Sleep Paralysis

I've had this happen maybe 2 or 3 times in my life. Scary stuff. I don't care what anyone says. It's way worse than actual paralysis.

Used to happen in high school and occasionally in college, still does occasionally. I read that it has to do with the part of your brain that paralyzes many of your motor functions so that you don't act out your dreams - that part is a little slow in "clicking off" at the end of sleep and WHAMMO you are your own little slice of claustrophobia.

It's only really bad on those mornings when you also realize you are in a strange room, on what appears to be a dingy and dimly-lit hospital table, next to a tray of horrifically sharp but otherwise unidentifiable instruments.

One time, but it was about the worst time I can think of. When I was a kid at boyscout camp, there was an outbreak of... Something, that among other effects tied your stomach in knots and squeezed it like a bagpipe, and it came on rather suddenly. My case started when I woke up one morning feeling like I was about to bring up everything I'd eaten in the previous week, but totally unable to move or even make a sound. Fortunately the paralysis apparently extended to whatever muscles are involved in vomiting because it didn't actually happen until a few minutes later when I was able to move one of my arms to push out the side of the tent and roll over so I didn't aspirate.

Even without being ill, though, it seems like it would have been terrifying and it seems totally plausible to me that it's part of the explanation for a lot of stories about alien abduction and things.

I used to get this all the time but have figured out ways to avoid it. It always happened when I slept on my back and overslept waaaaay too much.

I agree it is really terrifying and unpleasant. Is it connected to sleep apnea?

Happened to me once and I for whatever reason realized what it was. I then forced myself to go back to sleep to get out of it.

I've never had that happen, but I do have another weird thing that happens to me. As I start to fade into sleep, you know that in-between phase where you're asleep but you hear everything around you, my arms and legs will get all spastic and slightly "jump." It's a tiny tiny movement but it feels to me as if the whole room jumped. I thought at first that I was imagining it but my wife woke up one night as I was having a few of the "spasm's" and told me about it.

Oh and sometimes I hold my breath in my sleep. That's only happened like four or five times ever, but man is it ever fucking weird to wake up choking to death because your body decided to not breath.

Isn't this the condition where you see things, b/c you're technically still in rem or something? It's why most people think they see ghosts or religious experiences.

Sleep paralysis has happened to me once. It was not pleasant.

I still do this ALL the time. Have actually jerked hard enough to whack partners on occasion. Then I have to make with the 'splainin.

When I was younger, I'd have dreams right as I fell asleep that I was riding a bike or skating, I'd fall down and would have the little jump, wake up for a sec, then drift off for good. Now I rarely have the dream and only wake up if she smacks me for whacking her as I doze off.

This came up in a thread a year or two ago, and I had never heard of it. It had happened to me once before, and has happened once since. The more recent one was far less scary since I knew I would be okay. I think I actually managed to fall asleep again last time while it was still happening.
The first time however, was pure terror. I thought my body had shut down or something. Which I guess, in a way, it had. I have this happen too sometimes. Just like you, it usually hits me right when I doze off, I have a dream where I'm walking and I'll trip. Then KABLAMMO, full-body muscle spasm and I'm wide awake.

There are various reasons for sleep paralysis, what can bring it on, that I've read.

I haven't had it for a few months, but I do get it quite often. And it is certainly not fun!

It usually happens when I take a nap, more often when I sleep on the couch instead of my bed.

When it happens to me, there is much more of the dream or hallucination at play, rather than me being awake and unable to move. A few times I'm convinced I'm underwater and I can feel the water coming through my nostrils.

I also have had the succubus/succubi effect, where I "wake" and am unable to move as I feel someone place themselves on top of me. I've also snapped out of such a trance just as something growls in my ear.

Well at least I don't feel like the Lone Ranger now. I just wish I could get it to stop, it costs me hours of sleep some nights as it can jar me back awake. Also if I'm REALLY close to sleep it can actually scare the shit out of me, as it feels like someone has tried to tug on my arm or leg.

Of course it's never occurred to me to actually consult a physician about it. I can be a bit of a dumb ass about refusing to see a Dr. until I can't stand the condition any longer.

This is starting to feel like a support group, but I'm glad it came up. Something like this hits me every so often (maybe a couple of times a year). Every time it's when waking in the middle of the night. Paralysis and feeling "jammed" into the bed. I've tried to speak during it and it's like pushing words through a brick wall.

I always chalked it up to particularly bad dreams, but hearing these other instances makes me feel a lot less solitary. But also wanting to get it checked out. Probably not the healthiest thing in the world.

