind alert, body paralzed
I Just turned 23 four days ago. I have had the same problem with sleep "episodes" which in this blog is reffered to as "Sleep Paralysis". I was wondering if maybe drug use has anything to do with the "episodes". My mom and are believe in spirits and energy, when she was alive, and we had many many weird things happen to us in my family home. My nanny saw a tall sknny man sitting on the bed while my mom and I slept. This is crazy because my uncle who had not said a word to my nanny described the same man. We did research and learned an old women died in the house, but that didn't fit the reason or the story. We remodled the basement and found a huge blood stain on the cement in the basement. We did some research and discovered a construction worker had died in the basement. My Mom and Uncle reported many weird happenings over their life time. Phones ringing and a nosy sound coming through from a weird number that was out of service when dialed back, blinds opening, i saw this; lights turning off, footsteps, dogs barking at dark cornors, sleep paralysis, amoung more. Many ppl, strangers, friends who knew nothing (swear on my moms grave) of this situation who would walk in the basement and just say "We are not alone in here" I have pictures my mother took of drawlings I used to do when I was 4 drawling ghost, writing "nice ghost". I could send it if you care. My mother and uncle agreed that the sleep episodes and other incidents began happening when they became sexually active. Thats when I began having my episodes. I always feel like the man wants to rape me. I know this sounds crazy but as a 15 16 year old girl I would not choose to sleep with my mom if I didn't feel in danger. When I was younger I would have the same dream when it was about to happen. I'd be walking up a spiral stone, stone wall staircase. I would come to, realize i was awake and be stuck in my dream and unable to move, scream, shed a tear, my breathing wasn't too bad. When I was 16 my mother was killed. I moved to another state to live with an abusive father who I was a year later taken from by the state. The first week I moved there, the second week after my mother was killed, I kept speaking to the sky talking to my mother. I just kept saying "I cant feel you, where are you, I feel empty. I have no one else on this earth besides you." that night I had an episode while dreaming of my mother. Paralyzed. I was so scared that i got into my fathers bed, big deal since my nanny claimed he raped me as a child and I watched him use drugs and beat women and cheat my whole life,"I own you, you are my posessions" he would say. I heard my mother yell my name. It was distinct, not real but even in my mind it was clear. The next day I didn't feel empty, i stopped crying. I knew from that moment on that the only way my mom could/ knew how to make me realize she was there was to come to me during my sleep. The night before my father beat me I spoke to the sky, to her again; "mom please help me get back to Atlanta, I just want to be happy i know I needed to escape but I'm ready to face my demons." I begged. The next night my father beat me and my neighbor who went to my school whom I ran to her house and lunged myslef in without knocking went to the school the next day and when I didn't show, she told them I may be in danger. I did the right thing and told the truth. I really believe that these sleep episodes are spirits or energies. Energy cannot be created nor destroyed, all humans have energy. It must go somewhere when you are killed. Expecially unexpectantly. The construction worker, mom mothers death, both unexpected and sudden, and immediate. Maybe it's this state of mind that allows spirits to communicate to you. But I must ask to anyone caring enough to respond and waste their time, when I was 13-14 I began usuing crack, speed, coke, weed, painkillers, but was very addictded to crack. I don't even relate to the kimd of person I was at that moment in my life but I own it. I still have an addictive personality and thanks to the government and other countries and my poor judgement I'm dependent on opiates (I have a script to suboxine and am getting clean) but i recently had another episode and I know believe it's possible that drugs any of the drugs listed might cause the sleep episode. Does anyone have advice or information about the correlation to these episodes and drugs? (This story sounds horrible, I'm a happy person who apperciates life and loves with all my heart. I have a full time job waiting tables through college. One year until I have a poly sci degree then off to law school. I have a scholorship and lots of hope for the future) Please don't judge or get the wrong idea. I just wish I knew what in my life could be causing this. Thanks for listening to my story who ever you are.
In addition: I spoke to median and the first and only things she said to me were. "You have a short, round women standing next to you. She is speaking fast and frantic, she keeps repeating that shes okay, and that shes sorry for scaring you with lights and in your sleep." This women went on to tell me it was my mother and explained to me what my mom was doing while when she was killed. She also said their was a shorter older women there which was my grandmother who commited suiside by learning she had cancer and not telling the family and letting it kill her. She didn't even speak to my grandfather about her condition. This just makes me believe more that it's spirits and not drugs. But I would appreciate any advice or assumptions anyone is willing to give me. With me being so involved I know there must be certain aspects that I am not looking at. When I was living with my father and my mother came to me it was during a time when I was taking X a lot (to feel happy) ...drugs have always been my way to escape pain in my life but I realze that and am trying to find better ways to cope. All incidents while sleeping was during a time I was using drugs.
Thanks again.
