For those wanting to know, Mister Wiki says-
"Sleep paralysis is a condition characterized by temporary paralysis of the body shortly after waking up (known as hypnopompic paralysis) or, less often, shortly before falling asleep (known as hypnagogic paralysis).
Physiologically, it is closely related to the paralysis that occurs as a natural part of REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, which is known as REM atonia. Sleep paralysis occurs when the brain awakes from a REM state, but the bodily paralysis persists. This leaves the person fully aware, but unable to move. In addition, the state may be accompanied by hypnagogic hallucinations.
More often than not, sleep paralysis is believed by the person affected by it to be no more than a dream (although it is possible it is in fact a dream: i.e., a false awakening). This explains many dream recountings which describe the person lying frozen and unable to move. The hallucinatory element to sleep paralysis makes it even more likely that someone will interpret the experience as a dream, since completely fanciful, or dream-like, objects may appear in the room alongside one's normal vision."
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Originally Posted by alice_in_a_maze  I get this too.
Sometimes four or five times in the one night, then not again for a week or so. It started when I moved out of my parents house 6 years ago and it used to really scare the shit out of me. I mean, it still does, but at least now I've got some idea what's happening.
I'm normally dreaming that I can't make a sound, fall over, then can't move or breathe and I'm trying to scream for help but nothing comes out. Then I wake up, or so it seems, only to find it's happening again. I do this dreaming I've woken up a few times before I actually wake up, then I'm aware I'm lying in bed but still can't move or breathe, start to panic, and make this odd kinda wailing/screaming noise, at that point I'm woken up by who ever's there to hear me.
Stress does seem to be a trigger, but not always. It definately happens more if I'm feeling guilty about something, but I do tend to let guilt plague me somewhat.
Recently I've started to consciously realise what's happening when I get to the lying in bed feeling like I'm paralysed and suffocating bit. If I concentrate on my toes, and trying to wiggle them, sometimes I'm able to wake myself up without having to scream for help so much.
Overall I don't think the drugs help. |
Yeah, I've been having a couple a night sometimes. The hard thing is that it usually happens in the middle of the night so by the time morning rocks up its hard to remember what exactly happened, but I do distinctly recall on the past few occasions actually thinking I'd woken up when I hadn't... if that makes sense. A friend stayed with me the other night and I actually had to ask them if I'd called out their name because I remember waking up and not being able to move and being terrified. I was trying to kick my leg and shout for them but nothing was happening; it's the more frustrating thing ever.
