Sleep paralysis, Natural or Sinister?: Your Experiences

Micky Dolenz · 28-03-2014 11:04am #1

It first happened me when I was 13 or 14. I was genuinely scared. I felt a presence in my darkened room as it moved toward me. I could not move or make a sound. My chest closed in as I felt a weight sit on me, all the while the shadow grew bigger. My terror grew accordantly.

I'm not sure how long it lasted, could have been minutes or hours. It felt like a life time. I always felt I had a paranormal experience that night and I suppose in some way I did.

Over the years I became very interesting in dreaming and in particular lucid dreaming. A couple of years back I set out to train myself to control my dreams. I had a lot of success doing this. While I was in this period I would often experience sleep paralysis, as my mind was aware of my state while in different phases of sleep.

I would experience all the things I mentioned above but without the terror as I knew exactly what was going on. It's a subject I find fascinating and will probably embark on a bit of research.

Ben Horne · 30-03-2014 9:27pm

I cannot recall having such incidents as a child or teenager but only over the last few years. It has become more regular over the past year or few months. I wish I had a certain amount of control. What kind of sinister do you mean? Something other worldly or supernatural?

Micky Dolenz · 30-03-2014 10:20pm

It has been attributed to all sorts over the years and through different cultures. From entity visits to Alien abductions.

An interesting vid here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPIBRNDrw20

.

I'm not in a position to say stuff like that doesn't happen, but in my case it certainly is sleep paralysis.

Wise Old Elf · 02-04-2014 9:52pm

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

It has been attributed to all sorts over the years and through different cultures. From entity visits to Alien abductions.

An interesting vid here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPIBRNDrw20
.

I'm not in a position to say stuff like that doesn't happen, but in my case it certainly is sleep paralysis.

Still haven't had a chance to watch the video, and I'm home alone and wish to sleep tonight, so definitely not.

My experience of this was a mild ome, none of the crushing chest or scary banshee women that I've read about here and elsewhere.

I feel asleep on the couch one afternoon, and when I woke up, I couldn't move, not a muscle except opening my eyes. Stayed like that for a while, but eventually put all my efforts into moving a single finger and all became normal again, I was definitely awake, as there was a match on the telly and I could recall what was happening in it, but no movement. Now that I'm typing, I'm not sure whether I felt a presence or not. It was at least 8 years ago, so it could be the power of suggestion , making me think I did.

Flippyfloppy · 02-04-2014 9:59pm

Happened to me first at the age of 14. Had been out partying previous night till morning.

Was asleep when suddenly I felt awake, could hear my friend behind me telling me to turn around. I was stuck, could not move a muscle, speak or open eyes. I thought to myself at least it's just my friend I can hear. Cue demonic voice screaming at me 'TURN AROUND' yeah I was pretty freaked. Took a while to regain control of my eyes etc. couldn't sleep properly that night, and for a while those dreams escalated.

I used to desperately try and bang on the wall so my sibling next door would come to my aid. Never worked.

I still get them sometimes, usually when I (rarely) get to go back to sleep in the morning, at the weekend or whatever. Am a lot more patient while if have them now, although I do try and call my OH, he never wakes so I don't know if I actually am successful at making vocalisations or not.

Usually coincides with waking up feeling dehydrated, sun bearing in on top of me heating on full blast. Can have it lying on front or back. When lying on back feel like I'm going to choke and when I lie on my front my nose is always pressed into the pillow so I feel like I'm going to smother if I don't move!

That's my experience with it.

Doom · 02-04-2014 10:01pm

I've had for years, once I knew what it was I was fine with it.
Only happens when I sleep on my back...

The One Who Knocks · 02-04-2014 10:05pm

Used to get it too when I messed around with lucid dreaming. Not a nice feeling!

berty58 · 02-04-2014 10:10pm

Fairly scary stuff when you first experience it. I used to think I only got it after a drinking session but I get them now when I wouldn't have had a drink in weeks. I would be wide awake and not able to move a muscle and unable to speak. Breathing would feel strange also.

riffmongous · 02-04-2014 10:14pm

Yeah I get it regularly, as in once a month or so I reckon. The first time I remember still quite well, it was 3 years ago and I was having a regular dream, when it changed and now I was in the room in bed and there was someone there and they put their hand on my mouth and tried to smother me while I couldn't move, absolutely terrifying.

After a few more times I also learned to train myself to break out of it, now I just can recognise it and I focus on shaking myself as hard as I can and I wake up without the same feeling of terror thankfully

bottlebrush · 02-04-2014 10:21pm

i have had it since i was a child. i have never felt a presence though. on two occasions i had loud buzzing in my ears and i felt myself floating upwards even though i was still physically in my bed and i had to will myself with every ounce of energy i had to come back down. i often wonder what would have happened if i had just let myself go with the flow.