Christina Newby
Me Too
I think your post is really interesting because of what you said about how you can be in a certain state of mind when this happens such as taking drugs ect. I think it's interesting because I believe it's true. I mess with painkillers myself from time to time, but from what I have read in other posts there are a few things a person can do to keep it from happening, all of which I did tonight, not realizing what the repercussions would be.. It's 10 hours after I last ate right now and I am still full of chili dogs, normally I wouldn't mention it but one thread says do not eat a lot before bed. Also it seems to happen more when you are really tired, check. And possibly drugs have an effect like you said, I may have taken an oxy or two today although that was much earlier in the day. I only say that because without realizing it, I may have have contributed to my own downfall tonight and never even realized it. I am 32 years old and I am still too afraid to go to sleep because of what happened to me 3 hours ago. You see a few months ago my mother and I decided that my grandma was going to need someone to start staying with her because we were getting worried about her advanced age. Physically she was in great shape but we still knew it was time to start looking over her more. I came over after work one night and she was apparently having a heart attack. I got her to the hospital quickly and she survived only to have another heart attack five days later and die in the hospital. We were very close. That was in March. I have been staying in her house waiting for it to sell. Awhile back I decided that I was comfortable enough to lay in her bedroom at night which is about the time that this sleeping issue went from a minor issue in my life to a major one. I assumed that the weird things that were happening might be her (my grandmother) but it didn't make sense to me because I feel like I do feel her presence, but I feel it while I'm awake and it's a good feeling. When something happens while I'm sleeping, there is nothing positive about it. It is pure evil. I feel like i'm being pinned down and someone has their hand over my face so I can't breathe while simutaneously giving me a nightmare. That is not the grandma I remember unless we buried her in Pet Cemetery. That is an evil force and I will not accept that it is mine and everyone on here's imagination or that it can be explained away by science. I know it's just a movie but on Bruce Willis' Sixth Sense, his wife never heard anything he said during the whole move until he spoke to her as she slept. In the movie, all of the spirits are aware of this. By this we can assume that the bad ones do too. It seems that when we sleep, we can hear them sometimes and sometimes very loudly. Before tonight I was trying to be logical and had never seen anything before, only felt and heard so I was okay with believing them to be really bad nightmares. When I went to sleep earlier I dozed off for a second and woke right back up when I heard a loud scream that sounded like it came from this room or very close by. It freaked me out because I am alone in the house. The thing is is this house has been doing that crap for months so I have to explain it away as a door creaking or something or I will just do what I always do and walk all over the house armed with a pellet gun looking for someone that doesn't exist. I went back to sleep. I started sleeping hard. I was/am so tired so it was a very fast deep sleep. I started to dream. It was the kind of dream that u can remember and seem to be able to participate in and make your own choices, very rare. I was with a friend who actually exists in real life, (it was the guy I got those oxy from earlier in the day) but walking in a city that I have never been to before. It was the 4th of July because I kept hearing this loud popping sound. The popping was getting louder and more rapid, and painful, very painful. I couldn't figure out why it was so painful. I was being hit in the back hard with something and I tried to run away but I can't move anymore, I can't even breathe anymore. the only thing I can do is turn my head around a little bit to see flashes of light in the dark coming from all over behind me. I am being shot with gunfire and I am dying. It's so real and I am so sad/scared. Suddenly I am in the real world again in my bed trying to open my eyes and trying to move and breathe but I can't. I open my eyes to see a large dark shadow figure at the bedroom door and then I hear that scream again. It's so hard to describe, it was like a Banshee. This time it was blood curdling. Three times as loud and twice the duration as before. I finally forced my body to move and let out a weak, scream. I watched the shadow move out into the hallway. At this point I am disoriented and am convinced that there actually was an intruder in the house, that I had somehow missed him when I had inspected the house before, and I am also quite sure that I have been shot multiple times and am dying except for one thing. I remember that I closed and locked the bedroom door during the earlier episode and I could see that the door was still closed so what the hell was that that just walked out of the room apparently through a closed door and the bookshelf I put in front of it. At this point I realize that I have not been shot. I sat up trembling staring at the door intensely trying to figure out if I just saw what I think I saw, when suddenly as if answering my question for me, for one tenth of a second it flashed right in front of me by the door and I don't really want to describe what I saw because I feel that I have exhausted all my credibility here already. I was so freaked out I could barely breathe. Honestly also felt like I must be going insane. I got on the computer to look up Banshee's only because of the screaming and I have never looked up anything about a Banshee before, ever. Ironically the first picture I pulled up was this woman I saw to a tee. All angry and just something or someone I hope to god I never see or hear again. I really think I want to go to church tomorrow. I need something. I need to be blessed maybe? The last thing u want to see is a friggin Banshee. According to what I read they are the one of the oldest known spirits in the spirit world and their presence is a warning of impending death for the person being visited. Usually not seen outside Ireland but this one seems to have made a special exception for me and I am very much an Irish-American. I'm just saying that happens to be what it looked like because it definitely was not grandma. After that I found this page which I am very grateful for because if I'm crazy, then we're all crazy together. I see the sun is finally rising here in Northern California and it just may be safe to sleep now. I can't imagine how long this is going to be because I have been sitting here for hours. It was really very theraputic because I was and still am freaked out and it killed a lot of time while waiting for the sun. I feel like I've gone back 25 years and I'm afraid of the dark again, actually I will just admit it I am now very much afraid of the dark. I wanted u to know that your not alone but in your case from what I read you might just be like a medium or something. Especially since you had others in your family with similar issues. I wish you the best and since you no longer do the things that cause things to happen while u sleep, maybe u don't have to worry about it anymore. Unless of course, you liked it when they talked to you. As for me, no more huge meals before bed. Maybe it will help. Good luck.
Not me
I thought your post was interesting. Along with the one prior to yours. I believe that both of yours might have a greater chance of happening do to the more serious drugs. Ya know the ones that keep you from sleeping for long periods of time. Even when you do finally go to sleep I don't think your consciousness is fully suppressed though. The drugs will keep your mind more awake while your body is physically exhausted. So these type of activities will probably make you more prone to these experiences. Myself I use to be a habitual pot smoker and it had the opposite affect. My mind was incapable of dreaming it seemed. Brain was pretty much turned off but my body wouldn't have to be exhausted to sleep. I haven't smoked for 2-3 months and I again have trippy lucid dreams. I like dreaming because I believe we connect to a higher consciousness in ourselves and if interpreted right they may have answers that can help us out in life. Best of luck to y'all.
last night this happened to
last night this happened to me and it is the first time anything like that has every happened to me and i am 18. I was so scared. I turned over and i saw a man walking towards me. and he was bald.. i could only see the outline of his body.. and i felt like he just jumped inside of my body and took over. I felt so cold... like my hair was blowing like there was a fan right in front of me when there wasnt a fan in the room. I couldnt say any words i could only try and i made noises.. i could move or do anything.. I truly believe there was a demon in me last night. I saw what i saw. Im not crazy
I also had this fan like
I also had this fan like feeling in my face!! It started off as a gentle breeze on my face, I rolled over to see if the window was open (which it wasn't) and within seconds the fan like feeling started again only this time it took my breath away!! I tried to pull my body away but nothing happened. It didn't stop until I felt I couldn't breath any more and my ears popped! Finally I had movement again and slammed against the wall, shows how hard I was trying to get free! My whole body ached for the next few days too. I also had the figure of a man stood beside me could see him staring at me the whole time!!
