Does anyone else have a Dp/H that suffers sleep paralysis?

[TheDevilWearsPrimark]

Just wondering if you can share your experiences, is it scary to see?

I haven't slept with my DP yet, but he has told me about this and I am just curious really.

He too can't move but his eyes are wide open, for him it can last for up to 10 minutes. He has told me some really scary stories, such as he can see a figure standing over him nd strangling him.

Sounds terrifying for him, but I suppose yes it wouldn't be for me. He is in shock when he comes out of it though, and often short of breath.

Is yours not so extreme?

I used to have sleep paralysis, but other than slightly raised beathing apparently don't show any signs of it. As the person is paralysed they literally can't move or thrash about or do anything like that so it's not possible to see anything I guess.

I believe the cause is that your body releases a chemical when you fall asleep to paralyse your muscles apart from your essential ones so that you don't act out your dreams and thrash about/sleepwalk etc. Those with sleep paralysis wake up but the brain hasn't counteracted the chemical so even though their brain is active, their limbs are paralysed. Once you snap out of it, you can move again and it's just like normal.

I've had this for years and I always feel that there is someone in the room who is standing over me and is going to kill me if I don't wake up. It's really very scary but at least I know now that what I have to do is to wake up and I'm okay. I've always asked my husband to wake me up when he hears me making strange noises as it means I'm screaming my head off in the dream.

I'm always very grateful to be taken out of it and find it much more difficult when he's not around and I have to get myself out of it.

To you I guess he'll just appear to be asleep. Ask him if he'd rather get you to shake him gently to wake him up - he may be less shocked if he comes out of it early.

Thats interesting jaydubs I did wonder about leaving him to it, or if it would be dangerous to try to wake him.

I guess we will have to talk more about this.

mrspickles he has them fairly often, hes had three since I met him (around 6 weeks ago)

He has told me he can feel he will have one in the hours before he goes to bed. He too says a feeling of overtiredeness but also his mind tends to race.

I've had this since I was a teenager and only knew it was a known phenomenon about 10 years ago when I happened to watch a TV programme that mentioned it. Before that we accepted it was something that runs in the family. My mother, grandfather, brother and neice all have/had it. It even has a name where I was brought up it's so common (called The Mara which is the same root as nightmare).

Definitely ask him how he wants you to deal with it. In my experience it's a huge relief to be woken up rather than left to the terror (and I don't use the word lightly) that can be felt.

I also suffer from this and it is terrifying. I haven't had one for a while - touch wood- but I often wake up 'screaming' although DH can't hear it.

My worst one involved a faceless, hooded figure climbing over DH towards me. So scary. I can't get back to sleep for a while afterwards as my heart is racing.

Maybe, talk to him or just be awake for him when he comes out of one. Unlike DH who rolls over snoring.

I suffer very mildly compared to you lot and it is still terrifying!
I would second waking him and offering water. I sometimes am so exhausted that I fall straight back into it once I am going to sleep (again)and then have to wake up again! Yikes! The only thing that helps if I feel it coming is snuggling into DPs Armpit :(

I have it but usually only when I sleep alone!

It's rarely ever occurred when I've slept beside someone.

I'd give anything to be woken. I can hear my own strangled/silent screaming as I wake up, it's absolutely terrifying.

The figure's widely known as The Hag, I think.

I get them too. I normally hear a whooshing noise then whispering of a language that is unrecognisable. I have only seen a figure once.

Anyhoo my DP has always slept through them even though im trying to scream (which comes out as dribble)

I would love to be someone to get me out of it as its very frightening

Yes my DP has this too but fortunately not very often - the heavy breathing/panting and slight whining/moaning noises are signs that he's having this like if he's having a nightmare I guess.

If it wakes me up I just try to comfort him and tell him its ok and he comes out of it.

He says he can tell when it's going to happen as he hears/sees things (voices/shadows etc) as he's falling to sleep.

Me and DP have had this, but DP calls it lucid dreaming. It's awful, you're trapped in your body fully conscious but you can't physically move. When it happens to me I'm usually in the middle of some horrific nightmare and I'm trying to fight someone off/run away etc and I can't move my arms or legs.

[shudder]

sorry.

oh, and we think DS has started having them too.

Definitely ask him if he wants to be woken from them (I certainly would!)

DH has this fairly regularly. I know nothing about it until he suddenly 'jumps' out of it. It is scary, in the same way that night terrors are in children (DS2's forte).

I had the suffocating, evil presence, type for years. It feels as if you're going to die an unspeakable death. I was ever so relieved when I learned it's a common phenomenon with a name! Haven't had it since I moved here, so I think it must be stress-related although there are no known causes. It's scary but not harmful.

I pull myself out of it by reciting the Lord's Prayer (I'm not religious, this is just what I decided on when I was young.) Ask him if he'd like you to wake him up gently.