Sleep paralysis?

[SSMarks1290]

Hello, So I've never experienced anything like this, and am pretty freaked out. After doing some googling, I'm pretty sure it was sleep paralysis but wanted to get some opinions because I am now scared to try to go back to sleep.

Okay, so I guess I fell asleep watching a movie and all of a sudden I heard an extremely shrill noise and opened my eyes. All of a sudden, something was smothering me. I have black pillows so I thought someone was holding one of them over my face but all I know was it was something black. I couldn't move at all, except for my eyes. I tried to scream and couldn't. I did manage to move my eyes to the TV to see that the movie was still playing. I was panicking and felt like I couldn't breath. Something dark was being pushed into my face, and I couldn't move to stop it. It felt so real, I thought maybe my friend who was asleep on the other end of the couch was doing it so I tried to move my feet to kick her, but couldn't move. Then the black thing was moved from my face. I was still unable to move, and looked bad towards the TV, and there was a black shadowy figure crouched in front of the TV looking back and forth at me and my friend. I begin to panic even more, and the figure moved towards me, and whispered something like, "not time yet, be back soon." Then disappeared, and I was finally able to move, but it took a few minutes, to actually be able to move enough to sit up and completely wake up because my body still felt extremely heavy. As soon as I was able to, I checked on my friend who was fast asleep and snoring. I now have a horrible headache and am pretty scared. Opinions anyone?

[whisperywhistle]

Hi I know how that feels because I am one more who have experience the topic you just wrote about. It happen many times but I found a way to stop it I observed that when I slept on my stomached it doesn't occurred any longer. Not too long ago my mother die and I got a serious burn on my tommy and I had no more choice but to sleep the other way and believed me I kept my eyes open through my nights sleeps cause I already know it exits and I totally agreed with you is very scary to feel paralyzed and venerable at the same time see everything even your surroundings and yet not be able to moved. I cant never forget how it feels I strongly agreed !!! Try sleeping the other way around it might work for you too it has for me.

[jamesjr191]

Hi, welcome to UM. i ve had several episodes of that type experience and its very frightening. its all a dream but some will say different. search here for it and also hatman and you will see many discussions on the topic.

Edited September 15, 2014 by jamesjr191

[jamesjr191]

Hi I know how that feels because I am one more who have experience the topic you just wrote about. It happen many times but I found a way to stop it I observed that when I slept on my stomached it doesn't occurred any longer. Not too long ago my mother die and I got a serious burn on my tommy and I had no more choice but to sleep the other way and believed me I kept my eyes open through my nights sleeps cause I already know it exits and I totally agreed with you is very scary to feel paralyzed and venerable at the same time see everything even your surroundings and yet not be able to moved. I cant never forget how it feels I strongly agreed !!! Try sleeping the other way around it might work for you too it has for me.

Its seems to be true that sleeping on your back seems to bring it on.

[White Crane Feather]

If it happens again do your best to relax, instea of looking at it and giving it attention, close your eyes ( liked you noticed they will not be paralyzed) and roll theme back up into your head. Or you ca count to five while shifting your eyes give times left and right while your eyes are closed.

If it does come back and start to be a problem pm me.

[Insignia]

Welcome to the horrible world of sleep paralysis

Had it exactly twice in my life, once was very similar to yours, minus any words being spoken, and the second was VERY similar to being paralysed during a strong earth quake, except nothing moved and my girlfriend next to me slept through it.

There's accounts of suspected sleep paralysis cases from ancient cultures that all describe a figure, usually an old woman, standing over them and smothering them. Very bizarre that different cultures across generations all experience the same thing.

As suggested, the best thing you can do is relax and wait for it to end, it never lasts for long

Edited September 23, 2014 by Insignia

[Rafterman]

If it continues to happen, go to a sleep center and see a sleep doc.

[White Crane Feather]

If it continues to happen, go to a sleep center and see a sleep doc.

Been there done that, so have many others I have seen. They don't have any answers other than the standard advice. Then they try to dope people up on all sorts of meds from anti depressants to anti psychotics. Of which is really only beneficial in the most dire of cronic issues. It's much healthier to simply learn to gain a measure of control.

A sleep study can't hurt to rule out things like apnia, low iron obsorption, narcolepsy, which all have the potential to put somone into some middle spaces.

And yes I have had in depth conversations with anestisiaolgists, neurologists, psiciatrists, and a few others. The consensus is that they don't really know what it's about so the go into a trial and error trouble shooting mode until they find something that works. Often this means heavily medicated but sometimes a simple supplement. It depends how exsperienced the doctor is.

Haveing delt with the issue for all of my entire life and worked on it with others, I have some solid solutions for most issues.

[Zinc12]

This has happened to me, first time it happened I thought I was going to have heart failure my heart was pumping so powerfully I could hear it in my ears. I went to the gym that day and when I got home I threw my old t shirt in the paper bin in my bedroom because it was so warn I decided its days were over. Later that night I was asleep and woke up to hear rustling sounds in my room. First thing I thought is there must be a burglar creeping around in my room. I was facing the wall and thought to myself should I stay and pretend I am sleeping or should I turn around and see who is in my room, if they see me wake up maybe they will strike me over the head with something. I decided I had to turn around to see who was in my room but then realised I was completely paralyses! It took a massive effort to turn my body, literally all my strength to break out of this paralysis.

What I seen caused me to almost have a heart attack, crouched down over the bin I had thrown my tshirt in was a short shadowy figure, it was taking in deep breaths from my shirt as though it was feeding off its scent of my shirt. Next it turned and realised I was staring at it, it looked surprised and shocked. Immediately it leaped into the air came towards me, sprung off my chest and went straight through the solid brick wall of my bedroom.

At this point I was so shocked my heart started beating out of control, I had to actually talk to my heart and tell it to slow down because I thought if it did not I would surely get a heart attack.

That was the first time, and after that I had many similar weird experiences equally scary....I suspect that this will not be the last time you meet this thing.