Sleep Disorders Forum - Sleep Paralysis Is Killing Me


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Vespertine

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Joined: 13 Sep 2007
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This pattern is shocking. Posted: 02-02-08 02:06am


So I mentioned that I have bouts of weird naps between sleep paralysis episodes. I had SP for the first time in a while last night, and it was intense. I notice that the first ones I have after long periods of inactivity are extreme. A long episode for me is about 30 seconds of me trying desperately to escape paralysis. Sometimes I'll let it idle for 5-10 seconds to regain my train of thought. This past night I had it about an hour after I got into bed, right before I fell asleep. I'd been wrestling with falling into SP for the hour and must've dozed off, too tired to wake myself from falling into SP. Since I recognized I was in it, I experimented with moving my arm and just feeling my arm moving. I moved my pinky finger on my right hand across my leg, or so I felt. I couldn't turn my head to see my hand moving but still felt it. I recall some sort of tragedy before I fell into paralysis, some fictional story of a male figure about to become a victim of something I couldn't make out. I just really feel I could impose these kinds of happenings on others, like they have to experience this before they die. To move your limbs without moving, your brain teases your very free will. Why do I feel movement but -KNOW- I'm not moving? Only a few accounts of my SP have disabled my breathing, and if so only for seconds. I think I want to journey into this the next time I get it. See how long I can last and what sort of things I see and hear. This is the stuff of legend, people would've been persecuted for describing these accounts centuries ago. Thank you all for being listeners and making this a comfortable tell-all environment.

Vespertine

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Double reply Posted: 02-02-08 02:07am


Sorry, I try to delete one and it deletes both

.crisis.

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Posted: 02-03-08 02:01am


its good to know that im not the only one who suffers from sleep paralysis haha...however ive yet to find someone the same age who suffers from it..im 15 years old ill be 16 in 2 months and i get totally FREAKED out when it happens to me..it first happend to me i think maybe when i was 13 and i didnt think much of it until it started happening more often...now im at the point where it happens everynight and im terrified to go to sleep...if you have any tips please share id really appreciate it

Vespertine

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Change your sleeping habits? Posted: 02-07-08 01:35am


Is your room not getting enough air flow? I know being well-ventilated improves my chances of bypassing SP, so I often keep my door open at night. The past few days I've left it closed and experienced SP every other night, twice last night. Are you eating within an hour or two of sleeping? I know I have really messed up dreams when I sleep after eating, and sometimes nightmares lead me right into SP. Strange habits as common as these -might- be key but you never know. You'll figure out how to avoid it somehow, getting more sleep, using less blankets or something. There will be some nights I'll get SP and not remember it all in the morning, possibly from getting used to it so don't be terrified! Good luck!

simpleton

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Joined: 09 Feb 2008
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Posted: 02-09-08 20:47pm

.crisis. wrote:

its good to know that im not the only one who suffers from sleep paralysis haha...however ive yet to find someone the same age who suffers from it..im 15 years old ill be 16 in 2 months and i get totally FREAKED out when it happens to me..it first happend to me i think maybe when i was 13 and i didnt think much of it until it started happening more often...now im at the point where it happens everynight and im terrified to go to sleep...if you have any tips please share id really appreciate it Smile

I'm 15, too and I'll be 16 in 3 months(i've had sleep paralysis for many years) and in the past 2 weeks I've experienced sleep paralysis about 10 times. It's absolutely terrifying. I was trying to wake up so badly. I can usually move one of my hands and pull the cover off me to wake up, but my paralysis has gotten worse. I couldn't move the last time, and I tried to breathe. As I breathed in, I could tell that my body wanted to breathe out, and I stopped breathing all together. I just layed in bed thinking: I'm gonna die. I'm dead. Then using as much brain power(as I call it) as I could muster I jolted myself awake. It's terrifying. When I was a kid I could still breathe, but now I can't. Once I was really tired and I had paralysis once already that night, but I i was too tired to stay up. It happened. It was like having my head slowly put underwater. I realize that when I'm stressed out, I usually have this paralysis. Lately, I tell myself: No, you're not going to do this, it doesn't happen. (Also, I read my Bible a lot more) Just this morning I had a dream I jumped into a lake, and I truely did experience drowning, but I calmed myself down. I could still breathe, but it was like someone had a pillow on my face. I suggest 3 things for people who have this horrible type of paralysis:
1. Relax before you go to sleep. This can help your body feel more comfortable, so sleep isn't interrupted and paralysis doesn't occur.
2. Take about 7 deep breaths. (7 because it's a holy number for me)
3. If you are in paralysis, do not stress out, and slowly take control of a body part that can wake you. (Maybe a foot or hand)

