It's this condition called "sleep paralysis"...Are any of your symptoms accompanied by alarming hallucinations: visual or auditory? Because that's one of the symptoms. I get the exact same thing: head shaking, the feeling of "waking sleep" and paralysis. What happens is when you sleep, your brain paralyzes your body so you don't move as you dream (except your eyes, ex. R.E.M.) so sometimes, you essentially wake up, but you're brain takes a while to respond so you remain paralyzed for up to a minute or two however you can move your eyes and see the room you are in. Other common symptoms are the feeling of pressure on your body (usually chest, if you sleep on your back, and hallucinations). What seems to work for me is 1. make sure you are relaxed before you go to sleep, do not fall asleep to music, tv, or lights, maybe read a book, that tends to ease the mind, 2. Try not to fall asleep in an awkward position, ex. On your back or on your stomach. For me, this increases the alarming experiences. Make sure you are comfortable and your head is in a stable position, and 3. This seems to affect my sleeping hte most: temperature. If you are too hot, I don't know if it boils your brain or what, but I get the most intense, frightening hallucinations and experiences when I am too hot. Try to stay cool, sleep with a sheet as covers, or open a window to get a breeze, This is key (for me at least) for preventing negative sleeping experiences. I hope this helps! I know what it's like to be up so late because you are too afraid to go to sleep, and it is not fun. Good luck.
