Sleep Paralysis & False Awakenings

[tonypaladino]

Inspired by a SMP thread on lucid dreaming.

I somewhat frequently (every couple of months) suffer from sleep paralysis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_paralysis). It is scary as all [censored] hell.

When it happens, I am wide awake, but my body cannot move, I get a feeling of impending death, and auditory and tactile (touching) hallucinations. I try to scream, and I can hear myself screaming so load, but at the same time, can tell that the scream is not escaping my body.

I also get, rarely, False Awakenings (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_awakening). I usually only "fake awake" once before I really wake up, but once, I woke up over and over again about 8 times. I was convinced I was dead.

Do these things happen a lot to anyone else?

[[censored]]

This happened to me about 3 monnths ago. I felt like I could not breath but I wasn't suffocating. I scared the hell out of me as I has not idea what it was at the time. I haven't had one since but I would hope i'm able to recognize what is going on and not panic as I think that made it worse.

[imported_anacardo]

Yes, and yes. My parade of fake wakeups has been known to stretch out to tiresomely epic lengths. I always know because my vision's still blurred and my face is still paralyzed.

[Shillx]

Yeah this is pretty common and I get it all the time. It happens when you are in REM sleep and for some reason become alerted. Your body shuts down your motor skills to prevent you from acting upon your dream (or sleepwalking). It is also something that is likely the cause when you hear people talk about alien abductions. They are in this sort of state and not actually getting taken in by UFO's.

Brad

[dibbs]

I've always had problems with insomnia and chronic fatigue syndrome, which you wouldn't think go together but it sucks.

Never had or heard of sleep paralysis, scary sht though.

I get false awakenings maybe twice a month.

This month I've awakened twice because I wasn't breathing. My throat had closed up, and afterward, my throat was very sore for a while. It sounds like sleep apnea, but both times I was lying on my side, and I'm not overweight nor do I snore so I think it might be something else.

[dibbs]

Jesus man, I'd get that checked out if I were you, and I avoid the doctors whenever possible.

[Vavavoom]

[ QUOTE ]
Inspired by a SMP thread on lucid dreaming.

I somewhat frequently (every couple of months) suffer from sleep paralysis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_paralysis). It is scary as all [censored] hell.

When it happens, I am wide awake, but my body cannot move, I get a feeling of impending death, and auditory and tactile (touching) hallucinations. I try to scream, and I can hear myself screaming so load, but at the same time, can tell that the scream is not escaping my body.

I also get, rarely, False Awakenings (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_awakening). I usually only "fake awake" once before I really wake up, but once, I woke up over and over again about 8 times. I was convinced I was dead.

Do these things happen a lot to anyone else?

[/ QUOTE ]

My step-dad and uncle(mums brother) both suffer from this...

I believe its also called Night Tremors...(sp?)

[brassnuts]

[ QUOTE ]
Yeah this is pretty common and I get it all the time. It happens when you are in REM sleep


[/ QUOTE ]

I'm pretty sure it takes place just before REM sleep.

Regardless, and oddly enough, this thread comes just a week after I realized that I occasionally have night terrors (last week I think I had my 2nd or 3rd ever.) Night terrors are closely related to sleep paralysis. The feeling is extremely eeire. Impending death is almost the same sensation that I recall, but it's pretty hard to describe. Anyways, yeah man, some crazy shiite.

Edit: I'd just like to add that, like everyone, I've always had some nightmares where I wake up just before I die in some way or another. These are not what I'm talking about.

[peachy]

ur lucky u at least know whats going on - many people think its "something" holding them down in bed, etc...its nothing to worry about - ur body will catch up to ur mind, its just the neurons misfiring or not firing at all - in combination with a few other things

when ive had these at times, i have even thought unrationally - that something was holding me down by my arms and chest and that i couldnt breath or scream, when i finally was able to it was extremely hard for me to go back to sleep b/c i felt like something was there - resulting in hypersensitivity to anything for a lil bit

some people go way extreme here and have priest come in and do all sorts of things. Some of the people we had in the sleep lab were also convinced of this, even after showing them a tape of them sleeping. Most would fully engage in it and swear they could see things, even on the tape, tourmenting them and holding them down. The mind hallucinated during these episodes, some worse than others, so i can understand them believing what they saw and felt so strongly

[peachy]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Yeah this is pretty common and I get it all the time. It happens when you are in REM sleep


[/ QUOTE ]

I'm pretty sure it takes place just before REM sleep.

