I think I have got this horrible sleep thing.

something similar to this

http://www.stanford.edu/~dement/paralysis.html

I want some help

Yes im a lazy ass to.:hihi:

Hi beth. I know this well, and I know it's serious. I'm here if you want to talk, pm if you want. I also know a possible solution.

Hi Beth,

I've had sleep paralysis since my teens. apparently it is quite unusual to still have it in your 30's, but I still do. It happens every few months, much more so when I'm stressed, and usually early morning rather than (as some do) late night.

Whilst it does freak me out when it happens, the only other problem is that I'm tired for the rest of the day as I prefer not to go back to sleep (I find its very likely to happen again that night if I do)

I've read of various methods for overcoming it, but nothing's worked for me so far

Hi Beth,

I only very rarely suffer from sleep paralysis now (I'm 26) - but I used to suffer from it much more when I was younger. I've suffered from a catalogue of sleep disorders all my life, including sleep walking/talking, insomnia and hallucinations when I'm right on the brink of dropping off. Sleep paralysis is without doubt the most terrifying though - especially when I was little. It was always accompanied by a sense of a presence in the room that I physically couldn't look to see wasn't there.

I used to get it as a child, it was very frightening - especially when my parents didn't beliive me!
I can't blame them though, I only found out it was a recognised condition through the X-Files.....who then went on to explain that Sleep Paralysis, along with a metalic taste in the mouth (from time to time) were common complaints from Alien 'Abductees'. Thankfully, I've never seen a little green man in my life ;)

Hope your condition isn't serious though Beth, I think I last suffered about 10-15 years ago - I'm 25 now.

I can remember having it when I was younger. a teen.
I am now 31.
no wonder I feel tired all the time.
No-one can explain what its like.

I have just found this.

http://sleepdisorders.about.com/od/sleepparalysis/a/neardeath.htm

I wish i hadnt.
im never going to be able to sleep again

Yeah I have it too, solution, keep off the beers and away from needlework.

Really
Thing is though I like alcohol/wine

is that true. stay away from Alcohol ?

I used to suffer from sleep paralysis. I'm a bad sleeper in general. I get night terrors and allsorts.

I wouldn't say alcahol is anything to do with is cos I used to get it as a kid.

I used to suffer from sleep paralysis. I'm a bad sleeper in general. I get night terrors and allsorts.

I wouldn't say alcahol is anything to do with is cos I used to get it as a kid.
Kids and Booze tut tut.

Well I do sometimes wake up with "pins and needles" in my legs..

Do you feel scared. or just get on with it?

Is it to do with ghosts and spirits?
I am freaked out by it all now.

No, it's nothing to do with ghosts or spirits, although apparently witches are a common sighting for people with night terrors.

The first few times I woke up and couldn't move was pretty scary, but after a few seconds, I'd be able to move fingers and stuff, then everything else would start working.

No, it's nothing to do with ghosts or spirits, although apparently witches are a common sighting for people with night terrors.

The first few times I woke up and couldn't move was pretty scary, but after a few seconds, I'd be able to move fingers and stuff, then everything else would start working.


I read somewhere that while you are lying down. sometimes theres a spirit/ghost lying above you.
woooooh
that is what I read.
The people that says its happened to you. are you stressed when you go to bed.??
I would go and see my doctor, but hes a waste of time.

Hmm, Witches... Sam Stephens out of Bewitched would be a nice sight any night :love:

Shh, don't tell Darrin though ;) or Endora, I am only a mortal after all.

I have this occassionally, and I've been teetotal for three years so don't think it's anything to do with alcohol.

Sometimes comes with nightmares after watching horror films with hallucinations (saying this because I had one this morning, woke up unable to move in the middle of the night in my dark bedroom with a near-certain feeling that some sort of monstery thing was just out of my field of vision). Sounds silly 10 minutes later but it is utterly terrifying at the time.

I have this occassionally, and I've been teetotal for three years so don't think it's anything to do with alcohol.

