seyzna
05-14-2006, 08:23 PM
sometimes in my sleep, i feel like i cannot move. like i am awake, but i cant move any parts of my body or call for help. i try and try but i cant. then i eventually realize that if i think of something else i will eventually wake up and snap out of it. but it is very scary attimes. anyone have any experiences like this or know how to get it to stop?
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cinemachick
05-15-2006, 02:27 PM
Read up on sleep paralysis. It's nothing harmful, but I've heard that it's scary. I wish you the best.
Andie3
05-15-2006, 04:09 PM
You are not alone. Many people suffer from this including myself from a very young age. I am finding that the older I get, the less intense it feels, or maybe it is that I am getting used to it. I've not heard anyone else mention this, but I find I tend to experience it when I have had too MUCH sleep over a couple of days. It may be to do with the different levels of unconciousness and my brain slipping between sleep and consciousness. For me it is definitely much worse on my back which is why I ALWAYS sleep on my side. I've never had the sensation of noise or a presence in the room for which I am thankful. One thing that helps me come out of the paralysis is altering my breathing, trying to breath deeply and at the same time move my neck muscle which works for me. You could give this a go. I hope this helps.
Bev92
05-16-2006, 07:05 AM
I agree with Andie, I always try to sleep on my side now. I've had this problem too, but it hasn't come back in such a long time. It's weird, it only happens when I sleep in the basement, which makes it 10 times more scarier. It felt like some kind of evil force was holding me down and the feeling is terrible, to the point where I'm afraid to go back to sleep. Try sleeping on your side, I think it helps, also experiment with the temperature in the area you're sleeping in. That might have something to do with it. Lets hope it goes away soon...
seyzna
05-18-2006, 10:54 PM
i sleep on my side, but whenever i get this i am on my back. i realize this beecause i always try to bang for my family members in the other room and yell to them but i can never get them.
is there any way to get rid of this?
is there any way to get rid of this?
kiya
05-24-2006, 03:39 PM
seyzna - the best way I've found is to try to move your eyelids first. They are one of the smallest muscles and so take less effort to move. Keep calm. Not easy to do, admittedly, especially if you've not experienced it too many times. But it is a fairly well known phenomenon at least among doctors and once you realise it's not harmful, it's far less distressing.
I don't think there's any way of getting rid of it. Sleeping on your side, perhaps finding a way of physically preventing yourself from rolling onto your back? I don't know. I think the best way is to just accept it will happen.
I don't think there's any way of getting rid of it. Sleeping on your side, perhaps finding a way of physically preventing yourself from rolling onto your back? I don't know. I think the best way is to just accept it will happen.
ShakyD
05-26-2006, 02:22 AM
Well, I'm another guy who has this same problem. The first time it happened to me, it was so intense and scary that I thought I was going to die. The second time I talked myself into staying calm. Then I didn't have any problem for years... until recently.
After my back surgery, I had to sleep on my back, which seems to be worst position for sleep paralysis. I don't know how to fix this problem, but as others have said, trying to stay calm until you snap out of it seems to be the best way.
At the very least, be thankful that you aren't prevented from sleeping on your side because of back surgery (like me!)!!! :wave:
After my back surgery, I had to sleep on my back, which seems to be worst position for sleep paralysis. I don't know how to fix this problem, but as others have said, trying to stay calm until you snap out of it seems to be the best way.
At the very least, be thankful that you aren't prevented from sleeping on your side because of back surgery (like me!)!!! :wave:
ShakyD
05-26-2006, 02:37 AM
I just found this on the net:
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
(every time I've experienced sleep paralysis, it was not during my regular sleep time)
Here's another great site with helpful ways to cope with this problem:
http://www. **** how.com/Cope-With-Sleep-Paralysis (replace the stars with 'w i k i')
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
(every time I've experienced sleep paralysis, it was not during my regular sleep time)
Here's another great site with helpful ways to cope with this problem:
http://www. **** how.com/Cope-With-Sleep-Paralysis (replace the stars with 'w i k i')
happiness is
05-29-2006, 12:30 AM
It's been many years since I've had sleep paralysis but when it happened it would scare the heck out of me and often made me afraid to fall asleep in fear of it happening. I asked the doctor at the sleep disorder clinic I went to, why it happens. From what I can remember, he said it happens when your brain has awoke but your body hasn't yet . . . sort of out of sync. He said to remain calm and to remember that you are awake and your body is going to take a short time to wake up and then I'll be able to move. I think I recall him saying that when you are sleeping everyone's body is naturally paralysed and I was only feeling it because my brain woke up from the sleep before my body. I used to roll from side to side to make myself get feeling in my body and my DH said I would often try and scream which would wake him up and he would talk me through remaining calm while things got back to normal. It's been about 20 years since I went to the clinic so my memory of exactly what he said is a little fuzzy.
earthdayapril22
06-01-2006, 12:44 PM
I read that Sleep Paralysis is most common in teenagers and then it happens less often or it disappears.
seyzna
06-14-2006, 04:45 PM
is there any medication for it?