Screaming
It's only ever happened once, and it was last year. I was having trouble falling asleep that night. When I fell asleep I was dreaming that I still couldn't fall asleep. There was a voice that told me to put my feet up on a chair to help me fall asleep. I did that and I was thinking about how it wasn't working. Then I heard a terrible screaming voice like someone was in severe pain, then my eyes opened, I was awake but my body was paralyzed and I could still hear the screaming coming from behind me.
Wait so...??
Wait so does that mean you where asleep and awake at the same time if u was can u tell me how do u that I want too know REALLY bad!!!(:
To scared to sleep
I am sitting herem tired but terrified to sleep it all started a year ago basically typical symptoms of sp that made me so scared I turned my room around and made sure I didn't fall asleep on my back happened a few more times but i'd already read some forums by this time so I tryed to move my toes and it worked I came out of it once or twice just lie there till it's over and continue to a normal sleep the past 3 days have been the worse ever this time with me lying on my side I fall asleep I can remember having a bad dream about my childrens father when I woke I couldn't move couldn't even open my eyes was like they was glued shut I felt a very strong presence on the hall before you get to my room by my sons room where both my son and daughter are sharing at the moment I got a strong sense of this thing was wanting to scare the life out of me it was wanting to take my children or that's the impression and feeling I got I tryed so hard to fight it but out of exhaustion I fell back to sleep finding myself not long after back in the same place not able to move I tryed screaming but there was nothing coming out not even a squeak just a silent cry it was when I felt tears rolling down my face that's when I came out of it I went and woke my boyfriend up and asked if he would give me a cuddle and I found I was ok for a while I kept waking up must be every hour after that not the feelings I had before of not being able to move but being able to move perfect more to frightened to move because I felt this enormous strong presence by my bedroom door watching me waiting for it's moment to pounce in the end I couldn't take it anymore I just put the covers m8 my head and prayed I remember every detail to the room while it was all happening I know it was night time but there was a pure evil darkness to it when I woke the last time uncovering my head from underneath the blanket there was a warmth light to the room but I could still for some reason feel this things presence but more like it was hiding away waiting patiently you can only describe the feelings of sp to a degree where most people who read must think what's all the fuss about but when you actually experience sp it's so frightening for some people and I know i'm one of the i'm terrified to sleep and as my eyes are starting to shut now i'm praying I don't feel him come for me
Astral projection?
As with many of you, I get SP when i am extremely overtired. I dont often get it lying down, moreso when i am sitting up on a bus or a plane. I used to panic when it happened, when i woke up but couldnt move a thing, not even my eyelids. Now i calm myself down when it happens and i try to have a "look" around, and even try to "shift" myself. Many attempts have been unsuccessful, a few have worked, though i couldnt get myself far being on transport. lol. I dont know if i actually projected or if it was my mind trying to make sense of the SP, but it was fun while it lasted. I have never "felt" any other presences, but probably because i am on said plane or bus. Trying to get myself awake properly is always the fun part for me. I think about trying to jump out of my seat, It takes heaps of concentration, when i finally get it to work, just my arms spring up, and people look at me funny. If i go back to sleep immediatly, then i go into it again. When you relax and go with it, its a really, i dont know, "spiritual" feeling. My thoughts are as clear as a bell, i have even made a few BIG decisions while "paralysed" and things have turned out awesome.
idk how to explain.
For the past 5 months,4 times a week ihad this problem every night but it wasnt only once it happend twice but there were times when i couldnt even breathe. everything in thisinfo happend to me. but now i tried to take a nap. My nap took 10 min and in those 10min it happend eight times when i closed my eyes and i was in this world of death and all my fears coming attacking me i want to wake up but i cant. its horrible last two i was asleep but then it was like i was awake staring at my hand not being able to move it but it took 1 min to move but at that point i woke up and i thought i was already awake/ but when i woke up icouldnt catch a breathe and myhead began to hurt. ANd idk im only a teen tht has this. why?
praying does help
Hi im crystal and im about to be 27 and all through out life i've had this happen to me, where i lay down and something wakes me and i cant move i start to scream for my mom but know she cant hear me cause i've been through this many times but i still try to yell . well this one day it happen again and the same thing happen but this time i felt someone in the room and i looked on the side i seen a shadow and right away i just closed my eyes an when i opened them it was gone, but i was still not able to move? so i know i would try to yell to see if someone could hear me, but this time i didn't scream an i just layed there and then out of no where this high screaming pitch voice yelling " just talking about it makes me want to cry" but its like hearing someone that was in hell and i closed my eye and just started praying and everything stopped....i'm just wondering if this has happen to anyone just like that with the the screaming ???? the reason why i looked this up cause last nite me and a few friends where talking about this out of no where and one of my friend went through the same thing as i where the there was a voice so loud screaming like the sounds of hell .. please get back to me thank you =]
Hey, I've had a very similar
Hey, I've had a very similar thing happen to me. It's only ever happened once, and it was last year. I was having trouble falling asleep that night. When I fell asleep I was dreaming that I still couldn't fall asleep. There was a voice that told me to put my feet up on a chair to help me fall asleep. I did that and I was thinking about how it wasn't working. Then I heard a terrible screaming voice like someone was in severe pain, then my eyes opened, I was awake but my body was paralyzed and I could still hear the screaming coming from behind me.
I know how you feel about your dreams!