Sometimes comes with nightmares after watching horror films with hallucinations (saying this because I had one this morning, woke up unable to move in the middle of the night in my dark bedroom with a near-certain feeling that some sort of monstery thing was just out of my field of vision). Sounds silly 10 minutes later but it is utterly terrifying at the time.

did you go to bed stressed/worried ?

http://sleepdisorders.about.com/cs/sleepparalysis/a/paralysisbasics.htm

it sounds worrying

I get it from time to time. I first got it when I was about 12 and it was incredibly scary. I remember trying to scream for my parents, but couldn't move my mouth or make any sound. Truly frightening at that age.

I'm quite used to it now and find it quite interesting when it happens, which isn't often.

I believe that it's where the term nightmare originally comes from. It was believed in olden times that a witch or mare was pinning the victim down. There's a lot of old imagery depicting this.

A side effect of it is that you can sometimes feel that there is a presence in the room with you, which is probably where the idea of being possessed came from.

did you go to bed stressed/worried ?

I suppose a bit... I didn't feel that stressed last night (do now!) but I guess I do have quite a lot to be stressed/worried about so yeah, maybe.

I get it from time to time. I first got it when I was about 12 and it was incredibly scary. I remember trying to scream for my parents, but couldn't move my mouth or make any sound. Truly frightening at that age.

I'm quite used to it now and find it quite interesting when it happens, which isn't often.

I believe that it's where the term nightmare originally comes from. It was believed in olden times that a witch or mare was pinning the victim down. There's a lot of old imagery depicting this.

A side effect of it is that you can sometimes feel that there is a presence in the room with you, which is probably where the idea of being possessed came from.

Yes, thats the type I get - its always a sort of scaly man with evil teeth, which is, frankly, pretty bizarre in the cold light of day but a bit scary when you think you're awake and can't move. Other languages use names for it that translate as "pressing down" and similar. I think it used to be known as hag syndrome because a lot of people see a witch? I suppose our subconcsious invents a manifestation of what each of us thinks is scary

I read somewhere that while you are lying down. sometimes theres a spirit/ghost lying above you.
woooooh
that is what I read.
The people that says its happened to you. are you stressed when you go to bed.??
I would go and see my doctor, but hes a waste of time.

No, I'm not stressed out at all. Very laid back, very little to worry about. I liuke to keep things simple. Well, maybe some people do associate it with spirits or something. Not me though, I think it's just a medical condition.

I never had the sensation of someone being in the room when I had 'episodes' (that word is far too dramatic for my experiences).

As Andy said, I find it fascinating now, and wouldn't be averse to another experience - even though I wouldn't be too happy during it.

I think I have got this horrible sleep thing.

something similar to this

http://www.stanford.edu/~dement/paralysis.html

I want some help


GOD !!!!! YES

horrible your sort of dreaming but you know your dreaming but you also know your awake. I had this after ibiza, reall lack of sleep, only managed around 13 hours in a week!! yes i like to party hard haha. i was at my girlfriends (ex girlfriend) house sleeping, i was having the worse nighmare in my life, i was screaming out for her to help me..


suppose i'll have it again next year to!!! wont be looking forwad to that i tell thee

I never had the sensation of someone being in the room when I had 'episodes' (that word is far too dramatic for my experiences).

As Andy said, I find it fascinating now, and wouldn't be averse to another experience - even though I wouldn't be too happy during it.

I do find it kinda fun. Just wake up and think 'cool, I can't move'. Then lie there for a bit staring at the roof, until it passes. :)

PS. I like the second part of your sig Macca. Made me laugh. :)

I do find it kinda fun. Just wake up and think 'cool, I can't move'. Then lie there for a bit staring at the roof, until it passes. :)

No, it isnt cool.

not breathing and moving isnt good !!
how do you stop breathing and moving. all interesting finding out.

No, it isnt cool.

not breathing and moving isnt good !!
how do you stop breathing and moving. all interesting finding out.

You don't stop breathing.

Your basically in a dream state (REM) and your body 'wakes up' whilst your mind tries to catch up with it. It only ever last for a few seconds but your 'consicious' mind makes you think you are there for a lot longer.

It isn't at all dangerous, as far as I know.