SteveGn
06-21-2006, 04:31 PM
It happens to me occasionally. There ALWAYS seems to be a presence in the room. Sometimes the room feels very active with this presence. Every time that I'm able to finally start moving again, I will feel extremely sleepy - a different type of sleepiness. I have to force myself to stay awake because if I start to dose off the paralysis starts again. Only until this unusual sleepiness goes away can I then go back to sleep without the paralysis returning. Anyone else experience the extreme sleepiness after the paralysis has left? Also, if you immediately start to fall asleep again, does the paralysis return? Any feelings of a presence in the room?
bobnorth
06-23-2006, 02:36 AM
Guess I'm alone on this one....but, inasmuch as I suffered from sleep paralysis for many years, I believe I can claim some expertise. I was able to get rid of it, forever. SP began when I was 21, with most of the terrible symptoms -- the evil presence was the primary; unlike some I had no visual hallucinations. The "attacks" were very scary -- in fact, in one episode I struggled so hard to awaken my wife thought I was having a seizure.
Whatever the physical origins of the condition are, I am convinced there is a "religious" aspect to SP. I believe what initiates an SP episode is the sudden presence of an unseen, evil entity. My reaction was natural: immediate, extreme fear of unnatural evil. During the same timeframe of frequent SP's in my younger years, I also experienced vivid, horrific dreams of evil entities -- which seemed to want to attack and oppress me...at least try to screw up my head. I discovered I was able to interact with the nightmares and lessen, then eliminate them by the standard prayer of protection of a Christian believer: "...in the name of Jesus, leave me...", or the like. I then realized that when I knew my SP episode was about to begin, I could use the same prayer (repeated within my mind), and the episode would lessen in severity...and eventually they stopped altogether (within a year).
It may be of interest what the physical sensation of my SP episode was like: while still mostly awake, my body would suddenly begin to become "electrified", in a certain "frequency". Meaning, I felt like all the nerves in my body were hooked up to a low grade electrical circuit and it was alternately being turned up and down, in cycles. The best comparison I can use is that I felt like my body was a high-pitch piano wire, and was being repeatedly struck by a tuning fork. Shortly thereafter, I was all paralyzed when I sensed the "presence". Whatever "its" intent, all I knew was I wanted to get un-paralyzed and run or fight it. Once, I felt something actually touch me -- very scary. But by and large, my main objective was to get some breath and try to breathe again. My "waking up" was always sudden, in panic...with no paralysis lasting afterward. Usually I was bathed in sweat.
This same phenomenon is believed by those in the UFO community to be an attempt, or actual, alien abduction. Virtually everything in the episode is the same as sleep paralysis...except for the perception, or visualization of what is happening to them. For me, it was attack by demons -- for the UFO believers, it was abduction. I believe that the sleep state, or the near sleep state, is an altered state of consciousness. It seems to be a door thru which the individual mind (in my opinion the soul also) has some access to the spiritual dimension, albeit often unwillingly. Many figures in the Bible spoke of God or angels communicating to them in dreams...and often the presence of an angel put observers into a sleep state. A common phrase in the Bible is "...I fell to the ground as though dead...", a swoon state the person was "zapped" into....because of the mere presence of a supernatural being.
Others have found other techniques to combat sleep paralysis -- a search of the condition will return many websites. Even though some perceive their SP experience differently, and some say the cause is a brain anomaly...what I do know is what worked for me...and the method I used was completely successful. Uh...., God stopped it.
Whatever the physical origins of the condition are, I am convinced there is a "religious" aspect to SP. I believe what initiates an SP episode is the sudden presence of an unseen, evil entity. My reaction was natural: immediate, extreme fear of unnatural evil. During the same timeframe of frequent SP's in my younger years, I also experienced vivid, horrific dreams of evil entities -- which seemed to want to attack and oppress me...at least try to screw up my head. I discovered I was able to interact with the nightmares and lessen, then eliminate them by the standard prayer of protection of a Christian believer: "...in the name of Jesus, leave me...", or the like. I then realized that when I knew my SP episode was about to begin, I could use the same prayer (repeated within my mind), and the episode would lessen in severity...and eventually they stopped altogether (within a year).
