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Original poster

Sleep paralysis / hypnopompic hallucinations

24 replies

smugmumofboys · 09/03/2009 20:36

Thanks to mumsnet, I have discovered that I don't 'see dead people' in my sleep but that I actually suffer from sleep paralysis or hypnopompic hallucinations.

After a gap of over a year since the last one, I had my most terrifying last night. I 'woke up' to see a white, hoodied,faceless figure climbing over DH to get to me. I screamed and woke DH.

My heart was racing. It was so terrifying.

I know what it is, rationally, but would like to know if anyone has found any 'cure' for them. Or do I just have to accept that they are an occasional part of my sleep experience?

OP posts:
Original poster
smugmumofboys · 09/03/2009 20:43

.

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Original poster
smugmumofboys · 09/03/2009 20:58

Nobody?

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MitchyInge · 09/03/2009 21:00

I've had that and have started threads about it in the past, under some other name and probably long gone now

have you looked up 'old hag syndrome'? my experiences have been like that

badgermonkey · 09/03/2009 21:03

I haven't 'cured' them, but finding out what it was made it a LOT more bearable and not scary at all. In fact once I was having a SP episode and I thought "oh yes, here we go again, I wonder what will happen if I just go with it?" and I treated it like an experiment. I realised that because I knew what it was, I couldn't wake myself up (never have managed to do that, tried all the tricks though) but I could choose what happened in my dream! Very weird but quite cool!

I found not napping or sleeping on the settee helps. I very rarely get them during a normal night's sleep.

MitchyInge · 09/03/2009 21:04

since I stopped sleeping on my back I haven't had it for a while but it used to happen over and over again in phases, awful

this link might be helpful, it's where I got the idea to not sleep on my back - you're supposed to grow out of it but I'm 38 and it's happened frequently throughout my life, since pre-teen days

MitchyInge · 09/03/2009 21:06

(I also try 'saying' the Lords Prayer because I feel like I am being attacked by demons, not stuff I exactly believe in during the day but the sense of evil is overwhelming and scary!)

RaspberryBlower · 09/03/2009 21:18

I agree that it definitely helps if you can sort of catch yourself doing it and purposefully tell yourself to relax.

In fact I can quite enjoy them sometimes as can have 'out of body' experiences and sometimes also have dreams that I can 'direct'. I've had them since a teenager, and still get them at 37, although probably less frequent.

Mind you, yours and Mitchy's sound scarier than mine.

Stress makes it more likely, and also sleeping during the day.

Original poster
smugmumofboys · 09/03/2009 21:55

Thanks for the replies. DH nicked the laptop so I couldn't check back sooner.

I certainly don't nap during the daytime but I probably do end up asleep on my back although I naturally snuggle down on my side.

II'm not sure that I can stop myself lying on my back.

Last night's was so terrifying. I almost ffeel scared to go to bed now.

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Lionstar · 09/03/2009 22:08

I haven't had one for ages - probably since before conceiving DD, so almost 3 years. Had them pretty consistently before then, but never got the really scary ones - mostly floating/flying and sometimes the feeling of a 'presence' in the room/sitting on the end of the bed/pressing my chest. I could identify them, then just concentrated really hard on moving my fingers, the moment I could move a muscle I snapped back to reality.

solidgoldbrass · 09/03/2009 22:12

Have you spoken to your GP? I think there may be some mild medication you can take to stop them happening. It's not something I suffer from (I get auditory hallucinations when very tired or stressed but - again - knowing what they are makes them totally unscary). However I did once attend a brilliant talk about this sort of thing: it's what most cases of 'alien abduction' are down to - and ISTR the speaker saying that it was possible to control the episodes with medication but can't remember the exact details.

Candlewax · 09/03/2009 22:26

I too suffer very occasionally from sleep paralysis, in fact twice in my adult life and it happens when I am under extreme stress. The first time there was someone actually sitting on my chest, in a hooded garment, just sitting there. Because I am paralyised, I cannot move, scream or do anything.

The second time, we were in a rented house after a fire (told you it was in times of extreme stress) and there was an old woman holding bed linen with a maid beside her, almost as if they wanted me to get out of the bed to change the sheets and they were not happy with me!

