Anybody else suffer from sleep paralysis?

[L100NYY]

I was never really too sure what this was and why it was happening to me before doing some research on the interwebnet and was wondering if there is anybody else here that suffers from the same (frankly terrifying) condition?

At the point of it happening it is an extremely unsettling experience and one that really does scare the proverbials out of me, I had an 'attack' again at the weekend and it took me a good hour or so to calm down and there was certainly now way that I was going back to sleep again.

Brief description from the t'internet -
[i]What is sleep paralysis?

Sleep paralysis consists of a period of inability to perform voluntary movements either at sleep onset (called hypnogogic or predormital form) or upon awakening (called hypnopompic or postdormtal form).

Sleep paralysis may also be referred to as isolated sleep paralysis, familial sleep paralysis, hynogogic or hypnopompic paralysis, predormital or postdormital paralysis.[/i]

Edited by L100NYY on Tuesday 8th April 09:57

[cronk-flakes]

I still don't fully understand what it is... Do you just wake up and claim that you are unable to get out of bed?

[Parrot of Doom]

I have had it once, for about 10 seconds. My body was completely immobile but I was fully awake, this was upon waking up.

It felt bizarre.

[thebluebus]

I have the opposite. When I wake up in the morning.

I get up to go and clean my teeth etc, but my brain is paralysed.

[rpguk]

Yes. It comes in phases for me and I agree it is frankly terrifying at the time.

I also find I occasionally get quite lucid dreams too, I wonder if there is a relationship?

[bigTee]

Yes I do. Most mornings. I fking hate it.

Scares the st out of me.

I shout at my wife in my head to wake me up and quite frankly, it’s starting to piss me off now.

[killingjoker]

Had it just once... woke up completely paralised... could only move my eyeballs. Had a look around, freaked out for about a second then told myself what it was and kinda enjoyed the experience. It was freaky and i would like to experience it again but alas nothing ever since.

[sa_20v]

Hey Ben, sounds absolutely terrifying (but at least you know what it is) - have you sought professional advice, as there are two options (according to Wikipedia anyway) which may prevent further attacks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_paralysis said:

Clonazepam is highly effective in the treatment of sleep paralysis. The initial dose is 0.5 mg at bedtime, while an increase to 1 mg per night might be necessary to maintain potency.

Ritalin has been used successfully as a daytime medication to promote structured sleep patterns and the prevention of sleep paralysis in some adults. Care should be taken to monitor blood pressure along with other appropriate tests. Dosage starts at 20mg per day (morning) increased weekly until episodes diminish.

See you tomorrow.

[davido140]

I suffer from "heavy duvet syndrome" where I just lift the damn thing off me to get out of bed.

Is that the same thing?

[rpguk]

cronk-flakes said:

I still don't fully understand what it is... Do you just wake up and claim that you are unable to get out of bed?

To an extent you're actually right.

However, imagine you wake up and can see the room around you but can't move.

For me it's not so much a 'oh I'm paralysed feeling' but more a 'oh I feel very vulnerable'. It usually happens in a slightly confused state when I wake up so not exactly able to rationally think of what it is and it's not uncommon for remnants of the last dream to still be floating in and out of the brain confusing things even more.

Very unsettling.

[ahdguy]

Happend to me once, and yes freakin scary, only able to blink. Didnt know what was going on and trying to shout but not able to.....

[rpguk]

I wonder, what kind of ages are the others who get it?

Do you sometimes go to night clubs? (by which I mean proper ones where they play loud repetitive beats rather then the local roxy)

[mrmr96]

Sometimes I roll onto my front while asleep, so I'm face down on the pillow/bed and I can't breath. I then kind of wake up, presumably as my body's struggling, but I'm only sort of half awake and I can't move. I'm usually aware of the predicament in my head so I know what's happening, but I'm still "asleep" and I can't move. I have to _really_ fight to even make a sound. Then my mrs usually hears this and shakes me awake properly so I can move my limbs and turn over. THAT's scary.

[Eddh]

Had it before but only down 1 side of my body :S woke up got out of bed and fell over on the floor found it pretty funny acturally, took about a minute for all the feeling to come back though

[fatboy b]

I always thought it was because you're still dreaming, but dreaming that you've just woken up. It's that vivid that you actually believe you've woken up, then panic 'cos you can't move, which in turn stirs the body into actually waking up, by which time you're scared stless.

could be talking bollux

[L100NYY]

sa_20v said:

Hey Ben, sounds absolutely terrifying (but at least you know what it is) - have you sought professional advice, as there are two options (according to Wikipedia anyway) which may prevent further attacks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_paralysis said:

Clonazepam is highly effective in the treatment of sleep paralysis. The initial dose is 0.5 mg at bedtime, while an increase to 1 mg per night might be necessary to maintain potency.

Ritalin has been used successfully as a daytime medication to promote structured sleep patterns and the prevention of sleep paralysis in some adults. Care should be taken to monitor blood pressure along with other appropriate tests. Dosage starts at 20mg per day (morning) increased weekly until episodes diminish.

See you tomorrow.

Morning chap,

I have only very recently found out what it is, to be honest I just thought that it was some kind of weird reccurring dream but having mentioned it to somebody else recently it came to light exactly what it is.

I think that I may well go and seek some professional advice as it really is something that I want to eradicate, as mentioned above in a couple of other posts it is truly terrifying when it happens.

It is not just a feeling of being half asleep (or half awake) but is feeling of true fear that evokes a feeling of absolute panic and causes me to think that my heart is about to explode through my chest!

The closest thing that I can only imagine it to be like is being buried alive, that feeling of total helplesness (sp) as you know that there is nothing you can do to stop it.


Anyhoo, I'm fine whilst awake so I will look forward to seeing you tomorrow!

[130R]

I have never heard of this before, sounds fking scary!

[L100NYY]

Eddh said:

Had it before but only down 1 side of my body :S woke up got out of bed and fell over on the floor found it pretty funny acturally, took about a minute for all the feeling to come back though

I think you'll find that's a simple case of pins and needles not sleep paralysis!

[cronk-flakes]

rpguk said:

cronk-flakes said:

I still don't fully understand what it is... Do you just wake up and claim that you are unable to get out of bed?

To an extent you're actually right.

However, imagine you wake up and can see the room around you but can't move.

For me it's not so much a 'oh I'm paralysed feeling' but more a 'oh I feel very vulnerable'. It usually happens in a slightly confused state when I wake up so not exactly able to rationally think of what it is and it's not uncommon for remnants of the last dream to still be floating in and out of the brain confusing things even more.

Very unsettling.

Doesn't sound pleasant! The closest I've come is sleeping on my arm all night and waking up with it completely numb... But I just use my other arm to guide my numb hand down my trousers. It's like my girlfriend is back in the country!

It once stayed useless for 30 minutes, it's weird becuase it feels as though your arm is prosthetic.

[bigTee]

L100NYY said:

I think that I may well go and seek some professional advice as it really is something that I want to eradicate,

Let us know if you do and something can be done.