It may be of interest what the physical sensation of my SP episode was like: while still mostly awake, my body would suddenly begin to become "electrified", in a certain "frequency". Meaning, I felt like all the nerves in my body were hooked up to a low grade electrical circuit and it was alternately being turned up and down, in cycles. The best comparison I can use is that I felt like my body was a high-pitch piano wire, and was being repeatedly struck by a tuning fork. Shortly thereafter, I was all paralyzed when I sensed the "presence". Whatever "its" intent, all I knew was I wanted to get un-paralyzed and run or fight it. Once, I felt something actually touch me -- very scary. But by and large, my main objective was to get some breath and try to breathe again. My "waking up" was always sudden, in panic...with no paralysis lasting afterward. Usually I was bathed in sweat.
This same phenomenon is believed by those in the UFO community to be an attempt, or actual, alien abduction. Virtually everything in the episode is the same as sleep paralysis...except for the perception, or visualization of what is happening to them. For me, it was attack by demons -- for the UFO believers, it was abduction. I believe that the sleep state, or the near sleep state, is an altered state of consciousness. It seems to be a door thru which the individual mind (in my opinion the soul also) has some access to the spiritual dimension, albeit often unwillingly. Many figures in the Bible spoke of God or angels communicating to them in dreams...and often the presence of an angel put observers into a sleep state. A common phrase in the Bible is "...I fell to the ground as though dead...", a swoon state the person was "zapped" into....because of the mere presence of a supernatural being.
Others have found other techniques to combat sleep paralysis -- a search of the condition will return many websites. Even though some perceive their SP experience differently, and some say the cause is a brain anomaly...what I do know is what worked for me...and the method I used was completely successful. Uh...., God stopped it.
smilealways
06-24-2006, 04:55 PM
Oh my gosh, I remember the first time this sleep paralysis thing happened to me, it was actually just during this last school year. I'm 16, so that info about it happening most commonly with teens makes sense. I woke up at.. I don't remember what time, probably like 4 in the morning or something, and I was lying on my side facing my wall which at that time was right up against my bed, with my bed being in the corner of my room. I was just laying there looking at the wall and I could see the tv making it kind of glow, since I had fallen asleep with it on. So I knew I was awake, but I realized I couldn't move. I was terrified. I honestly started having thoughts running through my mind like "Am I paralyzed? Did something fall on me while I was sleeping and paralyze me?" Then I just snapped out of it and I was fully awake. I realized then that it must have been some weird thing my body/brain did to me, and I don't remember if I was scared to go back to sleep but I did.
It's happened again during summer vacation several times but not in a couple weeks. I remember one morning I kept waking up like at 4, then 5, then 6, and around 6 was when it happened to me again. It's scary! I was lying on my back this time and you feel like you can't breathe. I honestly remember being in that kinda dreamy half conscious state where I was able to look around my room but thinking I might die because it felt like something was on my chest. It's really crazy, I was actually silently praying "Jesus, please help me." Then I'd snap out of it, fall asleep and it would happen again like one or two more times. Somebody here said something about having hallucinations during them and I had completely forgotten about that, but I swear once or twice when it happened I was looking at something that wasn't there when I fully woke up. It was nothing scary, just some object that was not really there, like an extra pillow or differnet blanket or something like that. The last time I had one is when I realized that it was happening, and you know you're not going to die or anything but you still feel like you can't breathe very well. I just told myself internally that I was going to jolt myself awake, and then I did. I always wake up gasping.
Ohhh, and does anybody else feel these little...I dunno how to describe it really...like tingly sensations that go down through you before it happens, or while you're dozing off again after it happens? I was dreaming one night and during the dream they came on really strongly and then it happened when I "woke up", or at least my brain woke up. And one morning I was falling back asleep after I woke myself up from one, and I started feeling them again kind of, and I thought maybe they're some kind of chemical that relaxes your muscles while your sleep, which obviously has to happen or else we'll try to act out all of our dreams (I read that somewhere). So maybe feeling them signals that it's going to happen?
And to answer someone's question about feeling really drowsy after they happen, I usually feel like really alert when I first get out of it, but then I end up tired again, I'd just sometimes be scared to go back to sleep knowing it might happen again lol.
