Sheepy

What is Sleep Paralysis?

Wiki definition: Sleep paralysis occurs either when falling asleep, or when awakening. When it occurs upon falling asleep, the person remains aware while the body shuts down for REM sleep, and it is called hypnagogic or predormital sleep paralysis. When it occurs upon awakening, the person becomes aware before the REM cycle is complete, and it is called hypnopompic. The paralysis can last from several seconds to several minutes "by which the individual may experience panic symptom"
In addition, the paralysis may be accompanied by terrifying hallucinations (hypnopompic or hypnagogic) and an acute sense of danger. Sleep paralysis is particularly frightening to the individual because of the vividness of such hallucinations. The hallucinatory element to sleep paralysis makes it even more likely that someone will interpret the experience as a dream, since completely fanciful or dream-like objects may appear in the room alongside one's normal vision. Some scientists have proposed this condition as an explanation for alien abductions and ghostly encounters"

Can anyone out there relate this experience? what are your stories? I find i can experience this multiple times in a week and was shocked to learn it is an actual experience people can relate to across the globe. Some people have really enjoyable experiences of this, but i do not so much. I'd say for me theres nothing more terrifying than moments in this state: of feeling a presence/pressure on your chest ,being paralyzed, hearing your name being spoken - all this within being semi awake in your room.

dlish

i get a bout of this every few months.

when it first happened to me when i was a teenager it freaked me out.

now i know im asleep, but my mind is awake at the same time. the feeling i get is that even if im trying to get up something is trying to hold me down, pushing my head and chest down.

this experience that i have from time to time sort of fits in with the arabic version of what sleep paralysis is, which is called a "kaboos" or "Ja-thoom", where this episode is connected to a succubus ( which is what i am assuming where the words kaboos comes from) that sits on a persons chest. folklore or not, its interesting to know.

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Sheepy

what's really interesting is about how each culture had different ways in explaining such a strange event. I know in (south?) Asia they call the chest-weight feeling 'The Old Hag'

---------- Post added at 11:20 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:17 PM ----------

how do you try to deal with it? I heard that if you avoid sleeping on your back you can avoid it 95% of the time

dlish

i dont get it that often so i dont think about it. but everytime i did have it it was just before i woke up in the morning, so i couldnt control how i slept. but every time i did have them i would be asleep in my back.

heres an interesting link from wiki showing sleep paralysis in different cultures

Sleep paralysis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

__________________
An injustice anywhere, is an injustice everywhere

I always sign my facebook comments with ()()===========(}. Does that make me gay?
- Filthy

MSD

Someone recently pointed out to me the connection between melatonin sleep aid supplements and night terrors, and suddenly it clicked. When I had been taking melatonin, I experienced sleep paralysis either as I fell asleep or as I woke up in the middle of the night anywhere from a few to ten or more times a night. When I got my prescription for Ambien, they stopped.

Let me suggest one thing: if you experience sleep paralysis and/or night terrors, do not under any circumstances allow yourself to fall asleep watching UFO Files.