[MrEcted1]

Ugh...

I just had another attack of sleep paralysis last night... it happened twice... followed by an intense dream. I've had these before, but it's been awhile.

First I went to bed really late and tired. I had a small episode where I woke up and couldn't move a muscle, I wanted to scream for my wife but I couldn't do it. Finally after about a minute it broke and I was able to move. Usually when this happens to me then i can expect a VERY scary dream. And it happened. I went back to sleep and the paralysis kicked in again, this time I wan't quite as scared but i was still trying to wake up my wife. I decided that I was going to just go ahead and relax because I know where sleep paralysis comes from, so I relaxed. Next thing I know I am having an extremely vivid dream where I actually wake up in my bedroom and my house is on fire. I woke up my wife (still in dream) and we started puting on our clothes. None of our lights worked so it was very hard to see (the fire was outside) We were very scared because the fire was right by a gas line, so we were trying to rush out of there. Right as we get ready to leave the house we hear a war going on outside. We were either going to blow up in the house or run out in the middle of a war. CRAP that was scary.

By the way for those who experience sleep paralysis, it's when your body wakes up during REM sleep (during this time your body is paralized so you don't act your dreams out) so you get a feeling of being totally paralized for up to 2 minutes, which can seem like a loooooooong time.

Anyways, just thought I would share that cuz i'm still freaked out and I had to get it off my chest.

 

[Cousin Patty]

That sounds like exactly what has been happening to me recently. I just turned 21 and never had it happen to me before but in the last 3 or 4 weeks its happened to me like 3 or 4 times. It really sucks and is pretty scary. Is there anything that can be done about it?

 

[MrEcted1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cousin Patty That sounds like exactly what has been happening to me recently. I just turned 21 and never had it happen to me before but in the last 3 or 4 weeks its happened to me like 3 or 4 times. It really sucks and is pretty scary. Is there anything that can be done about it?

I've heard that the most common reason why people experience this is because of anxiety and also really poor sleeping habbits. One leads to the other... if you have really bad anxiety then you probably have a poor sleep schedule as well. Also, studies have shown that it happens more frequently with people that sleep on their backs. If you sleep on your back then try to sleep in a different position, like on your side. If you go to bed EXTREMELY tired then you have a better chance of experiencing a sleep paralysis episode.

 

[JahJahBinks]

Also stress can cause it.

 

[pne]

this reminds me of a story I read when I was young, about a ghost who would fly into the room in the middle of the night, and sit on the victims chest so they couldn't move. They would do this for the entire night until sunrise.

 

[YamiTenshi]

I use to get sleep paralysis a lot in college, a few times a week for months. I don't think I was ever really scared just annoyed that I might have overslept for class and now my freaking body literally can't get out of bed.

Are there any ways to get out of sleep paralysis?

 

[MuZI]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pne this reminds me of a story I read when I was young, about a ghost who would fly into the room in the middle of the night, and sit on the victims chest so they couldn't move. They would do this for the entire night until sunrise.

Weird, there was a post here on head fi before saying how 30% of some population has a dream that a demon came and sat on their chests... creepy..

 

[JahJahBinks]

I had that a few times in college. After joining working class, I never had it again.

 

[brian183]

This happens to me alot when I try and take a nap during the day. I usually dont take naps but when I do I usually am very tired for some reason. Then I wake up and for the first couple minutes I can't move. I feels like coming up for air from swimming deep in water when my body wakes up. Although i don't feel like i cant breathe...sometimes I panic and literally will myself to move.

 

[Cousin Patty]

Yeah thats what happens to me. I start freaking out and I try to tell my body to move but it doesnt right away. I have to really force myself to truly wake up.

 

[AndrewG]

I get sleep paralysis whenever I lie on my back and fall asleep, it's a strange little combination.

 

[sisenor]

I get this too. Sometimes its scary even though I've experienced it alot...I have to like "yo heave ho" three or four times and finally I can move. Just FYI the demon presence thing is common and even hearing voices and other things. I think it is more common to have them when napping. Sometimes I feel like I'm about to fall into some unknown void too. The only cool thing is sometimes I wake up after one and my body is like vibrating and its invigorating and refreshing

 

[tattoou2]

You might want to see a sleep disorder specialist. This isn't normal.

 

[apnk]

I dont get sleep paralysis, but my mom and sister do. They say that sometimes they feel as someone is watching them while they are paralized. I sleep like a rock at night, a nuke can go off outside i wouldn't even notice.

 

[iSleipnir]

Wow, I've never heard of that. Well if it ever happens to me, these next couple of weeks is when its going to happen.