I was babysitting my friend's little girl, and I put her down for a nap. Well, I went and laid down on the couch, while she was sleeping on her bed. I felt like i'd just drifted off to sleep, when I heard her crying. So, i'm trying to get up and get to her...but I could not move. It felt like I was literally paralyzed, and I couldn't open my eyes. So, in the meantime, I still hear her crying, and i'm beginning to panic because I can't get to her. Finally, after it literally felt like I had to wrench myself out of my own body, I was able to open my eyes and get up. So, I went into the bedroom to check on her, and guess what? She was still asleep. There were no tear tracks on her face, and no sign that she'd even moved from the position she was in when I left her after she fell asleep. Does this sound like sleep paralysis to you, or just a dream? Do people normally imagine hearing things when this paralysis occurs? Anyone ever experience this? How do you prevent it?
2006-11-07 07:32:35 · 10 answers · asked by LibraT 4 in Social Science ➔ Psychology
Sounds like a combination between the two. Sleep paralysis occurs when the brain wakes up before your body does.
However, in my experience, the paralysis doesn't come along with hearing things or other hallucinations. But I've had it happen before where I bolt out of a bad dream and into the paralysis.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_paralysis will give you some good details on sleep paralysis
2006-11-07 07:38:45 · answer #1 · answered by spacekadt 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have had this happen to me before.... but not since I was in my 20's. I have always assumed it had to do with sleep deprivation. After I actually dozed off I felt like I had been on an express elevator to the deepest level of sleep possible. And then, for some reason, something would wake my conscious mind while my body was still in the deep zone. Ironically, this happened to me while I was babysitting too! Altogether I'd say it happened maybe 6 times over a 15 year period from my early teens to the latter part of my 20's. It was scary to say the least. Hope it helps to at least know you're not the only one!!
2006-11-07 16:09:53 · answer #2 · answered by quickgirl 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sleep paralysis occurs during REM sleep in order to prevent the body from manifesting the sleeper's dreams. Sometimes the brain is awakened from a 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. This state may be accompanied by hallucinations, which is what you experienced.
Sleep paralysis can be very scary. It happened to me once as I was drifting into sleep but not completely asleep. I had been reading about out-of-body experiences earlier that day, and I guess it stayed in my subconscious. I began to feel like I was being elevated out of my body, still in a horizontal sleeping position. I heard strange, whirring or whistling (I don't remember, it was a couple of years ago) noises. I was really frightened and I tried to move but couldn't..I felt pain, so I started to continuosly say to myself to go back to my body until I woke up. It was so creepy it took me like 3 hours to fall asleep that night...
Well I hope this helped. Good luck!
2006-11-07 15:53:22 · answer #3 · answered by msdrosi 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sleep paralysis occurs when your body starts to awaken but your mind is still in REM (dream-stage) sleep. While the mind is active, it's difficult to move your arms or legs at all. Though it can be frightening, it's not an indicator that something is wrong.
If you are aware that you can't move, then you have some level of lucidity. If this happens in the future, try telling yourself that you are having a dream and that nothing is wrong.
2006-11-07 16:49:00 · answer #4 · answered by izzy_a_dumas 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't know what this is called but it happens to me every once in a while. It's like I think someone is in my room and I know I need to open my eyes and LOOK but I can't, it is very scary. Funny thing is I can't even hear my husband snoring and that is rare! LOL
Anyway, I would not call this merely a dream. I think our minds are really active telling our eyes to open or our body to move but the connection is gone.
2006-11-07 15:36:08 · answer #5 · answered by BlueSea 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
During REM sleep, the stage during which we dream, all voluntary muscles of the body are indeed paralyzed. This is why REM sleep is the most comforting, btw. It also explains why, when you awaken from a scary dream, for a split second, you literally cannot move a muscle. This is completely normal physiology for everyone.
2006-11-07 15:41:41 · answer #6 · answered by jurydoc 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I suffer from occasional sleep paralysis and its a very scary..
Unfortunatly, there is nothing any doctor can do for me , or at least it is what they tell me..
It happens more when Im stressed out or major things happen in my daily life..
2006-11-07 15:35:56 · answer #7 · answered by The Chesire Cat 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I never experienced he dream part of it but occasionally, i have had the sleep part where i feel like i cant get up or open my eyes and i want to. i feel paralysed. i thought i was the only one it happened to.
in your case, i would think it was in your dream that you heard the child crying.
2006-11-07 15:36:48 · answer #8 · answered by whiteoleander3388 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Spirita explains your dreams
Visit http://spirita.blogspot.com/ and post your question as a comment. You'll get your FREE dream interpretation (as a comment, too) shortly. Just remember where you posted your question, your dream interpretation will be under the same section.
2006-11-08 13:01:34 · answer #9 · answered by Spirita 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
merely a dream
2006-11-07 15:33:45 · answer #10 · answered by davidd 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