Have you ever experienced Sleep Paralysis?

starch4ser · 23-09-2011 10:22AM #1

Happened to me twice. Scary stuff. Woke up, opened my eyes, tried to move my arms, my head, my legs but couldn't. Lasted about 20 seconds. Weirdest sensation ever. You kind of panic and when it's over you are so relieved and wondering WTF was that. I put it down to the use of recreational substances but supposedly it's just a case of your mind waking up just before your body and affects many people.

MrStuffins · 23-09-2011 10:23AM

In bed and not being able to move eh?

No, but a lot of my dates have!

4zn76tysfajdxp · 23-09-2011 10:25AM

Happened to me three times in one night last week. That was no fun, let me tell you. Hooo boy.

--LOS-- · 23-09-2011 10:27AM

Happened to me a couple of times when I was younger, scary stuff. I get it still sometimes when I've just woken and for a few seconds I think I can't move.

smash · 23-09-2011 10:27AM

starch4ser wrote: »

I put it down to the use of recreational substances

Like roofies and chloroform?

blaze1 · 23-09-2011 10:27AM

My mrs had it quite bad a couple of years ago...

Scary stuff from what she was telling me. :eek:

Sergeant · 23-09-2011 10:28AM

About once a month on average. You try to talk/shout as well but nothing comes out. Like that dude in the Metallica One video.

It's deeply unpleasant.

fryup · 23-09-2011 10:31AM

it happened to me quite a bit in my 20s

and its absolutley terrifying the first few times it happens, its honestly like someone is holding you down..you want to scream but you can't, you can hear yourself breathing heavily and then all of a sudden it stops and your fully concious.

Its to do with the brain being awake but your body being asleep or something like that.

Mr. Presentable · 23-09-2011 10:34AM

fryup wrote: »

it happened to me quite a bit in my 20s

and its absolutley terrifying the first few times it happens, its honestly like someone is holding you down..you want to scream but you can't, you can hear yourself breathing heavily and then all of a sudden it stops and your fully concious.

Its to do with the brain being awake but your body being asleep or something like that.

That was pretty much my precise experience. Never happens now.

gcgirl · 23-09-2011 10:35AM

It happened a lot through out my 20's as well, If I was stressed it happened. Scary as fook

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar · 23-09-2011 10:37AM

yeah, used to get them pretty regularly.. generally when i was really really tired going to bed it'd happen. not so much the last couple of years though, ii think a regular sleeping pattern helps with them.

Sykk · 23-09-2011 10:37AM

It's called Hypnagogic. Basically you're conscious but unable to move.

It's very scary the first few times it happens now.

Ahhh! Just read this on wikipedia..

The paralysis can last from several seconds to several minutes, with some rare cases being hours, "by which the individual may experience panic symptoms"[6] (described below). As the correlation with REM sleep suggests, the paralysis is not entirely complete; use of EOG traces shows that eye movement is still possible during such episodes.[7] When there is an absence of narcolepsy, sleep paralysis is referred to as isolated sleep paralysis (ISP)

In bold.. I think I'd absolutely crap myself!!

GavRedKing · 23-09-2011 10:38AM

Its happened to me before its not a nice feeling but kind of used to it if it happens now.

Mickeroo · 23-09-2011 10:38AM

I get it every so often. Sometimes it feels like there's loads of hands on my back pushing and shaking me but I can't turn around, or sometimes there's the weight on my chest holding me down.

It always feels like there's a "presence" in the room. Once of twice I've woken up screaming.

Anyone else who gets it, do you ever se stuff in your room for a while after it's over? For a few seconds after its finished I get pretty vivid hallucinations sometimes.

c_man · 23-09-2011 10:39AM

I used to get them fairly regularly. It's a horrible experience.

leggit · 23-09-2011 10:41AM

Only happens to me when I'm going to sleep? Never woke up with it. Suppose my body goes to sleep before I do? I know when it's going to happen though and thrash around before I become paralysed!

First time I **** myself, tried to shout and nothing came out, scary stuff!

