[Sara]

Originally Posted by originalgoods13

I get this all the time. It is when you wake up and your body is still paralyzed and your brain is freaking out, trying to understand what is happening.

Wikipedia Sleep Paralysis

YES!! Thats actually what it feels like. My brain is WIDE awake (or so it seems) and Im trying to move my arms, trying to sit up but I cant. It really feels like Im paralyzed. But its also very malicious. What happens to me is everything goes silent and I feel something over top of me. Its not crushing me so its not something heavy but it feels like something is trying to harm me and it also very frightening to me. I am scared very very terrified every time this happens. When I actually am able to get up and sit up in bed and move my arms and body, I cry. Its too overwhelming for me. Last week when it happened. I was laying on the couch, I dont think I fell asleep but I guess I did. I remember I could see myself laying on the couch but I could not move. I was home alone and very upset after it happened that had to get out of the house and go for a drive. I was too scared to be there alone.


I saw a therapist when it first happened because I was TERRIFIED to go to sleep and the dr. told me I was normal

[Billup]

Originally Posted by Sara504

I saw a therapist when it first happened because I was TERRIFIED to go to sleep and the dr. told me I was normal

Any therapist will tell you this. Postdormital sleep paralysis accounts occur all over the world in almost any environment. Hypnagognic sleep paralysis (when you are falling asleep) is more rare, but can occur also. Actually, I think its like 4 in 10 people experience some sort of sleep paralysis, but obviously some have heavier experiences than others (much like other sleeping disorders). It can be triggered by something as small as sleeping on your back, or a larger issue like stress or people who have change their sleep schedule. The thought of having something greater than you holding you down is your mind trying to put an explanation to the feeling, rather than considering it a regular sleep disorder.

Do you primarily sleep on your back? My ex had this issue, she thought it was me putting pressure on her with my arm in the morning ( which it couldn't have been because I want my space ), but a doctor suggested she tried changing sleeping position to side. The occurrences dropped from maybe 10-15 times a month to only a few times.

[Sara]

Originally Posted by Billup

Any therapist will tell you this. Postdormital sleep paralysis accounts occur all over the world in almost any environment. Hypnagognic sleep paralysis (when you are falling asleep) is more rare, but can occur also. Actually, I think its like 4 in 10 people experience some sort of sleep paralysis, but obviously some have heavier experiences than others (much like other sleeping disorders). It can be triggered by something as small as sleeping on your back, or a larger issue like stress or people who have change their sleep schedule. The thought of having something greater than you holding you down is your mind trying to put an explanation to the feeling, rather than considering it a regular sleep disorder.

Do you primarily sleep on your back? My ex had this issue, she thought it was me putting pressure on her with my arm in the morning ( which it couldn't have been because I want my space ), but a doctor suggested she tried changing sleeping position to side. The occurrences dropped from maybe 10-15 times a month to only a few times.

No I do not sleep on my back. I almost always sleep on my side or my stomach. However, every time this happens to me I am on my back. What you say makes a lot of sense to me but I just dont like why I get soo terrified. When I wake up each morning I am breathing slowly and have a slow heart rate. When this happens to me, my heart feels like its about to pound out of my chest and it almost hurts its going so fast.

[Sara]

Another thing to add, I dont know if this has anything to do with this but I'll state that I had my first "episode" while taking extreme narcotics when I was 16 following a surgery. I also had hallucinations and was taken off the drugs. I think the drug may have "awoken" something in my brain to start letting this happen. I dunno. Just figured Id share when this first happened. Ive only had two this year. Once in June and once last week.

[Jeff@TopGearSolutions]

I usually have the same reoccurring dream anytime i remember my dreams. I've googled them before and they are very consistent in their meanings. Check out "dream meanings".

[Billup]

Originally Posted by Sara504

No I do not sleep on my back. I almost always sleep on my side or my stomach. However, every time this happens to me I am on my back. What you say makes a lot of sense to me but I just dont like why I get soo terrified. When I wake up each morning I am breathing slowly and have a slow heart rate. When this happens to me, my heart feels like its about to pound out of my chest and it almost hurts its going so fast.

Its something like 60% of occurrences happen when sleeping on your back. You get a sense of being terrified because after you enter REM from NREM, your brains transfer of physical feeling can't be distinguished because your body thinks you are still in an REM state. Increased / decreased heart rates are directly related to the amount of stress you feel because you can't move (aka: you are freaking out). The next time you feel you are having this, try to initiate eye movement and look around the room, for some people it gives them a sense of knowing they are in control for the duration of feeling "stuck" and allows you to focus on breathing, thus retaining a normal feeling.

