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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

...to ask about your experiences of sleep paralysis?

73 replies

ThistleAmore · 21/09/2018 11:35

Just read a fascinating article which claims that around 75% of adults will experience SP at some point in their lives - I had no idea the numbers were so large!

I had a few nasty bouts when I was in my late teens and early 20s (along with chronic insomnia, depression and anxiety - yeah, that was a fun time!), but they tailed off as I grew older and I don't think I've had an episode for about two or three years.

What are your experiences?

OP posts:

alligatorsmile · 21/09/2018 11:37

Oh gagh, I hate it. It seems to be worse when I am having bouts of insomnia or disordered sleeping, and that tends to happen when I my depression/anxiety is higher than usual.

It's not being able to make a sound that's the most frightening.

User24689 · 21/09/2018 12:03

Had it since I was a child. I used to get it much more frequently than I do now. I wake, almost always from a vivid dream, unable to move or take an inward breath. The only part of me I can physically control is my eyes. When I think I will suffocate, I suddenly manage a huge gulp of air which breaks it. As a child I used to be convinced I would die, but now in an adult I remain calm as although it is really unpleasant, I know the breath will come.

Crinkle77 · 21/09/2018 12:45

I first started having this about 10 years ago and they were terrifying. I would have these dreams that felt very real. I could sometimes here foot steps or a breeze blowing my hair. I would then feel like something was stopping me from breathing and I was tring to call out but couldn't and I couldn't move either. Then I would wake up but when it was really bad it would happen multiple times throughout the night. I thought I was going mad until I told my sister and she said a boyfriend used to have it and it was called Old Hag Syndrome. The relief that I felt when I finally understood what it was and that it wasn't just me was immense. Sometimes I would also have this weird whirring in my head which I now think is something called exploding head syndrome. I don't get it very often now and if I do it isn't as bad but still not pleasant.

Magenta123 · 21/09/2018 12:58

I've had these as long as I can remember.. Mine start with a loud buzzing then numbness...before finally unable to move, and I know it's approaching so used to panic and try to ' break out' of it but obviously unable to move. My partner would wake and hear me moaning trying to move and if he just touched me it would free me from it. I have now been reading the book ' wrestling with ghosts' and it's fascinating. Now instead of the utmost terror when I feel it coming on, I relax knowing it will pass ( impossible to do before) and use this phase to shift into lucid dreaming where I fly around the house or outdoors. I actually feel the night air on my face and it looks so real. Twenty odd years ago I actually thought I was going mad or being abducted as there was nowhere to research it!

Alexaaaa · 21/09/2018 13:10

I had it constantly when I started perimenopause. Seemed to happen most when I overheated.

I get a whooshing in my ears first and it always terrifies me.
I concentrate all my energy in trying to cry out or move a limb.
Seen and heard all sorts of crazy stuff while in it.

Touch wood I've not had an episode for a couple of months (now I know it'll probably get me tonight after I've said that).

Plannergirl9 · 21/09/2018 13:18

I experience this several times a week. I'm awake and aware but can't move. Very unsettling.

DwayneDibbly · 21/09/2018 13:30

Had it several times in my early 20s, often accompanied by a dream in which I could hear someone climbing the stairs and I instinctively knew it was a man who wished to do me harm. Occasionally I've known I was in a dream and have strained to wake up.

The most recent/last one was about four years ago when we moved into a new house, and I "knew" an old woman was approaching from the corner of the bedroom, and I couldn't move. Again, I was aware it was a dream.

It makes sense when you read old stories about the succubus, and can imagine how something like it must've seemed supernatural.

BippityBoppity87 · 21/09/2018 13:32

I get this a lot. Sometimes I here voices or I think there are ghosts/demons in my room. It's horrible. On a couple of occasions I've woke up in terror believing my partner lying next to me wasn't my partner, but a complete stranger. It was terrifying. It took me a while to calm down tbh.

I too seem to suffer from this if I'm having bouts of insomnia, ill, or suffering from anxiety and depression.

At the time it feels very real. Another time when I was living on my own, I was a bit anxious and I wouldn't go to sleep at night, I would only go to sleep during the day. Sounds silly now, but one night I was utterly exhausted and thought right, I'm just going to go to bed, but I'll leave the hall light on with my door open. Must have felt no longer than about 5 minutes I woke up, couldn't move and my door was closed, lying there in compete darkness. As soon as I was able to move I got up and everything was back to normal. Didn't go back to sleep again that night. Thankfully I haven't had anything as bad as that since.

MIdgebabe · 21/09/2018 13:38

Get this sometimes, especially when I'll, or just Overheating, especially my feet ( dreading menopause for that reason)

Accompanied by weird dreams ..wake up, going downstairs, get trapped in the quilt, fall downstairs, back in bed..repeat ..until I realise what is happening and then try to open my eyes...and sometimes I think I have succeeded, until I get tangled in the quilt again. Really have to concentrate not to panic

I think it was mn that first told me it was a thing, which did help!

Binky89 · 21/09/2018 13:44

I get something like this but it’s hard to even explain ! It’s always when I’m falling asleep, I get this sense of fear and panic and that if I don’t open my eyes I’ll die, it’s like this overwhelming sense of fear and I’m frozen and it takes proper concentration and effort to open my eyes. As soon as I close my eyes again it starts , so I normally have 5 mins on my phone to “wake up” and then start the whole process again ! The second time around it’s normally gone! I only get it though if I’ve had painkillers before bed (prescribed cocodamol)

Spam88 · 21/09/2018 13:46

I go through spates of having this, although I can't link it to anything else. For me, it's normally associated with dreams involved being pinned down or trapped in some way, and I agree with a PP that the not being able to make a noise is the worst bit. Last time it happened was a year or so ago and I did find I was able to keep a bit calmer than I had previously though.

