Ask the Brains: What Is Sleep Paralysis?

DANNY22XX

Ask the Brains: What Is Sleep Paralysis?
Also: Why we sometimes wake up with explosions going off in our heads

By Randolph W. Evans and Christopher French

Why am I sometimes awakened in the middle of the night by explosions going off in my head?
—Jade Peifer, Cypress, Fla.

Randolph W. Evans, professor of neurology at the Baylor College of Medicine, responds:
There may be several reasons why you’re experiencing these explosions erupting in your head. Perhaps you’re in love, as the lyrics to Atreyu’s “When Two Are One” suggest:

Bang!
Explosions in my head
that just won’t quit.
A train has crashed into the
wall around my heart ...

Alternatively (and more likely), you have an uncommon sleep disorder, which in 1988 British neurologist John Pearce named “exploding head syndrome.”

During an episode, a person feels a loud bang coming from inside his or her own head, often described as an explosion, a roar or waves crashing against rocks. Eruptions generally occur while people are falling asleep and less frequently when they are waking up. The explosions vary in frequency and happen most often in healthy individuals older than 50. In 10 percent of cases, people perceive a flash of light, and about 5 percent of patients report the sensation that they have stopped breathing and must make a deliberate effort to breathe again. Sufferers may be afraid or anxious in the aftermath of an attack.

Although the cause of the syndrome is unknown, some doctors speculate that it comes about when the brain stem reticular formation, an important regulator of sleep and wakefulness, fails to power down at the right moment. This area, which adjoins the spinal cord, may temporarily malfunction and cause hallucinations—but nobody knows exactly why the symptoms manifest as bangs or roars. Though loud, the noise is typically not painful or dangerous, and it usually is not indicative of any other neurological disorders. Stress or exhaustion may trigger episodes, which usually stop on their own over time and with reassurance that the phenomenon, though strange, is benign.

What is sleep paralysis, and is it rare?
—Mark Fischetti, Lenox, Mass.

Psychologist Christopher French of Goldsmiths College in London explains:
Attacks by demons, ghostly visitations and alien abductions: some people are certain they have experienced such paranormal events. In reality, many of these victims probably had an episode of sleep paralysis.

Sleep paralysis, a momentary inability to move one’s limbs, trunk and head despite being fully conscious, may occur when someone is either drifting off or, more rarely, waking up. During rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep, the muscles of the body are paralyzed, presumably to prevent the dreamer from physically acting out the dream. Researchers are not sure why this normal paralysis happens during consciousness for victims of sleep paralysis, but psychophysiological studies have confirmed that attacks are particularly likely to occur if the person enters REM sleep quickly after hitting the pillow, bypassing the stages of non-REM sleep that usually happen first.

Other factors that make sleep paralysis more likely to occur include drift***ing off while lying on the back, feeling stressed or experiencing a disruption in normal sleep patterns, such as from shift work, jet lag, caffeine or alcohol.

Although sleep paralysis is a symptom of narcolepsy, it is also common in healthy people. Surveys from different countries show a wide range of estimates: 20 to 60 percent of the normal adult population has experienced sleep paralysis at least once. Around 5 percent of the population has experienced one or more of other disturbing symptoms associated with the disorder. The most common effects include visual hallucinations, such as shadows and light or a human or animal figure in the room, and auditory hallucinations, such as hearing voices or footsteps. A person often also feels pressure on his or her chest and has difficulty breathing.

The reason sleep paralysis may explain tales of ghosts and aliens is the strong sense of a presence, usually harmful, that victims commonly feel during an attack. They also report unusual kinesthetic sensations, such as feelings of being dragged out of bed, vibrating, flying or falling. These episodes can sometimes lead to full-blown out-of-body experiences. Sleep paralysis may be frightening, but it is never dangerous, and thankfully, episodes usually last only a few seconds.

Article Found Here:http://www.mypara.net/forum/topics/ask-the-brains-what-is-sleep

littlebug

i've got exploding head syndrome:D (along with various other sleep issues). It's a really bizarre feeling and it mainly happens when I'm overworked and overtired but leads to me getting even less sleep. My head hasn't actually exploded yet and I've had it for years so i assume it's not doing me any harm. I posted about it on the sleeping and dreaming forum once. IIRC no one had a clue what I was going on about:o

Messy Missy

I've experienced sleep paralysis a couple of times and it was absolutely awful. When I finally managed to move and get out of bed I started screaming like a maniac. Scary, scary stuff.