EJLL · 23-09-2011 10:42AM

Happened only a few times over the past 10 years. The first couple of times were frightening. I felt someone was pressing down on my chest with force and I was pinned to the bed unable to speak/shout. It also felt like someone else was in the room as my mind was clearly panicked and convinced that there must be an external reason for it. Very weird and without knowing about 'Sleep Paralysis' it feels completely paranormal.

The last time it happened I was used to the sensation and my mind just waited for my body to wake up. It was oddly enjoyable.

23-09-2011 10:44AM

had them a few times, including the "evil presence in the room that's coming to get me while i'm paralysed"

Chriscl1 · 23-09-2011 10:45AM

oh i used to get this loads too. the first time it happened i thought someone was trying to kill me lol.

Thrill · 23-09-2011 11:17AM

Only two or three times. Not a pleasant experience. Downright scary in fact.

--Kaiser-- · 23-09-2011 11:26AM

It's happened to me loads of times before. I find you just need to will yourself to move and eventually you can. And also realise than any weird things you think are happening are just a remnant of your dreaming

danniemcq · 23-09-2011 11:29AM

happened to me when i was around 15 or so. had weird fecking dreams that i was exploring an underground cave and that i had found a hidden entrance or something like that.

Then i heard a voice saying i can go no further, i asked why and the voice said BECAUSE YOU ARE GOING TO HELL

then the door opened and i felt myself tip backwards and like that falling feeling i woke up and couldn't move at all. i was just lying on my back for what seemed hours but must have only been a few seconds freaking the **** out.

fun times

Guill · 23-09-2011 11:30AM

Happened to me twice when i was about 13 First time I woke in the middle of the night, room was pitch black and i thought i was being held down, i tried to scream and nothing came out. Next morning i convinced myself it was a dream.

More or less the same the next time only i remembered it was real then. Told anyone who would listen, but no one believed m. We got the internet a while later iand i looked it up and found out that i was not dreaming it all.

Oink · 23-09-2011 11:35AM

Try sleep paralysis lying on your stomach, with the pillow wrapped around your face so you can't breathe.

And then, REPEAT a few months later. Because it was so much fun the first time.

/end thread

Killer Pigeon · 23-09-2011 11:36AM

Yes, it was gas!

opinion guy · 23-09-2011 11:39AM

bluewolf wrote: »

had them a few times, including the "evil presence in the room that's coming to get me while i'm paralysed"

Oh I've had that twice. Very strange. Not pleasant. Although my 'fear' of the presence was overwhelmed by my 'f***k off I'm sleeping' feeling:D

Had a lucid dream once and went for a good fly. Great stuff

Oink · 23-09-2011 11:43AM

opinion guy wrote: »

Had a lucid dream once and went for a good fly. Great stuff

happened to me just once. It was really, really cool. I'd love to have one of those again, just this time without being chased by a freakin vampire

.

paddyandy · 23-09-2011 11:45AM

A Warning Sign i'd take it as.I stopped drinking a few years ago because i was getting messages too.There's more where that came from.

Conall Cernach · 23-09-2011 11:47AM

bluewolf wrote: »

had them a few times, including the "evil presence in the room that's coming to get me while i'm paralysed"

I get that fairly regularly. I normally try to shout to waken myself as I know I'm only sleeping but the "presence" is still real to me. I can usually make some sort of noise though like "blaghughnugger!" The missus knows just to nudge me awake now but the first time it happened that she was there for I apparently said in a very spooky voice "who...are....you?" Think she was more scared then me.

Good to know I'm not the only crazy out there. I must show her this thread as proof.

Jev/N · 23-09-2011 11:49AM

Used to get it a lot due to odd sleeping patterns and staying up for fairly long periods over the usual.

Haven't had any in a while though, pretty scary the first few times alright - luckily only had the physical symptoms, no "presence" with me

Mickeroo · 23-09-2011 11:51AM

paddyandy wrote: »

A Warning Sign i'd take it as.I stopped drinking a few years ago because i was getting messages too.There's more where that came from.

I hardly ever drink and I don't do drugs so that can't be the only cause. I suppose diet and stress might have something to do with it to?

Have you ever experienced Sleep Paralysis?

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