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Do you have Sleep Paralysis?
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| Jake Benson |
Ever feel like you're awake after falling asleep, but can't move and think someone's STANDING OVER YOU ABOUT TO KILL YOU?!? I do sometimes. It's this:
| quote: | What is sleep paralysis?
Sleep paralysis consists of a period of inability to perform voluntary movements either at sleep onset (called hypnogogic or predormital form) or upon awakening (called hypnopompic or postdormtal form).
Sleep paralysis may also be referred to as isolated sleep paralysis, familial sleep paralysis, hynogogic or hypnopompic paralysis, predormital or postdormital paralysis
What are the symptoms?
A complaint of inability to move the trunk or limbs at sleep onset or upon awakening
Presence of brief episodes of partial or complete skeletal muscle paralysis
Episodes can be associated with hypnagogic hallucinations or dream-like mentation (act or use of the brain)
Polysomnography (a sleep recording) shows at least one of the following:
suppression of skeletal muscle tone
a sleep onset REM period
dissociated REM sleep
Is it harmful?
Sleep paralysis is most often associated with narcolepsy, a neurological condition in which the person has uncontrollable naps. However, there are many people who experience sleep paralysis without having signs of narcolepsy. Sometimes it runs in families. There is no known explanation why some people experience this paralysis. It is not harmful, although most people report feeling very afraid because they do not know what is happening, and within minutes they gradually or abruptly are able to move again; the episode is often terminated by a sound or a touch on the body.
In some cases, when hypnogogic hallucinations are present, people feel that someone is in the room with them, some experience the feeling that someone or something is sitting on their chest and they feel impending death and suffocation. That has been called the “Hag Phenomena” and has been happening to people over the centuries. These things cause people much anxiety and terror, but there is no physical harm.
What else can you tell me about sleep paralysis?
Some people with disrupted sleep schedules or circadian rhythm disturbances experience sleep paralysis
A study found that 35% of subjects with isolated sleep paralysis also reported a history of wake panic attacks unrelated to the experience of paralysis
Sixteen percent of these persons with isolated sleep paralysis met the criteria for panic disorder
How can I stop the sleep paralysis?
In severe cases, where episodes take place at least once a week for 6 months, medication may be used.
You may be able to minimize the episodes by following good sleep hygiene:
getting enough sleep
reduce stress
exercise regularly (but not too close to bedtime)
keep a regular sleep schedule |
SOURCE
Here's the scariest part about it:
| quote: | | Individuals who experience sleep paralysis often report concurrent hypnagogic hallucinations. A commonly reported hallucination is the feeling of a presence or entity in the room in which the individual sleeps. At times this presence may seem threatening and evil giving rise to the folklore belief of the "night-mare," the "old hag," and the "incubi" ". |
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I thought I was the only one who experienced this. But a lot of people I've talked to have the same symptoms. So, just curious to know, raise your hand if this has happened to you. I figure many of you have messed up sleep patterns and might be able to share your acksperiences. |
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| DOOMBOT |
It happened to me last night. In fact, it happens to me just about once a week. Gets me every time.
But like the article said, I think it is because of a weird sleeping habit. For me, it almost always happens when I take a nap. Last night, I took a nap from 6:30 to 10 and woke up. Was up till about 3am and then went back to bed and had one happen. |
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| Ygrene |
| quote: | Originally posted by Jake Benson
So, just curious to know, raise your hand if this has happened to you.
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*sits quietly and does not raise hand* |
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| King Luis |
i've had that happen a couple times to me back in the day.
its messed up. |
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| DJ Mikey Mike |
| Yes I get this quite often. My girlfriend was once on the receiving end of a kick after I came about, and lashed out in panic at someone I thought was standing over me with a knife. She flew off the ing bed and everything. :eyespop: |
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| DOOMBOT |
| quote: | Originally posted by DJ Mikey Mike
Yes I get this quite often. My girlfriend was once on the receiving end of a kick after I came about, and lashed out in panic at someone I thought was standing over me with a knife. She flew off the ing bed and everything. :eyespop: |
I usually don't see anything but ALWAYS feel an evil presence. Only one time I can remember seeing an alien lurking in a shadow and another time I heard childrens laughter from the hallway. |
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| superglo |
this would explain the weird dreams i had back in my old place.
pls see that 'i think my house is haunted' thread. |
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| DJ Mikey Mike |
| I always see shadows. I lay on my front facing away from the wall, so looking into the rest of my room. I always think I see someone pacing up and down my room and I can't do all about it. On the rare occasions that I manage to 'break free' I end up kicking out, usually booting the wall and hurting my foot. Or in worse cases like already pointed out, my girlfriend bless her. |
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| Jake Benson |
| quote: | Originally posted by DOOMBOT
I usually don't see anything but ALWAYS feel an evil presence. Only one time I can remember seeing an alien lurking in a shadow and another time I heard childrens laughter from the hallway. |
Freaky! I've had the shadow thing a few times. I'll think I'm awake (but asleep), look over, see a HUGE shadow over my bed, and start shaking like a vibrator, only this isn't sexual.
One time I was sleeping on the floor (bed wasn't comfy). As I was about to sleep I felt my body start to tingle (knowing this was an onset of sleep paralysis). I thought to myself "oh , I don't think I wan't to experience this while I'm on the floor facing the bed." Too late, sleep paralysis settled in, the hallucinations started, and I saw a pair of bright yellow eyes from under the bed. They glared at me and then launched toward me, scaring me so ing less I woke up.
I thought of a trick that sometimes alleviates sleep paralysis experiecnes (it mostly works at night, mostly). When I know I'm experiencing it, I know I'm also hallucinating. So I don't bother trying to wake up, but start embracing the hallucinations and before I know it, I'm dreaming and conscious of it. Pretty cool experience. |
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| Slylee |
yea it scared the out of me.
i haven't had it in a long time, but i did used to get it frequently when i was doing coke every weekend. i think it was more frequent during that time because it tends to happen when your mind wakes up before your body or when your body falls asleep before your mind...obviously that's exactly what happens when ur on coke.
i started a thread about this a long time ago and shared my story. |
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| neovalkyr |
Yeah I had this happen a lot, once it felt like someone was moving my right eye-lid with their finger, while in this state. Another time it felt like a scary old lady was sitting on my chest and I was making noises to get my sister to wake me up, who was sitting about 7 feet away. But I wasn't able to speak only make a humming noise.
(off topic)Strange thing is that I recently quit herb, and I have nightmares like every night. Last night I had a dream where I was on a field trip with a bunch of unknown class mates, one of them called me a "fag" then they slit my throat. |
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| DOOMBOT |
| quote: | Originally posted by Jake Benson
As I was about to sleep I felt my body start to tingle (knowing this was an onset of sleep paralysis). I thought to myself "oh , I don't think I wan't to experience this while I'm on the floor facing the bed." Too late, sleep paralysis settled in, the hallucinations started, and I saw a pair of bright yellow eyes from under the bed. They glared at me and then launched toward me, scaring me so ing less I woke up. |
HAhahaha this always happens to me. I will catch it JUST as it is about to happen and try and open my eyes but it is too late. And while it is happening I will tell myself, once I wake up I am NOT going back to sleep. But I always wake up and once you do, you are so reasured that going back to sleep isn't a big deal. Amazing how your mind can just do a 180 like that. |
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