I go to bed, then I wake up feeling like I am being choked or smothered! I wake up and call for help, and usually I CAN scream, and I even roll around and struggle, then I black out, and when I wake up again the same thing is going on over and over, but the thing is it is a dream and when I finally wake up for real I can barely breathe and it takes me a while to realize I am awake and not still dreaming! I feel it's evil or like I am possessed! Scarey and I don't know what to do!
Crystal
Dear Crystal, I to have had this as a child sence i was 6 i have a type of autism called "ausbergers" as well as asthma..I would always have the same dream "as i was awake with my eyes wide open" of me in a dark place calling out for help from my family but they couldent hear me or see me i could only see them..happy and talking to eachother. as i am runing from somthing trying to "graphic" smash my guts everywhere. as well as church bells almost like im burning in hell or somthing close to a horor film..i would be awake not able to move or talk and couldent breath due to my "asthma attack" felt like i was geting stabed in my lungs every breath i took..i felt as if i was dead and gone to hell...im not sure what the hell this is it may be a disorder or somthing but i feel it is also somthing ells... i had the same dream for 12 years on and off my last one was when i was 17. when i turned 18 my previes age as of now. i was siting down stairs "in my pajamas" in the dark on the coutch listening to my ipod. I suddenly got a hole tingling feeling through out my whole bodie as well as if somone was present with me in the room and i was wide awake i was listening to my ipod. I couldent move and felt like somone was holding me down i stoped breather as i looked at the mirror that reflected the open door to the laundry room and i felt as if the door was slowley opening and...my god i felt like i was in a horror film. My heart was pumping really fast i was geting very hot swety like and im not fat i weigh 120 pounds..and i almost shed a tear as if somthing was going to murder me graphicly like. So yes i have had a simular thing to yours.
Sparky Flame
Sparky Flame, I dont know if you come on this often but you know what after i posted about what happen to me, the following month I left to camp where i do an internship with my church an were there for almost a month, it was amazing untill i came back home, so you know how you were saying you have asthma, well this is so freaky omg, okay so growing i had asthma really bad when i was a kid, thank God im heal from it now, I can't explain how but i know that God hands must have healed me, but anyways... so when i came back home from "church camp" I started thinking about something my friend told me, I told him how I think i have Sleep Paralysis an i told him what has happen to me an that it happen to me more then once. So he told me that it could be the devil trying to attack me cause we all know how the devil is only here to kill,steal, an destroy. He told me that it's because im changing an it's making him mad. so weeks pass after talking to him an i get back from home from camp (The whole time at camp i had no attacks with the SP) so the next day im not even kiddin im get chills just writing about it right now, (This happen in July 28th) ----->so what happen was i was at home just laying down an i remember telling my brother turn the light off before you lay down an after that i must had knocked out fast cause all i remember was opening my eyes an seeing that shadow but this time i seen teeth so bright an it grab me an it was trying to pull me behind my couch, an i started freaking out cause i was trying to scream but i couldn't breathe like i felt like i was gasping for air as if i was having an "Asthma Attack" an i felt tears streaming down my face, finally i just close my eye an said with the faith i have in my god that im covered with the blood Chirst an no evil or enemy can put a finger on me an my body jumped up an i screamed for my mom an she came running out cause she thought someone was trying to murder me, an i told her what happen an when i was telling her my living room lights started flicking an i started crying an told see it's here an she was looking at me like i was some kind of crazy ih mean they were flicking like as if there was a flame inside the bulb you would be able to see that an i told her to have one of my brothers to sleep with me 26 scared to death an i had my 15 year old brother lay in the living room with me ... its crazy, this happen in july the last postIng i posted was in ( Thu, 06/23/2011) <-- this appen before ieft to camp, an the last time it was about few days an think tim im super scared i know what it is wabut my Gayle , but when i get atacing sory if i spelt have the word
It has happened to me several times
It starts with my body not being able to move. My mind is awake. I feel a scary dark presence near me but can't see it. I am very scared of it. It feels like it wants me. I try to scream but can't. I try to move but can't. I know I'm in my bedroom and try very hard to move towards the door to run. Sometimes my husband is with me in bed and says that I do make faint sounds. If he touches me I wake and thank him. One time I moved to the bottom of the bed when I woke. I was alone that time. That's it. Very scary. Scared to sleep at times because you never know when this could happen again. I am now 53 hrs old.
I become afraid of sleeping sometimes
Okay so I remember when I was about eleven or so, that I'd wake up at night and feel this sudden weight on my chest. It became harder and harder to breathe and this experience would frighten me. Then when i tried to scream or move I completely had no control over my body. I'd also like to point out that when i did try to maintain a slow and calmed pattern of breathing, my eyes would roll back and i's want to sleep again. But then i'd get afraid that i would never wake up again, or suffocate in my sleep. Like i said it all started when i was a bout eleven. And it did stop for a while; now i am eighteen and just last night i had another one of these experiences. i fell asleep, i can still remember the dream although it's a bit embarrassing. Anyway i was kissing my boyfriend in the dream and i woke up still moving my mouth, oh and i was sleeping on my side, then i tried to move but i felt as if my arms were pinned to my chest and then creepiest thing of all, i heard this man laughing and my lips felt numb. i eventually got myself to move, but seriously, all i wanted to do was cry. i hate being afraid to sleep sometimes because i end up loosing sleep obviously. And even after looking up sleep paralysis i still can't help but wonder about spirits and all of that stuff....
