Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

To never want to go to sleep again

55 replies

Edenviolet · 05/05/2015 13:22

Went to bed last night as usual, had a dream, nothing out of the ordinary.

At some point I was aware of waking and hearing someone walking around outside my room but when I opened my eyes it was just black, I couldn't move and tried to open them again, still nothing just blackness and a sense of absolute fear and falling backwards???

Tried to call out but couldn't make a sound, tried to reach out to grab dh but couldn't. Absolutely terrifying.

Suddenly I jolted awake in panic, could see again but felt awful. What on earth happened?
I never want to go to sleep again it was so terrifying

OP posts:

CatthiefKeith · 05/05/2015 13:23

Sleep paralysis. Terrifying but completely harmless.

VanitasVanitatum · 05/05/2015 13:23

Hypnogogic hallucinations - Google it.

Utterly terrifying but harmless. I used to get them a lot - just fight the paralysis really hard til you wake up.

Original poster

Edenviolet · 05/05/2015 13:26

It was horrible, is there anything I can do to prevent it?

OP posts:

CatthiefKeith · 05/05/2015 16:33

I found mine tends to be worse if I'm stressed. In fact since I had dd and swapped my career for a job it hasn't happened at all.

Are you stressed ATM?

TheWitTank · 05/05/2015 16:37

It's sleep paralysis -it scared the bejayzus out of me when it first happened. I first had it when I was utterly zonked out after giving birth. I woke up and just couldn't move -it felt like someone was sitting on my chest and I couldn't speak or anything. I didn't want to sleep for days!

WorraLiberty · 05/05/2015 16:41

I suffer from severe sleep paralysis, but only if I'm alone and I fall asleep on the couch in the afternoon.

The only way I can prevent it, is not to do it.

SomewhereovertheRainbow02 · 05/05/2015 16:41

Yes...that sounds like sleep paralysis. I get it quite often and usually if I'm just dozing on the setee when I'm not actually getting into a full state of sleep!
I usually try (and it feels like it takes loads of effort) to twitch my arm! Once its twitched im awake! Sometimes it takes so long i just give up and wait to wake up after its finished but sometimes there's a really nasty feeling of someone else being in the room!
Is an awful thing to go through when your not used to it!

Writerwannabe83 · 05/05/2015 16:45

I've had sleep paralysis once. It was about 9 years ago and it was awful. I was awake but I was locked inside my body, I couldn't move or talk and it was terrifying. I just lay there, really scared, not knowing what was happening and knowing I could do nothing about it as I couldn't move or call for help.

It felt like it lasted forever but in reality it probably wasn't even a minute.

In hoping it never happens again.

BuzzardBird · 05/05/2015 16:46

The only thing you can do to prevent it is not to get over-tired. I get this a lot, in fact I had a really weird one the other night where I was awoken by the sound of glass breaking downstairs and when I went downstairs the next morning as was too chicken shit to go at 3am I noticed a glass votive missing. Dh said he broke it before he went to bed but he was asleep next to me when the sound woke me up! I heard it 3 hours after it happened

Cornonthecob · 05/05/2015 16:50

Omg did not realise this is normal, I had this shortly after my sister died, I felt her at the end of my bed but I couldn't open my eyes, move or speak even though I desperately wanted to, I eventually woke up with sore eyes and a wet pillow :(

This has never happened since, that was 26 years ago, we were both teenagers, OP hopefully that will be the same for you... Don't worry.

MrsTerryPratchett · 05/05/2015 17:06

I had one with a yeti-type creature. Very weird. Not happened since DD started sleeping so I think it was over-tiredness.

sadwidow28 · 05/05/2015 17:07

Cornonthecob You MAY have experienced something different. It is known as one last time amongst believers. I wasn't a believer at all until I had similar experience to you, 6 weeks after my DH died. I felt him on his side of the bed, I could see him, smell him and I was sobbing because I couldn't touch him. Like you, I eventually woke with the wet pillow and red eyes.

However, I do get night paralysis so I know it is different. I get it when I am worried or stressed. I won't tell you last week's episode as I am still affected by it. But I am trying not to go to sleep again ..... like the OP.