We had this battle for months before she was able to control her feeling when it would happen, but you have to over power the feeling of terror before you can focus on how to ease through the episodes.

[Cyrax91]

Since I was young I have always had dreams about tornadoes and a T-rex. And that fucker always kills me.

[Billup]

Originally Posted by Sara504

Another thing to add, I dont know if this has anything to do with this but I'll state that I had my first "episode" while taking extreme narcotics when I was 16 following a surgery. I also had hallucinations and was taken off the drugs. I think the drug may have "awoken" something in my brain to start letting this happen. I dunno. Just figured Id share when this first happened. Ive only had two this year. Once in June and once last week.

Yes. Some narcotics will leave this effect as well, but most cases are only for the duration of taking the medication and don't effect the future. Everyones body will take differently to meds. The first question the doctor asked was if she was on any meds, but at the time she wasn't.

[Devious21]

Originally Posted by Sara504

No I do not sleep on my back. I almost always sleep on my side or my stomach. However, every time this happens to me I am on my back. What you say makes a lot of sense to me but I just dont like why I get soo terrified. When I wake up each morning I am breathing slowly and have a slow heart rate. When this happens to me, my heart feels like its about to pound out of my chest and it almost hurts its going so fast.

The first time it happened to me, I was pretty terrified. I thought I was dying or having a stroke or something. It's every scarier when you are paralyzed with your eyes closed because you can't be sure if it's a dream or awake.

Now when it happens, I'm very aware of what's happening. I breath slowly (don't really have much choice but just don't fight it or panic) and relax until it's over. Usually just takes a minute or so.

The accompanying nightmare is known as the "Old Hag" and many other names throughout the world. Someone or something sitting on your chest. For me, the pressure isn't too bad but I know it's worse for others.

Only advice is to just acknowledge it as soon as possible and try to consciously relax. If you are calm, it makes it much less worse.

[Sara]

Originally Posted by Billup

Its something like 60% of occurrences happen when sleeping on your back. You get a sense of being terrified because after you enter REM from NREM, your brains transfer of physical feeling can't be distinguished because your body thinks you are still in an REM state. Increased / decreased heart rates are directly related to the amount of stress you feel because you can't move (aka: you are freaking out). The next time you feel you are having this, try to initiate eye movement and look around the room, for some people it gives them a sense of knowing they are in control for the duration of feeling "stuck" and allows you to focus on breathing, thus retaining a normal feeling.

We had this battle for months before she was able to control her feeling when it would happen, but you have to over power the feeling of terror before you can focus on how to ease through the episodes.

Makes sense. Thats similar to what I've been told. Last week when it happened I remember closing my eyes (I dont know if I was asleep or awake) but I do remember as soon as I felt my body go numb I closed my eyes (I either closed them in real life or closed them in my dream. I dont know which.) because the feeling of being taunted was so frightening and I do remember saying "Grandma" over and over in my head, as if she could spook off whatever it was over top of me. My Grandma is deceased. I dont know if thats why I cried when I came out of it or again because the terror feeling that I feel while its happening. Its actually very embarrassing but I seriously am afraid to take a nap at the house or go to bed early alone before my bf gets home.

[Sara]

Originally Posted by Devious21

The first time it happened to me, I was pretty terrified. I thought I was dying or having a stroke or something. It's every scarier when you are paralyzed with your eyes closed because you can't be sure if it's a dream or awake.

Now when it happens, I'm very aware of what's happening. I breath slowly (don't really have much choice but just don't fight it or panic) and relax until it's over. Usually just takes a minute or so.

The accompanying nightmare is known as the "Old Hag" and many other names throughout the world. Someone or something sitting on your chest. For me, the pressure isn't too bad but I know it's worse for others.

Only advice is to just acknowledge it as soon as possible and try to consciously relax. If you are calm, it makes it much less worse.

Thats EXACTLY whats its like! Its like something I cant see is on my chest and I cant move to get away from it. I cant scream for help. Nothing works. Except my brain is aware that its happening and I am trying to fight it off but I cant move. The most terrifying feeling in the world IMO. Whats strange is theres a noise I hear seconds before it happens. I cant really describe the noise but as soon as I hear it I just go in state of complete panic because I know whats going to happen to me, but Im frozen. Its the same sound every time too.