Have any of you guys considered the logical answer to this? You're obviously all being pinned down by ghosts or succubi, except for BMetal, they're not pinning you down, just shaking you.

Actually BMetal, the same thing happens to me I think, except instead of a spasm like I'm being shaken, I'll jump like I'm about to fall out of bed, even if I'm nowhere near it.


Or a ghost is pushing me, either way.

Reading this thread just reminded me (and it had to be Halloween). Had this happen to me in March (staying at a friend's beach-house in Bonita Springs, FL). I was laying next to my wife, our daughter in the crib in the room with us. I woke up on my side, facing my wife, and I could swear I felt a form pushing down on my "upper" shoulder. I was afraid to look (and unable to move), but managed to see in my peripherals... a young boy. I could not see it's face, because it wasn't facing me, but for some reason I could picture/imagine it in my mind. A ghostly hollow "Evil Dead" face. I couldn't budge or make a sound. I managed to snap out of it and move, but let me tell you, I had a TON of trouble getting back to sleep that night. I was spooked the rest of the weekend. I've never had as much trouble with any nightmare in my life like that f**ked up instance.


And, yeah, everyone gets the sudden half-asleep wake up jerk/spasm, but the more serious cases in this thread should look into the real condition of Restless Leg Syndrome:

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a neurological condition that is characterized by the irresistible urge to move the legs. In order for you to be officially diagnosed with RLS, you must meet the criteria described in the four bullets below:

* You have a strong urge to move your legs which you may not be able to resist. The need to move is often accompanied by uncomfortable sensations. Some words used to describe these sensations include: creeping, itching, pulling, creepy-crawly, tugging, or gnawing.
* Your RLS symptoms start or become worse when you are resting. The longer you are resting, the greater the chance the symptoms will occur and the more severe they are likely to be.
* Your RLS symptoms get better when you move your legs. The relief can be complete or only partial but generally starts very soon after starting an activity. Relief persists as long as the motor activity continues.
* Your RLS symptoms are worse in the evening especially when you are lying down. Activities that bother you at night do not bother you during the day.

RLS can also cause difficulty in falling or staying asleep which can be one of the chief complaints of the syndrome. A substantial number of people who have RLS also have periodic limb movements of sleep (PLMS). These are jerks that occur every 20 to 30 seconds on and off throughout the night. This can cause partial awakenings that disrupt sleep. Sleep deprivation can seriously impact your work, relationships, and health.


EDIT: Some other SLEEP problem CHUD threads...

http://chud.com/forums/showthread.php?t=79204
http://chud.com/forums/showthread.php?t=94646

I haven't had this in a while. And I used to get it a bunch in high school. But, the last two times I've had it I actually hallucinated.

The first hallucination I woke up and couldn't move and I could see almost in tunnel vision a dark figure looming over me, pressing against my chest, and I had the sensation that I couldn't breathe. The second was I woke up and saw a young woman near the window of my room. And still, I couldn't move. Once I start moving those two times, the hallucinations disappeared.

I was so frightened that I got out of bed and looked online for some form of information. That's when I found that sleep paralysis and hallucinations can go hand in hand and that most of the hallucinations deal with a demon ontop of your chest preventing you from breathing. I find that strange though. Why would alot of people share this common hallucination with the same condition? I think that needs to be researched more.

There are things that go bump in the night, Carnotaur3. Make no mistake about that. And we need someone who can bump back. Get the BPRD on the phone STAT!


Archetype of the collective unconscious?

I understand all sorts of weird hypnagogic phenomena can occur at these moments but I still don't understand the consistent feeling during these instances of "there's some thing in the room and it's on top of me!".

Some links that I found to be helpful, from different perspectives-

http://www.arts.uwaterloo.ca/~acheyne/S_P.html

pfh Hallucination? Sounds more like wishful thinking.

And oddly, does fit into the whole collective unconsciousness we all possess. The loveable scoundrel is a great archetype throughout all of human history.

Yeah, me too. Fuck.

I've had the sleep paralysis thing, but it doesn't bother me. I'm slow to get up in the morning (very, very fond of sleep), so just staring at the ceiling for a bit doesn't really phase me.

However, I hate that falling thing and I get it all of the time.

I don't think I'm much of a sleep twitcher, but DaveB is, big time. We call it chasing bunnies, even though it's often sleep drumming (kick pedal and all!).

