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Original poster

Sleep paralysis- help!

34 replies

Mykonos · 27/06/2021 18:43

Does anybody else suffer with this? I have had it since my teens, I'm now in my 40s. It is making my life miserable Sad I try to avoid naps / "nodding off" as it is more likely to occur then. But does anybody have any methods to avoid it or to wake up from it, please??

OP posts:
MMM2 · 27/06/2021 18:48

I suffer from this also and its scary, I was taught to focus on my big toe and try to move it, it takes loads of attempts and the distraction of trying to make your toe move usually eases the paralysis, but it takes awhile to be able to do it.

Original poster
Mykonos · 27/06/2021 18:52

Oh thank you i will try that. It is really bad for me at the moment (gets worse if I am stressed or ill). How long did it take you to master the big toe idea? Thanks

OP posts:
MMM2 · 27/06/2021 18:54

it took a few months at least, its really hard to do at the beginning as with my paralysis I felt the fear of something there, but once you manage it once you are on your way.

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romdowa · 27/06/2021 18:55

I've had it for years and I find staying calm unlocks me a lot quicker. Panicking just seems to lock me up more, it's easier said than done though

user1471453601 · 27/06/2021 18:56

For me, it was knowing what it was and finding out what caused the paralysis helped a lot.

As did one time when, instead of some malevolent force sitting on my chest, I thought it was a very dear friend who had died and I just had a very interesting chat with him. I think I was more relaxed because I understood the cause better, so wasn't panicking.

Twitchynose · 27/06/2021 19:01

Not had this for a while thankfully, sleeping on my back always seemed to be a trigger for me.

GingerFigs · 27/06/2021 19:05

It's horrible. I start with trying to move one finger, similar to PP wiggling a toe. Mine is worse with a lie-in but I don't have many of those! Also find it only happens when I'm lying on my back which I actively don't do when falling asleep, but I wake up in this position.

Original poster
Mykonos · 27/06/2021 19:08

@user1471453601

For me, it was knowing what it was and finding out what caused the paralysis helped a lot.

As did one time when, instead of some malevolent force sitting on my chest, I thought it was a very dear friend who had died and I just had a very interesting chat with him. I think I was more relaxed because I understood the cause better, so wasn't panicking.

Oh this is quite sweet. I had my dear deceased nana sat on me / my bed the other day, but she was all grey and didn't look very friendly in fact she looked horrible Sad and the time after that I saw someone has hung themselves with a noose on my ceiling and I could see them sort of dangling just outside my dream field of vision. It was horrible Sad
OP posts:
TwilightSkies · 27/06/2021 19:08

You just have to relax. Understand what is happening and know it can’t harm you.

Original poster
Mykonos · 27/06/2021 19:09

Agree that knowing what it is helps. I went to several doctors in the 90s and described it but they didn't know what I was talking about.

OP posts:
Kittykat93 · 27/06/2021 19:14

I get this when I'm overtired or stressed. It's awful, I have hallucinations and can hear my dead mum calling me, it feels so real. I usually try moving my fingers and just try to focus on that, and try to open my eyes. It's horrible, you have my sympathies

BathwaterBaby · 27/06/2021 19:26

I had it all the time when children weren't sleeping through the night , just crap sleep and overtiredness. I can control breathing but that's it so I focus on that.

Mimi91 · 27/06/2021 19:27

Try if you can to sleep on your side when you go to sleep. Its more likely to happen when you're laying flat on your back. Like others have said, keep as relaxed as possible and focus on finger/toe wiggling. One really strange way I get out of it is by focusing my mind on going back to the dream I just came out of and throwing myself off or into something, this always brings me straight out of it. Feel for you, it can be terrifying. Stress is usually the culprit!

Looksgood · 27/06/2021 19:29

Sleeping on my back, drinking before bed, overtiredness, stuffy room, head slipping into unsupported position tended to bring it on for me. I got a sidesleeper pillow that supports my neck and never had it since.

As well as trying to wriggle a toe or finger, I've found focusing on some ordered task you could do easily while you're awake helped. Something like 6 times tables, food beginning with every letter of the alphabet. If you get far, you wake up; if not, you fall asleep.

Good luck sorting it out - it's not pleasant at all

Original poster
Mykonos · 27/06/2021 19:30

Oh Kitty that sounds dreadful, I am sorry Sad poor you x

OP posts:
WetWeekends · 27/06/2021 19:32

I’ve not had it for ages and I suspect it’s because I’ve been prioritising getting enough sleep. I agree it’s bloody awful! I hope you find something to help.

romdowa · 27/06/2021 19:40

@Kittykat93

I get this when I'm overtired or stressed. It's awful, I have hallucinations and can hear my dead mum calling me, it feels so real. I usually try moving my fingers and just try to focus on that, and try to open my eyes. It's horrible, you have my sympathies
I get the hallucinations too. I see spiders crawling all over my ceiling. I find turning on the lights, once I can move,makes them vanish.
AnnaSW1 · 27/06/2021 20:25

I had it all my life. Read up on it so much and realised it only really happens when you are sleeping lying on your back. I've trained self to lie on my side and it has stopped.

midgemagneto · 27/06/2021 20:29

Oh interesting about lying on your back... I mostly get this when poorly, which usually means propped up on pillows trying to breathe , not curled in a ball on my side

Timeforabiscuit · 27/06/2021 20:56

I have this, usually when I'm stressed, knowing it's completely harmless and it's just my consciousness booting up before my body helped alot.

I usually greet it with an internal eye roll and just focus on wiggling my toes and it doesn't take too long.

Timeforabiscuit · 27/06/2021 20:57

Ah! The back thing makes total sense! Have a bad back so rolling is hard!

vampirethriller · 27/06/2021 21:00

I tell myself over and over that it's not real and try to relax my body. Trying to move just makes it worse and then I panic.

RanchoRelaxo · 27/06/2021 21:03

Its always worse for me when I'm not in a good sleep routine, and like others have said it happens more often when I'm lying on my back. When I do get it I just don't open my eyes anymore (although I 'hear' things at least I cant see anything horrible!) try and relax my breathing and concentrate on wiggling my fingers until I manage to get out of it!

Arcadia · 27/06/2021 21:05

I used to get this but sleeping on my side seems to stop it happening

GlamourSpider · 27/06/2021 21:07

@vampirethriller

I tell myself over and over that it's not real and try to relax my body. Trying to move just makes it worse and then I panic.
This. Usually if I relax I'll enter a deep sleep again and wake up naturally. Also, I can usually control my breathing so breathe in a certain pattern when it happens so DP knows and can wake me.