Lucid dream...or something else??

Question

This has only happened to me two or three times but I am concerned it might happen again. I will be sleeping soundly realized I am dreaming and wake myself up. However, when I do wake up my body is paralyzed I can only see what is going on around me and what I see is usually foggy...like looking through a dirty glass. This will go on for about 10 or 20 mins before I am able to pull myself out of this state. When I get out of this paralyzed state it's like surfacing after being under water for as long as you can bare.

I have lucid dreams a few times a month but this didn't seem anything like that. It was terrifying...being conscious but not able to move or respond....

Answer 1

Sleep paralysis is a condition in which someone about to fall asleep, or just upon waking from sleep, realizes that they are unable to move or speak, but can still breathe and move their eyes. I like to call this "half-asleep/half-awake" stage the "twilight" stage. Your conscious mind has begun to drift into sleep but is not yet there, therefore you still retain a small amount of your waking conscious. It is a very transitory stage indeed, and one that seems to leave you "open" to certain experiences you would not otherwise be receptive to when fully conscious or fully asleep. It is also accepted by most researchers that although this can happen in any sleeping position, it most commonly occurs in the supine position (laying on your back).

Once the person realizes they are unable to move, they usually, but not always, leave this "twilight" stage and become fully awake, but still paralyzed. At this point the experience can go either way. The person may only experience a temporary paralysis, and after several seconds or up to a minute or so would then regain their movement and the event would be over. Researchers believe many people experience this at one point in their lives.

Answer 2

It is a medical condition called, “Sleep Paralysis”. Not serious...though quite frightening, I'm sure. My friend would get this a few times a year in her late teens, but she (25 yrs. now) hasn’t mentioned it since.

I recall her waking in a complete state of paralysis. This was sometimes accompanied by a shortness of breath, often from an oppressive weight on her chest. She presumed that a lewd invisible spirit pinned her down. She was conscience. She could see, but blurry. She could hear, but most was a cacophony of white noise or blaring clamor. Her attempts to scream were futile and she remained in this helpless state for a near 15 minutes.

I was stunned and asked others if they ever heard of or experienced a similar phenomenon. Surprisingly, it is not uncommon, but since most people only have one or two such experiences, they write them off as dreams.

Sleep Paralysis occurs when there is a ‘short circuit’ in the switching mechanism between the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions of the nervous system. These two divisions function in opposition to each other—the sympathetic division typically functions where a quick response is required, while the parasympathetic division functions when no immediate action is needed. For an analogy, think of the sympathetic division as the accelerator "fight or flight" and the parasympathetic division as the brake "rest and digest".

When sleeping, the body turns on the parasympathetic division, which automatically switches off the sympathetic division. This prevents the sleeper from acting out dreams and insures a restful sleep essential for cell revitalization. This relationship is better illustrated in the decrease of a man’s erection (parasympathetic) once climax is reached (sympathetic).

I read that wiggling your extremities can help “break out”. However, if you are concerned, consult with a neurologist.

Answer 3

I am not sure if you are a religious person or not, but I work with alot of people that have dreams very similar to this one that you are describing.

What it is exactly is that your sub-conscience is caught between two worlds in a sense and the only way to release it from the negative world is to overpower it with your faith.

Now you're probably going to think I am nuts but this has been proven to work on quite a few people that I have worked with... If you place a small (maybe pocket sized) bible under your pillow or mattress where your head is, you will notice that these dreams will not continue.

Please try it and let me know how it works for you.

Good Luck,
Dark Angel of Dreams

Answer 4

Read some of Sylvia Browne's books about the paranormal. Supposidly you had an out of body experience which happens to everyone about once a week while sleeping, most people just don't remember them. When your body is sleeping, you're spirit is supposed to go anywhere including a visit to the "other side." The reason you couldn't move is because you weren't in your body, your spirit was trying to get back in your body.

Answer 5

i continually experience the discomfort and thoughts when I dream. i think when I cave in a flight of stairs, ive felt dizzy when I regarded down a cliff in my dream too. Its cool having lucid targets the superb option!

Answer 6

I would not take any chances and go see a physician. You might have something taking place physically in your body or brain that needs to be addressed by a doctor. It could be nothing, but don't take any chances with your health.

Answer 7

Sleep paralysis
Pretty common for teenagers and usually corrects itself on its own (you brain fixes it). http://www.sleepnet.com/rest6/messages/231.html
Since its only happened a couple of times..I wouldn't worry.
The site i posted has a few ideas on how to take the helpless and scary feeling away.

Answer 8

Go to a doctor and get it check out; I believe this is more than a dream.