Does this sound like sleep paralysis?

[Kelix]

OK Ive not had this for a while but it happened last night:

I fell asleep (I think) then DD woke up, so I went into her room and settled her. Got back into bed and tried to go back to sleep.

Next thing I know Im awake and staring at the ceiling, I feel scared but dont know why. Then I hear DD crying again, go to get up but realise I cant move. Start thinking to myself 'this is just a dream, Ill be fine'. But then start to hear different noises, cant exactly remember every detail but defiantly banging and then I heard my DP saying 'its raining outside'.

I had this feeling before so tried not to panic. I stayed calm and tried slowly to move my arms. I managed to move and grab my DP on his leg, I squeezed him softly as I didnt really want to wake him. I eventually came round and realised I had been grabbing myself.

Once I was awake I kept almost dropping back into it. Black would flash across my mind and every time I almost nodded off I could feel myself slipping back into not being able to move. I had to stay awake for about an hour before I felt comfortable to go back to sleep.

On other occasions Ive felt like I was wide awake and someone was trying to pull me from my bed.

Ive never had visions of ghosts or monsters or anything like that. Its always normal things that scare me when Im in this state.

Any advice or if anyone else has experienced this I would be grateful if you shared your stories.

Sorry for any typos or if I dont make complete sense, I dont really feel like Ive woken up at all today! Feel like if I close my eyes Ill fall asleep

I've definitely had that and didn't know until recently that it has a name - sleep paralysis.

I've only had it a couple of time in my life, both at times of great tiredness and low general health. Also, for some reason I only get it if sleeping on my back.

It is so weird - you think to yourself 'the reason I can't get up is becuase this is actually a dream' but the feelings get more and more intense don't they and you realise that you are actually awake but that your body won't move. It's so scary. You think 'but what if somebody breaks in, and I can't move'.

I can think of two occasions where I finally managed to break the paralysis by 'screaming' - actually making a horrible, scary grunting noise that horrified DP and woke us both properly.

Easy answer is make sure you get enough sleep etc but what chance of that with small kids in the house.

I get sleep paralysis when I'm exhausted. Sensations of people sitting on the bed, things happening around me, hearing burglars. Huge sense of terror and not being able to move or speak. It is horrible isn't it.

Morris is right, improving the amount of sleep you get can help.

I get this really often, i have Fibromyalga and i often completley skip a stage of sleep, its really bloody scary as when i get it i am awake but can't move or breath and i freak out. I also do things in my 'sleep' i have beaten DP up quite badly in my sleep and destroyed my room.

I seem to get it every time I fall asleep on the sofa. It's absolutely terrifying, even though I say to myself "you're fine, it's just a dream, go back to sleep", I get more and more agitated. Fortunately I never get it at night.