Sleep Paralysis

[KarateSchnitzel]

I had the most awful experience last night and I just can't shake off a feeling of anxiety or doom.

I've done some research and realised that I experienced a period of sleep paralysis. In fact, now I think about it, I seem to recall experiencing these when I was a lot younger but I think I've put them out of my mind as time has gone on.

I woke up in the middle of the night in a state of terror with this horrible feeling there was someone else in the room with me. I was in a dream like state and was unable to move, open my eyes or speak out. It felt as though someone or something was pushing me down. I think the whole experience probably lasted a few minutes but when I did wake I was absolutely terrified. At first I thought I'd had a nightmare but couldn't understand why I couldn't move or talk. But I now understand all of these symptoms are quite common in sleep paralysis.

I managed to calm myself down within about ten minutes but the whole thing has left me with a very uneasy feeling.

Has anyone else experienced this? Have you worked out any triggers? I'd like to know of other people's experiences so I know I'm not alone or crazy!!

Sorry you experienced this. I get this a lot, worse when I am
anxious, whether I realise I am anxious or not.

It is terrifying. I got to the point I was scared of falling asleep. Then I was tired and it was worse for being tired.

What I have learned to do is immediately recognise it for what it is. That there is no one there, nothing to worry about and I find I snap out of it much faster.

Try to recognise it for what it is, and the symptoms lessen very quickly.

I'm sorry that you experience this on a regular basis, that can't be nice at all!!

Come to think of it, I did have quite a stressful day yesterday so sounds like it could be stress related.

I understand what you mean about telling yourself it's not real. Although it was absolutely terrifying there was something in my mind which knew it wasn't real, if that makes sense. I'll try to remember that if it ever happens again.

I had it once early last year when I first separated from my bow ex husband, so was going through a period of immense stress which I have read it can sometimes be linked to.
It felt like someone or something was dry humping me and I couldn't move a muscle. It then felt like it was sitting on my chest, pushing the air out of my lungs. Very frightening, but haven't had it since thankfully.

I get it after a period of sleep deprivation or disruption.

I get them when I am exhausted and sleep deprived. It is far more likely to happen if I am taking a nap compared to sleeping at night.

Like a PP, I have started to recognise it for what it is and force myself to relax and fall back asleep when I am in that state of partially awake. Then I wake up as normal.

I worked nights for over 30 years
. The last year, I couldn't sleep in the day,so I would be very overtired on my night off
I would go straight into a deep sleep, I could feel myself going and would be hyperventilating.i tried not to go to sleep. Sometimes I would have 3 in a row say thats it I'm getting up
You can talk to yourself,tell yourself to wake up, or concentrate on moving a finger. My DH has the one you described,very rarely. It's believed this is why people think they have ghosts or been abducted by aliens
I used to have night terrors as well, and not so much sleep walk as run
The was before the sleep paralysis

I feel for you! I don't get them so much these days but mine is where I wake up and I can't move at all, I panic that my DH will roll over and I will be smothered, I have to wrench myself out of it - I get them sometimes just falling asleep as well as waking up - I never get that feeling of something else in the room
There's some research on it, worth a look in some research papers

Sleeping on your back can increase the chances of it happening, several family members suffer from this and they focus on trying to move fingers and toes and it helps to bring them out of it. It’s also important to recognise it for what it is so you don’t heighten your anxiety as this and stress can be triggers in themselves. I hope you find a way to manage it that works for you.

I get this when sleep deprived, it's horrible. Usually as I'm falling asleep there'll be a loud buzzing in my ears like loud white noise then the room goes all spooky and eery, I can't move and have had visions of me being dragged out of bed and thrown down the stairs before, it's awful!