Sleep Paralysis


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Has anyone ever had sleep paralysis? Share your experiences if so. I suffered from this intensively for around 9 months then for another 3 months but less and less frequent till it to eventually went away entirely. I was having it 2 or 3 times a night sometimes. My brother and some of his friends also had it.

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I have it and so do my mom, brother, sister, and grandfather (when he was alive). I am grateful my mom had it before me because if she hadn't, I seriously would have believed I was attacked by an evil spirit. Because she yelled in her sleep almost every night with nightmares, followed by sleep paralysis, I knew exactly what it was.

I have had hallucinations with it only twice. The first time and once this last year. The first time was terrifying and happened as I was starting to fall asleep. I was thinking about this football game I had just watched when this horrible feeling came over me, a loud noise in my head that's hard to describe, and I couldn't move or breathe. I heard evil laughter and was able to open my eyes the smallest amount. I saw this dark shadow and the man was shaking my blanket. It felt so real, I could feel the wind on my legs. I started to pray because I thought I was going to die, but then as quickly as it started, I came out of it.

I suddenly sat up and I was furious, looking for the evil man, and wanting to beat the crud out of him for suffocating me. Then I realized it was sleep paralysis and I laughed. Since then, I have learned that sleep deprivation makes it worse and that if I just relax and focux on moving a finger, it is much less unpleasant.

The last hallucination I had, there was an old man who wandered into our apartment and had the wrong place. Again, I was barely able to crack my eyes open and saw him staring at me. I wanted to help him leave, but I couldn't because moving was impossible. I laid there wishing my husband would wake up and show him the door.

My mom is always able to yell when it happens to her. She's lucky because someone can shake her, but my dad is unlucky because it startles him in the middle of the night. :lol:

It was the most frequent after my first son was born. I was in labor for a week and didn't sleep from Wednesday until Monday. Every time I started to fall asleep after I got home, it would start. After attempting a nap many times, I gave up. Sometimes I can make myself go back into full sleep if I relax enough. I know now that I'm not going to die. :)

Also, it is a symptom of Narcolepsy. My mom falls asleep at random times, nothing dramatic like the movies, but a mini nap can make her perk up and sometimes she has to pull over when she's driving.

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Has anyone ever had sleep paralysis? Share your experiences if so. I suffered from this intensively for around 9 months then for another 3 months but less and less frequent till it to eventually went away entirely. I was having it 2 or 3 times a night sometimes. My brother and some of his friends also had it.

is this the one that you have to use a machine to help you breathe when you sleep?
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forgive my ignorance but what is the difference in sleep paralysis and night terrors? i understand with paralysis it's just that you can't move, and night terrors (the ones i've seen) involve sleep walking but aside from that how is what is going on in the brain different?

with the sleep paralysis you are conscious that it's not real at the time it's happening or only after?

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I know with the sleep paralysis that I experienced, I honestly thought that something evil had taken over me. It felt evil and I was helpless to do anything. I remember trying to call out for my parents but couldn't move, couldn't speak, I couldn't do anything. But there was always a feeling of evil with it. I also remember when it was happening I would start singing a hymn in my mind. I finally had my Bishop give me a blessing and it went away. I think I've experienced it 2-3 times since then.

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forgive my ignorance but what is the difference in sleep paralysis and night terrors? i understand with paralysis it's just that you can't move, and night terrors (the ones i've seen) involve sleep walking but aside from that how is what is going on in the brain different?

with the sleep paralysis you are conscious that it's not real at the time it's happening or only after?

YouTube - The Science of Sleep Paralysis

Here is a link to someone trying to explain what they believe causes it. Though this video kind of makes it seem a bit retarded and silly. This isn't how I felt or an accurate description for me but it does explain a lot. This seems to be mainly linked to those people who think they get abducted by aliens. I wouldn't take this guy to be an expert on the subject but it's the best I could do. He seems to be guessing or assuming for a lot of it. Either way I think it's worth watching.

Here is the best video I've found for an accurate description of it. I haven't ever experienced the choking or pressure on the chest though. I don't recall ever hearing feet or any noises either. They add in music to make it seem more scary in this vid.

There are 5 stages to sleep which we go through several times a night. One of the stages is "REM sleep" meaning rapid eye movement. During this period of sleep is when you are thought to be dreaming the most heavily. Your brain releases a chemical that paralyzes your body during Rem sleep. They believe this is to prevent people from acting out their dreams. Those who sleep walk obviously do not have this working properly for them.

Sleep paralysis is where a person is awake during REM sleep but they are still technically dreaming. Because of this, the person is completely paralyzed and unable to move. They believe the reason people see people in the room with them is because they are still technically dreaming. Because of this they are able to hallucinate. Sometimes the person can open their eyes and report seeing demonic figures. Other people talk about aliens abducting them etc but this is most commonly associated with demonic feelings. A person will see and feel as though someone is in the room with them. They may also hear noises such as laughter, shuffling feet, doors opening and closing etc. The first video gives a guess as to why this may be.