TTS1974

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Posted: 02-10-08 15:08pm


I have been struggling with what I considered a reoccurring nightmare or night terror for several years now. Usually I find myself somewhat aware, I can see in short instances, and I know I am in my bed. I have this horrible feeling of sheer terror come over me. I will try to yell for help but I struggle to yell for whatever reason. When I do finally get the yell out I am not certain whether it is vocal or not but it seems to me I am able to yell some of what I want...I also am able to see or believe I am able to see around my room at times during these episodes. I don't experience the suffocating many have said in this thread if I do I have not noticed it yet. However, I do experience the body paralysis. In the past it has always been just once and I wake up eventually. However, last night I think this went on and on and on. It seemed I would go through it wake partially and right back in...I have no idea how many episodes I went through of this last night but it was dreadful. Last night was the first time though I felt like I was absolutely without question awake through it but realized I had no control physically but in full control of my mental faculties except for the feeling of absolute terror...What was weird was I feel I was able to tell it was dream but knew I was awake...I don't know if that makes sense at all or not. Anyways I have been experiencing these events singularly probably once a month or so going back maybe 5-6 years. Last night being the first time I recall multiple instances...I guess, I am wondering...What is this I am experiencing?

stizzie

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Posted: 03-06-08 05:26am


alright so its 5amish... n i cant sleep...terrified really. I just discovered the NAME -SLEEP PARALYSIS..maybe about 3 days ago..but i've been suffering from sp...since i was..maybe 8 or 9. I personally always thought I was literally cursed. Like one of those people who cud swear that something has been haunting them their entire life. a couple nights ago, I was over at a friends house, and i dunno why..but we freaked ourselves out watching eiddiculous scary documentaries on youtube..and talking about all our terrifying encounters..just trying to scare each other for fun.. 2 nights ago..i had three SP attacks in one night..i wasn't alone i was sleeping next to my cousin.. i screamed for her,, but the next day she told me i didnt scream anything... during the attack..like always.. i dont even realize when my body fell asleep..well u never do right...i felt stuck..cudnt breathe...i felt like if i fought any harder to wake up my head wud have exploded.. its so freaky.. i hate it..and everytime i do feel like someone is around me..its gotten to the point where im so paranoid i just cant be by myself anymore... so..medically..our bodies or our physical is asleep..but our mind isnt..we experience everything that we shud be in our subconcious conciously??? ...alot of other websites speak of ASTRAL PROJECTION/ASTRAL TRAVEL...now..this is believable too.. i remember last month..instead of panicking..i just relaxed..the feeling was..so intense..soo..euphoric..almost.. i dunno..orgasmic??? its a weird sensation..but i felt engulfed in it..and then all of a sudden i began levitating!! my word i did!!!... i thought i was dreaming..but obviously i wasnt i was fully concious..but that was before i knew what sp..n astral projection was. SP is the condition we are in before leaving our body.. you know.. i never believed in that type of stuff..but i remember one time a friend of mine got into a huge car accident and was in acoma for 2 weeks...when he came out n recovered..he told me..that he went to egypt n to space..etc..he seemed so genuine..n looked terrified at the same time..thinking if i thought him insane.. but now..when i think about it..astral projection is pretty much the same thing...its not hallucinations..its..O.o.B.E out of body experiences.. ... i also have a friend who always claimed his mother was psychic.. i used to think it was a bunch of BS..and if at most times coincidental... but..i wud be at his house..and his mother..wud asking about something i wud be thinking about..something incredibly random... one time she was on the computer n then suddenly said outloud..OH SHOOT...n i was like...what???...she's like...jenn just got pulled over by the cops"....so in disbelief i call jen..n jenn is like...cant talk now..police just pulled me over.. so many instances..shes proved to be psychic.. i never really wanted to believe her..until yesterday.. after finding out about SP n astral projection..i asked her if she knew anything about it...she said..shes been experiencing it since she was a little girl...she told me EVERYTHING..exactly the way ive been experiencing it...and told me what to do.. BASICALLY..to get over SP..U CANNOT PANIC..nor be affraid.. you will..like i did..find yourself levitating...this is because your astral being is trying to leave your physical.The reason as to why you always fel like youre suffocating or being held down is because.basically there are essentially 3 different beings we all have our ego/physical being our concious being our subconcious being when we sleep our spirit or astral wants to go into a subconcious being..but becuz we are aware of whats going on our ego and our conciousness is holding us down..and pulling us back..so essentially we feel stuck ... if you allow yourself to just..GO...u can find yourself travelling the world..going back in time..everything.. i know it sounds absolutely insane..i never believed in such things..but..i do now..because..its what i am. she said astral travel and lucid dreams...were the very beginnings of her psychic development...and she told me..the more i advance..the greater my own pyschic developements will establish...now.. i dunno what to believe..but...there cud be a possibility that this is true..i mean..why cant it?? She told me one time..she even astral travelled to her sisters house..watched her cook..clean..etc...went back to her body..woke up..called her sister and TOLD her sister what ingredients she used..what page number she was on... everything in me didn't want to believe her...i wanted to rationalize everything.. but i dunno..something in me..just refuses to believe all of this is..hallucinations..and coincidence.. anyone else have any imput on the other side of medical reasoning.. cuz to be honest.. i feel so damn confused..tired..but too scared to sleep! and i do agree...if you think youre going to have an SP you probably will...stress,depression,anxiety..will only encourage another one to happen.. i really wish there was a way to stop this.. i mean..we can relax..but then...we start leaving our body??? sigh..

