Sleep Disorders Forum - Sleep Paralysis: Waking Up Is Hard to Do!

Mental Health > Sleep Disorders Forum > Sleep Paralysis: Waking Up Is Hard to Do!

Q: Sleep Paralysis: Waking Up Is Hard to Do!

asked by: Chelsipie84 on September 17th, 2007

New User

I've had sleep paralysis for as long as I remember.

A descripion of how mine is:
For me it happens either when I just wake up or am just falling asleep. Usually it is more freaky (for some reason) when it's happening when I'm just waking up. It happens a lot when I'm having a dream and then something sudden happens like I fall or something freaky happens. It will make me jump or something to the point that I'm out of sleep but in sleep paralysis. I get really panicy. I feel like I can barely breathe. Any noises in the background sound strange. Sometimes I will hear things like music or talking that isn't there. I can't move or talk. When I try to talk sometimes I feel like I am but realize I'm not talking at all. Sometimes I think I'm moving but realize my arm hasn't moved anywhere.

First, does anyone else get the same symptoms as me? And how do you personally deal with them?

secondly...I'm trying to deal with it...Lately I've been able to open my eyelids during sleep paralysis. I don't see things as clear as normal and it takes a while to move my eyes around. Everything else is still. I've been tyring to stop being as scared and trying to tell myself it's just sleep paralysis and keep trying to get up. Sometimes it happens instantly and sometimes it just takes a little more time. The question is can you get better at dealing with sleep paralysis to the point that you don't have it....or at least to the point that when you get it you can always make yourself get up right away...like wake your own mind up???

Or is it all based on chemicals in your body and there's no way....???

Replies(19)

ash_essex_86

replied on September 26th, 2007

New User

OH MY GOD

THIS IS WHAT I THINK IVE PROBABLY GOT i just started a post today about it in the forum titled "Weird Experience" Wow i had no idea what it was but this sounds totally the same

ash_essex_86

replied on September 26th, 2007

New User

Does it take a while until u can get up and move? takes me 5 to ten minutes usually

Also, does anyone know what it means if u get this, what causes it or why, what does it mean if u have it? whats happening to u etc?

Chelsipie84

replied on September 27th, 2007

New User

I think it's because the chemical your body releases when you're asleep/falling asleep so you don't move all over when you're trying to sleep hasn't worn out yet but your mind wakes up. That's just what I heard. I guess a good idea would be to research it.

kmabethy2005

replied on September 28th, 2007

Experienced User

i remember having a few episodes where i'm dreaming, and yet i know that i'm dreaming, and i want to wake myself up, i can feel myself struggling inside, but i can't bring myself to even move even after i'm awake. i'm not sure what causes it, but it is scary. i've been researching a few things as i'm new to this whole thing, and just recently found that i have sp, and have all of the signs. i'll help in any way that i can Smile

ash_essex_86

replied on September 29th, 2007

New User

kmabethy2005 you described it perfectly, thats exactly how its like for me. Ive also only just found out i have it though so need to find out more about it

kmabethy2005

replied on October 3rd, 2007

Experienced User

it's been a few days since i've had signs of sp. so i have a question. does it come and go? or is it a condition that can disappear at any given time? this is so confusing to me lol

ash_essex_86

replied on October 3rd, 2007

New User

ive not had it for about 2 weeks, i get it once or twice a month

kmabethy2005

replied on October 4th, 2007

Experienced User

i guess i haven't kept track of how often. it seems to be quite a bit for me though. but not out of body experiences for me lately, which i'm grateful for. those are just way to wierd Smile

i'll have to pay closer attention from now on

Chelsipie84

replied on November 5th, 2007

New User

I've had sleep paralysis since I was a very young child. It has an irregular pattern with me. Sometimes I get it 4 times a week but sometimes only a a few times a month. I don't know if you can ever get rid of it for good. I actually have a sleep study booked at the hospital. They monitor your sleep and try to get a better idea of what causes your problems.

Keep track of when you have it. A lot of the time people find that you experience it more when you're not getting enough sleep or aren't on a regular sleep pattern. It is always good to look to see if there's any patterns. I've personally just started keeping track of them.

I also read somewhere that some people are treated with antidepressants because for some reason it can prevent it from happening.

I'm not all knowing about SP though, even though I've had it since I can remember. I haven't really looked into it until recently.

I also wanted share my thoughs on another sleep paralysis issue. Some people think that they're having an out of body experience or are being abducted by aliens. I just want to remind you that you can hallucinate during sleep paralysis. You can feel things, hear things, see things, etc. that aren't there. I personally believe that there is a logical explanation to this all.

Hopefully we'll all be successful in gaining more knowledge about this annoying condition that we experience, and are able to find solutions that we're seeking Smile

kmabethy2005

replied on November 7th, 2007

Experienced User

ok, thank you for the input Smile

i have had some hollucinations and it was strange, like last night, it seemed like i was at my dads house, because he came in and said "i know you never get a chance to see your brother, but can you please send him a card to let him know you're thinking of him?" it was soooo strange. i don't know, the whole thing is confusing to me. any feedback welcome of course Smile

Chelsipie84

replied on November 11th, 2007

New User

I think that is pretty interesting. I think maybe the hallucination is actually your brain trying to tell you something. Maybe you miss your brother? I have dreams about calling people when I miss them. I always call them when that happens. I know you said this was more of a hallucination that you were experiencing though. But still everything we experience in hallucinations and dreams both come from your subconscious.