Some people describe it as an old lady, a demon sitting on their chest, or a black (not black race) spirit. I never once felt as though something was sitting on my chest. Why would it not ever be a large bee or spider etc? Why is it always described as a humanoid figure or something with a demonic presence?

Usually calling out the persons name or physical touch causes the person to snap out of it. When the person snaps out of it they are able to move completely and instantaneously. They remember the entire experience exactly as it happened. I don't completely understand why this is though. If the brain releases a chemical to paralyze the body, why would saying the persons name or physical touch snap them out of it? Sometimes physical touch or calling the persons name has no effect but usually it does.

With every person who experiences sleep paralysis, they express a feeling of extreme terror. Some believe they're even going to die but nearly all associate it with something demonic.

Some people have said they weren't held down at all but felt something bad and leaned over to see someone standing there. I have not ever personally seen anything. I was never able to open my eyes. I think the sleep paralysis explains a lot of what it could likely be but it still leaves a lot unexplained.

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If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I have been working on writing a story about this. I thought it was a great idea for a scary story. I just add things to my own experiences and those I've heard from others to make it more scary.

I'm some what skeptical in believing sleep paralysis is the cause of actual spirits. I do know they were terrifying beyond belief for me. Nothing has ever terrified me like those experiences.

Now I'm not trying to tell one of those ghost stories or something but there were several examples of weird things that happened during the time I was getting them. However, none of the weird things that happened were with me. It's possible they're just a coincidence too.

There were three things I can remember and they might seem little or insignificant. The first one was the door to my room where I first started having the dreams. My mother was trying to go in there for some reason but the door was locked. So she went and asked my brother Aaron to help her and he couldn't get it open. When I came home it opened fine for me but they didn't tell me about that till three days later.

The second thing that happened was Aaron (my brother) said he went into my room and it felt like walking into a big thing of spider webs. He said it felt like he couldn't breathe at all or was choking. He went in there to cast out spirits with priesthood.

The third thing that happened was another brother who lived out west calling and telling us he had dreams that Satan was in our house. I thought that was a odd coincidence lol. Still though, I'm not a superstitious person. I am not sure what it was and I don't want to say one way or the other. I never experienced any of those things.

There were a few stories Aaron told me about. He doesn't believe it's anything scientific. The reason is because of the first time he had it. Him and his mission companion were watching a gerbil, hamster or something like that from a family they knew. I will call it a hamster cause I can't remember. It was a small town house connected to other buildings with a downstairs and upstairs in a single apartment.

When you first go into the front door there is immediately a stair case and to the left is the living room. Upstairs there is only one room and that's the bedroom. There was a railing upstairs allowing you to see down into the living room. His companions bed was next to the railing and Aaron's bed was perpendicular next to his. He was sleeping towards the wall. The room looks almost like an attic.

He described the experience as feeling like he was at the bottom of a pool and all the water was poured over him at once. He said he was laying on his side when this happened. His companion woke up and said he felt something evil near him. He then heard the noises my brother was making and when he turned over he thought he was going to see an evil spirit but of course he did not. If it was just a nightmare Aaron says his friend wouldn't have been afraid by it. He would have just thought Aaron was having a nightmare. Noises a person makes in distress can sometimes be frightening in themselves but that doesn't mean it wasn't something actually there.

After this happened they heard a constant banging from below in the living room. This lasted for a few minutes and then stopped. 10-15 minutes later Aaron described what felt like a hand on his back clawing with one finger after another like with pinky first then ring finger. When Aaron looked over it was the hamster. He took it and threw it across the room. After that they put the hamster back in it's cage.

The hamster had thrown itself against it's cage till it broke the door. The hamster crawled up 50 feet of stairs into their room and across the floor. Aaron's bed was just two mattresses up off the ground. It was not impossible for a hamster to get up but it would have been difficult. His companion started having those experiences a short time later.

One of our Aaron's good friends had also been having these experiences for some time. That was the friend who said after he had been having them he woke up one time and didn't have sleep paralysis. He was able to move and said he saw someone standing over him. He said he was unable to speak because of how frightened he was. I didn't get a chance to talk to him about it myself.

Aaron also woke up once before at my grandmothers house and was not paralyzed but felt something terrible was there. He said that happened before he had the experience the animal breaking out of its cage.

There was one other person Aaron also knew of having this type of experience. He didn't know him personally nor was the guy a member of the lds church but the guy called up the two missionaries my brother was staying with. I can't honestly remember what that man said though other than it was the same type of thing.

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The scriptures describe two things about this.

There is a verse in the Bible that sounds like it could be similar to someone experiencing this.

Genesis. 15: 12

12 And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.

Joseph Smith's description of the first vision is remarkably similar to how people describe sleep paralysis. He was unable to talk or move. Though he gives no account of having been asleep before any of his visions, I would not be surprised if someone called his visions hallucinations from sleep paralysis. Though people could say the same thing about those who said they saw God in the Bible as well.