I do find it kinda fun. Just wake up and think 'cool, I can't move'. Then lie there for a bit staring at the roof, until it passes. :)

PS. I like the second part of your sig Macca. Made me laugh. :)

I wasn't at the cool stage the last time I had it, but I reckon I will be next time - if there is a next time.

Cheers - he keeps trying to back down though!!

You do fell like you cant breathe. I know it doesnt last long time. but at the time it feels like its forever.

When it is happening how you can lay back and look at the ceiling, I sit up and do anything and try and move my fingers/legs and scream !
Never do i feel like this if i am drunk

I think its related to panick attacks cos i get it.
I fall asleep and all of a sudden ill feel as if i have a concrete slab across me chest or as if there is a pillow over me face.
Ill wake up and try moving to wake my partner cos i cant breath and i find i cant move my arms or legs.
It takes what seems like ages for me to be able to move and when i do sit up im gasping for air.
But im sure its linked to panic attacks.
panick attack =lack of oxygen=body shutting down.

Im sure thats what my doctor said good luck with it anyway charlie

You do fell like you cant breathe. I know it doesnt last long time. but at the time it feels like its forever.

When it is happening how you can lay back and look at the ceiling, I sit up and do anything and try and move my fingers/legs and scream !
Never do i feel like this if i am drunk

I agree, it does feel like a dispropotionately long time, but in reality, it isn't.

Well, I guess Andy sleeps on his back, I sleep on my side so I'd either get a view of a wall, or the other side of my room. I don't understand how you can actually sit up?

And I know your worried/paranoid about this, but unless it's a very regular thing, you shouldn't let it get to you.

I think its related to panick attacks cos i get it.
I fall asleep and all of a sudden ill feel as if i have a concrete slab across me chest or as if there is a pillow over me face.
Ill wake up and try moving to wake my partner cos i cant breath and i find i cant move my arms or legs.
It takes what seems like ages for me to be able to move and when i do sit up im gasping for air.
But im sure its linked to panic attacks.
panick attack =lack of oxygen=body shutting down.

Im sure thats what my doctor said good luck with it anyway charlie

FYI - I've never had a panic attack.

But it would be natural to panic during sleep paralysis - which would explain the breathlessness....adrenalin pumping and all that.

Tobe honest I cannot even remember what I do when it happens.

beth if you can't breath when this is happening maybe you should see your gp, useless or not, you can demand to be referred to a sleep specialist even if it's only to put your mind at rest. I have never suffered from your symptoms myself although i do have out of body experiences when very tired and that really freaks me out

No, it isnt cool.

not breathing and moving isnt good !!
how do you stop breathing and moving. all interesting finding out.

Sorry Beth, I guess that I've become quite desensitised to it. I know that it used to put the fear of God in me though.

As Macca says, I don't think it affects your breathing; it is just that your body hasn't switched on when your head has. It's basically a safety system that prevents most people from acting out their dreams. However, it's quite scary when it hasn't switched off and you are conscious.

If you're like most people, then it should be a pretty rare occurrence (hopefully).

Macca, I look forward to him eating his words come the end of the season. Can't wait for Saturday! :)

Well, I guess Andy sleeps on his back, I sleep on my side so I'd either get a view of a wall, or the other side of my room. I don't understand how you can actually sit up?


That's weird come to think of it. I always sleep on my side, but when I get paralysis, I wake up on my back. Interesting. :confused:

Beth, I think the breathing is probably to do with the panic that you're experiencing, as others have said. I think that if you became used to it, you'd be less panicky and would be able to control your breathing. I suppose it makes it worse that you're half asleep when it happens, so can't think straight and make sense of it. :(

i appreciate everyones feedback on this

I had a nice sleep last night

probably all that alcohol helped

:hihi:

Do you feel scared. or just get on with it?

Is it to do with ghosts and spirits?
I am freaked out by it all now.


Hi.

I've had sleep paralysis a few times in my life. I last had it about a year ago. I'm hoping its the last time. Its really frightening when it happens. The last time I had it. I was just having an afternoon snooze one weekend, I had had a lot of late nights that week and was catching up on some sleep. It felt like all of a sudden a gust of wind was catching my breath (like when you stick your head out of a car window). Then it felt like the breath was being sucked out of my body and I could not move at all. I was aware at the time, that I was having sleep paralysis, so I kept calm and counted and waited to wake up, which I did of course. But when I woke up, I was gasping for my breath. It was awful. I shouted my sister who was downstairs, as I just needed to talk to someone.