ISP
I experience SP whenever I'm sleep deprived. If i feel extremely tired it happens. I tend to only experience SP when lying on my back and it occurs within the first few minutes of lying down. I'm fully conscious when this occurs. I experience sensations of tingling up and down my body and of levitation. I haven't read any cases of this but i'm able to control which areas of my body feel sensation. I feel as if i'm also in control of where I can levitate in the room. My experiences often end in fear. A blacked out figure of an evil man appears next to my bed and at this stage I manage to work myself out of SP.
woowww!!!
thats EXACTLY what i feel everytime i try to sleep at night!! like im floating all around my room with an evil thing controlling me and laughing at me in a demonic voice. my whole body is buzzing too. i cannot control that tho at any time. i feel i cant possibly be sleeping because i hear all the traffic outside my window. this only happens when im alone tho, which is 333 nights a year... its terrifying, traumatic. do i go to a church, or a doctor?? i feel for u. i feel for me! what is this??????? its the same creature every single night. i cant see it, but i know it, i hear it.
Im glad to see someone else
Im glad to see someone else experiences what I do. I feel as tho Im levitating some times as well, and I get the tingling sensation too, only it stays in my head. Its like a throbbing of electricity that grows stronger if I actually concentrate on it. Also like you said, I only feel this state laying on my back. I just fought myself out of SP, layer my hand back down, and went right back into it. But as soon as I turn on my side Im wide awake. Thankfully Im so used to this it doesn't even bother me that much any more. Some times Im so aware of what's going on I enjoy fighting it. Just thought Id share tho.
I used to have this to atleast few times
It's scary for the first time I couldn't move or speak even thou I tried to say something I couldn't I was like that. I can see my room and everything that I have in my room . Then I start it floating up. I didn't know what to do then I moved my toe then I start it move again. Yeah evil is trying. While we sleeping cause he can't Handel us while we awake. Hope you understand this my writing. I'm 23
Feels like if I don't fight it I'll die...
Had several episodes of SP last night. It's been a long time issue of mine. It can be as frequent as 2-3 times a week to as little as 1 episode a month. When it does occur, I'm quick to get up and 'walk it off,' because it's guaranteed to occur immediately again if I simply try to go back to sleep as many of you know. Usually it's as simple as getting a drink or eating a snack, but last night was different. No matter what I tried or how long I waited before going back to sleep it would happen again; I'd drift off into a vivid dream just to find myself in a conscious struggle to survive (or so it seems). It's quite beautiful, really, after the fact. On nights such as these it's difficult to discern dream from reality. They seem to be as one - dreams flow seamlessly to the real world. It's just a shame that, though seamless, it always ends violently and very real. I can't move and breaths are shallow. And it's not that I don't have any sensation of my body. It's more like a fight. I struggle with all of my strength to move a finger, turn my head, or let out a whimper. I hear stories all the time of people claiming to control this... stating to simply relax and let yourself fall back asleep as opposed to fighting to regain control. Even using this as a window to lucid dreams or OBEs. It all sounds so wonderful, and I tell myself every time that if SP occurs again that I will do my best to manipulate it. The truth is though.. EVERY time.. without fail.. SP will happen and I feel like if I don't fight it.. if I don't struggle against it for control.. that if I choose to succumb to the sensation and relax that I will die. There are no unusual sounds aside from the norm. No opening door, no foot steps or voices. I don't feel a pressure on the chest (aside from tightness associated with the lack of function of the accessory muscles to help expand my chest when I struggle to do so). I don't see odd figures or weird shadows. I just know that I wake up, can't move even as I struggle to do so, and if I don't fight I know that my body will fail and I will die. It's a terrible feeling. Unnerving...
Exactly
I experience those episodes pretty much like you do, Darren.
Mine come with very strange dreams, and I've only had about 5 so far, however the way you're describing it couldn't be any more fitting.
And yes, once I've managed to regain full consciousness and actually move my body properly again I need to get up, otherwise I'll go right back in.
Terribly scary and unnerving indeed.
*Sigh*
I fell the same way except
I fell the same way except that i do experience those hallucinations. Mostly auditory, but it's worse when you have voices or footsteps around while you try to gain control over your body. I totally agree when you say that "if i don't fight it i'll die". I feel like when I try to move even a finger that the struggle is worse than anything. And if i don't try to gain control over my body, then i'll fall asleep and never wake up. I dunno, it's just really scary for me.
16
I just went through this like not even an hour ago.. I laid down i don't know if i was asleep
or awake but i watched a creature shake his head and stare at me by the door in my room. I tried to move and then tired to yell but i just really couldn't i tried so hard. A while after it was shaking it tried to walk towards me but my brother in the room woke up and it left .. I saw my brother wake up though then i could moved .. Much more to my story but. That's all that i think i should try to explain. I am 16.
My sleep animation
Well im 23 and I call it sleep animation (S.P.) I've had episodes since I was 13. Well anyways one time i was staying at my Boyfriends house and we slept in a different room than usual. Well i guess we both fell asleep but i had another episode my whole body was a sleep but my mind awake i could see every little detail in the room around me( remember not the room we usually slept in) i could even see his friends kids toys and other random stuff i would know by memory i tried Screeming and yelling for my bf to save me and then i looked over to the right of the bed and saw a
shadow of a man a pretty big size guy leaning over my upper body he didnt have a face he was just a shadow this was def. the worst one i had. I finally started praying and quoteing scriptures and i snapped out of that paralized state. But that was about 3 years ago and i dont have them as often as i did when i was younger.... by the way when i first got these episodes i was sure i wasnt asleep either but i now know i was sleep paralized just remember everytime i pray for jesus to give me the strenght to defeat this evil things thats trying to put fear in me. I hope everything gets better for ya'll we for me we well. =)) peace out. Rachel,23
what is it
hi i am 20 and i think it comes to once a year. I was in my bed and after sometime i want to get up but something push be at the back, i can not move and i was trying to call my mom but i could not speak, i hear voices laughing at me and i get afraid and wait what will happen and after sometime it stops. i told to my dorm mates only one told me she had experienced that too.