Ziycon

Ah, interesting, never heard of the 'Expolding Head' thing. Sleep paralysis on the other hand I've had a few times, the first time was very freaky but now i know what it is if it happens i just relax and it passes, nothing to be scared of.

laura1408

ah so that explains why it feels like there is giant tsunami in my head trying to blow it up!!!!!!! I also suffer from the sleep paralysis thingy too, but i always see very vivid menacing figures when it happens!!!!!! very scary indeed

Mr. Frost

Yeah I've had a couple of really, really frightening episodes of it. I wouldn't normally be scared of things like that but this was so disturbing...never forget it.

laura1408

Hey frost!!!!

Do you happen to see any ghost like figures when it happens to you?

Mr. Frost

Hey Laura!!

Once or twice I have. One time when it was happening to me I kinda managed to turn over and saw my Nan above me, kinda of like shouting at whatever it was that was at me, and I haven't experienced it since!

You see figures yeah?

jessbeth

I've had both, the sleep paralysis is terrifying. I remember think that something awful had happened before I knew what it was.
What's also interesting is that when drifting off/or just waking up you can experience hypnagogia, these are hallucinations of any of the senses. These can occur with or without the paralysis.

I found this little bit that I found on a blog a very good explaination.

The scientific explanation for this sleep phenomena is that the person experiences a state dissociation in which part of the mental apparatus comes to conscious awareness even as the rest of the brain is in the REM stage of sleep. The body remains paralyzed so as to prevent acting out the dream. The realization that it is not possible to move contributes significantly to the unpleasant and frightening quality of this event. The conscious experience is a combination of dream mentation superimposed on the sensory background of the room in which the person is sleeping. Long before Hollywood perfected the green screen technique or computer graphics allowed for the easy integration of the fantastic with the realistic, the brain was able to seamlessly blend together the inner world of the dream with the outer world of sense perception during these state dissociations.

Mr. Frost

I'm sure I'd go along with all of that. Somethings you just can't explain.

jessbeth

Mr. Frost wrote: »

Hey Laura!!

Once or twice I have. One time when it was happening to me I kinda managed to turn over and saw my Nan above me, kinda of like shouting at whatever it was that was at me, and I haven't experienced it since!

You see figures yeah?

It's possible to hallucination all sorts of things, people see evil things, dead relatives, aliens etc. That's why lots of people think they've seen a ghost or been abducted. The hallucinations are terrifyingly real.

laura1408

Mr. Frost wrote: »

Hey Laura!!

Once or twice I have. One time when it was happening to me I kinda managed to turn over and saw my Nan above me, kinda of like shouting at whatever it was that was at me, and I haven't experienced it since!

You see figures yeah?

Yea i seen my great nan standing in the far end of my bedroom and this other younger girl standing directly over me with long dark hair and its like shes screaming really loudly at me but theres no sound..........

Mr. Frost

jessbeth wrote: »

It's possible to hallucination all sorts of things, people see evil things, dead relatives, aliens etc. That's why lots of people think they've seen a ghost or been abducted. The hallucinations are terrifyingly real.

I know what you mean but it's just the time of somethings.

Mr. Frost

laura1408 wrote: »

Yea i seen my great nan standing in the far end of my bedroom and this other younger girl standing directly over me with long dark hair and its like shes screaming really loudly at me but theres no sound..........

That sounds pretty frightening alright. Does your family have a history of seeing dead relatives?

My Nan said she was her brother shortly after he died. Him and Nan got on great as he was the only boy and she was the youngest girl.

jessbeth

Mr. Frost wrote: »

I know what you mean but it's just the time of somethings.

Well in relation to the time of these things happening I'm referring only to the period while falling asleep or walking up.

People who suffer from hallucinations other than at these times would need to get medical advice.

laura1408

my nan would be a bit psychic like, often sees things or can tell if something is wrong, but being older and a not as open minded as some people she tends to mention it once and then never mentions it again

jessbeth

Mr. Frost wrote: »

That sounds pretty frightening alright. Does your family have a history of seeing dead relatives?

My Nan said she was her brother shortly after he died. Him and Nan got on great as he was the only boy and she was the youngest girl.

Sorry I feel really rude replying to everything on here, I just find this topic interesting and I've read a bit about it.

Apparently grief induced hallucinations are really commom and happen a lot to people who have lost someone they love. That's the scientific view, the paranormal view might be that it's the ghost of the relative. I personally don't believe in ghosts etc and like to go with the scientific view but I sure don't know everything there is to know and I like to keep an openmind and respect other peoples belief. I guess what I'm trying to say is no offence intended to anyone with my scientific reasoning.