Pat Mustard · 02-04-2014 10:23pm

Found this study on pubmed:

Seems that it's common.

we have reviewed the available literature on lifetime episodes of SP and have found it to be a fairly common experience. Although occurring in less than 8.0% of the general population, it is much more frequent in students and psychiatric patients, and the difference between these latter two groups is surprisingly small. Reasons for these higher prevalence rates are unclear, but it is possible that both groups experience regular sleep disturbances, a factor making SP episodes more likely

The fear associated with SP appears to arise not only from individual reactions to atonia, but from the hallucinatory content as well (2, 11). Unnatural involuntary movements (e.g., levitation), autoscopy, the presence of malevolent intruders in the bedroom, and physical/sexual assaults are common SP hallucination themes (8). A patient's construal of SP hallucinations may lead them to present for treatment in a disoriented and acutely fearful manner, and there are reports in the literature of such patients being misdiagnosed with a psychotic disorder (12). Regardless, the distressing nature of SP potentially places it within the realm of psychopathology and, indeed, preliminary links between the two have been made.

The study notes that Sleep Paralysis is linked with narcolepsy, shift work, and other sleep disturbances, etc.

berty58 · 02-04-2014 10:33pm

The Mustard wrote: »

Found this study on pubmed:

Seems that it's common.

The study notes that Sleep Paralysis is linked with narcolepsy, shift work, and other sleep disturbances, etc.

That's a bit strange. I found I got them a lot worse a few years back before we had children and I got a good nights sleep. I find they have calmed down now but I have a lot more sleep disturbances due to night feeds and teething babies.

hawkwind23 · 02-04-2014 10:40pm

try watching "Borgman"
Dutch Horror movie , lot of references to the auld sleep paralysis.
bit freaky but not often seen in a movie so worth a watch.

havent had this myself in years but some terrifying experiences over the years , i got the sensation that someone/thing was in the room and they werent friendly.
learned to control it by focusing on humming , that always seemed to break it

Pat Mustard · 02-04-2014 10:40pm

berty58 wrote: »

That's a bit strange. I found I got them a lot worse a few years back before we had children and I got a good nights sleep. I find they have calmed down now but I have a lot more sleep disturbances due to night feeds and teething babies.

Sorry, I omitted a lot of details there. Here is the relevant paragraph from the abstract:

Episodes of SP have been linked with conditions such as narcolepsy, hypertension, and seizure disorders, but are also associated with a general lack of sleep, sleep disturbances, jet lag, student status, African descent, and shift work (4-6). When SP occurs in otherwise healthy individuals it is termed isolated SP. Neither SP nor isolated SP episodes are currently recognized as codable diagnoses. However, the International Classification of Sleep Disorders 2nd Edition (1) includes recurrent isolated SP as a diagnostic possibility, and these same symptoms could be classified as a parasomnia not otherwise specified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition (DSM-IV)(7).

berty58 · 02-04-2014 10:44pm

The Mustard wrote: »

Sorry, I omitted a lot of details there. Here is the relevant paragraph from the abstract:

African descent is crazy

hawkwind23 · 02-04-2014 10:47pm

berty58 wrote: »

African descent is crazy

i spent a lot of time in Africa , its very common there!
they sleep in raised beds as they believe it protects them

Pat Mustard · 02-04-2014 10:50pm

berty58 wrote: »

African descent is crazy

They can support what they say:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9231535

Recurrent ISP was found to be more common among African American participants, particularly for those with panic disorder. African Americans with panic disorder may experience recurrent ISP as a feature of their disorder.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12211324

The incidence of isolated sleep paralysis was, as per previous reports, higher in African-Americans

hawkwind23 · 02-04-2014 10:53pm

Every African knows what a Tokoloshe is. Some call it Tikoloshe. It looks like a very nasty looking teddy-bear in appearance, in that its head is like that of a teddy-bear, but it has got a thick, sharp, bony ridge on top of its head. Tokoloshes have a hole in their head. They are also immensely strong. The ridge goes from above its forehead to the back of its head, and with this ridge it can knock down an ox by butting it with its head. This creature causes the Black people in certain places to raise their beds on bricks with one brick laid on top of the other one, about 3 feet above the ground. And you find this all over South Africa.

http://tokoloshe.askdefine.com/

LynnGrace · 02-04-2014 11:01pm

I've experienced it when overtired. It is usually the feeling of being conscious, but completely unable to move. I've never been afraid, thankfully.
I didn't know until relatively recently that there was a name for this.

Micky Dolenz · 03-04-2014 8:45am

Flippyfloppy wrote: »

Happened to me first at the age of 14. Had been out partying previous night till morning.

