Question: Does anybody suffer from sleep paralysis? What are your thoughts on it?

Question

I suffer from sleep paralysis and would love to talk to other people that either do or have any knowledge on the subject. I have done quite a bit of research on the subject and am interested in both the physical sleep paralysis and the apparantly 'mythological' aspect of this condition(seems real enough to me,lol). Any comments and discussion would be welcome

Thanks Chatelaine, ive actually read the book so i know where you are coming from. It is actually a physical paralysis and you are fully aware of your surroundings and i have read lots on the physical and psychological aspects of this and have done a lot of meditation and shamanic journeying so i understand the workings but its more the mythological aspect im puzzled by and tips on how to improve movement,speech etc.

Answer 1

I have regularly. At first it freaked me out not being able to cry for help or move but being able to see and hear everything around me..

Now I've gotten used to it and use it as a time of contemplation - I usually have a really good day if I manage to manage my sleep paralysis positivly instead of freaking out.

The best one I had included an OOBE where I could see myself and my fiancee on the bed and the cats playing around the bedroom.

She was watching TV and I could "see" and "hear" the TV whilest paralised and when I managed to wake the same thing was still on TV - weird to experience but kinda cool too.

If you would like to email me for a full account please email me and I will be happy to help.

Answer 2

I suffer from sleep paralysis especially when stressed. I know that the paralysis is a physical aspect of sleep so that we don't act out our dreams by moving about.

I also get the feeling that there is someone or something in the room or on the bed, but I'm not sure why I get those feelings.

Its very scary until you can managed to wake up enough to tell yourself that its sleep paralysis.

It is very scary and I've had quite a few episodes this last while.

Answer 3

Do you mean that in your dreams you feel paralyzed, unable to move? I've had dreams like that, but not in a long time. If this is what you're talking about, I think it may be an empowerment issue. I think it's great you're doing so much research on this subject, and that in itself is empowering. There's a website called Tickle where they do all kinds of psychological testing, including analysis of dreams. They may be able to give you more insight into the nature of these dreams. You also might be interested in a book called Women Who Run With The Wolves by Clara Pinkola Estes. She's a psychologist and a cantadora. It's a tradition in many ethnic cultures in which fairy tales serve as an empowerment tool, and passed down from generation to generation. You could probably find a copy of it in a good used book store, or a new copy at an independent bookseller. It's about 11 years old and there's a good chance it could still be in print.

Answer 4

I stumbled on this page accidentally-- I am also a victim (arguable term, but I'd use it:) of sleep paralysis, and I am currently writing an article on the disorder-- specifically on the mystical aspects of it. I'd love anyone interested to email me with personal accounts! my email address is [e-mail]
My own experience started about ten years ago, when I was studying for exams (pretty clear stress trigger, in retrospect) and I had a horrible episode, half-awake, half-asleep, with an intense feeling of an evil presence. My eyes must have been open, because I could see my surroundings clearly, so I felt like I was in a personal conference with the devil.
Naturally-- I was raised Catholic-- otherwise I guess the terror would have taken on another shape. This is what fascinates me though-- the many manifestations of the anxiety related to Sleep Paralysis.
Does anyone see anything pleasant? And how does the spectre, or devil, or succubus, appear to other people?
Anyone who'd like to discuss, please email. . .

Answer 5

I've experienced it a lot---especially when I was living in Hawaii. A former co-worker told me about "Choking" ghosts on the island but I dismissed it as sleep paralysis. However, I had one experience that was different from the rest. I actually felt an unseen hand smother my face and it felt as if I was being choked---I also could not move the whole time.
So-called experts may dismiss it as a nightmare or another form of sleep paralysis, but I was abruptly wakened and I stayed awake after the event occured.
I'm a skeptical individual about the paranormal, but I can't explain what happened.

Answer 6

I have had sleep paralysis once. It took approximately ten minutes between waking up and the ability to move. Interestingly, though I hadn't heard about it before it happened to me, I was not concerned about it. It just didn't seem real at the time. I wondered what was going on, but I didn't worry that it would last. I have wondered in the past whether anyone does it regularly, and what it feels like if it happens several times a month.

Answer 7

I've had it a few times. The first couple of incidents were scary as hell, but once you know the cause, it's fun to enjoy the lucidity of the experience and experiment with ways of breaking the paralysis. I've found that I can wriggle my toes, and in doing so, set off a wave of movement upwards. It can be quite slow, so I will be able to experience the odd feeling of being able to move my legs, but not my arms or head!

I've never had a really "mystical" experience, though... never had the dream of being held down by witches or aliens. Quite disappointing, really.

Answer 8

I've had it once. I saw someone walk into my bedroom, into my line of vision, then out of my line of vision to the side of my bed. I couldn't turn my head to see what he was doing. But then I woke up and could move again. It was freaky, but I understood it as sleep paralysis.
I read ghost stories as a hobby and many talk about being paralyzed and feeling like something is sitting on their chest, holding them down. Sometimes, people say its aliens causing them to be paralyzed. I was watching a show on sleep paralysis that mentioned how what people attributed it too. Before it was ghosts and aliens it was the "night hag". (an archetypal fear of older women).

Answer 9

it rather is an exceedingly exciting and freakish experience. some people have it basically while they nod off and a few do while they're approximately to awaken. Sleep paralysis is likewise linked with narcolepsy for some reason. i've got purely had this experience some circumstances yet i detect it pleasing and frightening on an identical time. There are set subject concerns (monster or evil presence, floating, and so on.) and frequently it rather is an identical topic for the guy experiencing it. For me it rather is alwasy an identical topic, it starts with being thoroughly paralysed yet i prefer to circulate and that i will't. Then as I conflict to circulate I command to my arm to circulate, and extremely I basically decide on the flow upwards into the air at an identical time as my physique maintains to be on the mattress. i'm above my physique and that i know that it rather is impossible to circulate my physique if i'm no longer interior it. So i'm rather suffering to get 'down' and circulate that arm. Then it continuously ends with ultimately having the flexibility to circulate the arm. the different element is that at an identical time as my eyes are closed in the process the experience I see each little thing vaguely and each little thing is in white. i presumed that if I basically grasp the paintings of commanding my physique to circulate at an identical time as i'm no longer in it i could have the flexibility to instruct myself to circulate products without touching them yet somebody advised me that I shouldn't toy with this concept. it rather is frightening yet so intrigueing on an identical time.

Answer 10

Yes and its horrible, i hate the feeling that I'm never going to wake up and when i do i doze off it happens again continuing for a further three or four times and making me panic and feeling horrible. I finally get to sleep with this firmly planted in my brain and scared to go to sleep.
If im really tired then i know for definite it will happen aghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.