Mr. Frost

jessbeth wrote: »

Well in relation to the time of these things happening I'm referring only to the period while falling asleep or walking up.

People who suffer from hallucinations other than at these times would need to get medical advice.

No I meant the timing as in how the sleep paralysis/episodes stopped all of a sudden and how they stopped.

jessbeth

Mr. Frost wrote: »

No I meant the timing as in how the sleep paralysis/episodes stopped all of a sudden and how they stopped.

Oh right sorry, well people usually have more when they are stressed out and have a lot of anxiety. Usually when the anxiety/stress passes they get some relief from them.

I found out how to wake myself up from them, if you try screaming and shaking your head that brings me out of it.

laura1408

Mr. Frost wrote: »

No I meant the timing as in how the sleep paralysis/episodes stopped all of a sudden and how they stopped.

This happened to me also, i still have the sleep paralysis but i only had the hallucination maybe 3/4 times?????? then it stopped

laura1408

jessbeth wrote: »

Oh right sorry, well people usually have more when they are stressed out and have a lot of anxiety. Usually when the anxiety/stress passes they get some relief from them.

I found out how to wake myself up from them, if you try screaming and shaking your head that brings me out of it.

Never works for me, i could be screaming until the cows come home..... and as for shaking my haed, im lucky if i can blink......

Appreciate your thoughts on it Jessbeth, always good to have a scientific view:)

Mr. Frost

laura1408 wrote: »

This happened to me also, i still have the sleep paralysis but i only had the hallucination maybe 3/4 times?????? then it stopped

That's weird, I think. I thought they went hand-in-hand. I actually never get sleep paralysis anymore, since that night I mentioned previously.

Mr. Frost

jessbeth wrote: »

Sorry I feel really rude replying to everything on here, I just find this topic interesting and I've read a bit about it.

Apparently grief induced hallucinations are really commom and happen a lot to people who have lost someone they love. That's the scientific view, the paranormal view might be that it's the ghost of the relative. I personally don't believe in ghosts etc and like to go with the scientific view but I sure don't know everything there is to know and I like to keep an openmind and respect other peoples belief. I guess what I'm trying to say is no offence intended to anyone with my scientific reasoning.

None taken.

I believe in ghosts because I've seen one. Not during sleep paralysis or that but actually interacted with one - my grandad when I was a kid.

laura1408

Mr. Frost wrote: »

That's weird, I think. I thought they went hand-in-hand. I actually never get sleep paralysis anymore, since that night I mentioned previously.

I get the head explosion thingy sometimes but more often the paralysis...... i do see figures but not as vivid as the last 3/4 times

Mr. Frost

jessbeth wrote: »

Oh right sorry, well people usually have more when they are stressed out and have a lot of anxiety. Usually when the anxiety/stress passes they get some relief from them.

I found out how to wake myself up from them, if you try screaming and shaking your head that brings me out of it.

I wouldn't have been able to shake my head at all. I used to barely be able to my index finger and sometimes I'd just stay still to see what would happen!

Mr. Frost

laura1408 wrote: »

I get the head explosion thingy sometimes but more often the paralysis...... i do see figures but not as vivid as the last 3/4 times

Never gotten the head explosians....

jessbeth

Another good way is to just try and move your pinky finger. Thankfully I haven't had the sleep paralysis too often but I've had the hallucinations a few times. I would feel like somebody was tucking me in of stroking my face.

Do any of you ever have lucid dreams?

jessbeth

Mr. Frost wrote: »

Never gotten the head explosians....

I've had that about twice, freaky, like a big crashing noise in your mind.

Mr. Frost

jessbeth wrote: »

Another good way is to just try and move your pinky finger. Thankfully I haven't had the sleep paralysis too often but I've had the hallucinations a few times. I would feel like somebody was tucking me in of stroking my face.

Do any of you ever have lucid dreams?

Yeah I do sometimes. I kinda get excited and feel like I can do anything without consequence!

laura1408

it sounded like a huge wave bashing against my skull...... not something that helps you sleep...

Yes get lucid dreams........ sometimes i think i havent slept at all!!!!!!!!!

jessbeth

Mr. Frost wrote: »

Yeah I do sometimes. I kinda get excited and feel like I can do anything without consequence!

Yeah well that's the whole idea

I usually get too excited and wake up.

I've also managed to wake myself up while lucid during a dream with the head shaking thing. I remember dreaming that I was in the subway in NY and just couldn't find my train when all of a sudden I realised I was lucid and I couldn't change the scenery so I decided to wake up.