To be fucking terrified

[Scaredtosleep1]

Apologies, I’ve posted on here before for advice but I changed my username since then and I can’t find my old post because I don’t remember what it was. Just starting a new one as it’s been a few weeks anyway.

im having awful problems right now. I’ve never had any issues with sleeping until a few months ago and now it’s horrendous- i keep having awful nightmares. It started occasionally but now it’s almost every night. I always dream of something horrible or scary, like I’m being chased or attacked, it’s different each time but it’s really horrible vivid nightmares, then I wake up and can’t move or yell but I can see something in my room. I know I’m not really seeing something, it’s just sleep paralysis, but it’s horrific and so scary. Last night I thought I saw a big dark shadow crawling up my bed and I was terrified and couldn’t even scream or move, it was like I was locked in my body. Then I get a horrible sensation where it’s like I’m in a kaleidoscope and everything is colourful and flashy and bright, and I get the most horrific screaming in my ears. Then I wake up properly and the screaming takes half an hour or so to stop, and then I usually have the worst migraine ever after and I’m usually dripping in sweat, it’s as if I’ve had a shower and jumped straight into bed, I’m soaked from the sweats.

i still live at home, and I’ve spent the last few months on and off screaming the house down at 2 am with these night terrors, but it’s definitely happening a lot more often. My parents are obviously a bit confused and worried, and I’m terrified to go to sleep now. It’s already after 11 and I know I’ll have to fall asleep soon and I just want to cry I’m so scared about it

I’m not over tired and I’m stressed but not really stressed, I’m at university but I’m actually really enjoying it and all these problems started in the summer holidays. I’m happy with my life, my part time job and everything else

i was going to go to the gp but I can’t get an appointment because I’m in Uni everyday and it’s only phone appointments so it’s so difficult to get through, you have to phone 100+ times and all the appointments are fine

i don’t know why I’m posting or what I’m looking for, I’m just absolutely terrified to go to sleep again tonight but obviously I’ll have to, but by 2 I’ll be drenched in sweat, have a splitting migraine and have had at least 2 night mares. my parents are really supportive but I feel so alone with this and I’m actually terrified

You’re having night terrors and paralysis OP. Get yourself to the GP for some short term meds 💐

Sounds awful. No experience myself but this from the internet might help if you haven't already tried it?

Do quiet, calming activities — such as reading books, doing puzzles or soaking in a warm bath — before bed. Meditation or relaxation exercises may help, too. Make the bedroom comfortable and quiet for sleep.

Isn't there a person at Uni who can help you get a referral? Some sort of student counsellor?

Oh you poor thing, sleep paralysis is awful.

Does your gp offer econsults? If so, I'd use that to tell them about this and see if they'll give you a face to face appointment.

You do need to see a gp, so I urge you to book an urgent appointment if you have to go through reception - it's not something to wait 2 weeks or so for the chance to speak to a gp. Also don't be afraid to put an appointment ahead of any seminars or lectures, your tutors should understand.

Speak to your personal tutor if you can, even if you're not asking for specific support it's useful and they might be able to help you access student support services too.

I get sleep paralysis too, fairly often, and I have done since I was a teenager (am now 45). I've found it happens more often if I go to bed stressed. Reading before sleep really helps. Not sure what else to offer, but I do sympathise. It's really disconcerting when it happens and it does fuck with your mind a bit. Pm me if you want. X

This may sound insane but worked for me so may be worth a go. I would say in my head 'Gran I need your help' and would get a fizzy feeling and wake up and be okay.

I've been having sleep paralysis for years.

I'm now able to understand what it is when it's happening. It helps a bit to say "I know what this is, I'm ok, I'm ok".

It's so awful though.

Yes, it's Sleep Paralysis and it's a truly horrendous thing to experience. I've had it on and off since 13 years old, now in my 50s, not so much nowadays, but still occasional. It is extremely disturbing. It is horrible.

Like EdieLedwell above says, if you can try to rationalise it, try to recognise, "hang on, it's this again, not a threat, just sleep paralysis, something my body/mind does for a minute or so when it's not in synch." If you can hang on to that, and even make the smallest movement with hand or foot to break the paralysis, or the smallest squeak or croak with your voice.

It's sort of your brain waking up from sleep, still in a dream state, when your physical body is still fast asleep and unresponsive, sort of thing, as I understand. But a bit more complicated too!

Best wishes with it, though.

Op I’ve had sleep paralysis before and it’s horrible. I feel like I’m being crushed.

id go to your GP. I think it’s a vicious cycle of being stressed but stress causing this.

hope you get some respite soon

Doesn’t sound crazy. It’s sound very useful. It’s quite beautiful really

The things you are seeing a hypagognic hallucinations. I get them and find that turning the light on straight away makes them vanish. You may need to skip a day of uni to go see your gp. They will reccomend practising sleep hygiene as a first step. So I'd start that now while you wait for an appointment, also have a look at your diet , are you eating late? Not eating enough?

