Sleep Paralysis

[vonarx]

my girlfriend had this dream when she was in france where there was some kind of demon choking her and she "woke up" into another dream where she was in her bed and couldn't move because she felt like something was holding her down and choking her, and then she woke up for real and her throat hurt and she was clutching a rosary cross she had next to her bed. scary shit.

[asymmetrical head]

i used to have these when i worked nights a few years ago. when i got another job where my hours were normal (9 to 5) it went away.

i remember this one time it happened, i didn't even struggle... i said to myself, "fuck it!" and it faded away.

[North by North]

Just wanted to say that I have been dealing with this regularly (I'm 31 and it started a few years ago out of nowhere after I started a stressful job). I have since had other jobs, not stressful, live a happy life (minus the head games I play with myself about dying and things I'm afraid of and getting older, so maybe these things are still contributing to it). I also have noticed that while I can't sleep on my back, I must end up turning in the night because the fiance tells me I end up on my back a lot. I also have a lot of lucid dreams and can often feel the paralysis coming on and I try to wake up or change the dream (if I'm sinking in water for example).

Anyway, just thought it was a little comforting that this was a topic and that others have this too (no one I know ever has)- though I wish this wasn't a topic and that no one got this because it's the WORST feeling I can imagine. I used to not be able to fall back asleep after it happened, but now I can easily go back to sleep, even after a long "episode" as I call them.

Anyone else currently, or formerly, have to deal with this? I still can't keep calm and let it pass, I struggle to move my fingers or anything to wake up.

THIS SUCKS.

[Syberia]

Just wanted to say that I have been dealing with this regularly (I'm 31 and it started a few years ago out of nowhere after I started a stressful job). I have since had other jobs, not stressful, live a happy life (minus the head games I play with myself about dying and things I'm afraid of and getting older, so maybe these things are still contributing to it). I also have noticed that while I can't sleep on my back, I must end up turning in the night because the fiance tells me I end up on my back a lot. I also have a lot of lucid dreams and can often feel the paralysis coming on and I try to wake up or change the dream (if I'm sinking in water for example).

Anyway, just thought it was a little comforting that this was a topic and that others have this too (no one I know ever has)- though I wish this wasn't a topic and that no one got this because it's the WORST feeling I can imagine. I used to not be able to fall back asleep after it happened, but now I can easily go back to sleep, even after a long "episode" as I call them.

Anyone else currently, or formerly, have to deal with this? I still can't keep calm and let it pass, I struggle to move my fingers or anything to wake up.

THIS SUCKS.

I had this just two times in my life, and that was horrible. I lived on the first floor in a flat building and had a door out to a small patio. The first time I woke up and was completely paralysed from top to toe and I was hearing someone brake in through the door to the patio. It was real and I was wide awake, the other time it was the same thing but this time a saw a man walking through my room. Both time I was absolutely terrified but the only thing that assured me this wasn't real was that my dog lay next to my bed and it's a breed with a lot of guarding in it, so if someone would have been by the door or in my room he would have gone crazy. Nice to have a guard dog that protects me from my self .
I also recognize your feeling of falling in to a lucid dream, I had that a lot two years ago. It was also when I was lying on my back and I could feel how my whole body was falling asleep before my mind and every time I heard this high almost electric tone in my ears, sometimes it was almost pleasant but other times when the my mind won it was like I had an electric chock and woke up instantly. I wasn’t feeling very good at this period when this was going on and I was unhappy with my work, my dark small apartment and my life, now I have moved, change job and feel very happy with my life and I sleep like a baby every night.

But as far as I have read this is often caused by stress or depression and if it's something that affect your whole life you maybe should talk to a shrink, or at least try to calm down before going to bed. Maybe write in a diary things that you worry about or things that you didn't liked with your day. I know this sound cliche but yoga or other relaxation exercises could help.
I'm also very convinced that what and when we eat affects our sleep. Eating food right before bed (I don't say you do) can make your sleep unstable.
It's not easy to deal with this but I wish you all my luck.