I have to say that the two times it has occured have been very horrific and terriying.

ches · 10/03/2009 04:06

I have suffered from SP for as long as I can remember and it actually got WORSE as I got older, but also due to other stresses. Since I diagnosed SP, however, it hasn't happened as I've known what it was IYSWIM and been able to snap out of it. Being stressed makes it worse, so if there's any way to remove any anxiety/stress from your life...

Pinkglow · 10/03/2009 21:05

I dont suffer from this but watched a documentry on this a few years ago which featured ppl which this happen to practically every night. Unfortunately there wasnt any help in the end for them so it was something they had to live with must be terrifying

annoyingdevil · 10/03/2009 21:26

Never sleep on your back and try not to become too sleep deprived. Touch wood, I haven't had one for ages

Mostly, they are horrific, but I did have a couple that I managed to 'direct' in a rather satisfying way

RaspberryBlower · 10/03/2009 21:34

Lol annoyingdevil - you've implied what I didn't have the courage to!

DreamyLady · 10/03/2009 21:41

I've had SP a few times, where I couldn't move, only really terrifying twice. I have an idea that the sensation of evil/terror maybe precedes the images, which your brain makes up to explain the sensation. Its wierd cos i don't believe in the superatural but that's the sensation you get - I'm sure its a brain chemistry thing. Also I read somewhere that memory/sleep work wierdly together - sometimes you experience memory of something in your sleep before the actual sensing bit of your brain sends it to your conscious brain - so it seems as though your brain has 'predicted' the event leading up to, for eg an alarm going off by making it fit into the dream.

I can't say if there was a pattern to when the SPs happened, but I've always been lying on my back too.

Haven't had one for years (I'm 38 now)

Also i dream in colour (not everyone does apparently) and had my one and possibly only lucid dream at the age of about 7. If you get all these things too it might not be much comfort but maybe our brains are just wired a certain way, perhaps we're just a bit more evolved than average

Rindercella · 10/03/2009 21:46

I used to get SP a lot. Thankfully I haven't experienced it for several years now. Horrible, horrible, horrible. A couple of people have mentioned stress. I used to be very nervy, and get stressed out very easily. I wonder if you are under any stress at the moment?

I really feel for you and hope you stop suffering from this soon.

Original poster
smugmumofboys · 11/03/2009 21:51

Just wanted to pop back to say thank you for all your replies. Lots of food for thought.

I have a question if anyone is around / interested. It's something I came across on a sleep forum. If it's an hallucination and is just a 'brain chemistry' thing, why can't it be 'nice'?

Why don't I hallucinate that I'm lying on a tropical beach rather than faceless creatures coming to get me??

I'm still not sure how i stop myself from sleeping on my back.

OP posts:
Original poster
smugmumofboys · 11/03/2009 21:51

Just wanted to pop back to say thank you for all your replies. Lots of food for thought.

I have a question if anyone is around / interested. It's something I came across on a sleep forum. If it's an hallucination and is just a 'brain chemistry' thing, why can't it be 'nice'?

Why don't I hallucinate that I'm lying on a tropical beach rather than faceless creatures coming to get me??

I'm still not sure how i stop myself from sleeping on my back.

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Original poster
smugmumofboys · 11/03/2009 21:52

oops

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Original poster
smugmumofboys · 11/03/2009 22:09

.

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Rindercella · 11/03/2009 23:10

That's a very good point Smug, and I do not know why they can't be nice experiences instead of the bloody horrible ones we have suffered. It could be down to stress. Sorry, I know I said that in an earlier post, but it's only because I remember I used to be very nervy, very stressed about all sorts of things (wish I still was in some ways as I would still be a size 8 lol!!). So for me, my experience meant that stressed = bad dreams. In my case, it was feeling as if a ghost had decided to sleep in my bed, so was lying on top of me.

One tip on sleeping on your back. IIRC, SP happens mainly when you first fall asleep. If that's the case with you, try to fall asleep on your side, then hopefully you could get in to a deep sleep before you roll onto your back thereby avoiding SP? Not sure if this would work, but worth a try.

Hope you have happy dreams tonight

(and sorry to go on about stress)

annoyingdevil · 12/03/2009 22:50

Smugmum, I think it may have something to do with a fear of the dark as I have only experienced the horrific ones at night time. Whenever, I've had them during lie-ins(many child-free years ago) I've been able to 'direct' them in 'nice,way

usernamechanged345 · 12/03/2009 22:55

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