After that, I felt a bit scared to go to sleep. I made sure that I filled my lungs with plenty of oxygen before going to sleep, just taking in big deep breaths, holding my breath for a few seconds, then releasing slowly. Then I made sure that I was laying fully on my side. I've read that most Sleep Paralysis occurences are when the person is laying on their back.

I have to say that I haven't had an episode since. So I think it has helped. I don't believe it has anything to do with ghosts or anything. It is just your body and your mind.

If anyone does get a bout of sleep paralysis, and can't breathe, try not to worry, you'll be fine. Remaining calm and concentrating on little movements is the best way. Don't let it put you off sleeping.

Do you suffer from sleep paralysis and what are your experiences of it?.

I always seem to experience it when i'm not under the duvet and after it happens I'm freezing and have to wrap myself up in the duvet.

It started when I was young I laid on my bed looking out of the skylight at the moon. The moon suddenly came hurtling towards me and a figure appeared behind my head he put his hands on my shoulders and started to force me into my bed. It lasted a couple of minutes and I snapped out of it totally petrified.

This has happed every couple of weeks since I was about 10 I'm now 26 does anyone suffer a similar thing?

Do you suffer from sleep paralysis and what are your experiences of it?.

I always seem to experience it when i'm not under the duvet and after it happens I'm freezing and have to wrap myself up in the duvet.

It started when I was young I laid on my bed looking out of the skylight at the moon. The moon suddenly came hurtling towards me and a figure appeared behind my head he put his hands on my shoulders and started to force me into my bed. It lasted a couple of minutes and I snapped out of it totally petrified.

This has happed every couple of weeks since I was about 10 I'm now 26 does anyone suffer a similar thing?

Interesting reading here:

http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=141096&highlight=sleep+paralysis

I too have experienced this it is terrifing as it is not possible to move even though your brain is telling you otherwise occurs most if I cat nap.

When I lived at home, I could hear family talking on the landing, I couldn't speak or move, it took a tremendous effort for me to turn on my side, then everything returned to normal, it was years before I would sleep on my back again - has something similar happened to you?

When I lived at home, I could hear family talking on the landing, I couldn't speak or move, it took a tremendous effort for me to turn on my side, then everything returned to normal, it was years before I would sleep on my back again - has something similar happened to you?

Think there was a thread on this a while back, dig it up I'm sure it had some good info on.

Think there was a thread on this a while back, dig it up I'm sure it had some good info on.

MODS - CAN YOU MERGE THREADS PLEASE, in the interest of new members who havn't seen any previous posts.

I know someone that has this problem. She wakes up and cannot move or speak. Sometimes it lasts 30 seconds, sometimes several minutes. She said it is a frightening experience when it happens.

It is absolutely terrifying, I really don't know what would have happened if I'd not managed ,to turn on my side, I wondered if I would become numb all over

It sometimes happens to me too, I absolutely hate it. Once I was actually dreaming an intruder came into my room in the dark and I couldn't move as I was suffering from sleep paralysis, I quickly woke up, to find that I really couldn't move. :loopy:The longest this has happened is for about a minute but it seems like an eternity.

It sometimes happens to me too, I absolutely hate it. Once I was actually dreaming an intruder came into my room in the dark and I couldn't move as I was suffering from sleep paralysis, I quickly woke up, to find that I really couldn't move. :loopy:The longest this has happened is for about a minute but it seems like an eternity.

This is just how i have experienced it too, with the intruder, you try to shout but can't.
I have had it three times and it's always when sleeping in a strange house or hotel, never at home, yet.

do you both sleep on your back - that's how it happened with me, never again

yes ive been getting it since i was 12 - with some scary/interesting twists:

swung round the room
floating to the ceiling
seen black shadowmen racing across my vision
felt the evil presence
heard voices
massive pressure in the head

and the best one -often feel a huge intense rush, similar to, but hugely more powerful than, a huge drugs rush to the brain.

