Sleep Paralysis

[Irohh]

Oh, this happens to me once a month or so :/ Sometimes I feel like something's there, but other times I have nightmares in its place. Last time it was a succession of my friends dying, I knew it was a dream but every time I shook myself 'awake' I would fall back in several seconds.

[unexp]

It's happened to me quite a few times. The most recent one being a few days ago. That one was a bit startling. I felt like something was sucking the life out of me while I sunk into my bed. I could hear myself screaming in my head, but couldn't move (of course). I kept telling myself that everything is okay it's just sleep paralysis and tried to wake myself up. I felt better after a few seconds although I was still a bit shook from it. I noticed that I usually get sleep paralysis when I'm super exhausted.

[Neofett]

I've had sleep paralysis happen to me 3 times in my life. Twice when I was a young teenager and once just recently as an adult. When I was younger both times it happened I thought I was being abducted by aliens but because I saw a very bright light outside my window the first time it happened. Second time my vision was sliced in half and swapped. Now recently it was a very quick paralysis. I was laying on my back and I could see my bedroom door cracked and the kitchen light was on and it sounded like someone was rustling around. It only lasted for about a minute and then I woke up. As an adult they don't really scare me anymore now that I've read up on what it is.


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[Bela Lugosi]

I had it once when i was really sick with the flu. I was napping in the afternoon and woke up cause i thought i heard a noise and someone was standing at the foot of my bed. i couldn't move and I tried screaming for my mother but I could barely make any noise. It was some scary shit, and I don't want to ever have that feeling again.

[Xiloscient]

I've experienced it twice ever, and the first time was terrifying, second time was pretty scary but I knew what was happening so it was a bit easier.

[foreignemphasis]

Is the cause of sleep paralysis understood in medicine?

[Sci_Girl]

Is the cause of sleep paralysis understood in medicine?

When a person is coming out of a REM sleep cycle that has not yet finished. REM is Rapid Eye Movement, it is a state of sleep when your eyes move a lot and you experience vivid dreams. This is also a time when your body is basically asleep and unable to move due to rigid muscles. If you wake up during a transitional stage of sleep when your body is asleep like that you will feel like you are paralyzed. Or feel like someone is sitting on you, some people report a choking sensation as well. It all has to do with waking up during a sleep cycle.

[freshoffthetrev]

The worst is when you experience sleep paralysis, and you're half awake, but still in a dream state. I remember dreaming that an alien was beside me staring at my face, and lifting my blanket up, and I couldn't do anything about it. I couldn't even scream because my vocal chords were held stiff/silent. It was the worst feeling in the world, cold sweat, and tense muscles. Most people would argue that my experience was a real alien experience, but I beg to differ. I'm pretty sure it was straight up sleep paralysis.

Even worse, on the opposite end, I also sleep walk. That's a whole other thing of its own.

[toomanyskins]

The only time I ever get SP is when I'm about to lucid dream.
I usually get SP just before I enter a lucid dream and its followed by a twirling vortex sensation.

[sopngeo]

I have has something similar once, but I wiggled my toes and this seemed to loosen the rest of my body. I totally avoid sleeping on my back because I heard that is when it is most likely to happen.