[Sara]

Originally Posted by Billup

Yes. Some narcotics will leave this effect as well, but most cases are only for the duration of taking the medication and don't effect the future. Everyones body will take differently to meds. The first question the doctor asked was if she was on any meds, but at the time she wasn't.

Yeah the hallucinations stopped immediately once they changed the drug. It was BAD. I would walk into the kitchen where my Mom would be making dinner and her face would be a demon with blood coming out of her solid black eyes and mouth and her teeth were razor sharp. The walls in the kitchen would be blocks of jagged ice with blood pouring down from them. It was bad.

It was a liquid form of hydrocodone I was taking.

[Devious21]

Originally Posted by Sara504

Thats EXACTLY whats its like! Its like something I cant see is on my chest and I cant move to get away from it. I cant scream for help. Nothing works. Except my brain is aware that its happening and I am trying to fight it off but I cant move. The most terrifying feeling in the world IMO. Whats strange is theres a noise I hear seconds before it happens. I cant really describe the noise but as soon as I hear it I just go in state of complete panic, but Im frozen.

I think I've had one where I remember some crazy noise too. It was one where my eyes were closed and I was still dreaming. Some girl attacked me and I remember an overwhelming static type of noise while she was mounting me and strangling me.

My GF ended up shaking me fully awake because I was making soft muffled moaning sound which freaked her out. It was me screaming for help in my dream/real-life but since I was still paralyzed I couldn't form any words and I just sounded like a dying animal or something. I could hear myself as I started to wake up and it sounded creepy.

Sleep Paralysis is also a suspected cause of many alien abduction reports. So strange sounds and lights are probably pretty common, though they don't happen much to me.

[Devious21]

Originally Posted by Sara504

Yeah the hallucinations stopped immediately once they changed the drug. It was BAD. I would walk into the kitchen where my Mom would be making dinner and her face would be a demon with blood coming out of her solid black eyes and mouth and her teeth were razor sharp. The walls in the kitchen would be blocks of jagged ice with blood pouring down from them. It was bad.

What drug was this? Do you have any left over?

[Sara]

Originally Posted by Devious21

What drug was this? Do you have any left over?

Hydrocodone in liquid form.

[Billup]

Originally Posted by Sara504

Makes sense. Thats similar to what I've been told. Last week when it happened I remember closing my eyes (I dont know if I was asleep or awake) but I do remember as soon as I felt my body go numb I closed my eyes (I either closed them in real life or closed them in my dream. I dont know which.) because the feeling of being taunted was so frightening and I do remember saying "Grandma" over and over in my head, as if she could spook off whatever it was over top of me. My Grandma is deceased. I dont know if thats why I cried when I came out of it or again because the terror feeling that I feel while its happening. Its actually very embarrassing but I seriously am afraid to take a nap at the house or go to bed early alone before my bf gets home.

I wish I could give you a more solid answer as to why it would be occurring, but the best thing to do is learn to prepare yourself for it. The feeling can be extremely overwhelming, so there's no reason to feel embarrassed. There is no way to completely "solve" it, but to prevent it from getting to the level it has, will take a lot of focus and identifying it when it happens and allowing yourself to overtake the feeling of fear. Because you haven't fully exited REM, your central system can't litigate the feeling to actual movement until your sensory nerves can accept transmission, which is why it takes a few minutes before you feel normal.

Its a scary experience, and hard to cope with at first, but once you can overcome the fear and allow yourself to understand you aren't being harmed, you won't feel the effects as long or as intense. Try to focus on minimal movements (ie: eye movement & breathing), you will be able to manage it better as each time passes.

I think the feeling is just overwhelming you so much that its just adding more stress for you, causing the feelings to be even more brash.

[Sara]

Originally Posted by Billup

I wish I could give you a more solid answer as to why it would be occurring, but the best thing to do is learn to prepare yourself for it. The feeling can be extremely overwhelming, so there's no reason to feel embarrassed. There is no way to completely "solve" it, but to prevent it from getting to the level it has, will take a lot of focus and identifying it when it happens and allowing yourself to overtake the feeling of fear. Because you haven't fully exited REM, your central system can't litigate the feeling to actual movement until your sensory nerves can accept transmission, which is why it takes a few minutes before you feel normal.