SP Question
I am very releaved to hear that there is an explanation to what I have been experiencing. Although, I have only experienced Sleep Paralysis while in the car. Does anyone have any idea why? No demons or evil images, just completely paralyzed and panicked that I can not wake up. I feel like I can hear noises around me and fight really hard to wake up but usually end up letting go, falling back asleep and trying again the next time. It is almost like I'm scared to stop trying to wake up in fear of what will happen. Mainly, I'm stumped about why this only happens in the car. Any thoughts?
SP
This is a really good website and I'm so glad I found it because I am seriously freaked out right now and I do not want to go back to sleep. One thing I noticed is that it happens during naps a lot. Mine happened at 230 (which was the exact same time as someone else). However, I had the opposite of what was posted- I was on my stomach with my arms at my side. Also, while it is said that this happens upon waking I thought mine happened right BEFORE i went to sleep (which is what a couple others said too)
It was nice to hear that the terror causes auditory hallucinations because that is what scared me the most.
I could feel my right hand but I could not move it at all. I really really felt that there was someone behind me. This is why it was so scary on my stomach, I literally could not see anything and all I wanted to do was turn around.
I heard music and I remember thinking it was the ice cream truck because it was that tinny kind of music (although of course it wouldnt be out at 230 in the afternoon) I heard keys jangling and I heard my mom saying my name.
Then I felt pressue on my back and just that intense feeling that someone was behind me.
I have had 2 near death experiences before and this was more terrifying than both of them combined.
It is nice to know that all of my symptoms were explained and that it is a completely normal experience but that being said, I never want it to happen again. And now im freakd out about sunds. lol
sleep paralysis
i just had it happen twice,i was dreaming of being in a library full of peopel i know,then right before it happen(sleep paralysis) I remember seeing a curved road,which was very dark,and hazy,the sleep paraysis was terrifying.It's happened to me once,or twice before i beleive,and i find it stops after you touch yourself,so right after it happened to me the first time i was very tired,so i staye in my normal half asleep state,and i went right to it again,i could only twitch my fingers,so the first time it ended when i touched my right thumb to my palm,but the second time i couldn't move it that far,so i i put 2 of my left fingers together.I didn't hear voices,or see shadows (thank god,i would go totally crazy if i did)but i felt totally defenseless,like anything could be done to me,i also felt a sense of a demon like entity near by,the first time it was smiling at me (i didn't see it,i felt him smiling at me)it was to my lower left,the second time i went to it about a minute after it was gone,but i felt it coming near me,so i quickly tried to get out of it! i hope this never happens again,I believe there can be a paranormal,and scientific answer to this,also,the other time this has happened to me was a few years ago(or months,1 year and a half at most),and the dream right before it had a similar mood to the dream of this one,same atmosphere,and also a library sort of place,but i recognize this last one.for now,i am too scared to sleep alone tonight,i will accompany my parents.
MY EXPERIENCE.
I've had Sleep Paralysis at least twice every 6months or more, and i have experienced how scary it is to be in that situation,and sometimes I would be totally aware that i am in SP and know how to get out of it real quick, there was a time when my friend fell into SP and i told him i have experienced it too and he was glad i understood and believed him since most of the people in this world don't even know what it is,and never experienced it, well on that same day when my friend was telling me about it, i went home and took a nap at around 2:30 in the afternoon and all of the sudden i was in sleep Paralysis, i began to panic obviously because i couldn't move my body and the whole the time all i can hear is my self telling My own self to relax and take deep breath, and try to sleep again which always works since i have done it every time.I have also experienced a night when i was dreaming and i would switch to another dream, and so on 5 times and the fifth time the dream was scary so i try to wake up but i went back in the fourth dream and so on until i got to the first one and finally woke up, almost seems like the movie ''INCEPTION'' I believe that its possible to go through levels of ur dream since it has happened to me. I want to experience another SP or multiple dream, it would be so awesome to be able to control it.
Sleep paralysis
Felt I should re-post this...
The symptoms of sleep paralysis include sensations of noises, smells, levitation, paralysis, terror, and images of frightening intruders. Once considered very rare, about half of all people are now believed to experience sleep paralysis sometime during their life.
Sleep paralysis strikes as a person is moving into or out of REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, the deepest part of sleep. During REM sleep the body is largely disconnected from the brain leaving the body paralyzed. Sleep paralysis is the result of premature (or persistent) mind-body disconnection as one is about to enter into (or exit from) REM sleep.
Sleep paralysis occurs most often after jet lag or periods of sleeplessness that interrupt the normal REM patterns. It affects both sexes equally and occurs at all ages but is most common in teenagers. Sleep paralysis can be familial and may be genetic (inherited) in some cases.
An attack of sleep paralysis is usually harmless and self-limited. It tends to be over in a minute or two as soon as the brain and body re-establish connections and the person is able to move again. However, the memory of the terrifying sensations felt during sleep paralysis can long endure. (Some scholars believe that sleep paralysis may account for some of the old claims of attacks by witches and the more recent "reports" of nocturnal abduction by space aliens.)
Here are some tips to help avoid SP...
Don't stay up and move to the point of exhaustion, as this can increase the likelihood of sleep paralysis.
Reduce stress.
Eat healthy.
Avoid going to bed hungry. Avoid caffeine 5 hours before sleep.
Remember that, although it can feel dangerous, it isn't.
Some may find that the more they try to move, the worse it gets and the longer it goes on for. If so simply relax for a few seconds, stop trying to move and after a few seconds have passed, try moving an arm or leg, then you should be out of the paralysis.
Most episodes can be stopped by coughing the word 'cough' repeatedly. Although you may still go into another episode if you try to immediately go back to sleep. Coughing is both a voluntary and involuntary response, which such responses break the sleeping state.
Note: Some may not be able to speak under sleep paralysis, rendering this method useless.
Talk about it with others.
An improper sleeping schedule can be a cause of sleep paralysis. Try to get 8-10 hours of sleep every night at the same time of night every night, and sleep paralysis may go away.
