Sleep Paralysis

[4yearsnosleep]

I've been sleeping terribly recently due to chronic pain. I finally fell asleep at a decent time and woke up not even an hour later after a sleep paralysis nightmare. Anyone else suffer? Mine have generally gotten less frequent and normally happen now when my OH is away. They're always based wherever I'm sleeping and feel horrifyingly real. Tonight's:

I heard the milk bottles clink as the milkman dropped off the bottles, he then tried the front door and it was unlocked, I could hear him coming up the stairs but couldn’t move and he attacked me but I couldn't scream or fight back. Eventually I managed to wake up shaking like a leaf. It’s not even milkman night.

I've had to get up and check all the doors are locked and now need to calm my body down enough to go back to sleep

Normally they're me being attacked, but the worst one was when the house was on fire but I couldn't move or scream to save my daughter who was only across the hall. It took me weeks to recover after that one

My DH had a similar experience when I was away with the dc for the night. The dog had been playing up a lot, because it's normally me who puts him to bed, and was yowling a bit.

Eventually he falls asleep, and is woken up by the door by the stairs opening, and footsteps up the stairs. Then down the hall, then the bedroom door opening. He said it was terrifying. Literally terrifying, because he couldn't move. Then he seemed to just realise it was a 'dream', and he was asleep

They're horrible! Mine only differ in that I almost spin out of it and wake up gasping. Was that is first? Mine were worst when I was about 15 and living in my Mum's bungalow. They were every night then. Thankfully they're a lot less frequent now, but still just as terrifying

Mine normally occur if I’m having a nap combined with being unsure if the doors are locked. I haven’t had one since I double check all my doors are locked before having a nap!

Sounds kind of similar to you 😔

Also I find that if I am having a sleep paralysis nightmare the beat thing to do is relax into it instead of fighting it. When I can’t physically move I force myself to fall back into the dream and wake up fine.

It sounds strange but if you remember while in the dream it helps. Still horrible but over with faster.

I have sleep paralysis a lot. More so since the birth of my son (8months now) because of constant broken sleep. Sometimes I have it 4-5 times in a row and in the end I just get up because I can’t handle it any more. Bloody awful it is :( I heard stress also makes it worse

I have sleep paralysis dreams on a fairly regular basis. When I was younger I'd have nightmares and perceive an intruder/ghost/alien was there, but I was unable to move. Terrifying!
However, over the years, it's become more common to dream about someone (e.g. DH) talking to me and wanting to respond, but being unable to.
Occasionally I get the paralysis without the dream and wake up simply unable to move (I have to just allow myself to fall back to sleep again).

Also, it’s not a dream as such. During REM sleep the brain has very vivid dreams and so that we don’t act out dreams with our body (which would likely wake us up), our muscles are turned off. Sleep paralysis happens when you wake up before REM is finished so your muscles are still “off” but you are awake.

Yes, it was his first, OP. I think the combination of being (unusually) alone in the house, the dog playing up, sleep-deprived (as you generally are with 3 young dc...).

I have the ones that turn into lucid dreams, and you're trying to wake up but can't. Generally during naps in the day.

It starts with me thinking I've woken up, and 'something' is in the corner of the room, but I don't know what. It just feels like an evil presence, but I can't do anything. Then I realise I'm alseep, but can't wake up. Pretty horrible. Sometimes I dream I've woken up 4 or 5 times, before I actually do. It's really disconcerting. You wonder what the hell your brain is trying to do to you!

Yes I have and lucid dreams. They are very frightening, thankfully rare and soon over.

Thankfully I did get back to sleep. Dreams are weird! Interesting to know that it's coming around from REM sleep. I don't know why I have enough control to wake myself up calmly. The nightmares feel so real and I'm always being attacked in some way.

Lucid dreams I've had too and mine tend to be frustrating more than anything else, especially when I dream that it was a dream and I'm convinced I've woken up from it several times already.