[North by North]

Just wanted to say that I have been dealing with this regularly (I'm 31 and it started a few years ago out of nowhere after I started a stressful job). I have since had other jobs, not stressful, live a happy life (minus the head games I play with myself about dying and things I'm afraid of and getting older, so maybe these things are still contributing to it). I also have noticed that while I can't sleep on my back, I must end up turning in the night because the fiance tells me I end up on my back a lot. I also have a lot of lucid dreams and can often feel the paralysis coming on and I try to wake up or change the dream (if I'm sinking in water for example).

Anyway, just thought it was a little comforting that this was a topic and that others have this too (no one I know ever has)- though I wish this wasn't a topic and that no one got this because it's the WORST feeling I can imagine. I used to not be able to fall back asleep after it happened, but now I can easily go back to sleep, even after a long "episode" as I call them.

Anyone else currently, or formerly, have to deal with this? I still can't keep calm and let it pass, I struggle to move my fingers or anything to wake up.

THIS SUCKS.

I had this just two times in my life, and that was horrible. I lived on the first floor in a flat building and had a door out to a small patio. The first time I woke up and was completely paralysed from top to toe and I was hearing someone brake in through the door to the patio. It was real and I was wide awake, the other time it was the same thing but this time a saw a man walking through my room. Both time I was absolutely terrified but the only thing that assured me this wasn't real was that my dog lay next to my bed and it's a breed with a lot of guarding in it, so if someone would have been by the door or in my room he would have gone crazy. Nice to have a guard dog that protects me from my self .
I also recognize your feeling of falling in to a lucid dream, I had that a lot two years ago. It was also when I was lying on my back and I could feel how my whole body was falling asleep before my mind and every time I heard this high almost electric tone in my ears, sometimes it was almost pleasant but other times when the my mind won it was like I had an electric chock and woke up instantly. I wasn’t feeling very good at this period when this was going on and I was unhappy with my work, my dark small apartment and my life, now I have moved, change job and feel very happy with my life and I sleep like a baby every night.

But as far as I have read this is often caused by stress or depression and if it's something that affect your whole life you maybe should talk to a shrink, or at least try to calm down before going to bed. Maybe write in a diary things that you worry about or things that you didn't liked with your day. I know this sound cliche but yoga or other relaxation exercises could help.
I'm also very convinced that what and when we eat affects our sleep. Eating food right before bed (I don't say you do) can make your sleep unstable.
It's not easy to deal with this but I wish you all my luck.

Yeah- thanks. I do eat later, about 2 hours before going to bed. But there's no consistent pattern as to when it will and won't happen. It's weird because I don't feel stressed about anything. I have gotten used to not being able to move, but it's the feeling of not being able to breathe that makes it so bad.

I wonder if everyone gets this feeling of suffocating. To me this is the absolute worst part and is what prevents me from staying calm. I wake up gasping for air. F this.

[Syberia]

Just wanted to say that I have been dealing with this regularly (I'm 31 and it started a few years ago out of nowhere after I started a stressful job). I have since had other jobs, not stressful, live a happy life (minus the head games I play with myself about dying and things I'm afraid of and getting older, so maybe these things are still contributing to it). I also have noticed that while I can't sleep on my back, I must end up turning in the night because the fiance tells me I end up on my back a lot. I also have a lot of lucid dreams and can often feel the paralysis coming on and I try to wake up or change the dream (if I'm sinking in water for example).

Anyway, just thought it was a little comforting that this was a topic and that others have this too (no one I know ever has)- though I wish this wasn't a topic and that no one got this because it's the WORST feeling I can imagine. I used to not be able to fall back asleep after it happened, but now I can easily go back to sleep, even after a long "episode" as I call them.

Anyone else currently, or formerly, have to deal with this? I still can't keep calm and let it pass, I struggle to move my fingers or anything to wake up.

THIS SUCKS.

