sometimes when i wake up I can't move any part of my body except my eyelids, for a few minutes. why is this?

Question

sometimes when i wake up, i cannot move any part of my body even an inch except my eyes and eyelids for about 2 minutes. i can still control breating too, but this scares me when this happens. it stops after a whiel or if someone touches me. why is this? what is going on when this happens?

Answer 1

That happens to me too, and it's scary alright. It's like you're having an out-of-body experience, you can't move a muscle. Anyway, it's a condition called sleep paralysis. It's when your mind is awake but your body is still sleeping. Usually this happens to me when the night before I'm really really tired, overstressed, or lack enough good sleep. When this happens, I try to concentrate on my hands and feet first so I can get them to move little by little and wake up.

You can check these sites to learn more about sleep paralysis:
http://www.stanford.edu/~dement/paralysis.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_paralysis
http://www.sleepeducation.com/Disorder.aspx?id=34
http://www.sleepsa.com/paralysiseng.html

Answer 2

I don't know the name of it but it has happened to me a few times. The last time it happened I was sick as a dog, I think another time was following a surgery. It is scary, but perfectly normal. I always just close my eyes again and eventually I will wake up with all body parts working again. Your brain works, your body does not, technically I guess you are still sleep. Don't worry about it, but if you feel my suggestion isn't enough, call your doctor or at least a nurse at your local hospital.

Answer 3

that sounds kinda scarey! Tell ur doctor!

sometimes i wake up and my arm is numb or my leg, but i think thats from sleeping on it and having a hard platform bed.
good luck.

Answer 4

it has to do with your body's sleep cycles. when your body is at a certain stage of sleep, your muscles become paralyzed. It is possible that you might wake up during this stage.

Answer 5

there is a sleeping disorder similar to this, i would check with a doctor. my grandmother, fater and sister have all experienced this or something similar, usually after anasthesia. chect out his site: http://sleepdisorders.about.com/od/sleepparalysis/
it has links to a bunch of sites that will give you more info

Answer 6

Mybe you had an out of body experinece that you don't recall having

Answer 7

Maybe your brain is awake but your body is still sleeping?

Answer 8

one, u can't control your breathing.secound the reason why u can't move because your mind is awake but your body is not. its nonething to worry about.but i tell you what thats the best way to wake up..........

Answer 9

Talk to your doctor since you are worried about it.

Could be signs of Lyme disease.

Answer 10

It's called sleep paralysis. Look it up.