Was asleep when suddenly I felt awake, could hear my friend behind me telling me to turn around. I was stuck, could not move a muscle, speak or open eyes. I thought to myself at least it's just my friend I can hear. Cue demonic voice screaming at me 'TURN AROUND' yeah I was pretty freaked. Took a while to regain control of my eyes etc. couldn't sleep properly that night, and for a while those dreams escalated.

I used to desperately try and bang on the wall so my sibling next door would come to my aid. Never worked.

I still get them sometimes, usually when I (rarely) get to go back to sleep in the morning, at the weekend or whatever. Am a lot more patient while if have them now, although I do try and call my OH, he never wakes so I don't know if I actually am successful at making vocalisations or not.

Usually coincides with waking up feeling dehydrated, sun bearing in on top of me heating on full blast. Can have it lying on front or back. When lying on back feel like I'm going to choke and when I lie on my front my nose is always pressed into the pillow so I feel like I'm going to smother if I don't move!

That's my experience with it.

yeah, it tends to happen to me when on the odd occasion I can get to nap, or re-sleep in the morning. I guess the window for it to happen is pretty small while the waking part and sleep part of the brain inter whine.

Ever try and control it?

Doom wrote: »

I've had for years, once I knew what it was I was fine with it.
Only happens when I sleep on my back...

I thought this too and it certainly happens a lot more when I am on my back or if I want it to happen I sleep like that. Has happened to me on my side too.

The One Who Knocks wrote: »

Used to get it too when I messed around with lucid dreaming. Not a nice feeling!

How did the Lucid dreaming work out for you?

Disco Stuart wrote: »

Still haven't had a chance to watch the video, and I'm home alone and wish to sleep tonight, so definitely not.

That's the best time to watch it

Micky Dolenz · 03-04-2014 8:53am

berty58 wrote: »

Fairly scary stuff when you first experience it. I used to think I only got it after a drinking session but I get them now when I wouldn't have had a drink in weeks. I would be wide awake and not able to move a muscle and unable to speak. Breathing would feel strange also.

How often does it happen you and how do you feel about it now? Are you aware of it happening,as in, you know it's SP.

riffmongous wrote: »

Yeah I get it regularly, as in once a month or so I reckon. The first time I remember still quite well, it was 3 years ago and I was having a regular dream, when it changed and now I was in the room in bed and there was someone there and they put their hand on my mouth and tried to smother me while I couldn't move, absolutely terrifying.

After a few more times I also learned to train myself to break out of it, now I just can recognise it and I focus on shaking myself as hard as I can and I wake up without the same feeling of terror thankfully

Can you recall when it happens? weekends, napping, waking up or falling asleep or could it happen any time?
Have you ever just went with it?

bottlebrush wrote: »

i have had it since i was a child. i have never felt a presence though. on two occasions i had loud buzzing in my ears and i felt myself floating upwards even though i was still physically in my bed and i had to will myself with every ounce of energy i had to come back down. i often wonder what would have happened if i had just let myself go with the flow.

Would you not allow yourself to go with it? The levitating aspect of it is fascinating

The One Who Knocks · 03-04-2014 6:10pm

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

How did the Lucid dreaming work out for you?

It was going great actually, until I started getting sleep paralysis & hypnic jerks, then I just lost the ability over time I guess.

I'm still able to realise I'm dreaming while I'm in a dream, and I can wake up whenever I want. It comes in handy during the odd nightmare

To wake up I just rub my eyes in my dream, and eventually I start doing it in reality.

Lucid dreaming was amazing though, I miss it.

.jacksparrow. · 03-04-2014 6:27pm

I get it but i also get pains in my chest during it.

Anyone else experience this?

riffmongous · 06-04-2014 9:01pm

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

Can you recall when it happens? weekends, napping, waking up or falling asleep or could it happen any time?
Have you ever just went with it?

Sorry only getting back to this now, I didnt notice it.

The first few times I could always remember it, as it was quite a mental and physical shock once I'd wake, but now if it happens I can just go back to sleep after the initial physical shock upon waking up subsides. It usually happens in the late morning period, as I do a lot of dreaming then if I am still asleep, from say 7-9 and also sometimes then from 11-13, back when I used to work in a pub and get to sleep late.

No I never went with it, as the dream part of the experience is so disturbing, but sometimes I have wondered if it is even possible to go with it, as from what I understood from wiki it is a part of the waking up process in a lot of cases.. and maybe the struggling against it while it seems conscious actually is not.. from reading that I am not so sure how aware of it I really am if this makes sense.

Micky Dolenz · 07-04-2014 3:12pm

The One Who Knocks wrote: »

It was going great actually, until I started getting sleep paralysis & hypnic jerks, then I just lost the ability over time I guess.