It's happened again during summer vacation several times but not in a couple weeks. I remember one morning I kept waking up like at 4, then 5, then 6, and around 6 was when it happened to me again. It's scary! I was lying on my back this time and you feel like you can't breathe. I honestly remember being in that kinda dreamy half conscious state where I was able to look around my room but thinking I might die because it felt like something was on my chest. It's really crazy, I was actually silently praying "Jesus, please help me." Then I'd snap out of it, fall asleep and it would happen again like one or two more times. Somebody here said something about having hallucinations during them and I had completely forgotten about that, but I swear once or twice when it happened I was looking at something that wasn't there when I fully woke up. It was nothing scary, just some object that was not really there, like an extra pillow or differnet blanket or something like that. The last time I had one is when I realized that it was happening, and you know you're not going to die or anything but you still feel like you can't breathe very well. I just told myself internally that I was going to jolt myself awake, and then I did. I always wake up gasping.
Ohhh, and does anybody else feel these little...I dunno how to describe it really...like tingly sensations that go down through you before it happens, or while you're dozing off again after it happens? I was dreaming one night and during the dream they came on really strongly and then it happened when I "woke up", or at least my brain woke up. And one morning I was falling back asleep after I woke myself up from one, and I started feeling them again kind of, and I thought maybe they're some kind of chemical that relaxes your muscles while your sleep, which obviously has to happen or else we'll try to act out all of our dreams (I read that somewhere). So maybe feeling them signals that it's going to happen?
And to answer someone's question about feeling really drowsy after they happen, I usually feel like really alert when I first get out of it, but then I end up tired again, I'd just sometimes be scared to go back to sleep knowing it might happen again lol.
ROBBIE4243
07-04-2006, 02:12 AM
sometimes in my sleep, i feel like i cannot move. like i am awake, but i cant move any parts of my body or call for help. i try and try but i cant. then i eventually realize that if i think of something else i will eventually wake up and snap out of it. but it is very scary attimes. anyone have any experiences like this or know how to get it to stop?
ROBBIE4243
07-04-2006, 02:16 AM
I Used To Have This Happen All The Time Its Called Sleep Paralasys And It Is T Very Scary. All I Can Tell You Is That Its Somewhat Common And It Would Only Happen To Me When I Would Sleep In The Afternoon (again I Dont Know Why) Then It Just Stop Happening On Its Own, It Lasted 3 Years
Ariaden
07-04-2006, 06:01 PM
i don't know if this was sleep paralysis but i woke up gasping really scared and i woke up yellin for my boyfriend. my heard was beating really fast and my lip had gone numb. i don't remember why i forced myself to wake up but i think for a split second i cuoldn't move. and i was on my back. is that sleep paralys or something else?
seyzna
07-08-2006, 01:52 AM
i also found this happens on my back 95% of the time
kj_johnson
07-09-2006, 07:00 AM
It's been a few years since i've had an episode(thank GOD) i thought i was just dreaming i was paralyzed at first and i didn't mention it to anyone. I was married when my first one happened and i couldn't move at all and struggled intensely to move, sometimes i could wake up, sometimes i went back to sleep. And if i could finally move i would try to stay awake because i was so scared but the sleepiness was so overwhelming i would go back to sleep and usually would have at least 1 other episode. One of the scariest things was..i couldn't talk, i could only get out noises . Years later (divorced, new hubby) I had the same attacks again and luckily he was a light sleeper and he could hear me making the grunts/noises and he would jerk me awake and i could move, but only to fall asleep and have it over again. I also had sleepiness in the daytime, especially sitting like at work, i tried getting up, going outside and walking, and other things, but nothing worked. i believe it's a form of narcolepsy. I have heard Provigal may help. I'ts nice to have someone who understands this, but i wouldn't wish this on anyone...kj:cool:
troublesleeping
07-10-2006, 12:33 AM
I have been dealing with "sleep paralysis" for probably over 25 years. It really is nothing to worry about. Mine happens infrequently and usually happens when I am going to sleep. It is because the body and mind are at different stages in the sleep cycle. You are entering into REM sleep, and most people do not feel the body entering into this stage. Some of us lucky ones are able to "feel" it and we feel like we are paralyzed. It is very scary. I have found only one cure- when I feel myself going "into" it, I move- a finger, a toe, my eyelids, anything I can move and that wakes me up fully. After I wake, yes, there is an overwhelming sleepiness, this is normal, after all, you just woke yourself up from a sleep, a deep sleep entering into REM. I find that if I change positions or stay awake for a minute or two it does not happen again, but if I doze immediately off again I will go right back into it. I am a christian as well and can assure everyone it is not anything "evil" or "aliens" trying to kidnap anyone... it is a real, physical reaction to sleep. remember that there is also a scripture in the bible that says.."greater is he that is in you then he that is in the world". God made sleep for rest. God tells us " I will make your rest peaceful". I do not worship a God who would allow evil spirits to come to me and try to, or actually do harm while I am asleep..something so wonderful that he made for us to enjoy. :angel: