Sleep Paralysis

[Barry Scott]

Is this even possible?

I don't mean in the air, I mean like when you put your hands behind your head or under the pillow when laying on your back.

[Notts red]

Research says that sleeping on your side Instead of your back greatly reduces episodes of Paralysis.

[LucienSanchez]

Nah, it's nothing serious, have you ever woken up with a dead arm where you've been laying on it? Well I tend to sleep on my front and on occasion wake up with two dead arms. After about 30 seconds they're fine, just very odd to wake up to!

I do that virtually every night... turning the alarm off is always a fun challenge

[Boy About Town]

Ever get the feeling of another presence in the room? That was by far the worst bit.
I think sleep paralysis is quite common in people who work shifts and have a varied sleep pattern.

I suffer, work a very varied shift pattern, often happens more so when asleep downstairs away from my bed, can often hear the TV and environment around me, my mind is awake, my body is paralysed, I focus on trying to move a part of my body and I simply cannot. Its absolutely terrifying, sometimes I can have multiple episodes of a night, spent lots of time researching it, some people seem to be convinced you are in a dream, for me it is like being in a coma/locked in syndrome. Have not had an episode for a few weeks now, I will then have several episodes in a small space of time. Also seems more frequent when lying on my back. Also happens more when I have worked an early shift.

[Boy About Town]

I have suffered sleep paralysis often in my life but it usually coincides with very stressful periods of my life, it is not good but as Barry says you can train your brain to tell you its a dream and to go with it, took me about 10 years to get to that point but it does seem to work now.

The other thing I often get are night terrors, the most awful nightmares which I awake from either screaming or crying, my brain has not figured out how to cope with these yet even though I have been getting them for 30+ years.

I had a wierd experience as well on Saturday, which after stupidly eating a late supper I fell asleep and dreamt I was about to be sick, wretching and urging in the pit of my stomach only to wake up and find I had almost choked on my own vomit which had made its way into my throat and nose, now that was fucking frightening.

Wow, exactly this, was told you can train your brain, something about lucid dreaming? How is it done? I also too have the worst and most frightening dreams where I literally wake up with a soaking pillow from where I have actually been crying, I genuinely thought I was alone on this condition, none of my mates have ever had anything so strange.

[walcot red]

The only issue I have with sleep is that I can only sleep in till 9/930 regardless of when I go to sleep. I've never experianced any the things you guys have and I can't imagine how scary not being able to move is.

[Peter Venkman]

Wow, exactly this, was told you can train your brain, something about lucid dreaming? How is it done? I also too have the worst and most frightening dreams where I literally wake up with a soaking pillow from where I have actually been crying, I genuinely thought I was alone on this condition, none of my mates have ever had anything so strange.

Its a long process to train yourself to do it, it just arrived all of a sudden a few years back, my brain just says this is a dream.

When something bad happens I just know straight away its a dream now.......apart from the occassional night terror which still scares me awake.

I am sure there are tutorials that can teach you it, I know there are for Lucid Dreaming which is basically making you control your own dreams.

[Gethimout]

This is all sounds like the film Inception! Crazy stuff!

I've never experienced any sleep paralysis or lucid dreaming. Is it quite scary the first time it happens?

[Barry Scott]

Its a long process to train yourself to do it, it just arrived all of a sudden a few years back, my brain just says this is a dream.

When something bad happens I just know straight away its a dream now.......apart from the occassional night terror which still scares me awake.

I am sure there are tutorials that can teach you it, I know there are for Lucid Dreaming which is basically making you control your own dreams.

I've always imagined they're very closely related (lucid dreaming and sleep paralysis), because although I lucid dream less than I used to, I've almost always known I'm dreaming and I've always been able to wake myself up from a bad dream (it's why I pretty much never have bad dreams I think).

[Peacocks-Lucky-Coat]

This is all sounds like the film Inception! Crazy stuff!

I've never experienced any sleep paralysis or lucid dreaming. Is it quite scary the first time it happens?

Happened to me for the first time last night, and undoubtedly the scariest experience of my life by a mile.

[tans]

I just wake up with a morning glory most days

[Peter Venkman]

I've always imagined they're very closely related (lucid dreaming and sleep paralysis), because although I lucid dream less than I used to, I've almost always known I'm dreaming and I've always been able to wake myself up from a bad dream (it's why I pretty much never have bad dreams I think).

I do think you are right Barry, there has to be a relationship in there, I find myself in my dreams hunting for a urinal and then I know that I need a piss and can wake myself up.

Is it quite scary the first time it happens?

Nope its scary pretty much EVERY time it happens but yes the first time is the worst probably.

[DV]

I do think you are right Barry, there has to be a relationship in there, I find myself in my dreams hunting for a urinal and then I know that I need a piss and can wake myself up.

This also happens to me.

Other than that I sleep normally.

[thedarkprince]

Sounds like you lot need a tall glass of man the fuck up to me.

 

[Dazzza]

I used to get it when my sleep patterns were all over the shop.

Bit of an odd one but as soon as you realise what it is just chillout and then focus all of your will on moving a hand or leg.  It's hard bloody work but with any luck you will jolt your body awake. 

Get up have a piss, tab or a drink and give it a few minutes before heading back off.  I used to find heading straight back off to sleep meant it happened again.  The time out usually breaks the cycle.