I did a search on the forum a few minutes ago, but didn't quite find the answer I was looking for. Like a lot of things, I don't really know much about it, but it happens to me too frequently. I did read that it happens when the brain wakes up before the body? Er, something like that. But I want to know is if it's normal for this to happen at least once, twice...three times a month? It seems to be getting progressively worse, as well. This morning I woke up and could move my eyes, but nothing else seemed to move. I tried, but my jaws were locked and I could only grunt.
This has to be my worst fear over everything; being in a situation where I'm helpless, too shocked or still to even scream for help.

During these times I do see some strange figures, but not alien-like, or...things like that. They always seem faraway, and never really close, they don't touch or 'probe', and more often than not are just large black masses.

I have been a little stressed lately, but it's more...frustration than stress, but any other time this has happened I can't recall anything that would have made me stressed or aggravated.

I'd like to know a little more on this, like what causes it, and some of the theories behind it.

If this is happening more and more - GO SEE YOUR DOCTOR! I am very serious about this. Yes it's normal for it to be once to a few times a month for some people. But if this is becoming 'too much/too often' - go see your doctor and tell him what is going on.

Hope this helps ...

http://watarts.uwaterloo.ca/~acheyne/prevent.html

http://watarts.uwaterloo.ca/~acheyne/S_P.html#tabcon

Yep, I've had it happen to me years ago...It is a completely helpless feeling. I think there are ways to avoid it...changes in diet, exercise, (all the standards!).

But, although it is frustrating, I don't think it is overly harmful. But, I too would suggest mentioning to a medical doctor if it continues. It is very bizarre, but I think it is more common than folks know.

I had a friend with this problem, and also read up on it before.

1) it happens to people more when they fall asleep on their back (I would venture to say becuase this is the easiest position for having out of body experiences, which sleep paralysis is often a prelude to). So, if you are sleeping on your back, try a differen't position.

2) If you are already in the paralized state, then try thinking about wiggling your pinky toe (or pinky), and that somehow snaps a lot of people out of it.

3) I think (I'm not absolutly sure on this one) that if it is too much stress for you, then a doctor might subscribe a sleepaid, although I don't see how that would help.


hope one of these works for you.

3times a month? thats actualy nothing compared to me i get em like every freakin night and it pisses me off cus i can never do nothing about it i've heard how yo ucan travel or something well i cant do that im to scared to actauly try and leave my dam body when im in that stage so i just wake myself up. it sux.

I never want to be sleep paralyzed. I can only picture the kind of images I would see.

I've been debating about going to the doctor, actually, but I hardly want my parents to go on thinking I'm weird. :/ When I told them I wanted to go to the doctor, because I believed I had a mild case of schizophrenia (which my step-dad wouldn't let me go to a therapist afterward, because he knew they would call me a schizo and tag us with an expensive bill), they freaked out. I can't say anything remotely strange these days, without them screaming, "Casey! Don't say things like that!" I wouldn't be able to talk to them afterward, because apparently everything I say is inappropriate anyway.

Anyway, that did help a ton. Thanks Inner Space. ^^


I do sleep on my back, sometimes, and it is the position that I always seem to paralyzed in. Though, I do sleep on my side (either side) on occasion.


There are less frightening episodes that I don't recall, because I have a memory like an elephant, but I do become worried that each night I fall asleep it's going to happen again. Most mornings it isn't as bad as it was on Wednesday?, when I posted this. Usually I'm just extremely stiff, and disoriented, but I can manage to get out of bed.


Due to an insomniac moment I had last month, I was put on sleeping aids; they don't help with the paralysis. ...Muscle relaxers don't quite help either. XD


Btw, delicious avatar AB.

The first time i has sleep paralysis, I wasn't scared. I was just lying there thinking.
When I could move after a couple minutes i made some KD.

i did a topic on it a few months ago, it went into a lot of theorys about it being something else. Another SP Topic

I don't think it has anything to do with demons and all that.

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

It's a fairly common thing, but if you perceive it to be causing problems for you, than it likely is, and you should bring it up to your doctor. I doubt they'd think you were wierd, because it's something that a lot of people experience.

Pay attention to:



I've had a few episodes, but not nearly as many as you seem to. Actually, I haven't even noticed it in a couple of years now.. so maybe it'll pass?

I don't really know.

It sounds like the doctor can actually prescribe something though.

I used to have SP once every couple of days. If it does bother you then as others have suggested, do go see a doctor. It does not bother me as I'm quite used to it but I do know how the fear can be overwhelming. Dark figures, voices and creepy noises don't help. When you understand that SP often goes hand-in-hand with hypnagogic/hypnapompic states then these figures/noises come as no surprise.

My speculation on the matter is that it is NOT a chemical released to stop one from acting out their dreams in bed. This observation comes mainly from training myself to fall asleep (during my bad insomnia days) and being able to instantly wake up from deep sleep, pretty much as if one is disturbed from a deep sleep - there is no paralysis when you would really expect it. My hunch is that it is a chemical released during a specific (and perhaps traumatic) dream experience that effects your neurons (and their ability to communicate). I distinctly remember couple of dreams (and not necessarily traumatic) from which when I had awoken I was paralysed and I think the paralysis was linked to the dreams.

There are other dream-time experiences that I've found worse though and that is waking up into a dream, ok - not so scary, but when you think you are finally awake only to find yourself still in a dream and then repeat 5 or 6 times, by about the 4th time you start losing hope of ever waking up for real. *shruggs*

Cheers

I think you're right, Ai, about certain dreams being linked to paralysis. I've noticed that the dreams I have before awaking to the paralysis, and I always have a dream, are extremely vivid. They're very realistic, and I confuse them only too much with the real world. I can feel temperatures, smell, see in vivid depth and detail, and feel the objects around me as though I'm not sleeping at all. It's exactly like my everyday life, so would it be plausible to say that the brain may actually confuse these types of dreams with real events? And, when you wake up, the body is confused as well? Dunno... But if there would be a way to stop these types of dreams, I don't think I would risk it. I really enjoy 'watching' what goes on...no matter how outlandish or ridiculous it is. xD

Though, I did wake up this morning (exactly two weeks from the time I posted this) paralyzed. It wasn't near as bad as the 27th, but I couldn't move major appendages or speak. I was a bit delusional, too, because I kept thinking, "Why doesn't anyone pick me for the Gryffindor team?!" Er... Harry Potter related dream, before I'd woken up.

Hi there, I wouldn't worry too much. I get this a lot too especially if I fall asleep on my back. I have an anxiety disorder and asked my psych doc :-) yesterday about it and he said that it is quite common and linked to stress and maybe hormone changes. Don't worry there isn't a link between this and the pyschotic symptoms of schizophrenia. Keeping a healthy sleep schedule will help and don't do anything in bed except sleep. Try a relaxation cd for getting you off to sleep. Even though it is very frightening it is not real. I find that if I get it and try to shake my head or scream it brings me out of it. Best of luck.