I was just wondering if anyone has felt that, its kinda scarry one time I thought someone was breaking in my place, and I tried to get up or scream and I couldnt move like I was stuck??......
2006-06-13 02:20:16 · 12 answers · asked by summer_dante 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
It's called sleep paralysis.
Sleep paralysis is a condition characterized by temporary paralysis of the body shortly after waking up (hypnopompic paralysis) or shortly before falling asleep (hypnagogic paralysis).
Physiologically, it is closely related to the normal paralysis that occurs during REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. Sleep paralysis occurs when the brain is awakened from an REM state into essentially a normal fully awake state but the bodily paralysis is still occurring. This causes the person to be fully aware, but unable to move. In addition, this state is usually accompanied by hypnagogic hallucinations (thinking someone is breaking in or otherwise threatening you, etc.)
The sleep paralysis persists anywhere from a few seconds to minutes before the person is able to either return to REM sleep or to become fully awake. However, the sense of how much time has gone by is often distorted during sleep paralysis.
You can search online for more information; there's a wealth of it available! =)
2006-06-13 02:27:57 · answer #1 · answered by circe 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It has happened to me many times. The first time was when I was about 18. I was scared and didn't know what it was. I did some research and the only things I could find out were that it was sleep paralysis and that it couldn't be explained. The other is that you are having an out of body experience and you are awakened suddenly and it takes time for your body to readjust.
Have you heard of Astral Projection? The times that it has happened to me I was having what I thought was a dream that was so vivid that it seemed real, when I realized that it was more than a dream I snapped back to my body and lay there in bed unable to move, speak, or even scream(which you really want to do when that happens)
Anyway that is the explanation that I am comfortable with.
2006-06-13 09:37:00 · answer #2 · answered by drfrieze 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That's called sleep paralysis, as someone already mentioned. Most everyone experiences it at some point, and some people experience it more often than others.
Here's what's happening: There are two different kinds of sleep, REM and NREM. When you first go to sleep, you're in NREM more often than you're in REM sleep, and vice versa for later in the night. REM sleep is when most dreams happen, and while you're in REM, all your skeletal muscles are relaxed so you can't move. (Result: contrary to popular belief, sleepwalking is NOT "acting out your dreams" -- that's impossible!)
The relaxation and the sleep-state are controlled separately. Normally, your muscles go back to a normal state and you wake up from sleep at about the same time. However, sometimes things get a little out of whack, and you wake up while your muscles are still relaxed. It can take up to a couple minutes to normalize -- that's sleep paralysis.
No need to worry about it.
2006-06-13 09:35:36 · answer #3 · answered by krbear201 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's called Sleep Paralysis. Not fully awake yet, you don't have control of your motor cortex, so you have to wait a second or two.
I've only had it once that I can remember, but my wife does it quite often. It's a scary thing to see, too, unless you know what's happening.
It's interesting, but not so significant.
The second link is for an article about sleep paralysis myths from different cultures.
2006-06-13 09:34:55 · answer #4 · answered by rambling vine 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You were probably having a dream before you woke up. In sleep studies, people were woken up at various times in their sleep cycle, and some of them reported feeling 'paralyzed,' like they couldn't move. The ones who reported paralysis also said they were just having a dream before they woke up. At the REM sleep stage, the one in which you dream the most, your body is almost in a state of paralysis. Interestingly, this is also the stage of sleep at which your mind is the most active.
2006-06-13 09:25:18 · answer #5 · answered by dulcetpurr 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You were still in very deep sleep...it's normal and it has happened to me. You were not actually awake but you were conscious of the fact that you were asleep, hence the "waking dream" where someone broke into your place.
2006-06-13 09:40:58 · answer #6 · answered by psquint 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's called Sleep Paralysis...
2006-06-13 09:23:33 · answer #7 · answered by J.D. 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
every morning since my nervous breakdown bio-polar chemical inbalance they have me on so much med.s i cant even remember who i use to be .i have a 14 and 10 year old kids its not fair to them that meds keep me druged down and feel like nothing
2006-06-13 11:34:47 · answer #8 · answered by mary proof 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not personally, but I've heard about people being scared awake and being in such shok they couldn't even breath.
2006-06-13 09:22:26 · answer #9 · answered by darkside_rob 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sacriest feeling in the world I wonder why it happens?
2006-06-13 09:22:28 · answer #10 · answered by Ali and Pam 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