Sleep parylysis

Can you explain what you mean by “sleep paralysis” please?
Sounds dreadful but I have never encountered it.

I had sleep paralysis once about three years ago and never had it again thankfully,it was absolutely terrifying. It felt as though there was something on my back,some sort of creature and I was trying to reach for the lamp to knock it off and I could not move, it really was very frightening. I remember calling out for my son but don’t know whether I was really calling out or just thought I was. Not sure how long it lasted but eventually I work or came to and it ended.

Not experienced it. Is it a nightmare ? It sounds awful……

I get sleep paralysis. I don't know how to explain it other than to say, bits of you wake up and bits don't. So you may be able to open your eyes but your body is still asleep and you can't move.

Mine comes with hullucination, and I often think there is or see someone in the room with me.

I don't know any ways to cope with it while it happens because it can be hard to think clearly. When I do wake fully though I take calming breaths and remind myself it was a waking up dream and everything is ok

I think it is similar to night terrors which I also had as a child, waking up while your body is trying to transition between sleep stages, except with night terrors your body wakes up before your brain

I've had it once in the last couple of years and you have my sympathy as it is awful. I felt like I was in a living nightmare, someone was in the room with me and I knew I was sleeping but couldn't wake up no matter how much I tried. ? For you but no real advice. Sorry.

I have had it a couple of times and it is very frightening. Both times it was exactly the same. I link hands across my stomach when I sleep with fingers intertwining and each time I “woke up” my hands were paralysed and I could not separate them . Now I try to sleep with my hands by my side.

Greenfinch

I have had it a couple of times and it is very frightening. Both times it was exactly the same. I link hands across my stomach when I sleep with fingers intertwining and each time I “woke up” my hands were paralysed and I could not separate them . Now I try to sleep with my hands by my side.

That is similar to mine, combined with night terrors. It is so frightening. Mine is linked to my medication.

I remember reading something about this a while back.
Apparently when we sleep our muscles are temporarily paralysed to prevent us acting out our dreams. Usually when we wake the paralysis goes to enable us to move but occasionally even though we are awake, part of the brain isn’t properly conscious and the muscle paralysis remains.
I have had this occasionally and yes it is scary. I remember being unable to open my eyes but it only lasted a matter of seconds.

You have all my sympathy, Sallywally. I get sleep paralysis and it’s horrible. It does make you afraid to go to sleep.

Mine is almost like two parallel existences, one being the dream element when I’m usually trying to get away from something while the other is that I know I’m awake and it’s a dream but I need to move and can’t.

If I can move anything, a finger or my foot, it kind of breaks the spell. My Dh says I sometimes make a squeaking noise and he’ll wake me up then.

One thing that seems to affect the frequency for me is the position I’m lying in. I’m more likely to have sleep paralysis if I’m sleeping on my front and also if my face is buried in a pillow or bedding.

VioletSky

I get sleep paralysis. I don't know how to explain it other than to say, bits of you wake up and bits don't. So you may be able to open your eyes but your body is still asleep and you can't move.

Mine comes with hullucination, and I often think there is or see someone in the room with me.

I don't know any ways to cope with it while it happens because it can be hard to think clearly. When I do wake fully though I take calming breaths and remind myself it was a waking up dream and everything is ok

I think it is similar to night terrors which I also had as a child, waking up while your body is trying to transition between sleep stages, except with night terrors your body wakes up before your brain

This is a really good explanation of it VS. My experience seems to be the reverse in that it happens while I’m falling asleep, not waking up, but it’s exactly the same feeling that bits of you are asleep and unresponsive. On the occasions it happens, I’m aware of falling asleep and find that I can’t speak or move and for a frightening few seconds before sleep takes over, I feel as though I’m suffocating. I must try to fight it at times because my OH wakes me up on occasion because I appear to be struggling to cry out. Horrible feeling.

My daughter had night terrors as a child. There wasn't much we could do to help - as she saw us as monsters.

When she was old enough to describe it (stuck in a nightmare) the nearest experience I could relate to it was sedation. I had seven teeth out - six unaware, but for the final one, I was 'sort of' awake, could hear and feel the pain - yet couldn't move or indicate that I'd surfaced - terrifying indeed.

Thank you all for your comforting replies, at least I’m not going mad. I also hear whispering noises. I have suffered from sleep myoclonus for ages but my lovely GP has prescribed clonazepine which has really helped. That and listening to soothing music quietly on I player calms me down. We sleep in separate rooms mainly because of noisy snoring (his). I am estranged from my middle child and it stems from the trauma of that. One day peace of mind might come!