SLEEP PARALYSIS: Anyone else experience this?

[StoneColdGold]

i can honestly say that this is one of the most horrifying feelings in the world. from what i understand, what happens is that your mind wakes up enough to become concious and aware of your surroundings, but not enough actually take control of your body. so your body is still basically asleep. when this happens i feel like the guy in the metallica song "one".

this has happened to me a handful of times in my life. the first time, i thought i was either dying or dead. i could "see" my surroundings and the fact that my sister was calling my name from the doorway, but i was powerless to respond. i tried to get my body to twitch so maybe she would come wake me up...nothing. i tried to make noise...nothing. after struggling to no avail for some time, i just gave in and eventually sank back down into a normal sleep. the three or four times it happened after that, i knew what was happening so i just tried to relax and go back into a deeper sleep.

the reason i know these aren't just all part of a crazy dream is because several times, after finally waking up, i have been able to tell people about things that they were doing while i was in this state of sleep paralysis. for instance... after the first time it happened, i didn't see my sister until the next day. i told her that i knew she came over yesterday when i was napping and tried to wake me up. i even told her what outfit she was wearing. she confirmed that i was correct, and was obviously confused as hell because to her, i appeared to be sleeping soundly.... and on my stomach facing away from her!!!

anyway, i had my worst experience with this last night. i was sleeping next to my girlfriend (who knows i've had this happen in the past), and having some sort of strange dream. next thing i know, i'm in this sleep paralysis state and desperately trying to wake up because something from my dream had me worried about my girlfriend. somehow, this time i was able to make slight jerking movements and even mumble a little. my girlfriend was scared to death because she kept shaking me and i wouldn't wake up. the whole time she was doing this, i was perfectly aware of what was happening, but could not wake myself to respond to her. finally after more shaking i came fully awake.

anyway... this sucks. if anyone knows anything about this i'd be very interested. thanks.

SCG

 

[Big Moose]

One of the scariest things I have ever experienced. I have talked to many Dr.'s, psychiatrists, etc, and have done tons of research and never got a solid answer as to why this happens, only that it is nothing to worry about. It used to happen to me all the time when I was doing a lot of E. Thankfully it hasn't happened in along time. (knock on wood) It is really a horrible feeling.

 

[HG Pennypacker]

I get the same exact thing, except i'm not sleeping and I don't get paralyzed. It usually happens while i'm pooping.

 

[StoneColdGold]

I have talked to many Dr.'s, psychiatrists, etc, and have done tons of research and never got a solid answer as to why this happens, only that it is nothing to worry about.

easy for them to say! they aren't the ones spending horrifying minutes trapped in some altered sleep-purgatory dimension!!!

anyway... glad i'm not the only one. i think i've linked it to stress, but still, that doesn't really explain it.

 

[BronzedGoddess]

Yes this has happened to me and I was just a kid when it first happened. I think I was like 10 years old and I was sleeping on the couch and I woke up and I was looking around the dark room but I couldn't move at all. I was so f*cking scared. I was trying so hard to move my arm that when the paralysis wore off I ended up throwing my arm into the wall. *ouch* I've asked other people about this and they look at me like I'm nuts. Good to know I'm not the only one.

 

[goliath.jr]

You should go have a sleep study. This is a major symtom of Narcolepsy.

 

[StoneColdGold]

You should go have a sleep study. This is a major symtom of Narcolepsy.

yeah i was just reading that... except i don't have narcolepsy! unless you can have narcolepsy and never exhibit any characteristics of it. i mean... i like sleep and all but i never just fall asleep involuntarily at random moments.

you're right about the study though... i should go do one. i am also prone to bouts of sleep apnea. waking up suddenly and feeling like you're suffocating because you haven't been breathing for the last 30 seconds is almost as scary as sleep paralysis.

boy... i hope i never have bouts of these things at the same time... theoretically i could stop breathing in my sleep, be fully aware of the fact that i'm asphyxiating, and be unable to do anything about it thanks to sleep paralysis....

....that's it... i'm never going to sleep again.

 

[Steroid_Virgin]

that has happened to me on occasion.. maybe once or twice a year.. its weird.. what happens is like your mind is awake, but your body is asleep.. and everything happens in slow motion.. you think its like a VERY life like dream. Its freaky..

 

[Island Son]

happens to a few people

http://boards.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=165871

 

[GX94]

Yes, this occasionally happens to me. Never really thought much about it. It's like I want to get up but can't and then I just go back to sleep. Strange feeling, huh.

GX