Sleep Paralysis

DEFTLEFTHAND · 23-09-2016 08:30PM #1

Does anybody here suffer from this? My doctor tells me it's common enough. I developed it in my late teens, it happens on average once a week.

In my case I become aware that I'm dreaming while still in the dream. It feels like my mouth is sewn shut and my nasal passages are obstructed. It's a struggle to wake up and regain normal breathing ability.

It's a scary experience tbh.

stimpson · 23-09-2016 08:32PM

I had it once before. I thought I'd had a stroke or something. Scared the **** out of me.

Your Face · 23-09-2016 08:33PM

I had it a few times.
It was fine as I knew what was happening.

GLaDOS · 23-09-2016 08:35PM

Used to get it quite a lot. Scared the shít out of the the first few times, really didn't know what was happening. Got used to it over time and it became an irritation more than anything else. Found it used to happen more when I was extremely tired going to bed.

Haven't had it much the last few years.

23-09-2016 08:40PM

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

Does anybody here suffer from this? My doctor tells me it's common enough. I developed it in my late teens, it happens on average once a week.

In my case I become aware that I'm dreaming while still in the dream. It feels like my mouth is sewn shut and my nasal passages are obstructed. It's a struggle to wake up and regain normal breathing ability.

It's a scary experience tbh.

Ah yes its terrible.

Like your being suffocated with a pillow although without physically feeling the pillow on your face.

23-09-2016 08:41PM

I've had it a couple of times. Last time I was aware it was happening, also hallucinating. When you know what it is, it's not so scary. It would be terrifying otherwise though.

Speedwell · 23-09-2016 08:42PM

Regularly. My mother had full-fledged narcolepsy, which I fortunately do NOT have. I'm so used to it now that I seem to have developed a sort of lucid dreaming ability that enables me to change position enough to fall back asleep without actually waking up.

DEFTLEFTHAND · 23-09-2016 08:43PM

GLaDOS wrote: »

Used to get it quite a lot. Scared the shít out of the the first few times, really didn't know what was happening. Got used to it over time and it became an irritation more than anything else. Found it used to happen more when I was extremely tired going to bed.

Haven't had it much the last few years.

Very same here, it always happens when I've gone a longer period than normal without sleeping.

GLaDOS · 23-09-2016 08:46PM

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

Very same here, it always happens when I've gone a longer period than normal without sleeping.

There's a certain cruel irony about it. Desperately wanting to sleep but when you try your body freaks out :pac:

WinnyThePoo · 23-09-2016 08:51PM

It usually happens to me inconjunction with a nightmare which makes it extra scary.

DEFTLEFTHAND · 23-09-2016 08:52PM

Deleted User wrote: »

I've had it a couple of times. Last time I was aware it was happening, also hallucinating. When you know what it is, it's not so scary. It would be terrifying otherwise though.

I've heard that some people halluncinate alright, in my case my eyes stay shut, but I'm still caught up in the dream that I was having.

Being visited by "the Hag" was an old expression used in the States by sleep paralysis sufferers who also hallucinated.

You'd wonder are a lot of the paranormal experiences people claim to have down to sleep paralysis.

PARlance · 23-09-2016 08:55PM

Don't know if it falls under sleep paralysis but I nodded off on the couch once. I awoke but couldn't move a muscle for what seemed like ages. I could see my bother and mother watching tv and was trying to tell them something was up but I couldn't speak.

A very strange experience. Has only happened once.

Dolbert · 23-09-2016 08:56PM

It happens to me all the time. I'm so used to it at this stage I know exactly what's happening and just wait it out.

the evasion_kid · 23-09-2016 08:56PM

I've got it once or twice,though lately I've been getting this thing just as I'm about to drop off of gasping for breath,i don't think it's sleep apnea as I'm awake when it happens,scary s**t,feels like you're just on the verge of dying or your soul is being squeezed from your body

Duff · 23-09-2016 09:00PM

It stopped when I stopped doing yokes every weekend. Still get it the odd time I fall asleep on my back.