I had this just two times in my life, and that was horrible. I lived on the first floor in a flat building and had a door out to a small patio. The first time I woke up and was completely paralysed from top to toe and I was hearing someone brake in through the door to the patio. It was real and I was wide awake, the other time it was the same thing but this time a saw a man walking through my room. Both time I was absolutely terrified but the only thing that assured me this wasn't real was that my dog lay next to my bed and it's a breed with a lot of guarding in it, so if someone would have been by the door or in my room he would have gone crazy. Nice to have a guard dog that protects me from my self .
I also recognize your feeling of falling in to a lucid dream, I had that a lot two years ago. It was also when I was lying on my back and I could feel how my whole body was falling asleep before my mind and every time I heard this high almost electric tone in my ears, sometimes it was almost pleasant but other times when the my mind won it was like I had an electric chock and woke up instantly. I wasn’t feeling very good at this period when this was going on and I was unhappy with my work, my dark small apartment and my life, now I have moved, change job and feel very happy with my life and I sleep like a baby every night.

But as far as I have read this is often caused by stress or depression and if it's something that affect your whole life you maybe should talk to a shrink, or at least try to calm down before going to bed. Maybe write in a diary things that you worry about or things that you didn't liked with your day. I know this sound cliche but yoga or other relaxation exercises could help.
I'm also very convinced that what and when we eat affects our sleep. Eating food right before bed (I don't say you do) can make your sleep unstable.
It's not easy to deal with this but I wish you all my luck.

Yeah- thanks. I do eat later, about 2 hours before going to bed. But there's no consistent pattern as to when it will and won't happen. It's weird because I don't feel stressed about anything. I have gotten used to not being able to move, but it's the feeling of not being able to breathe that makes it so bad.

I wonder if everyone gets this feeling of suffocating. To me this is the absolute worst part and is what prevents me from staying calm. I wake up gasping for air. F this.

Hum...Sounds like something else than just sleep paralyses..More like some sort of panic attack but I don't know. If you are feeling well and calm at you waken life than it must be something else. I would go check with a doctor or shrink if i where you, sounds awful. As far as I know you should just stay calm and try to breath slowly when you feel paralysed, if you are able to. And try NOT to move even if that's the normal reaction. I wish I could help you more.

[North by North]

Thanks. May need to call the professionals.

[marzipanfish]

I totally just posted in another thread about sleep paralysis before I saw this! I might as well add in my 2 cents here too.

I've also experienced this many times throughout my life, but it first started happening when I was a teenager. (As a child I had some night terrors too, apparently, but I can only vaguely remember them.) I was often depressed due to typical teenager bullshit, and because of that often pretty stressed too, so I wouldn't be surprised if that's what started it.

Anyway, I've been able to have a lot of really cool lucid dreams once I figured out how to control it, but a few pretty bad experiences as well not unlike some of the stories being told here. The worst one I've had is actually pretty tame in comparison, so unless anyone really wants to hear it I won't bother sharing... but that was the only time I ever felt truly paralyzed with fear. Even if I could have moved, I was too terrified to do so.

Since that one bad experience, I couldn't forget how scared I was and whenever I felt it begin to happen again, my mind would shut it down immediately and force me to go back to sleep so I could wake up normally, but it didn't always work. Then later in life I learned about lucid dreaming and I was interested in how sleep paralysis was related, as well as methods of learning to control it in order to use it as a gateway to becoming lucid. That changed the way I thought about it, making me want to face my fears and such, and once I learned to trust that it was all in my mind and I could see whatever I chose to see, I had no further bad experiences, only a few that were maybe slightly unusual or unnerving.

Brains, especially dreaming ones, are weird. It's interesting, all the theories about astral projection and deja vu and such, because to me those make a lot of sense, even if I am still skeptical. I read an article once where someone theorized that dreaming is actually the brain's way of preparing the body for scenarios it thinks might happen in real life, but that haven't happened (yet). Your subconscious is pretty astute when it comes to figuring these things out, hence why they can be prophetic or eerily close to reality. As a biological mechanism, it makes sense.