Concentrating on trying to move or "shake" yourself may break you out of it in no time.
Sleep paralysis is most common while sleeping on your back.
Try to avoid sleeping this way
Try to avoid coffee or medications that affect your heart rate.
Consider having a sleep study to diagnose whether the cause of the sleep paralysis may be sleep apnea. With proper treatment of a diagnosed sleep apnea condition, the sleep paralysis events may subside and/or disappear.
If you find you are experiencing paralysis as you are falling asleep try sitting up and staring at a bright light for a minute or so before lying down again. No one is sure why, but this does help some people.
Always remember to relax because sleep paralysis last only a few seconds or minutes and will fade away momentarily.
Some people that frequently deal with sleep paralysis have found the following technique to be helpful. Take a moment each day to relax and imagine the sensations of your sleep paralysis. Focus on your breathing, then take a deep breath while picturing that breath lifting you up to consciousness as you open your eyes. Practicing your escape procedure when not experiencing the paralysis can greatly reduce the anxiety that can accompany an episode.
Make sure that you are actually awake. Sleep paralysis could very well be a dream, and you will likely be able to discern whether or not it is a dream by moving into the next room. Focus on moving into the next room, or in general, away from the location of paralysis.
Although you may feel that you are not able to move, you can try concentrating on moving one finger (or any small part of your body) - when this succeeds and you experience the small movement, the paralysis recedes. Of course, you need to be lucid to do this.
Inhale deeply then exhale forcefully (do not hyperventilate). Repeat this several times; most of the time this can get you out of sleep paralysis.
Low dosages of Zoloft has been proven to be successful.
Always remember that sleep paralysis is a medical phenomena and just that. Do not associate it with supernatural things like ghosts and evils. It will only make it worse. Keep reminding yourself that it's just a medical phenomena.
If you experience disassociation( "out of body" feelings), Try to "feel" the texture of your sheets, clothes, or furniture around you- you'll find that you wake up faster from tuning into a sense. Alternately, ignore the sense of paralysis, and allow yourself to follow the "out of body" feelings; you can turn an unpleasant surprise into an enjoyable lucid dream, which you may be able to control. Try visiting friends or pleasant spots you have visited. No harm can come to you, so don't be afraid.
If you can 'fall asleep' in your dream, when you wake up, you will wake from your dream as well. Almost like falling asleep twice - except when you wake up in your dream, you wake up in real life.
Hope this helps you all....
Dr. Scott
Question for ya
So I felt the need to ask. How can I be sleep walking and have all these negative sensation that everyone talks about. Dread, fear, panic, thoughts of if I don't wake I will die. Very lucid very conscious. But at the same time I am walking around able to speak, see everything and remember it all. I have heard and seen other peoples episodes but they don't remember what happens. Their eyes are open but all they see is what is going on in the dream. My experience is wasn't usually accompanied with sights and sounds. I saw and heard what was there but my emotional state was like that of a dream. Completely irrational and uncontrollable. So far anpretty unique experience. I'd love to hear from ya... Thanks
Sleep Paralysis
I have not long just woken up from a SP episode. I've heard about it before and when it begun I knew what was happening and that it wasn't real. But still at the same time I was terrified! I heard noises, when it "started" I heard a bell/buzz type noise which was weird, kind of like when a game show starts? And I heard a women's voice which was in one tone, kind of like an automated message you hear on the phone.. Didn't see much, just my room but then I shut my eyes as I was so scared, I really sensed someone/something in the room with me. Anyway, when I woke up, I googled it straight away.. This article has helped me alot. This rarely happens to me, but whenever it has it has been when I've been EXTREMELY tired. One occasion in the middle of the day when I was having a nap and just now. I was at a party last night and was up until 3 or 4 AM. Then had little sleep, I was up again at about 6. During the day I had a couple of naps as I was obviously very tired but no SP. So my sleeping pattern was all over the place. Tonight I couldn't sleep and at 3AM I got very tired and went to sleep. This is when the SP happened. I was so tired so I pretty much fell asleep straight away. During the SP I couldn't move or make a sound. So this article helped my understand why I get SP, when I get very little sleep and am very tired, or if my sleeping pattern is very unusual. I also noticed that the article says its common in teenagers? Well I'm 16 but it seems people of all ages it get it anyways, but still haha. Even though I know all this now, I'm still too scared to go back to sleep. I am reeeeaaaally tired, but that puts me off sleeping even more now, I'm in fear of another scary episode.. But thanks for posting this, it has helped, I will definately keep the tips in mind. Oh and sorry if this has been a long bore, but I feel much better talking about the whole experience and getting it out. :-)
My unexplained experiences
I have had these 'episodes' for more than 10yrs now, the first instance that it happend - it was around 3am, i felt hands holding my head steadily in place then i felt finger like tapping movemen on my forehead. I can hear someine whispering in a language i canot understand. I could not move my whole body i tried fto scream but there was no voice. I prayed really hard and when j was able to move i opened my eyes and to my surprise i saw all closets in my room are opened. Another instance was i could not move or scream, there were no voices, i iust felt that something was holding me into place. When i can finally move, i opened my eyes and found ballpen written lines on my arms, legs and clothes. These are two major and scariest experiences that i had so far. On most times i just could not move, breath or scream. I hope you can help me explain this dr scott. Please respond thanks.
First of all remember that
First of all remember that scary as it is, it is all just in your head. I would recommend talking with your Dr. and requesting a low dosage (50mg) of Zoloft. I would also ask for a sleep test. Sleep Apnea is common with sleep paralysis. If the Dr. presscibes the Zoloft then take it consistantly. You may possibly need it for the rest of your life. As far as the marks on your arms and legs, it sounds as if someone was messing with you.