I have night terrors and sleep paralysis. I find it is easier to manage once I know what it is, and say to myself “I’m safe, it’s ok”.
I discovered that when I eat cheese it is far worse. No idea why. Port Salut cheese (which I love) gave me the worst night terror ever. I haven’t eaten it since.

I had these and so did my youngest. What helped me was bringing a rather large cuddly toy into bed with me and hanging on to it. A pillow as I got older. Feel a bit silly writing this down but it helped my son too. They are terrifying so I really feel for you.

Please read this to the end and don't be put of by the mention of church etc. Mine started at around 12 years of age and stopped around 8 years ago (I'm in my 40's). I tried absolutely everything and the only thing that worked was praying before bed and attending church every now and again. You kind find plenty of prayers for protection and against evil with a simple google search.
I say 'I rebuke you in the name of Jesus' and it would go away. I kept up regular prayers and everything stopped. I would also stop using any alcohol, smoking, recreational drug use etc
If you knew me, you'd know I'm not some happy clappy religious nut, but I really had tried everything and affected my life so much that I was afraid to go to sleep for so many years. Now I love my sleep and bed (my children now wake me up every night instead!)
I would still go to the GP to let them know what's going on though. Best of luck

While you wait for a GP appointment can you try something like a nightlight or a star projector? You can get some really pretty ones and it might help ground you a bit. Or perhaps trying sleeping with the TV on or something calming music?

Hopefully some short term sleep meds will help to break the cycle. I know that fear of falling asleep and its horrible.

@OOvavuuu I had a friend who used to get horrible nightmares and they stopped after she started sleeping with a (small) Bible under her pillow.

I’m so sorry, I get these occasionally and it is terrifying. It’s a bit of a long shot but there’s a connection for some people with celiac and gluten intolerance, so might be worth exploring.

One hint for when in the midst of sleep paralysis is to try wiggling your toes. This can break it.

Hi OP, no experience with night terrors here but plenty with insomnia. I'm sorry, it sounds awful.

Part of what us disconcerting, if I hear you right, is that this started when you were in a good place, quite randomly. I wonder - was there any change in your diet, medications, sleeping pattern? Hormonal changes? It may be worth going over that.

I too find that it becomes harder to go to bed after bad nights. Hardly surprising really. Find a pleasant way of procrastination/of distracting yourself but don't let it become an essential part of your sleeping routine.

Interesting that so many ('') people find that appealing to a higher power helps. I'd prefer gran over God...

Op you mentioned colours and screaming in your ears- this could be something neurological- not just terrors- not to scare you but I’d pay for a private mri scan on NHS- clear up any worries on that end- then seek the meds for night terrors.

Not to worry you but kaleidoscope vision is not a good sign,
i had it in my left eye, from an eye migraine and i was blind in that eye for about 30 minutes
Go to doctor and get checked up dont forget to mention the word kaleidoscope Vision, as well as the nightmares it could all be connected

I have had sleep paralysis a few times before and it’s dreadful. Usually when I’m massively stressed. One tip I read was not to try and sit up or make a big movement on waking but start by wiggling your fingers or toes, do small movements and you should wake properly.

Sympathies, it’s awful 😞.

I had this and have migraines. Addressing the migraines made it go away in the medium term.
What also helped is asking yourself during the day ‘am I awake’ whenever you think to do so (a piece of jewellery can help you remember). At some point you will start asking yourself the question when asleep and this stops the nightmare.
Reading a lot about sleep paralysis helped me relax when it happened and realise what it was while it was happening and then it stopped or was very brief.
I also read about exploding head syndrome before I ever had it so again that didn’t freak me out (I mention it because I think it’s related to sleep paralysis iirc).

I experience nightmares a lot and it used to be very bad.

My advice is to go to bed as early as possible and read a book that’s not scary.

When you are over tired or stressed these become much worse, which you’re going to be if you’re fighting yourself falling asleep.

I absolutely hate sleep paralysis, it’s the scariest thing I’ve ever experienced.

They say to recognise that that’s all it is and your mind has woken up but not your body yet.
So instead of panicking you need to focus on trying to wiggle your fingers or toes. Once you’ve done that you can start trying to move your arms or legs etc until your whole body has feeling again.

I get sleep paralysis quite often, unfortunately. Vivid, awful dream, wake up, can’t move, sense of doom and I can see a weird shadow / demon. Very, very scary as I can’t even call out.