Sleep Paralysis

Posted on November 7, 2007 in Conditions and Diseases

Sleep paralysis is a condition in which someone about to fall asleep, or just upon waking from sleep experiences the temporary inability to perform voluntary movements, but can still breathe and move his/her eyes.

Causes of Sleep Paralysis

Symptoms of Sleep Paralysis

Is Sleep Paralysis dangerous?

Sleep paralysis is most often associated with narcolepsy, a neurological. However, there are many people who experience sleep paralysis without having signs of narcolepsy. There is no known explanation why it happens.

It is not harmful, but frightening. People report feeling very afraid because they do not know what is happening. In some cases, when hypnogogic hallucinations are present, people feel that someone is in the room with them; some experience the feeling that someone or something is sitting on their chest and they feel impending death and suffocation.These things cause people much anxiety and terror, but there is no physical harm.

Treatment for Sleep Paralysis

Medications such as Sodium oxybate (Xyrem) may be prescribed as a cure for sleep paralysis in severe cases, but the best treatment for sleep paralysis is to reduce stress and get the proper amount of sleep. As it is associated with sleep disorders to a greater extent, if you are suffering from sleep disorders, try to take the necessary steps to solve it.

Self cure for Sleep Paralysis

Here are some important tips for Self cure for Sleep Paralysis

Comments

27 Responses to “Sleep Paralysis”

  1. Mrs Mohsin Says:

    A very useful article and is recommended and is also recommendable to anyone who feels this disorder

  2. Otis Harris Says:

    I am 42 years of age and I have been experiencing sleep paralysis since 9 years old. I am currently in the military and it has has become a very big problem at time such as now. I just rencently return back form Iraq and Kuwait and I have been experiencing some episodes upon my return. I have learn to just relax and never try to sleep on my back or on my sides, that when the attacks are prone to happen. I have learn to sleep on my back, although it still happens at time but I have learn to twitch my neck and try to jerk myself awake. Most of the time if I jerk it or switch it hard enough, I can come out of it.

  3. Otis Harris Says:

    I meant in my article, I try not to sleep on my stomach or on my side because thats when the attacks seems to happen the most.

  4. Administrator Says:

    Thank you Otis for visiting our website.We really feel happy that our self cure tips have helped you.In case of severity at any time, we recommend you to contact your doctor immediately.

  5. allen Says:

    “I have learn to twitch my neck and try to jerk myself awake. Most of the time if I jerk it or switch it hard enough, I can come out of it.”

    I do the same exact thing.

    Though this article has helped a lot.

  6. Zach Says:

    I am almost 13 and i have had sleep paralysis since i was eight i have no idea when or why they come! When they attck me i feel scared and desperate in what to do! I can’t speak or move any part of my body except my eyeballs. I just wait for it to pass!

  7. nsr Says:

    thankz 4 the info
    4 the past years i have been having these symptoms…sometimes it makes me feel so scary,many times i tried to skip the night sleep just to avoid this…
    but thatz 4 the info,letzz hope no one experience this again

  8. Chris Says:

    im 23 and have been suffering from sleep paralysis for over 2 years now, i still havent found any sort of cure for it, and would love to hear of any. I havent experienced the hallicunations yet however

  9. john Says:

    The way I’ve learned to wake up my body when this happens is start breathing harder & harder until my body kicks in to gear from my deep breaths.

  10. Jessica Says:

    I’m 23, and I’ve experienced sleep paralysis off and on for the past few years. My sleep paralysis has been more recurrent lately.. My fiance has been on deployment with the Navy, and I’ve been recently prescibed narcotic pain medication due to a knee injury. I think the sedative effects of the medication contribute to the condition. I was on presciption sleep aids a few years ago, specifically Ambien, and they were severe back then. Since I’ve stopped the medication, the attacks haven’t been as common.

    I practiced hatha yoga to stay in shape before my injury, and that helped keep the sleep paralysis at bay. Combined with meditation, it was very relaxing, and I found it very easy to fall asleep at night. Didn’t have any problems when I was doing it on a regular basis.

    When I realize it’s happening, I try and wiggle my fingers and my toes, and eventually my hands and feet if I’m able to. I also try to and stay calm and breathe. I keep a robe on a hanger on my door, so I’ve ’seen things in the room with me,’ so I try and rationalize to myself that there’s nothing there, nothing’s going to hurt me, and that it’s just a robe on the door. It’s hard to do during the attack, but it helps immensely.

    My father has sleep apnea, so I’m not sure if that’s related to it or not. It’s something I’ll be asking my physicians about. This article was very informative and helpful, and I thank you for it.

  11. paul healy Says:

    I have suffered from sleep paralysis since I was a child I am now 28. I recently found out from my grandad that when he was younger he had exactly the same. During my teens I was terrified of sleeping, now I just deal with it. I also find it hard to get to sleep or stay asleep. I have false awakenings which can be scary and lucid dreams which can be very nice. I believe that these all stem from the fact I sleep very very lightly. I can not sleep if it is too light or with any background noise. I am tired all the time. I work also in shifts which doesn’t help at all. If I have an episode of SP I make a moaning noise and my gilfriend wakes me up. I have had some really scary experiences such as being pulled out of bed or my pillow being removed from under my head. Also demons possessing my girlfriend and attacking me. Demons entering my room, I have heard footsteps and people breaking in.