Outlaw Pete · 23-09-2016 09:01PM

I think a lot of boardsies have it tbh. It's the only way you can explain some of their posts.

I don't even know what that's supposed to mean.

wakka12 · 23-09-2016 09:03PM

I don't know if this is related but sometimes when Im sleeping its as if I cant breathe. And theres nothing at all wrong with my breathing, and Im sleeping on my back. So my airways are fine but Ill wake up gasping for air as if somebody just held me under water for 30 seconds. I wouldnt say its scary but its a relief when I take that breath. Do people with sleep paralysis experience this?

everybodyhas1 · 23-09-2016 09:07PM

Duff wrote: »

It stopped when I stopped doing yokes every weekend. Still get it the odd time I fall asleep on my back.

If I sleep on my back it's almost guaranteed. I've felt that other presence sit at end of bed too. Genuinly feel the weight of someone else, or hear them breath and walk around. If I can move my foot, I can wake up. Stress definitely contributes.

DEFTLEFTHAND · 23-09-2016 09:07PM

WinnyThePoo wrote: »

It usually happens to me inconjunction with a nightmare which makes it extra scary.

Had this on Thursday night. I had nightmare about sleeping in a haunted motel room somewhere in the States, in the dream my covers were being pulled off my bed continuously by the ghost.

When I finally got out of the dream I had to walk around my bedroom to make sure everything was in order. I had this feeling of terror when I lay back down again that my duvet was going to be pulled off me. :pac:

Casshern88 · 23-09-2016 09:12PM

Literally happend to me hundreds of times. Doesn't phases me anymore! But used to really freak me out in beginning. I find if I'm lying on my side it doesn't come on, it's only when I'm face up it happens. Being extra tired can bring it on.

WinnyThePoo · 23-09-2016 09:18PM

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

Had this on Thursday night. I had nightmare about sleeping in a haunted motel room somewhere in the States, in the dream my covers were being pulled off my bed continuously by the ghost.

When I finally got out of the dream I had to walk around my bedroom to make sure everything was in order. I had this feeling of terror when I lay back down again that my duvet was going to be pulled off me. :pac:

I haven't had it in a while. Though I remember them because their usually very visual dreams.

Last one I was standing in a hallway and their was someone around the corner, I walked around and it was a 8 foot man with a straw bag over his head. He put his hand on my shoulder and I couldn't get away. Then I woke and couldn't move as I tried to scream. When i eventually come to I'm usually so terrified I'm crying!

I have had a another dream when the duvet was pulled off me aswell.

everybodyhas1 · 23-09-2016 09:20PM

WinnyThePoo wrote: »

I haven't had it in a while. Though I remember them because their usually very visual dreams.

Last one I was standing in a hallway and their was someone around the corner, I walked around and it was a 8 foot man with a straw bag over his head. He put his hand on my shoulder and I couldn't get away. Then I woke and couldn't move as I tried to scream. When i eventually come to I'm usually so terrified I'm crying!

I have had a another dream when the duvet was pulled off me aswell.

Ok, the straw bag thing is scary as. Talk about Silent Hill. Did you ever hear of the Dream Surfer? I'm terrifying myself now

23-09-2016 09:28PM

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

You'd wonder are a lot of the paranormal experiences people claim to have down to sleep paralysis.

Most of them, I reckon.

Canis Lupus · 23-09-2016 09:38PM

Pretty rare. Maybe 3 times in my life? Interesting experiences for the most part but thankfully I've known what they were and just worked through it till I became properly conscious except one time when it felt like there was someone...some....thing.... else in the room with me and I knew it was there but I couldn't rouse myself to turn and see who or what it was. Then I woke up.

WinnyThePoo · 23-09-2016 09:38PM

everybodyhas1 wrote: »

Ok, the straw bag thing is scary as. Talk about Silent Hill. Did you ever hear of the Dream Surfer? I'm terrifying myself now

I never see the faces of 'bad men' in my nightmares. Sometimes I don't see them at all.