Onthebrink87 · 21/09/2018 13:55

Always been a terrible sleeper with vivid dreams, lucid dreams and the like but only once experienced sleep paralysis about 12 years ago and still to this day remains the single most terrifying experience of my life!

I woke up early hours completely unable to speak or move, had an intense sense of dread and a loud squealing/ringing in my ears (almost deafening) and felt I was being dragged slowly out of bed upwards and over the bedside table

SerenDippitty · 21/09/2018 13:55

I’ve had a few -sleep paralysis hallucinations, worst one was when DH was away. I became aware there was a man in bed beside me, I could sense him moving towards me and his hand touching my neck. I was struggling to wake up. I was terrified. And I definitely was alone!

ButchyRestingFace · 21/09/2018 13:57

Had it with increasing frequency from the ages of 12 to 25. By mid twenties, when I was working shifts, it felt that it was happening every time I nodded off. Awful.

Mentioned it in conversation to someone who said "oh, do you sleep on your back? Stop doing that."

Reader, I married him.

minipie · 21/09/2018 14:01

I’ve had this. Usually when very stressed about work. Never had hallucinations but always been unable to move, breathe or make a sound. Oh and also pain. It feels as if something heavy is pushing down on my ribs and it hurts and I can’t breathe or say anything. I used to think it was DH’s arm, then I read about sleep paralysis.

Fun isn’t it?!

I sleep on my side.

Pettyspaghetti · 21/09/2018 14:07

I’ve had this a LOT, last time was only a few weeks ago. I find it tends to happen to me when I’m exhausted. There’s been times where it’s happened and I could hear a fight downstairs between DH and a burgler, I could hear everything. Other times I’ve had a small figure (think the girl from the ring) standing at the bottom of my bed. I normally feel the fear before I see/hear whatever it’s going to be. The most frequent one DH had gotten home from work and was putting his phone on charge etc, I could see him and I knew it was sleep paralysis, so I was trying to make a noise so he’d notice and wake me up. Couldn’t open my mouth and my throat physically couldn’t make a noise, it’s very debilitating. Only thing that I find gets me to snap out of it is wiggling my toes. Before I worked that out I’d have to wait for “something” to get me and make me jump, and I’d wake up from that. Horrid thing to happen, really really terrifying.

Allthepinkunicorns · 21/09/2018 14:07

I get them from time to time, especially when I'm ill or over heating. I know I'm having them when I'm dreaming now so it doesn't scare me anymore.

Pettyspaghetti · 21/09/2018 14:08

By the way, DH wasn’t actually fighting off a burglar, he was fast asleep next to me.

Kittykat93 · 21/09/2018 14:09

I've had this since a young child but never knew how to describe it to anyone!

Always starts with a muffled noise in my ears that gradually gets louder. I hear noises, such as someone calling my name, I desperately try to reply but can't talk so I start panicking. Then I have hallucinations, usually someone in the corner of the room.

I can make myself lucid dream, sometimes these are rather x rated

LostPlatypus · 21/09/2018 14:24

I used to get it when I was on a particular medication, but only if I had an afternoon nap. My body always felt heavy when I woke up (like something was on top of it), and like I couldn't breathe (or move) and it made me panic trying to move/breathe every time.

shakeyourcaboose · 21/09/2018 14:29

Also had it frequently again as pp say when sleeping on my back! For me it was always the 'old hag' looming over me- l manage it by counting down from 10- it feels like forever but it really is only seconds!

Magenta123 · 21/09/2018 14:48

I've never had the evil presence or old hag thing , or the weight on my body it's just like my whole body is tightly bound up so I can't move at all. I do have the dread scary feeling in the room but I'm unable to even open my eyes. My dh has witnessed me when I'm going through it said I'm making weird noises and jerking, that must be when I'm trying to break out of it. It also sounds like distorted radio signals in my head as it starts happening. I also get like another pp the feeling of being lifted upwards or floating..

SamanthaJayne4 · 21/09/2018 15:38

I have only had sp once when I was in my early twenties. I was sleeping on the sofa between shopping and going out for the evening (was a Saturday). I was facing the back of the sofa and my back was quite near the edge. I woke up but could not speak or move. I decided to go back to sleep and was ok when I woke up again. No nightmares, just paralyzed. It didn't bother me then but it would now!

MayLeaveADentInYourSofa · 21/09/2018 15:44

I had this regularly many years ago. I am not sure what changed to make it stop.

I once mentioned it to my GP who told me it is believed to be connected with narcolepsy.

While, I don't have narcolepsy I have the amazing ability to fall asleep any place, any time.

MissCharleyP · 21/09/2018 16:23

Had it once about 4 years ago. Was one of the most frightening things I've ever experienced. Dreaming that someone had their hand over my mouth and some of their fingers in my mouth and they were sat on my chest. Woke up, could still feel the weight on my chest and hands/fingers in my mouth. I realised what it was and tried to stay calm and as still as possible (I remembered reading that wiggling small body parts like toes or fingers can wake you up gradually and easier than trying one big movement), eventually I shouted "No" and woke up properly. Stayed awake for the rest of the night with the light on!

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