Its a scary experience, and hard to cope with at first, but once you can overcome the fear and allow yourself to understand you aren't being harmed, you won't feel the effects as long or as intense. Try to focus on minimal movements (ie: eye movement & breathing), you will be able to manage it better as each time passes.

I think the feeling is just overwhelming you so much that its just adding more stress for you, causing the feelings to be even more brash.

If I can remember this while I sleep I will try to relax if it ever happens again.

I dream EVERY time I fall asleep. When Im asleep I have pretty crazy dreams like Im flying or Im somewhere in Europe with a fancy gown on and even in my dream, I know that I am indeed dreaming.

But when this happens Im always right where I am right before I "fall asleep" if that makes sense. Its like my brain knows this isnt a dream. Its hard to explain.

This isn't related to seizures is it?

[Billup]

Originally Posted by Sara504

If I can remember this while I sleep I will try to relax if it ever happens again.

I dream EVERY time I fall asleep. When Im asleep I have pretty crazy dreams like Im flying or Im somewhere in Europe with a fancy gown on and even in my dream, I know that I am indeed dreaming.

But when this happens Im always right where I am right before I "fall asleep" if that makes sense. Its like my brain knows this isnt a dream. Its hard to explain.

This isn't related to seizures is it?

Negative, more related to narcolepsy. Its primarily related to things like stress, changing sleep habits, narcolepsy, sleeping position, and things like that. We visited 2 doctors and was told basically the same thing. Some people will experience it their whole lives, even if they don't have any of the listed above. You have to remember, your brain is functioning, thus why you are dreaming and why you can remember dreams when you wake up, but your body is still "asleep" in a sense. The melatonin that controls sleep habits and your wake cycle is being alleviated as you wake from REM, so your brain is on and your body is trying to catch up, so you feel "paralyzed" for a few minutes.

Perfectly healthy normal people experience it. Nothing uncommon or directly related to anything serious.

[Sara]

Originally Posted by Billup

Negative, more related to narcolepsy. Its primarily related to things like stress, changing sleep habits, narcolepsy, sleeping position, and things like that. We visited 2 doctors and was told basically the same thing. Some people will experience it their whole lives, even if they don't have any of the listed above. You have to remember, your brain is functioning, thus why you are dreaming and why you can remember dreams when you wake up, but your body is still "asleep" in a sense. The melatonin that controls sleep habits and your wake cycle is being alleviated as you wake from REM, so your brain is on and your body is trying to catch up, so you feel "paralyzed" for a few minutes.

Perfectly healthy normal people experience it. Nothing uncommon or directly related to anything serious.

Another thing to add, no idea if this has anything to do with the above mentioned sleep disorder but as a child I would sleep walk a lot.

[carve]

I've had a really simple one since I was about 4. It usually happens during a mud day nap where I'm so soundly asleep I don't know where I am when I wake up

I'm sitting on a muddy shore of a lake that stretches to the horizon. It's smooth as glass and reflecting beautiful warm colors from the sky. I'm partly in the water leaning on some exposed tree roots. It's perfectly warm. For some reason there's a very old wrinkled boot in the mud. That's it- nothing happens, but I'm totally relaxed. It's like being in an isolation chamber

I still have the one where I'm signed up for a class and forget to go for the whole semester

Flying is fun. It starts with me being able to do extraordinarily long jumps, and then figuring out how to tread air and swim through it. Can't have that one too often!

[Billup]

Originally Posted by Sara504

Another thing to add, no idea if this has anything to do with the above mentioned sleep disorder but as a child I would sleep walk a lot.

Nope. A lot of people will have sleeping walking spells when they are younger, mostly due to spurratic changes in sleeping cycles, or even if the parents had sleep walking when they were younger, something like 60% more likely if both parents and 45% if one parent. However, this decreases with age, which is why there aren't many cases of kids experiencing their parents sleep walking, rather than parents catching their children sleep walking.

I don't know the exact age, but something from ages 5-12 years is when you are most susceptible to sleep walking.

[Sara]

Originally Posted by Billup

Nope. A lot of people will have sleeping walking spells when they are younger, mostly due to spurratic changes in sleeping cycles, or even if the parents had sleep walking when they were younger, something like 60% more likely if both parents and 45% if one parent. However, this decreases with age, which is why there aren't many cases of kids experiencing their parents sleep walking, rather than parents catching their children sleep walking.

I don't know the exact age, but something from ages 5-12 years is when you are most susceptible to sleep walking.

Yeah, my Mom told me I was like 5 when I used to do it.