For me when I have sleep paralysis either I have my eyes open or closed. Sometimes (pretty rarely) I have my eyes open and can actually move them and look around. Other times my eyes are closed and I see nothing, but can still hear things. Usually noises in the background but that sound warped. Sometimes I hear voices. Other times I have dreams but I am awake and can almost control them too. When I'm partially dreaming I'll sometimes try to move and wake up from the sleep paralysis because I'm aware that I am experiencing sleep paralysis. So I'll try to move and get up. Sometimes my mind actually believes that I have moved or got up, but then I'd realized that I haven't moved at all. It really sucks when you're trying soooo hard to just move and wake up.

The worst is having a nightmare type dream when you have the sleep paralysis. You get really freaked out! Everything just seems so real!

becksta

replied on November 20th, 2007

New User

Wow. That sounds so intense.
Today is my first day on this web site and i checked out sleep disorders cos I've always had weird sleeping habits, but never looked into them till now.
Im not sure if i have sleep paralysis but i do wake up and i cant move, speak or scream. I can see though. I've never noticed sounds cos Im too busy freaking out.
I've had this happen as far back as I can remember.

kmabethy2005

replied on November 20th, 2007

Experienced User

i too didn't realize that i may have it til' i came and started reading things on this site Smile

i was just googling through the web and then found this. some of the stories on here are so intense. i still have sp as far as i know. it can be very scary. what kind of symptoms do you have becksta?

becksta

replied on November 21st, 2007

New User

It seems to happen to me when im waking up. For a long time i've thought i was dreaming because it feels as if i was trying to get away from something or someone but i cant. i have no control and the room is spinning and im disoriented.
my last experience i woke up and was frozen. i remember mentally telling myself to chill out and try and beat it. i couldnt. i tried moving every single part of my body. i even remember thinking who is going to pick up my daughter from school and then they are going to find me here zonked out to it!
i also wake up choking and gasping for breath which then turns into a massive coughing fit.
I have just recently had a sleep study done(not very comfortable and i really hope they got enough info from my broken restless sleep. cos i dont want to have to do it again!) Ive got about another 4 wks before i find out the results

kmabethy2005

replied on November 22nd, 2007

Experienced User

i hope all comes back ok Smile

and i can relate to waking up and feeling different. i seem to have extreme anxiety every morning when i wake up. does anyone know if it's normal or not? i'm not sure if i just have it, or if it's caused by sp? i'd like to find a little info about that Smile

HAPPY TURKEY DAY EVERYONE!

becksta

replied on November 22nd, 2007

New User

I wake up exhausted every day but only seem to be very anxious when i have had an episode of SP or a nightmare. How often are you experiencing SP?

kmabethy2005

replied on November 27th, 2007

Experienced User

it seems like more than 3 times a week, and i too feel very anxious as well, but the other night i had a very vivid dream, a scary one, and for once, i didn't wake up with anxiety

loopylee

replied on September 30th, 2009

New User

Ive suffered from insomnia and sleep paralysis for over 10years now, im 30. Its the pain of my life and it never gets any less frightening, I always hallucinate ghosts/devils - evil spirits and kind of have out of body experiences. Ive been to sleep centres which was a waste of time and ive tried everything to chinese herbs, to accupuncture to reiki but have never found a cure. Ive seen many types of psycics who have told me that it is real and I am having pshycic experiences and need to stop ignoring them! This is my worse fear and would rather believe I am crazy! A few years a ago I was perscribed a low dose of amtriptyline which is am antidepressant pill, mainly to help with insomnia. I only take it at night and discovered that this stops the paralysis from happening over 95% of the time. Although it is no cure, it certainly helps give me a peaceful nights sleep and stops me feeling like a wreck the next day. I recommend these to anyone suffering frequent attacks sp - no-one should have to put up with it - you just need to find the right doctor who dosent think you are barmy (as many of them do),

pioann

replied on October 17th, 2009

New User

PLEASE CAN SOMEONE HELP ME!

Its got to the stage now where i am scared to go to sleep.
About a week ago i went to bed as normal and awoke around 7am- as normal.
When i woke it seemed like i was squeezing my eyes shut I could NOT open my eyes even though i was telling myself to- it was like the signal wasn not getting through.
Nothing happened until today.
I went to bed very early after work- i left the light on.
I awoke around 3.00am and sat up in shock- again my eyes seemed to be squeezed tight shut and took several seconds for them to open.
When they finally did open- after a few seconds, i became aware that my vision was all over the place- the room was twisted and distorted.
I went into a state of panic and within what seemed like minutes my vision returned to normal.

Please i hope someone has had similar problems and might be able to help me- im terrified to go to sleep now in case i lose my sight permanently.

Please help.

Peter

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