Those of you that suffer from sleep paralysis do you tend to have fairly vivid dreams anyway? I often wake up feeling exhausted as my dream has been like an action movie and feels so real. I always dream multiple times a night, but I have a friend that very rarely dreams, maybe one or two a year. She's also a good sleeper so I wonder if the two are related?

@4yearsnosleep

Yes, I dream vividly, even when quite sleep deprived (and most people have stopped being 'able' to dream).
I also have terrible anxiety dreams (have woken up having palpitations due to a dream before).
I've woken up laughing a few times, quite an amusing start to the day...
As a child, I would occasionally sleep walk and had the odd night terror. That last happened at about age 16.
My DH knows not to talk to me (about anything important) if I've only just woken up but appear groggy, because I do a convincing job of seeming awake and having a conversation but remember nothing.

I had loads of sleep paralysis nightmares last night and I still feel shaky. I don't know why as I haven't had any for a few years. Terrifying.

Hi OP, I get sleep paralysis when stressed but yours sounds terrifying.
I did a lot of googling and found that most people who suffer tend to sleep on their back so I now try and fall asleep on my side instead and it has helped.
I also read that moving your eyes left and right whilst you're experiencing the paralysis can help to wake you up (like as if you're watching a very fast tennis match). This didnt work for me though.
I also keep the landing light on if I'm alone in the house, and if I'm especially tired or stressed I might keep my bedside lamp on too. That seems to help too.

I used to have this. I only got it when I was very stressed. I haven't had it for 20 years. (even though I'm more stressed now )

Do you live alone OP?

Have you had a break-in in the past while you were asleep or know someone that did?

You may have real anxieties about being attacked at night especially seeing as it was worse when you slept on the ground floor.

We feel more vulnerable when we are asleep even if you sleep with a partner.

I would get a really good security system if I was you. It might help.

I've had this since I was young. I have managed to find a way to tell myself they aren't real and force myself to move/wake now most of the time.

I found if you stop struggling and focus on moving one part of your body,Like your toe.The rest of your body follows,

I used to have them quite regular.Hadnt had one in years but went asleep one morning after the school run.Woke up to my dp standing there calling my sons name.I then copped the bedroom door opening.I knew what was coming,so moved my toe and slowly woke up.Still freaked me out.

Meant to add i knew it couldnt have been my dp or my son.As they where in work and school.

Since I was a little boy. Generally I wouldn't see anything but would feel something crawling up beside me in bed which would then let out a blood-chilling, banshee scream in my ear. They've died down since I was in my mid-thirties.

Now I just have vivid nightmares about my stepdaughters coming to harm while in my care. I'd gladly have the sleep paralysis back instead :(

I don't live alone, but OH often works away. We don't set the alarm as we have a dog. I wouldn't say I feel scared of being alone but maybe it's my subconscious.

Nightmares about children being harmed are the worst!

Having them repeatedly a night is horrible:( I've only occasionally had more than one a night, but that one is often so bad that I don't get back to sleep

I have this quite regularly. It’s horrible and difficult to understand for those who haven’t experienced it. I first started getting it in my mid twenties and have had big gaps where I have had none but recently have started up again. It helps not to sleep on my back and also have regular sleep without daytime naps (however this is impossible for me because I do shift work which includes nights). I feel like I am being attacked, sexually mainly. I feel like I am being pulled about. Most of the time I know it’s not real but it’s srill scary if that makes sense? Sometimes I think there are people in the house. DP also does shifts and I get it more often when he’s not home at night. It’s horrible and you have my sympathies.

I get sleep paralysis sometimes. I hadn't really noticed that it is associated with stress, but I do think it is more likely to happen when I sleep on my back, so I never, ever, ever lie on my back when I sleep and have told my husband that if I am ever in hospital incapacitated, the nurses have to keep me on my side :-)

I just read the response above mine. Yes, I too find that taking naps makes it more likely to happen. I used to be a nurse and found shift work and napping were a bad combo.

You're right @LeSquigh I think it's difficult to grasp if you don't suffer from it. I can't not sleep on my back, so that's not an option. OH is away for another week so I doubt it'll be the last.