sleep paralysis

Ms Potter

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_paralysis

has anyone ever suffered from this? I experiense it at least once a week and its very scary

John Doe1

Yeah this happened to me a month ago, it was weird i had this real eerie feeling along with it which made it worse. I remember being really young and having it some times aswell, i never really questioned it though back then.

J_E

I've had it a few times. For me, I get a horrible humming sound when it happens. It's a really loud humming sound, so much so that it hurts my ears, which is very odd. If you're having it once a week, should you see a doctor about it? I heard if you sleep on your back you have a greater chance of having it. Incidentally, every time I've had it, I was sleeping on my back.

golden virginia

I've had this on and off since I was a teenager( for about 25 years). It happens if i go for a nap or if I sleep on too long in the morning or if I wake up at night and dont go back into a deep sleep.

i agree with the above poster - it only happens on your back.

Having had so much experience I would say - dont panick - its just your mind is awake and you body still asleep. Try to deal with it by saying to yourself - i need to wake up my body - focus on moving a part of your body - i always try my hand. Once you push yourself to move - bingo your awake.

ImpossibleDuck

Once when I was a kid, I woke up and had this really weird pain in the back of my neck and I lay in my bed for 1-2 hours completely still and unable to move. I didn't want to call out for help but I honestly thought that was it, I was paralysed. I mean what else would a 10 year old think? It's never happened to me since but it was one of the single most frightening things that have ever happened to me.

charlemont

I barely remember them anymore as I'v got used to it, Although it used to confuse me before as I'd doze back to sleep immediately and dream that I have gotten up etc, Then when I'd wake I'd be confused thinking I'd already gotten up.

Red Sauce

I've gotten these since I was a kid. I used to get them quite frequently, once a week or so. I was unemployed and had really bad sleeping patterns, up all night and sleeping in late in the day. With a nine to five job my sleeping is far more structured and it happens a lot less, maybe once or twice a month. I had an unusually long one yesterday evening though when I fell asleep after work. I was still wrecked from the weekend, going to bed late and getting up early for the rugby before staying out late again. I'd recommend regular sound sleeping habits to reduce the frequency of episodes; it seems to work for me.

I'm used to them at this stage but really still really hate them. Trick is to just stay calm and remember you'll wake up fully soon. Don't bother trying to call out as you won't be able to. The only thing I tend to be able to control is my breathing so I breathe deeply and slowly and before too long I wake with a jolt.One time I fell asleep beside my girlfriend while she was reading. I knew she was awake so I quickened my breathing to get her attention and she shook me awake. That's the only time someone else has ever woken me up during an episode.

I have had this happen on my side a few times, but 99% of the time yea I'm on my back. I've also never managed to move my hand. I've given up trying at this stage, I just wait for it to end.


I do remember being terrified by them as a kid though. Thought it was aliens... :rolleyes:

ff9999

Happened to me last week pretty freaky experience! I had my alarm on early for one of the rugby matches

I vaguely just remember a feeling as if someone was squeezing/holding onto me and as if there were other people in the room..

I can't recall how it ended at all whether I fell back asleep or not

Caoimhín

Yep, was just about to start a thread on it. I used to get it in my late teens but in the past month I have had 3 episodes.

Jaysus it is a horrible feeling. One time i thought there was someone in the room but when i tried to shout or wake my girlfriend i couldnt.

While i am a devout sceptic, i believe it may have connections with the notion of "Shadow people" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadow_people

Personally, while i simply dont understand the biological/psychological reasons behind it, i have a little theory that the condition/phenomenal may have given rise to the notion of ghosts.

Just as interesting is how in Norse mythology it led to the notion of Mara http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mara_(folklore) which has in turn given us the word Nightmare.

Sky King

There's an extensive thread in AH about it. While I have never experienced it, it sounds horrible and it is really very common judging by the number of people who have had it. Apparently the feelings of dread that many people report are really common too.

It's something to do with your brain turnign off the signals to your muscles when you sleep, then becoming concious but this part of your brain function still in sleep mode - hence the confusion and paralysis.

Often colloquially referred to as 'old hag syndrome' after the old had that purportedly visits you and sits on your chest!

Caoimhín

Sky King wrote: »

There's an extensive thread in AH about it. !

Yould wouldnt have a link to that? I'd like a read.

clig

I get this quite often aswell, it feels like someone is sitting beside me pressing me down into the mattress and I have a very loud and strange screeching noise in my head, it freaks me out everytime and I usually don't go back asleep that night

pearlgirl

Yes, it is very common. I had this over a period of many years. not so much now but was at a time when i was quite stressed. It is extremely terrifying at first but the trick for me was to just say to myself, 'ok, don't panic i will wake up in a minute'. There was times when i felt a presence in the room as well. Have to say it is a horrible experience and maybe anxiety is the reason.

dublin80

Cydoniac wrote: »

I've had it a few times. For me, I get a horrible humming sound when it happens. It's a really loud humming sound, so much so that it hurts my ears, which is very odd. If you're having it once a week, should you see a doctor about it? I heard if you sleep on your back you have a greater chance of having it. Incidentally, every time I've had it, I was sleeping on my back.

:eek:
This mirrors my experience. Had it a few times, and get a loud humming noise in my ears. It only happens too when i sleep on my back. I always go asleep now on my side. Its very scary when it happens. its happening to me on and off for 10 or more years.