Regardless, and oddly enough, this thread comes just a week after I realized that I occasionally have night terrors (last week I think I had my 2nd or 3rd ever.) Night terrors are closely related to sleep paralysis. The feeling is extremely eeire. Impending death is almost the same sensation that I recall, but it's pretty hard to describe. Anyways, yeah man, some crazy shiite.

Edit: I'd just like to add that, like everyone, I've always had some nightmares where I wake up just before I die in some way or another. These are not what I'm talking about.

[/ QUOTE ]

thats really odd b/c kids past the age of 10 usually dont get night terrors...its extremely rare - from what u described im not sure if thats what ur having - with night terrors u wake up extremely horrified, sometimes crying and cannnot explain why and dont remember anything - this is b/c they occur BEFORE REM sleep

[peachy]

[ QUOTE ]
This happened to me about 3 monnths ago. I felt like I could not breath but I wasn't suffocating. I scared the hell out of me as I has not idea what it was at the time. I haven't had one since but I would hope i'm able to recognize what is going on and not panic as I think that made it worse.

[/ QUOTE ]

uve prolly had a few, frequently people dont always recall them happening b/c it is during REM sleep

[brassnuts]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Yeah this is pretty common and I get it all the time. It happens when you are in REM sleep


[/ QUOTE ]

I'm pretty sure it takes place just before REM sleep.

Regardless, and oddly enough, this thread comes just a week after I realized that I occasionally have night terrors (last week I think I had my 2nd or 3rd ever.) Night terrors are closely related to sleep paralysis. The feeling is extremely eeire. Impending death is almost the same sensation that I recall, but it's pretty hard to describe. Anyways, yeah man, some crazy shiite.

Edit: I'd just like to add that, like everyone, I've always had some nightmares where I wake up just before I die in some way or another. These are not what I'm talking about.

[/ QUOTE ]

thats really odd b/c kids past the age of 10 usually dont get night terrors...its extremely rare - from what u described im not sure if thats what ur having - with night terrors u wake up extremely horrified, sometimes crying and cannnot explain why and dont remember anything - this is b/c they occur BEFORE REM sleep

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm not an expert. And, being a lazy person, I only skimmed over a couple web pages on the subject. But, for the most part, what others described is basically what I recall. It's all very hazy. But, last week I woke up in a jolt. It feels like some strange force has siezed my body. I guess it seemed to have lasted maybe 3-10 seconds before I woke up (again, it's difficult to recall.) Before that, I get a vague sensation that I had been dreaming, but I can't remember what it was about. Anyways, upon waking up, I am terrified of the feeling that had just taken over me. I am at least sure of that.

Oh yeah, and one of the other times that I may have had a night terror, I do remember waking up gently yelling. That time I had no recollection about what I was dreaming about.

Oh yeah again, though I don't think I had night terrors as a child, I used to sleep walk.

[peachy]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Yeah this is pretty common and I get it all the time. It happens when you are in REM sleep


[/ QUOTE ]

I'm pretty sure it takes place just before REM sleep.

Regardless, and oddly enough, this thread comes just a week after I realized that I occasionally have night terrors (last week I think I had my 2nd or 3rd ever.) Night terrors are closely related to sleep paralysis. The feeling is extremely eeire. Impending death is almost the same sensation that I recall, but it's pretty hard to describe. Anyways, yeah man, some crazy shiite.

Edit: I'd just like to add that, like everyone, I've always had some nightmares where I wake up just before I die in some way or another. These are not what I'm talking about.