I blame the acid. Stress and poor sleep patterns also contribute!

http://www.stanford.edu/~dement/paralysis.html

As a teenager, I once woke up feeling icy cold. The curtains were horizontal as if a gale was blowing through the window then I realised that I couldn't move - it felt like someone much bigger and heavier than me was pinning me to the bed.

Next morning, I realised that the window had been locked shut all night. I must have been half-awake half-dreaming but it was very vivid...oh, and I was sleeping on my back :)

Both me and my father have this happen. Usually I wake from a dream and the dream is transferred, like putting two negatives together, into the real surroundings I am in. When it happens I can only move my eyes and, with a struggle, my toes.

I tend to try to wiggle my toes so that it wakes me from the dream. I also try and make some sound, but it's very hard, so that my hubby wakes to help me.

http://www.stanford.edu/~dement/paralysis.html

Hag Phenomena - the feeling that someone is sitting on your chest....my "dream" was a phenomenon :D

I can't find as stated in the thread the other thread that was started on the subject does anyone have the link?

A couple of summers ago i helped out on some research on the subject (for a screenplay) from the 1st few posts most confessors seemed to be female are there any links>? Also there doesn't seemed to be anyone experiencing a common worldwide phenomena of the 'Old hag syndrome' Link (http://paranormal.about.com/library/weekly/aa112000a.htm)

Taken from wikip. (i'm lazy!)

A hag, or "the Old Hag", was a nightmare spirit in British and Anglophone North American folklore. This variety of hag is essentially identical to the Anglo-Saxon mæra — a being with roots in ancient Germanic superstition, and closely related to the Scandinavian mara. According to folklore, the Old Hag sat on a sleeper's chest and sent nightmares to him or her. When the subject awoke, he or she would be unable to breathe or even move for a short period of time. Currently this state is called sleep paralysis, but in the old belief the subject had been "hagridden".[5] It is still frequently discussed as if it were a paranormal state.

Now that's juicy I have interviewed suffers and doctors on the subjects and its indeed fascinating.

If anyone has experienced this lucid phenomena please PM me.

This is just how i have experienced it too, with the intruder, you try to shout but can't.
I have had it three times and it's always when sleeping in a strange house or hotel, never at home, yet.

yes ive been getting it since i was 12 - with some scary/interesting twists:

swung round the room
floating to the ceiling
seen black shadowmen racing across my vision
felt the evil presence
heard voices
massive pressure in the head

and the best one -often feel a huge intense rush, similar to, but hugely more powerful than, a huge drugs rush to the brain.

I blame the acid. Stress and poor sleep patterns also contribute!

That would seem a viable explanation.

:o:oI've never worked this experience out, whether it was an external force, or from within me, but perhaps from your experiences, you may be able to shed some light on this:

I went to Malta, some years ago now. I was sharing a twin room with a companion. I was exhausted from a pretty eventful, adrenalin-packed journey from London (that's another story!). I was lying on the bed in the bedroom of the appartment, trying to fall asleep but NOT asleep. My companion was asleep across the room from me. I felt the strangest thing. I felt a huge force growing and draining the energy out of me, in the room at the bottom of my bed. I could feel it getting stronger, more powerful, and I was getting weaker. I couldn't see anything unusual at all in the room but I felt that this force was spherical and was pulling the energy in the room towards it. I was petrified, I tried to move but was totally paralysed. All I could do was see and breathe. The force came towards me and I felt it enter my body at my feet at the bottom of the bed. I was scared to death and stull unable to move. Whatever it was, I could feel it inside my body and it travelled, like a series of waves, inside my body, like a sea, I guess. When it got to my stomach, this is the first time I could see what looked like ripples in my stomach, and I could hear it quite distinctly, waves of fluid. It moved upwards towards my chest. Obviously, I was panicking like hell, feeling totally powerless, but I had all my faculties about me. I knew I had to wake my companion up and the only thing I could do was breathe, I'd tried to shout and speak but I couldn't. I started breathing as deep as I could and making as much noise as I could, gradually being able to increase the volume, until I began to sound like someone gasping for their last breath, in the hope of waking my companion. My companion didn't wake but whatever it was just disappeared in a flash. I was then immediately able to wake my companion (who obviously thought I was bonkers!) and to explain what had happened. I know this might sound crazy, but I didn't want to spend another night in that room. I went to reception the next morning, to try and get our room changed. I started to explain but the young receptionist girl had no english, so the owner appeared and I explained. He was friendly and I felt was humouring me and naturally playing the thing down. He got another key for a different room and handed it to me. I will never forget the sheer look of terror on the young reception girl's face, when she saw the number on my keys as I placed them on the reception desk.