History of the Church, Vol. 1, Chapters 1-5

Joseph Smith—History 1

5 After I had retired to the place where I had previously designed to go, having looked around me, and finding myself alone, I kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart to God. I had scarcely done so, when immediately I was seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me, and had such an astonishing influence over me as to bind my tongue so that I could not speak. Thick darkness gathered around me, and it seemed to me for a time as if I were doomed to sudden destruction.

16 But, exerting all my powers to call upon God to deliver me out of the power of this enemy which had seized upon me, and at the very moment when I was ready to sink into despair and abandon myself to destruction—not to an imaginary ruin, but to the power of some actual being from the unseen world, who had such marvelous power as I had never before felt in any being—just at this moment of great alarm, I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me.

17 It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!

There is also a chapter that talks about Christ casting out evil spirits from a person. The spirits say they are legion and ask if they could go possess some pigs since they had to leave the person they were in. Christ lets them enter the pigs and then they run into the sea and die.

ST MARK

CHAPTER 5

1 And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.

2 And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,

3 Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:

4 Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.

5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.

6 But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshiped him,

7 And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.

8 For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.

9 And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.

10 And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country.

11 Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding.

12 And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.

13 And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea.

14 And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done.

15 And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.

16 And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine.

17 And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts.

18 And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him.

19 Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.

20 And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.

21 And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto him: and he was nigh unto the sea.

22 And, behold, there ometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet,

23 And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.

24 And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him.

25 And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,

26 And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,

27 When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.

28 For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.

29 And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.

30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?

31 And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?

32 And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.

33 But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.

34 And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.

35 While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further?

36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.

37 And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.

38 And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly.

39 And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.

40 And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying.

41 And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.

42 And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment.

43 And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat.

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I experience this a lot - ever since I was little until today (I'm not as old as Pam but I'm well on the way). My great grandfather, my grandfather, several of my aunts and uncles, my father, my brother, and me all have experienced it.

Mine can range from slight to extreme. But always, it would happen while I'm waking up - that is, I'm asleep, then I wake up and realize I can't move. The slight ones - I can kinda "muscle" my way awake - just force some part of my body to move. The extreme ones I can't breathe. It's like my lungs quit working.

This used to scare me when I can't breathe because I always feel like I'm drowning. But, no, I never had any evil spirit feeling when it happens. It's just that I can't move. Sometimes I see people walking by, or hear noises. Sometimes it actually happened, sometimes, it would have been impossible if it truly happened (like when I am alone in the house). And yes, sometimes when it's only slight, I can get a "gurgling" sound out and if somebody hears it and shakes me, I snap out of it immediately.

What I learned to do is, instead of trying to muscle my way awake, I just try to go back to sleep. I would fall asleep and then wake up naturally. So, I quit getting scared when I can't breathe.

The really crazy thing is - I went to the Comedy Zone once where a hypnotist was having a show - it was hilarious the things he was able to make a friend of mine do while he was under hypnosis! After the show, I bought one of his relaxation CD's. It is supposed to relax you so that you can be very well rested when you sleep and wake up fully refreshed. It also had some "weight loss" help thrown in.

Anyway, I tried the relaxation thing and the hypnotist counts from 10 to 1 while getting you to relax and supposedly, when he reaches 1, you should be asleep. Well, the count reaches one and I went into sleep paralysis! That was the one and only time I went into paralysis from being awake... But, I just went ahead and tried to sleep like I always do when I'm in this situation, and I feel asleep, and woke up feeling really great and rested! Just like what the hypnotist said I would.

Anyway, I didn't try it again because I really don't like that paralysis feel and I will avoid it any way I possibly can.

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so it's always a bad feeling? (haven't watched the videos yet, will have more time later) no one has positive dreams when in sleep paralysis? how does taking sleep meds affect those with sleep paralysis? have you ever looked up dream symbols or meanings relating to the sleep paralysis dreams?

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so it's always a bad feeling? (haven't watched the videos yet, will have more time later) no one has positive dreams when in sleep paralysis? how does taking sleep meds affect those with sleep paralysis? have you ever looked up dream symbols or meanings relating to the sleep paralysis dreams?

I don't experience that looming evil feel when I'm in one. I never had. When I was younger, it used to scare me when I can't breathe because of that feeling of drowning. I don't associate it with evil - just a struggle for breath. When I finally learned how to deal with it, that scared feeling, although instinctively there when I first realize I can't breathe, is not too bad anymore.

All my "did not really happen" visions in sleep paralysis doesn't have any negative feel to it - just some people passing by, or some benign conversation or some music.

I haven't had sleep meds so I can't answer that. Sorry.

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One of the times when I only had the paralysis, no hallucination, I was taking a nap after school and I kept trying to wake up, but I was stuck, so I would try to fall back asleep only to have it happen over and over again. I couldn't make any noise and my mom came into the room and said, "Dinner's ready." I thought, "Oh please notice I'm paralyzed and help me!" But she couldn't tell, so she said, "I guess she's asleep." I don't know how long it took for me to finally be able to get up, but I came out to dinner and told her, "I heard everything you said. I just couldn't move." I repeated everything she said and she acknowledged that's what happened. So I wasn't dreaming that. :D

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