  12. mike Says:

    I don’t understand why people feel this is such a bad thing. I’ve had many episodes, mostly when i was younger. I’ve been doing research, and sleep paralysis seems to be a precursor to out of body experiences, which have been proven to be real using scientific methodology. Tom Campbell’s book ‘My Big TOE’ is written by a real world physicist, and has documented the reality of out of body. The feelings of impending death and such is simply your fears of the unknown manifesting. Get to know the phenomenon, and your fears will subside. You’ll embrace it. It’s almost like being on drugs except its natural, and safe.
    Now i’m trying to set up the conditions again that use to put me into sleep paralysis mode. I think it’s similar to what very deep meditation would be like, and its required for out of body states. I’ve never had an out of body experience that i remember, but hopefully using sleep paralysis as a catalyst, i’ll eventually be able to do just that.

  13. derik Says:

    i have just recently returned home from Afganistan about 2 months ago, since then i have had three different experiences with sleep paralysis. i always feel as if an intruder is in my house and i try to get up but cant. i am able to at least move my head from side to side. i see my wife sleeping next to me and i try to speak or try breathing louder to wake her up but its never good enough. i hope these episodes stop because they are extremly scary.

  14. Steve Says:

    Just like most people in this forum, I too have been dealing with this for a long time. I think ever since i was like 8(now im 22). Me on the other hand, when it happens to me, I cant open my eyes as well as move my body. however, the way i wake my self up out of it is by starting to move my legs,i keep trying until finally i shake them hard enough to where i wake up. I only experienced an hallucination once,ithought i heard my brothers voice in a demonic way next to me, but i also am worried that my gf will see me and for some reason,it adds more fear and anxiety.

  15. DD Says:

    when i been attack by sleep paralys, i feel like like to wake up. but when i sucess to get up, i realise that it just a dream. then i still paralys there. this repeat few time then only i can really wake up..

  16. Nick Burtch Says:

    I’ve been experincing sleep paralysis since 2005 after a concusion. The pure fear and anxiety of this experience cannot be described by words!! i’ve seen demons sitting on my chest, i’ve yelled for my wife so loud but no words would ever come out, and i’ve also thought i was shaking her to wake me up but in all actuality i was lifeless. i often wake up from 1 episode to fall right back into another severaak times in a night. the only way i come to is by trying with all strength to jerk myself outta of it, eventually this works. i also am bi-polar, dunno if that has anything to do with it, but i more often than not get them when i’m in my depressive state. knowing others have the same problem and go thru similar experience makes me feel not alone.

  17. Marie Says:

    i am 12 years old and i sometimes wake up and i am unable to move,speak,or even blink! my body is frozen. is this normal for my age?

  18. mike Says:

    so this is what i have, i experienced this four times last year. i was so frightened and i thought it was a ghost! i never had it before, but thanks alot i feel better with finally finding a logical explanation to go with my symptoms. has anyone experienced a mild tingling just like the paralysis of the foot but throughout your body?

  19. mike Says:

    sorry one more question.. i usually fight sleep paralysis but i heard u can go into lucid dreaming, can somebody teach me this?

  20. Lucy Says:

    Ive started gettin these! They started a few month back ive noticed they happen when im having a bad dream? Or when im in pain! My body shakes to, try to gerk your arm thats wot i do, its dificult but it does work.

  21. cristian vega Says:

    i’am having problems with alcohol
    i cant live without alcohol.

  22. Rach Says:

    I started having sleep paralysis two years ago. First one I Know i had because I was stressed but now I have them sometimes just out the blue. The first time I felt like I was shaking so told my mum a was taking a fit but then told her everything else and she explained what had happened because she has had a few episodes herself. I hear very loud noises when it’s happening and sometimes feel like i’m taking a fit, i haven’t (so far) found a cure but now when it happens i try to think happy thoughts until it goes. You can feel really helpless though and be left with a strange feeling but i just laugh it off :)

  23. brainwave Says:

    Nice post! Just one question, is this releated to biofeedback?

  24. brainwave Says:

    Thanks for this! I’ve actually been looking into neurofeedback for a while, do you know of any good consumer style products?

  25. tony Says:

    i have been experiencing sp since i was a teen and am 46 now. they say to not lie on back, but i feel more comfortable that way than on stomach or side because my sp has come more often in that way. i am awake but no movement for seconds until i just snap out of it. this is scary to me, but i understand what gets me in that situation. i have GAD and like to drink beer, not getting the proper rest among other things. it’s nice to know that i am not alone in this, but i wish these feelings would go away. i feel drained when i do wake up for the day, like emptiness inside. need to start exercising more, this seems to keep it at bay.

  26. Ben Says:

    I’m 17 now, and ever since I can remember I have always had re-occuring situations of Sleep Paralysis. It’s one of the most frightening things I’ve ever experienced. I try to scream out for my parents, but nothing comes out.

    Normally, to snap out of it, I try to twitch or move my neck and head. That normally does the trick and I’m conscious again (well for about 5 seconds then I fall back to sleep).

    I always remember when sleeping over at my friends house, I’ve seen this shadowed figure standing over her bed and feeling absolutley terrified. I try to move my leg to kick my friend, but it won’t move, so I try to scream which never works. Then I twitch and I’m ok again.

    . . . I try to avoid sleeping at her house now.

  27. ha Says:

    my girlfriend suffers this, and due to her beliefs, is absolutely certain that she is being possessed by the Devil when this happens. I want ot help, but cannnot at this point, what can I do?

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