stizzie

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Posted: 03-06-08 05:35am


oh btw im 21 in august..so about 12 or 13 yrs ive been suffering from this...still affraid to sleep.

dayana

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Wow never thought so many ppl are going through this too... Posted: 03-10-08 14:45pm


I've been having sleep paralysis since 13 and now, every week. im turning 23 this april.. everything is as it said in the definition of SP, except for the sleeping on our backs and also increased stress. I remembered by the age of 13 there's nothing to be stressed about, nothing at all as i was a happy kid growing up happily with families and friends. And it doesnt matter which sleeping position i tried, whether its on my back or on my stomach or on the side, i will still experience SP. Didn't know people are experiencing that too, as I never talked about it to anyone. Thought it was all in this little head of mine. Maybe you guys can go check out about Sleep Paralysis in Wikipedia (if u dont already have), at least there are links there to see what is narcolepsy or sleep apnea, and everything. Try to identify your symptoms. The more you know about your condition, the better

dayana

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Posted: 03-10-08 14:54pm


If it wasn't for this forum I wouldn't even know they have a term for this "thing". I just found out about it last night. And boy was I happy

SP Guru

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Sleep Paralysis can be fun too Posted: 03-25-08 11:25am


You can enjoy the side affects of common illegal hallucinagenics while in an SP state, without even taking the illegal drug. For instance, taking large doses of pain killers or sleeping medicine may lead you to dream and see things while your awake because you are in a half state of conscious and sleep. SP is a clean way to experience what people ruin their lives for to experience. So next time you get that funny feeling right before you fall asleep, and you know your about to be paralyzed and see weird stuff, just think people take strong drugs for the same symptoms, and you can do it for free. A little while ago i took an afternoon nap. There was a pirate at the foot of my bed with a distorted face. He climbed on top of me and held me down....I proceeded to laugh in his face and enjoyed the experience.