[/ QUOTE ]

thats really odd b/c kids past the age of 10 usually dont get night terrors...its extremely rare - from what u described im not sure if thats what ur having - with night terrors u wake up extremely horrified, sometimes crying and cannnot explain why and dont remember anything - this is b/c they occur BEFORE REM sleep

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm not an expert. And, being a lazy person, I only skimmed over a couple web pages on the subject. But, for the most part, what others described is basically what I recall. It's all very hazy. But, last week I woke up in a jolt. It feels like some strange force has siezed my body. I guess it seemed to have lasted maybe 3-10 seconds before I woke up (again, it's difficult to recall.) Before that, I get a vague sensation that I had been dreaming, but I can't remember what it was about. Anyways, upon waking up, I am terrified of the feeling that had just taken over me. I am at least sure of that.

Oh yeah, and one of the other times that I may have had a night terror, I do remember waking up gently yelling. That time I had no recollection about what I was dreaming about.

Oh yeah again, though I don't think I had night terrors as a child, I used to sleep walk.

[/ QUOTE ]

this sounds like combo of a few other things but not night terrors - mainly for the fact its not hazy its just not there at all and it doesnt happen while u were dreaming, so the fact u can recall something at all means its something all together different /images/graemlins/laugh.gif

they occur in Stage 4 of sleep (before REM sleep), so no dreams!

Ive had the false awakenings things before numerous times. Its very dissapointing to go about your morning ritual over and over again. I dont think these things are anything to see a doctor over.

[whiskeytown]

I've only had this happen twice -

both times after a mega drinking binge and the alcohol disrupted my sleep - scared the hell out of me.

GL on that

RB

[Notorious G.O.B.]

I've had this. Totally immobile, mute, with a ghost pirate shouting in my face, a la Le Chuck. Ridiculously scary.

[brassnuts]

Here's a good link.

Sleep Paralysis and Associated Hypnagogic and Hypnopompic Experiences. (http://watarts.uwaterloo.ca/~acheyne/S_P.html)

[siccjay]

About a year ago I started logging all my dreams. Right before I went to sleep I would tell myself that I would remember any dreams I had during the night and when they were over I would wake up and write them down. To my surprise it actually worked pretty well. I was remembering at least a dream or 2 every night. I wanted to really get good at controling my dreams, but I got lazy and stopped. Sometimes I get the feeling in a dream that I am in control but it rarely happens. If I practiced a lil I think I could master it.

I've had sleep paralysis. It usually happens when I fall asleep listening to the radio and I wake up, but am unable to move at all. I feel myself reaching for the radio to turn it off, but I have no control of my arm.

[sfer]

I've had off and on sleep paralysis since childhood. Often it's when I'm very tired and I just fall back asleep, so it tends to be mild.

False awakenings suck ass. It's not like I enjoy my morning routine.

[tonypaladino]

[ QUOTE ]
I've had off and on sleep paralysis since childhood. Often it's when I'm very tired and I just fall back asleep, so it tends to be mild.

False awakenings suck ass. It's not like I enjoy my morning routine.

[/ QUOTE ]

My false awakenings rarely get past me getting out of bed. So no one else has ever had them one after another? It was so [censored] scary. All day long I was wondering if I was still dreaming.

[STLantny]

I used to get this all the time. I was paralyzed, soemthing bad was happening in my dream, but I kind of knew it was a dream, but I still screamed, woke my roomate up more than once at 5am.

[Blarg]

I've had the false awakenings, and they can be just weird and kind of cool. But they can also be terrifying when they're nightmares, not only because for the nightmare part, but because I often have just enough consciousness to know that the repeats are cycling, and that I'm due for more and more high points of fear or despair or both. So the anticipation of nastiness and the feeling of its horrible inevitability make it even worse. Strangely, the borderline knowing it's a dream doesn't really do anything to make me able to step back and go, Whew, it's not really real, what a relief. I still bear the full emotional brunt. It's like I get stuck with the worst aspects of fantasy and reality merged into one.

Luckily this happens very, very rarely. I don't even get nightmares very often. I don't think I even had a single one as a kid.