I'm still able to realise I'm dreaming while I'm in a dream, and I can wake up whenever I want. It comes in handy during the odd nightmare

To wake up I just rub my eyes in my dream, and eventually I start doing it in reality.

Lucid dreaming was amazing though, I miss it.

I think it is something you have to actively pursue and if not practised it fades away over time. I went through a great stage of it.

.jacksparrow. wrote: »

I get it but i also get pains in my chest during it.

Anyone else experience this?

No pain, more tightness.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k · 09-04-2014 9:00am

I think this is happening to me. In December my dad passed away and ever since, I haven't been sleeping properly at all. I know I'm pretty run down, my iron levels are at rock bottom so Im mega tired all the time but can't seem to get to sleep enough just to feel a little better.

The first time it happened to me, I felt semi awake, felt squashed against a wall that wasnt really there, and it was my dads corpse that grabbed me, put his arms around me and wouldn't let me go. No words would come out and I just remember thinking this isn't real it isn't real it isn't real and eventually it passed.

But, it's getting worse not better. It's happening a lot more often. I always feel like I'm just on the brink of waking and it's terrifying me, last night was the worst ever. Even now I'm awake properly, and for hours and I still don't feel right after it. I just need it to stop, I need proper sleep but at this stage, after last night I don't want to even close my eyes again.

King George VI · 09-04-2014 9:19am

I go through phases of sleep paralysis. I don't get it for 4-6 months then I'll experience it 3 times a night for about a month, and seeing as how I had SP last night for the first time in ages I reckon entering the phase. I've learned to stop being scared of it and just let it happen to it's full extent. I've heard it's more likely to strike when you're sleeping on your back and when you're cold. I'd well believe that theory because it mostly happens when I'm on my back and have a leg or two sticking out of the duvet.

Micky Dolenz · 09-04-2014 9:37am

LexieOnRale wrote: »

I think this is happening to me. In December my dad passed away and ever since, I haven't been sleeping properly at all. I know I'm pretty run down, my iron levels are at rock bottom so Im mega tired all the time but can't seem to get to sleep enough just to feel a little better.

The first time it happened to me, I felt semi awake, felt squashed against a wall that wasnt really there, and it was my dads corpse that grabbed me, put his arms around me and wouldn't let me go. No words would come out and I just remember thinking this isn't real it isn't real it isn't real and eventually it passed.

But, it's getting worse not better. It's happening a lot more often. I always feel like I'm just on the brink of waking and it's terrifying me, last night was the worst ever. Even now I'm awake properly, and for hours and I still don't feel right after it. I just need it to stop, I need proper sleep but at this stage, after last night I don't want to even close my eyes again.

Wow, that is intense. My condolences on your Dad passing.

Sleep is really important to help the mind and body heal. After a highly emotive event, our sleep can suffer. I think the first step is be aware of what is happening. If you can recognise it, you won't fear it as much. I induce it and for the first few seconds I feel a little terror until I become aware.

Here is a good article on coping with SP. It nearly never happens me when I am sleeping on my front.

I think you will need to address the root issue though. I believe Bereavement counselling is meant to be really good.

Micky Dolenz · 09-04-2014 9:38am

St. Jimmy wrote: »

I go through phases of sleep paralysis. I don't get it for 4-6 months then I'll experience it 3 times a night for about a month, and seeing as how I had SP last night for the first time in ages I reckon entering the phase. I've learned to stop being scared of it and just let it happen to it's full extent. I've heard it's more likely to strike when you're sleeping on your back and when you're cold. I'd well believe that theory because it mostly happens when I'm on my back and have a leg or two sticking out of the duvet.

It would be interesting if you kept a sleep diary over an extended time to see if there is a pattern.

I'd well believe that theory too and am going some lengths to trying to prove it.

King George VI · 09-04-2014 9:53am

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

It would be interesting if you kept a sleep diary over an extended time to see if there is a pattern.

I'd well believe that theory too and am going some lengths to trying to prove it.

I did keep a diary, that's how I ended up with the 4-6 months off/1 month on phase. Very strange all the same. I have no idea why it happens or why it seems to be scheduled like that, but it's been a regular occurrence since I was 15.

Miggle Kop · 20-04-2014 11:17am

I get this quite often when I'm dosing. It started about 30 years ago when I was about 13. It doesn't bother that much anymore because I've learned I can get out of it with a TREMENDOUS act of will. I start out trying to shake my hands and feet back and forth and then work up to my arms and legs and then my head. I try to shake myself harder and harder until something clicks and I just *POP* out of it and sit up. Works every time.

Sleep paralysis, Natural or Sinister?: Your Experiences

Have you experienced Sleep Paralysis? 115 votes

Comments