rubysparkle

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sleep paralysis Posted: 03-28-08 08:49am


this occurance has had me terrified for months. the 1st sp i can remember happened about 4 year ago when i was trying to get to sleep (on my stomach) and i felt a presence, i couldnt move or speak and i was totally terrified. the paralysis subsided and the feeling of a presence in the room left also. when i told people about this they said i must have dreamt it, even though i was sure i hadnt fallen asleep i just convinced myself that i had rather than think id had a ghostly experience. it started again last year which has been terrifying, it always happens to me before i fall asleep and has almost always been when i have been lying on my stomach. they started with a presence again, either whispering or i could feel "it" moving beside me, and every time i felt that it was something evil, i hadnt heard of sleep paralysis at this point so thought i was being haunted. then i had another episode of sp where i felt like someone was sitting on top of me pinning me to the bed, after that i was too scared to go to sleep and would stay up all night. a couple of days later i had mentioned what had happened to a friend and they said it could be sleep paralysis. i looked it up on the internet that night and was so relieved, everything fitted. i have noticed a couple of things that seem to trigger my sp, they only seem to happen if i have been deprived of sleep and am really tired, or have been drinking the night before. even though i know what it is i am still terrified of having them. if i havnt had much sleep i convince myself i will have one so keep myself up which is a obviously makes it worse for the next nite. what i found has helped has been a background noise for me to concentrate on when i close my eyes, like i say mine only happen before i go to sleep so dont know how helpfull this would be to those who have it once they are asleep.

nundrian

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Sleep Paralysis and my experiences with it. Posted: 05-04-08 10:47am


Hello. My first experiences with SP started when I was about 13 or 14. I found it to be very scary. I am also finding that my own experiences differ slightly from the GP perspective ( I visited my GP after suffering for the first year. he gave me the REM sleep talk and that it was a chemical in my head that stopped me from when I dream ) primarily with the level of consciousness I had (and still do have) I am awake, wide awake. I can open my eyes and look about. I can even make noises, these would be words if my lips would move. I initially after my first scare played with the feeling. I get an intense buzzing all over my body, combined with goose flesh and feel cold which go when I can move again. But by not fighting it only intensified it so I stopped as it's unpleasant enough without it getting stronger. I have also found that (I move homes regularly) that it only happened in certain houses and that it also has different intensities. As a child in my first home I could, for want of a better description, trick it. I would repeat, almost mantra like, "I don't want to move" sort of screening my mind off. At the same time I would be building a twitch. This done by not so much relaxing but holding my body ( I know it sounds mad because I cannot move ) in a state of readiness. Thirty seconds would go by and I would twitch and be free. I have had homes where it never has happened and been free for a number of years. At my last home I was not subject to it for years in fact. I have just moved to a new place and I have already had 2 bouts in 3 weeks. Both times are when I am readying myself for sleep though not fully under and both times have been the most intense I have experienced to date. These times have been aggressive and very strong. Each time I become fully conscious and go back to sleep It happens again and again. It no longer scares me only irritates me. I mean I go to bed to sleep right? Not to be stunned and immobile. As this has happened to me irregularly, with differing amounts of strength, I find myself more and more thinking towards some form of malevolence is attacking me, for whatever reason, while I am vulnerable. I am not a particularly superstitious person, nor religious. Sad, mad and crazy as it sounds.

stabering

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Posted: 06-06-08 03:51am


I just found out that what i experianced is called sleep paralysis. It happens all the time and freaked me out. I tried to explain it to other people but they just dont get it. I always hear a ringing in my ears when its just about to happen and i try to get out of it, but its always too late by then. I come into a dream/reality state just about everytime i do it. Sometimes i dream that im moving really slowly or lifting my head up and dropping it to try to wake me up, i realise when i wake up it was not real. The part i hate the most is when i accidentally open my eyes. Because then i can still see everything like the tv but cant move. All i can think about is someone could come over to me and kill me and i wouldnt be able to movie. (There is also always the images of the creepy girls from those scary movies that come to mind). I get the suffocated breathing every once in a while, but i can ussually get my mouth open enough to break enough air and it goes away. But the unending feeling that someone is there observing you while you are paralysed is so scary it makes me cringe thinking about it. I hate it. Im writing this at 4 in the morning and i have been up since 2. I tried to fall asleep but i got the sleep paralysis once and it ruined it. Im so scared at this point that i cant sleep at all.