The falling feeling is called a "Hypnic Jerk."

http://www.failedsuccess.com/index.p...ep_hypnic_jerk

I've had several times where I will dream of falling and waking up with a jolt. But I'm never had sleep paralysis.

I do remember going to a youth group retreat and a bunch of guys staying up late at night telling ghost stories. One of guys told a story about a friend who was so confident in his faith that he was sure Satan had no hold over him. One night, he found that he couldn't move. Satan had him in his grasp! So he prayed humbly to the Lord and was able to move again.

That story stayed with me. Not that it affected me in any great way, but I thought it was a good story. But it turns out it was just sleep paralysis!! Science makes things boring!!

I've had sleep paralysis about twice in my life. It's definitely better when you know what it is. The last time it happened I was able to will myself out of it. I have the "whole-body jerk" happen a lot more frequently. About once every two months, so I'm sure it's not something I need to have checked out.

The weirdest sleep related thing to happen recently was I woke up from a nightmare because I had to use the restroom, and I couldn't get back to sleep because I was terrified I would see a ghost. And not just a normal ghost, I mean a Ghostbusters-type librarian ghost. As near as I can figure, I still had DMT in my system from the nightmare, and I was having what drug users would call a bad trip. I've never taken drugs, so it was weird as hell. It seems like the goofiest thing looking back on it, but at the time it was the scariest experience I've ever had. Doesn't make LSD sound too appealing.

I don't suffer from sleep paralysis, mostly because I'm not latently homosexual, or attracted to my mother, or farm animals; in other words, God does not strike me down as I rest, as my dreams are not perverted. You people sicken me.

But you do touch yourself. Doesn't that count for something in God's wrath?

I've had it a few times. The first was fucking scary. The second was alright, since I knew what was happening and was conscious enough to rationalise what was going on.

I've never been raped by an invisible entity, however.

Never happened to me. You're full of gay. I think your knees need some rest. Go home and meet Julianne Moore's imaginary! LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL!!!!

You're all being abducted.

I'm still afraid of being abducted... The aliens can come through the walls and stop time so nothing you can do can make you safe. I used to read all about that stuff when I was a kid and got myself all worked up. It's no wonder the X-Files was my favorite TV show.

I can't clearly recall ever having sleep paralysis, but the closest I think I can get is one time a few years back. I was lying in bed must have been half way between sleep and dreaming because I was awake but I couldn't have been because in the dark I could make out a giant (2 foot wide or so) spider crawling up the bedroom door, which was open and resting against the foot of the bed. Like I said, other than that it isn't too clear, but I was probably rooted in place.

Mostly unrelated, but at least humorous, there was another time I woke up convinced I was dead and in limbo. My parents had recently gotten divorced so my mom was elsewhere and my dad was out of the country on business so I was just kind of sleeping wherever the hell I fel like. One night I slept in a bed that was not my own and woke up with my face flush to the wall but not touching it. There was enough light that the wall was grayish white and my eyes were trying to focus but coudn't. Panic and thoughts of death and limbo set in until I eventually turned around and felt like a dumbass.

The other night I had dream that I was caught in an avalanche and slowly suffocating, which is odd in itself because usually when I dream that I'm underwater or otherwise smothered I can still breathe. But in this dream the snow was packing in and I could feel my chest tightening. I was head first in with my legs sticking out. I kicked and kicked in my dream until my legs kicked out in reality and I woke myself up. Freaky.

Then there was last year very early on Thanksgiving morning. I woke up in the dark with my bed shaking. At first I thought maybe I had imagined it, but then I remembered the painting sitting on the floor against my wall, the one that my father had given to me for safe-keeping after he was evicted the week before, which had been painted by his Uncle Ernest. Who had died several years ago. For the next hour or so I was pinned in place. I had to use the bathroom but I was so scared I couldn't move because I was certain that the painting was haunted and Uncle Ernest had just shaken me awake to say "Happy Thanksgiving." Eventually I calmed down and went back to sleep. And it turns out that I wasn't imagining things - a small chemical plant a few towns over had exploded and the shock wave is what acutally shook me awake.

sleep paralysis I thought I was the only one, I get it on regular occasions usually during bad dreams.

I had this weird hallucination the other month where I thought I could see a transparent skinned spider crawing up my wall. I ended up freaking out(never happened before) and smashed a CD case against it, only to wake up and realise that there was nothing there.

Is this what prevents me from going to class in the morning?

That's not Sleep Paralysis Patrick, that's Wake Laziness. Both, however, can be caused by a succubus.