Sleep paralysis

Hi everyone

When I was away with my friends last weekend one of them told us about something she doesn't tell many people because she fears some may think her mad.
She told us she suffers something called sleep paralysis which she says is terrifying and feels like someone or something is holding her down when she sleeps. She describes it as what looks like a demon as she sees it but is unable to move or do anything about it. It really did sound very frightening.

I have been reading about it and it is quite common by all accounts and it seems it happens during stressful times in life.

Have you ever suffered it, do you know someone who does and have you heard of it. I hadn't until she told me about it. She said she fears going to sleep because if it but it hasn't happened for a while now thankfully.

Re: Sleep paralysis

I have experienced it only once,i am glad she hasn't had it for a while,and i can relate to the stress situation. poor woman.

Re: Sleep paralysis

Something I've suffered with all my life

Worse thing is you really do believe you are awake and your eyes are open and it's really happening

I always think if I can scream I will wake up and it will stop,mbut of course I can't scream because I'm asleep

Then sometimes you do wake for a split second, but then go straight back into it

I'm also a walker and talker at night

I don't handle stress very well at all

Re: Sleep paralysis

I believe one of our daughters suffers from it occasionally.

Re: Sleep paralysis

LQ

I used to suffer with it all the time when I was younger but only get it occasionally now. when we sleep, the brain paralizes our body to stop us moving around. Sometimes the system goes a bit wrong resulting in either sleep walking or waking up before we can move. i used to wake myself up by jolting my body.

These days I tend to get the opposite where I feel I am being sucked into sleeping before I am ready. Difficult to explain. I don't get the night terrors or demons thankfully.

Believe it or not, these conditions are very common.

There is a website I used to visit which has lots of examples. i will try to find it and send you a link and you can pass it on to your friend if you so wish.

Also, a thread from the past about it;

http://www.over50sforum.com/showthread.php?t=35175

Re: Sleep paralysis

Yes,I suffered from this many many times in the past when I was experiencing a great deal of stress...very frightening,and I hope never to get it again.

Re: Sleep paralysis

Yes here too, often when I was a child and now only if I'm stressed to the hilt. It's horrible and I come out of it feeling very sick and dizzy, not to mention shaking like a jelly..

Re: Sleep paralysis

I've experienced that once - a feeling of extreme tiredness but unable to sleep and when I tried to turn over, lift my legs or my head, had a feeling of being pinned to the bed. A bit like Lemuel Gulliver being held down with ropes by the Lilliputians. It seemed to go on for a long time before I eventually managed to wake myself up and get out of bed.

Re: Sleep paralysis

Exactly, but I bet it's only for a moment though, but it feels like forever..

Re: Sleep paralysis

Thing is if we didn't have it every time we slept badly or had a nightmare we would be running about like headless chickens......