I had a dream i was on a bus going to a party and i didnt know what stop to get off. I knew the people on the bus near me where going to the same party so I waited to see what stop they would get off and follow them. As they where leaving I tried and something held me down and put huge pressure on my neck.

When I eventually woke up fully i was sleeping in a very awkward position which strained my neck.

Summer wind · 23-09-2016 11:23PM

One morning a few months ago I woke up lying on my back. I knew I had woken up but for about 15 seconds I couldn't move even though I wanted to. It was really scary and I hope it never happens again.

anewme · 23-09-2016 11:25PM

I've had it a few times. Horrible.

The worst one was where in the dream or sub concious I woke up in bed and there was a black shadow at the end of my bed. It was my ex coming to kill me. Like all dreams or nightmares, I could not see the person only the shadow, but I know who it wa supposed to be and that he was coming to kill me

I actually said out loud, I know this is just a dream and you are not real. Leave me alone. Then I went to scream and no words come out and I could not move.....

When I woke up, my heart was beating like 90 and the sweat was pouring out of me Found it hard to go back to sleep after that one.

Mildred Pierce · 23-09-2016 11:31PM

I get it a lot, first few times are terrifying.

learn_more · 23-09-2016 11:49PM

Wow. I have experienced this and I just though it was unique to me. Never knew it was a thing.

It only happens very rarely so I never brought the subject up with anyone.

My experience of it that I would wake up feeling there was someone or some thing in the room. My eyes would feel partially open but I'd feel frozen solid and can't move. I would also hear a kind of buzzing sound.

If was quite frightening the first few times it happened but now when it happens my thinking brain kicks in fairly quickly and I just tell myself 'oh it's this again' and I relax in the knowledge it's going to pass shortly.

I don't know if its the same thing, prolly is, but I wake up suddenly and can't breath. Again it passes in what feels like a few seconds.

Mildred Pierce wrote: »

I get it a lot, first few times are terrifying.

Serves you right Joan. The way you treated you kids. Tsk.

Witchie · 23-09-2016 11:58PM

I kinda wish I did as it would be less dangerous than my sleep movements. A few nights ago I dreamt that someone was trying to kill me (a recurring dream) and they were going to blow the house up using gas. I jumped out of the bed and ran to my bedroom windows to open them and was going to climb out, then I remembered there were other people in the house so I ran into the hallway and screamed to warn them and then went again to get out the window. When the cold air hit me I woke and realised it might have been a dream so knew it was probably safe to turn on the light.

I closed the windows and turned on the light and walked back over to get into bed. When I got to my bed I realised my feet were wet and then I saw that in my panic I had knocked the pint glass of water off my bedside table and it had smashed into absolute smithereens and I was standing in the middle of a pool of glass and water.

I backed up and got a mop etc but slept in my son's room coz wasn't sure I had gotten all the glass and didn't want to get out of bed to go to the loo or something and tear my feet to shreds.

Then 2 nights ago I apparently went into our garage and opened the doors and was screaming there. I am very worried now coz the car keys were beside the switch to open the doors and I could very easily have driven somewhere in my sleep.

I have had sleep studies done before and was just given sedatives that left me feeling like a zombie so I have stopped taking them. Now am thinking it might be time to revisit the doc about it all.

LETHAL LADY · 24-09-2016 12:21AM

I'd no idea what it was when I first started experiencing it and I thought I was losing my marbles. It was a long time ago and the internet was really only getting going, so there was nowhere really to check out what it was. It involved a demonic figure in my bedroom, leaning on my feet, and trying to pull me towards them. You wouldn't believe how scary that felt at the time!

It began happening when I'd moved out of home for the first time and it occurred frequently after that. One day after a particularly unsettled sleep and when I was back at home to visit my parents, I mentioned it to my mother and my twin sister. To my horror, my twin sister told me she was having the exact same dreams and had one the night before. This had us both thinking we were a bit unhinged:eek:

Anyway, to cut a long story short it turned out it was some form of subconscious separation anxiety between us twins.

Sleep Paralysis

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