I also recently read up on dimethyltryptamine (DMT). It's a psychedelic drug as you probably know, but your brain actually produces it when you sleep. I suspect it's the culprit for some of the crazy shit you see/hear during sleep paralysis, and the astral projection, lucid dreaming, etc. People often report having out of body experiences when they do DMT. I can't speak from experience, but I can recommend that lucid dreaming is awesome and if you can learn to do it, you might be able to control the sleep paralysis as well. It's more or less a process of learning to control your own mind.

I guess that's the only real advice I can offer. I know that 5-HTP supplements can help you attain lucidity (another form of tryptamine... geez, what is this stuff) but I'd be wary in case it backfires by making it more intense. Maybe a milder sleep aid, something like melatonin that doesn't need to be chemically converted? It could maybe also be sleep apnea severe enough to cause the sleep paralysis, which in combination I can imagine would be pretty horrific. Perhaps see if you can get into a sleep clinic so they can monitor what's happening.

[North by North]

Thanks for the post. When you experienced SP, did you feel like you were suffocating/not breathing? I do have lucid dreams, but cannot get over SP once I feel like I'm not breathing. I would love to know for sure that I am actually breathing, because that's what gets me in a panic, or maybe its the panic over the sensation of not being able to breathe that causes my panic. I keep trying to stay calm to see if I can break the feeling of not being able to breathe, but haven't been successful yet. A sleep clinic would help I'm sure, but I have a thing against paying for hospitals/treatment if I can help it. Maybe I'll have the lady stay up all night and see if I stop breathing at any point.

[marzipanfish]

Well, I'm no doctor, but I would guess you're probably right about it being the sensation that causes the panic. I've never had it happen to my lungs, but it's certainly happened to my body where I'll try to move and it almost seems like the harder I try to move the more my muscles seize up. According to the Wikipedia article about it, seems like it can be a pretty vicious cycle:

Several features of REM breathing patterns exacerbate the feeling of suffocation.[15] These include shallow rapid breathing, hypercapnia, and slight blockage of the airway, a symptom prevalent in sleep apnea patients.[7] Attempts at breathing deeply fail, and give the individual a sense of resistance [...] The sensation of entrapment causes a feedback loop that involves the threat-activated vigilance system: fear of suffocation increases as a result of continued helplessness, which makes the individual struggle to end the SP episode.

Since the same thing that causes the paralysis of your body also removes voluntary breathing control (like autopilot, this is so you can breathe while you're asleep and unconscious) I'd assume that's why you feel the inability to regulate your breathing, which then snowballs into a feeling of suffocation and panic.

Fortunately you aren't experiencing the incubus hallucination that commonly accompanies it, that is mentioned in the article earlier in that paragraph. It's probably one of the most terrifying things I've ever read about. If you don't know what it is, you might want to avoid finding out in case it gives your sleeping brain any mean ideas.

The article also suggests that low levels of melatonin during REM is a possible cause, so you may want to try getting some in supplement form to try it out. The kind I have just dissolves under your tongue. As far as I know, it's pretty safe to use, and the worst that can happen from it is you'll be a little extra drowsy in the morning. But, as I said, I'm not a doctor, so you may want to consult one first, especially if you're noticing erratic sleeping behaviours.

Getting someone to watch you is a good idea! You could also maybe try setting up your own sleep clinic by means of a simple video camera and if possible something to monitor your heart rate.

Gah, now I'm thinking about Paranormal Activity and second guessing that suggestion as well...

[North by North]

Thanks for the info. Very interesting. I will look into this more. Appreciate it!

[jakestott]

It doesn't matter whether i've got a decent sleeping pattern, or a fucked up one, i always get an episode of sleep paralysis, usually about once a month. However, over the past two weeks, i've been having dreaming about having sleep paralysis, and when i wake up it's slightly confusing as the symptoms felt real, even though it was only in my dream and not an actual episode of paralysis.

[histeria36]

Ive had this a few times, really is scary the first time it happens. you are so helpless.
its called Old Hag, if no one has mentioned before.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... htmare.JPG