Friends think it's most probably associated with sleep paralysis and exhaustion from travelling. I am still not convinced. A guy in Malta told me this sort of thing is very common over there, as many awful things have happened all over Malta in its history, he thought it was a poltergeist.

PS! There's been a few posts, since I started writing my marathon! I was on my back at the time. The guy who thought it was a poltergeist, said they usually pick on the youngest female in the party, as they are most vulnerable. Later the same night, my mum, in the adjacent bedroom of the same appartment, had a terrifying dream, which really unsettled her, and a day or so later, my Dad did. NEITHER of them believe in ghosts or the like!

do you both sleep on your back - that's how it happened with me, never again

Yes i always sleep on my back.

The last time it happened i was on a fishing trip in a rented cottage, i imagined voices out in the hall then someone entering the room and i realised i couldn't move.
I was trying to shout to my mate in the other room to warn him but couldn't, i felt a bit daft afterwards but it is a brief feeling of terror while it's happening.

3 threads merged.

3 threads merged.

Thanks Medusa!

Yes thanks Medusa

Please note I put a website on giving more information a page or two back

I had an experience of this about a year ago, and even though I'd already heard about this 'hag' phenomena, I didn't recognise it at the time, and it felt like it was really happening.

I won't go into detail, as it sounds crazy, but I'll just say that the sense of fear really shook me up, and for days the anger that I couldn't move, speak, and find out what it was bothered me a lot...to the point where I willed the experience to re-occur in order to find out. I don't feel like that anymore and I hope it doesn't happen again.

I have never has sleep paralysis (thank goodness) but I do often experience hearing loud voices in my sleep, sometimes it sounds like someone I know desperately calling my name... so much so that I often wake up and shout back, or sometimes its someone that I don't know, sometimes its a bang or crash and always its frighteningly loud.
I have also experienced falling asleep and hearing voices lots of voices all chatting and some laughing it just sounds like a crossed line on a telephone, sometimes I can understand odd words that they say but not much, the chatting always sounds upbeat and happy.
I just wondered if anyone else has this? and if its part of the same thing as the sleep paralysis?

i was about to ask about this. but the new updates have aided my search to find that its as normal as my Doctor says it is but it doesn't feel that way when in the midst of it

I think I have got this horrible sleep thing.

something similar to this

http://www.stanford.edu/~dement/paralysis.html

I want some help

Yeah I used to get it quite a bit when I was younger... got to the point where I could induce it by thinking about it. Tried recently and can't do it anymore :(

I've always found it quite enjoyable.

Dont know if this is sleep paralysis but when i was a teenager i would wake up some mornings and not be able to move for a few mins,i would be wide awake and try to move but nothing happend
Hasnt happend for a very very long time though thankfully,was proper scary

I've had it twice and it was rather scary on both occasions. Both times it felt like someone was pushing on my chest making me unable to breathe and my eyesight went to total blackness. First time was the worst but 2nd time I half knew what was happening as I'd reas up about it the first time. Still scred the bejeebies out of me though!

Hi, I ma freaking out. for some years now I have been touching myself in my sleep. and i couldnt work out why i was doing it. as my hubby wakes me each time to say. what you doing/ranting and raving. and i would be like looking stupid. i didnt even know i was doing it. in the last couple of weeks it has happened a couple of timesd and this sleep paralysis. where i cant move is happening sometimes.
but then last night there was aprogramme on tv. called sleep sex. and thought that is whats wrong with me.
it is scarey that i dont even know i am doing it.
does any1 else have it??