HeyManIJustWantSomeMuesli · 05/05/2015 17:10

Does anyone else get where they can't breathe either? Or possibly can but its really shallow/slow especially given the state of panic?

HeyManIJustWantSomeMuesli · 05/05/2015 17:10

Sorry, totally hijacked then. Didn't think!

TheHobbit · 05/05/2015 17:12

Sleep paralysis I suffer with this almost every night

RoboticSealpup · 05/05/2015 18:29

Sleep paralysis! Don't freak out thinking it's something supernatural. It's not, and if you make a decision not to get scared it will become much easier to deal with.

kissmethere · 05/05/2015 18:54

Wow interesting this has happened to me too and it was horrible. First time was after all day traveling and a stressful flight. Second time was after an operation. It is terrifying but does usually happen when I'm really stressed. Hope you're ok. Try not to be scared.

IcanMooCanYou · 05/05/2015 19:06

I get this quite often. First time was about 12 years ago when I got the 'woke up' but couldn't move, couldn't scream feeling. Tried for ages concentrating to just lift my arm, but obviously not getting anywhere. Totally terrified.

If it happens again, I would argue against trying to fight it. I've found the best way is to try to relax and go back to sleep. Hard to do if it hasn't happened before or regularly.

Jumblebee · 05/05/2015 19:16

This happened to me recently and I know what you mean, the complete feeling of terror.

I was just drifting off and saw the shadow of a tall man in the doorway. I tried calling out for my DP but couldn't make a sound and my whole body was paralysed. I felt like I was gasping for breath, probably only lasted a few seconds but it felt like an eternity!

IcanMooCanYou · 05/05/2015 19:26

Other things that I get linked to stress (doesn't even have to be 'bad' stress, even just knowing I need to get up for something and worrying the alarm won't go off!)...

Feeling that someone is in the room- might feel them touch me or sit on bed

Feeling a cat walk up my bed (don't have a cat!)

Ground-hog day waking: waking up, getting in shower, then waking up and thinking 'damn, I wasn't really awake', walking over to look out of the window, then waking up for bed in real!!!!

Also get very vivid dreams at times of stress that can come around sleep paralysis:

teeth falling out. I know it's very common but its sooooooo real. I haven't had a tooth come out since a child but during a dream, I can completely remember the feel of it wobbling, running tongue under it, the taste, everything. It's so real that during one dream I've though 'wow, after I've dreamt about a tooth falling out often, now it's actually happening'.
trying to ring 999 but can't. Has all the same feelings as sleep paralysis. I'm trying to dial 999 but it just keeps coming up wrong on my phone.

Original poster

Edenviolet · 05/05/2015 19:27

Yes, I've been really stressed recently. Haven't been feeling well after first ivf cycle so I'm wondering if it has something to do with hormones?

I'm quite anxious about going to sleep tonight despite being exhausted

OP posts:

Cornonthecob · 05/05/2015 19:27

sadwidow so sorry for your loss, that's really interesting, for me it gave me comfort, I too was sobbing and could smell her and the distinct smell of all the flowers that we had put in her bedroom, there were so many. For the next year every so often in random places I would get that distinct whift of flowers and knew she was around me... In hindsight I needed that :(

Sorry OP didn't mean to hijack...

Original poster

Edenviolet · 05/05/2015 19:29

Not hijacking at all cornonthecob

OP posts:

YorkshiresAndGravy · 05/05/2015 19:39

I've had sleep paralysis before and it is terrifying. I remember not wanting to go to sleep again after the first time it happened.

I think it is definitely related to times when you've not had much sleep or when stressed.

I find it helps to sleep on my side instead of on my back.

I also find it helps to try not to panic when you realise it's happening. Try to stay calm and try to move your eyes (I usually try to just move mine from side to side). I read that any movements you can make will help to wake you up.

To reassure you, now I can recognise what is happening I can always stop the dreams before they get to the terrifying stage.

Branleuse · 05/05/2015 19:42

I had this once. I thought a train was going over me. I couldnt open my eyes. Horrible

Flip

1 2 3

Swipe left for the next trending thread