Freaky Sleep Paralysis: Being Awake in Your Nightmares

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/08/sleep_paralysis/

by AjJi • 17 years ago

22 20 17 years ago

zargon• 17 years ago

Sleep paralysis has probably been responsible for quite a lot of superstition through history. I experienced it myself regularly while I lived in a particular apartment, but neither before then nor after, so I wonder if there are some environmental factors involved too. I didn't find out that it was a well-known phenomenon until years later.

jamesbritt3• 17 years ago

I have it on occaison, almost always when I'm really exhusted.

I hate it. :(

saurabh• 17 years ago

From Wikipedia entry on Sleep paralysis:

"It is recommended that patients be evaluated for narcolepsy if symptoms persist."

aaronblohowiak2• 17 years ago

Weird! I wonder if it is ELF (extremely low frequency) noise...

jamesbritt3• 17 years ago

Speaking of which ...

Does anyone else hear, on occasion, very low-pitched drones? As if there was a very large machine nearby humming away, yet at no discernible location?

I've experienced this for years, in multiple locations, and have decided it is some form of tinnitus, but sometimes wonder if it isn't some external event.

mannicken• 17 years ago

I have this quite often, about once a month. Probably because I took disassociatives (DXM) more than an average person does in his life.

rjurney• 17 years ago

I have this quite often.

omarchowdhury• 17 years ago

This happens to me frequently (few times a month). It's scary the first few times but after a while you get used to it and learn about it yourself. Pulling your mind together and staying calm during the experience is the best way to "fall out it". Actually, here's something interesting about sleep paralysis that I hope someone else can confirm in their own experiences: you struggle and struggle to wake up. And then you do. But you really didn't. You just keep seeing yourself wake up, but it's your mind simulating it. And it happens over and over until you finally do wake up completely (and even then you are skeptical). Has anyone else had this?

Also, I can say that there is a feeling of evil entities, but this is all in our heads. But I agree with zargon, other people may take what they feel with superstition: eg. one of my sleep paralysis episodes dealed with an evil entity being my younger sister (age 12). lol... possession!

Lastly, if you can stay calm and keep your mind "awake" during the experience, instead of trying to break free of it, your chances of entering a lucid dream is very great.

Good night.

aaronblohowiak2• 17 years ago

Hmm, that other thing you mention sounds like false awakenings (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_awakening ).. i had them every night for a while, and that + nightmares == a decartes hell.

burke• 17 years ago

I have that pretty much every time I sleep in late (usually Saturdays). I'll "wake up", then click on my phone, notice it's 6:00, and go back to sleep. About 10 seconds later, I usually realize I never actually woke up, wake myself up, check my phone for real, and notice it's actually noon. It feels very strange.

louislouis• 17 years ago

Solution to waking up during this is to wiggle your toes. I had sleep paralysis frequently back when I was toking on the herb. I was also experiencing lucid dreams a lot then. Oh and the best way to stay in a lucid dream is to look into your hands/palms if you feel yourself awakening. Tried and tested :)

makmanalp• 17 years ago

I can't remember where, but I recall reading something about each person developing their own different "secret code" as to what should keep them dreaming or what should awaken them. It's funny that the brain should not accept direct commands but work with keywords.

ngrandy• 17 years ago

carl sagan has a great section about this in 'the demon haunted world' - he describes / speculates how many modern stories of 'alien abduction' can be explained by sleep paralysis.

it's usually caused by disrupted sleep patterns. i get it pretty often if i take a nap - my trick to get out of it is to try to wiggle the fingertips first.

divia• 17 years ago

I've had sleep paralysis pretty frequently over the years during afternoon naps. For me it's always the same: someone is calling out to me, but I can't respond or get up because I'm paralyzed. Usually I realize what's going on before too long, and it's not a big deal. But this past Monday, for the first time ever, I managed to not only realize what was going on, but close my eyes, concentrate on my hypnogogic imagery, and transform it into a lucid dream. If you can pull that off, I'd highly recommend it.

blhack• 17 years ago

I have been able to create a similar phenomenon during very deep mediation. I would turn on a shower for white noise, then concentrate on just relaxing....eventually I would find myself in a very strange dreamlike, yet stil awake state. It was AMAZING!!! After "waking" I would feel enormously refreshed and energetic....

danek• 17 years ago

umm yeah. once in college, before i knew what this was, i explained the symptoms to a professor who just lectured about REM sleep. He had no idea what I was talking about and it made me feel like a crazy person. But a few years later more information has appeared on the internet and I've identified it as sleep paralysis.

I haven't been able to put it into a pattern yet, though it's happened when I'm sober, semi-drunk (but never when I'm passed out), and when I fall asleep in a car--not driving, of course, though it's accompanied by a dream that I'm driving and am unable to move--talk about scary.

dejb• 17 years ago

I always just figured (foggily) that I was half asleep when this happened to me. It can be pretty scary/frustrating being essentially paralysed even when you think you know what's going on.

I think that sometimes in dreams you can transition from your 'dream' limbs (which you can control in the dream) to your real limbs (which you can't) which could explain a sudden inability to move in dreams.

alexbeaudet• 17 years ago

Like many other commenters, I've been dealing with sleep paralysis for some time as well, and at it's peak, on a very frequent basis (as many as 2 or 3 times per week). I've made changes to reduce some of the supposed causes, and although the frequency has seemingly lessened, I still encounter sleep paralysis on a regular basis. If you've never had the experience, feel lucky - it's very scary. Even though you're conscious enough to realize what is happening, the length of the spells varies, and as it persists longer, panic often sets in. On the off-chance that this can actually help someone, I'll share a bit about my experience, and things I've found to be helpful.

Personally when I "wake" to this state of paralysis, I often imagine that there are people close by, and despite trying to call out to them, I am unable. This is an incredibly frustrating feeling, but it is very important to remain calm. I find it helps to continually think about what is actually happening to you, and that it will most certainly be over in a relatively short time, no matter how long it may seem. What's most troubling though, is that it takes only the slightest touch sensation for your body to wake up. Therefore the urge is to try to move and create the sensation yourself, yet you are seemingly incapable (some people here have said they can wiggle their fingers or toes - I've never been able to). If you do this, it is very easy to let panic set in - trying desperately to move and not being able to is frightening - so again it's important to relax and not futilely struggle. In most cases it is best to just wait the scenario out. I eventually became tired of just waiting for these bouts to end though, so I went to speak to someone about it, and they actually gave me the only tip which has ever worked for me on a fairly consistent basis: rub your tongue against the roof of your mouth. The way it was explained to me was that the root location of the paralysis (in most cases) is situated such that it largely does no affect your mouth. Despite not having complete control, most subjects are still capable of moving their tongues, and the palate is filled with sensitive nerve endings. Doing this for several seconds it's usually enough of a sensation to kick-start your body into actually waking up. It's far from a perfect solution, but given the available options, it's quite effective.

Freaky Sleep Paralysis: Being Awake in Your Nightmares

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