Good Luck and Take Care,
Dr. Scott
Sleep Paralysis
Hello my name is Natalie and time and time again i have been experiencing Sleep Paralysis and it is very scary. Is there a way to get it away or just make it stop? This happens to me almost every night. But as it happens i can not breath. Witch causes me to be more terrified. Please answer
-Natalie
sleep paralysis
god, i just hated when i had those episodes. I was laying on my tummy, and all sudden, i was like auwww,i cant move. i knew where i was, and what i saw next to my bed, just i couldnt move, i kept thinking to my self, wake up wake up. i tried to move, but when i did, it was like i was draining my body from breathing, cos i was panicking. ive had this for along time now, like on and off for gosh.. since age 11.im 37 now. woke up even out of breath cos managed to shake my head to wake my self up. felt like i was dying to be honest, frightening it was, and still is at times, but learnt how to relax more and havent now had many episodes. but it is very scarey, and frightening, and depressing. makes ya more depressed i should say. sometimes i just woke up gasping for breath saying baby baby, cos my daughter was next to me, and tho i sort of woke up, i thought i was dead, so i shouted out to my daughter as if she can hear me, and if she did, i knew i was alive. its a traumatising exsperience, and something i always dread incase it happens again. im still alive thank god, but worries me at times that again exsperience mite make me have heartatack or something. its awful, and know out there how ya feel. i read about this, but when ya have to go through it, its daunting, and scarey, and traumatic. Im trying relaxing therapy, before i go bed. must say all i done was cut out caffine, tried go bed early like have 10 hr sleep, tho i know its difficult for those who has younger kids, as mine now teens , but taken me yrs to cope with this problem with sleep.it will fade. eat well, walk alot, get those arma ,legs moving. gentle neck exercising,and talk about ya problems, thats a must!! regards
teresa xxxxx
sleep paralysis
Thank you so much Dr. Scott for this article. It has been a very helpful information, and everything is explained in layman's terms. Will work on turning it in to an enjoyable lucid dream. Now i can explain this to friends and family who think this is an evil spirit's work.
Thank you again.
My first and only experience
Hello. I'm an Architecture student, and if you know anyone who is in the profession you've probably heard horror stories about pulling so many all-nighters in college. Well after pulling an all-nighter and working late into the next night to finish my project, I went home and passed out. This has happened many times before, I'd wake up with my light on, fully clothed face down across my bed with my arms down by my side and feet hanging off, showing I literally conked out as soon as my face hit the mattress. This night, however, I at least got my light turned off and under the covers.
I remember I woke up, could look around my room which had a few small LED lights here and there from random chargers and my sterio, but I couldn't move. I then saw a dark figure in the corner of my room, and I watched it as it got closer to me. I could feel it getting closer and as it did I tried to move. Specifically, I tried to turn my head away and open my mouth to scream but couldn't, though it felt like I was. The best way to describe it is that it felt like Death was coming for me. As the figure stood over me looking down, my body suddenly awoke and I turned over with my heart racing. I easily fell back to sleep and had no other occurrences.
The next morning, I awoke feeling like something had happened the night before, like I had a nightmare but couldn't remember it. It wasn't until the next night that I remembered all that had happened and immediately felt that eerie feeling I had during the episode. I then remembered an ex of mine telling me about her experiences with "sleep paralysis" when we had dated a good 6 years ago. Her descriptions only went as far as to say you wake up but can't move your body. I then told her about what I had experienced, looked it up on the internet, and everything I had read from the descriptions to the probable causes coincided with my own experience.
It's been about 3 months now since that mid-semester project and this experience and I have yet to have another, but it's still on the back of my mind before I go to sleep. Probably the scariest experience I've ever had.
RE: Sleep Attack
Hi there, I have only had this once. But thats when I stayed up 36hrs straight. That may be our problem, but needless to say I have been awaken every night to this day at the same time every night between the hours of 2am and 4am. Wether something attacked me mentally or physicaly idk. I really dont believe in aliens or what not. But for my sub-concious to say "Hey wake the F-Up!" Every night after a long day at the same time, may be more then coincidence. But only time will tell i guess. Look for strange marks on your body if you do believe and or set a camera recording hidden. But i dont recomend it, it might tempt something. >.> Be safe friend.
SP
Im not sure if this is a valid explanation, but it has covered all of my symptoms, and provided me with at least some kind of explanation that i or anyone i talked to didnt have before. I have asked many people, and alot of people have had these same experiences. It is very frightening to be awake mentally and alert, but have no control over your body, and i honestly wondered if everytime it happened i came that much closer to death. There has been nights where i would try to come out of my sleep and reach out for my girlfriend, because i knew that if i could at least grab her, she would know something was wrong and she would wake me up, but i could never move at all, for a few seconds. this kind of stuff makes u not want to go to sleep at all. i am also concerned that sleep paralysis could be closely related to sudden unexplained nocturnal death syndrome (SUNDS) if so, does that mean there is a chance that we could die if we dont wake up in time? i also feel that while there may be a scientific explanation for this, there is most definitely a spiritual side to all of this. Surely the brain cant be that cruel to us? Anyway, thank you all for listening and feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Sleep paralysis
It just happen to me a hour a go whenever i eat any thing salt,i cannot wakeup. i cannot move my hands and feet. i guest no more turkey sausage.
they keep getting worse
I'm 20 years old...About 4 nights ago, at my apt which I share with my best friend, I had a nightmare worse than before where I'm in this paralysis. I was in the restroom looking at myself in the mirror. Suddenly the image in the mirror of myself stopped moving..so then I felt I couldn't move and I could feel myself twitching in my sleep..I tried to cry out and was saying god help me in my mind. I felt like a very bad presence was in the room and I suddenly began to hear growling noises like a bad spirit by my ear. I woke up whispering 'god help me' and my heart was beating fast. I looked over to my left and woke up my friend asking her if she had heard the noises too...but she didn't. I've had experiences of this kind before maybe around 4 times, but not as bad as this time.....I don't want it to get worse or ever experience this again..... :((