Reader Comments In Response to An Article On Sleep Paralysis

Last Night

I have had sleep paralysis before but last night I had it with crazy dreams. It was the most realistic thing I have ever felt and it has left me feeling very odd today. I am having trouble waking up and getting my brain to function normally. I had moments when I felt I could not breathe, I was trying to get to my husband to get his help but I could not move. I thought I was screaming but obviously I was not. The dreams I had were so very strange, none of them making any sense to me at all. I have been taking Ambien CR for years and I have experienced this more than once. I believe that it occurs if I miss that first opportunity to enter REM sleep by fighting the ambien. I don't know why my body fights it, but occasionally it does. I am hoping for a better nights sleep tonite.

—Guest wandawoman

SP

I've had SP since I camn remember, I'm 20 years old now. I haven't experianced any figures or anything that freaked me out (Other than not being able to move) It feel like you're awake, because you're always where you were when you fell asleep. Sometimes, I can slowly, SLOWLY move but it takes a lot of effort, and if i happen to move to slowly sit on the side of my bed, I often wake up sitting on the side of my bed. SP is really weird, For those reading who have never experienced it, It's like you're between sleep and being awake. Kind of like your mind has woken up a little but your body hasn't. It's hard for me to explain. But I haven't been scared of it in years, I learn to deal with it and I know exactly what's happening when it happens.

—Guest Jacob

Sleep paralysis

Well I just woke up and I looked sp up because I thought I just had a sp Ok so I can sometimes make my own dreams, like I can make them Go or be whatever I Want them to be. So I had my dream about meeting teen wolf cast, it was just random flashes of events, first I was meeting them then I was back at home in my bed, I'll just skip to the bed part, so I was laying their saying I know this is a dream, but I couldn't move my head, I wiggled my toes and hands but nothing happened, then I started hearing this sharp high pitched noise and wanted to wake up, it felt like I was awake but I couldn't move my head, I was sleeping in my side then I heard voices talking about random stuff, I wasn't scared but the noise really hurt.. I eventually woke up but I wanna go to sleep again, it wasn't scary and I know that there is somesort of ghostly presensce in my house, I can feel him next to me, gaurding me: say I'm crazy but it's what I believe

—Guest Guest**

Being weighed down

I am finding that when i am dozing, i am usally on my side, i feel like i am being pushed into the bed from a heavy weight. Anyone know what this could be? I have been under a lot of stress lately.

—Guest J

scared but helped by knowing what it is.

First experience was a feeling of being pushed on my shoulders, couldn't move and was terrified. Didn't sleep inh that room again for a couple of years. It has happened twice since, a feeling of being pushed down on and a rushing sound, really frightening, but I can cope if I know it is this between dream and awake time.

—paddyben

Sleep Paralysis or Paranormal?

Recently I had a sleep paralysis or paranormal experience I'm not sure. But this I can tell you it was pure Terror! I went to sleep around 1:00-1:30 like any other night but when I went to sleep I felt a cold chill through my back and my spine. A vold breeze of air rushe towards my body right after and it felt as if something wanted to enter my body. I was sleeping on my chest but I felt a pressure on my entire body that left me immobilized...I felt helpless and I couldn't breathe...I was gasping for air but nothing. I remember struggling and cursing at the top of my lung but only I could hear it. That was when I woke up in my room I felt so weak I was fading in and out of my dream, tring to stay awake but fell back to sleep after 15 minutes. Right when I fell back to my sleep I was immobilized again couldn't move but this time a pale man was in my room he had dark long hair, deep wrinkles under his icy deep blue eyes and he was looking watching over me. I couldnt tell if he was good.

—Guest Khai

truth

I was on my side and felt the paralyzed feeling followed by extreme fear.I could not move or scream ..as I latest there stuck I felt like something was slowly pushing me over like trying to move me..I couldn't speak but I could pray..and notice it went away as soon as I said" I rebuke Satan in Jesus name " also yelling with in myself " Jesus of Nazareth. And I promise you this worked!

—Guest Md

TORTURE

I was on the couch sleep i guess but i could see people in the kitchen i thought it was my uncle naking my cousin a sandwich fo her lunch but know im not so sure i tried to call his name and get off the couch but i couldnt move or speak when i tried to move it felt like 1 million pounds the figures were in the kitchen the kitchen and living room are connected they were in the ice box and i think someone was next to me but i couldnt turn my head and see its very scary i tell people about it but they think im dreaming so i dont say anything anymore and know i only sleep 2 days out of the weekbecause im to scared to sleep

—Guest JAISAAN

Have them alot. I can make it happen now

Started when I was in elementary. I'm 35 now. When I roll over in the the early morning, all I have to do is (since one falls back to sleep quickly) I just try to get up after a few seconds. Now I'm in that state. I cant move but feel terror. I just close my eyes ( well, my minds eye) and wait another second or two. Now I'm able to get up. It's hard at first but gets easier. The environment (surroundings) are exact to when I went to sleep. I must get out of the house ASAP!!! there is usually a shadow or a very scary looking whatever walking after me. I jump out of a window or simply walk out the front door to begin the most visual dream one could ever imagine. The shadow however has caught me once in the hallway causing shear paralyzing terror and carried me back to the bed and held me down. Ive also have had a someone or whatever comfort me when I couldn't get up in time and was afraid the "evil whatevers" were going to have me easily. I could go on and on. At least a thousand times.

—Guest BB

Unhealthy

Sometimes when u have too much sugar and/or caffeine before bed u experience this. Like not being able to move, body shaking, mouth staying open, and trying to fight it but can't. This used to happen to me often.

—Guest C-Mart

Unsure

Occasionally do get SP. i'll be awake but body's paralyzed. but at least after reading abt it online i was able to recognize and handle the episodes. But the latest one was hugely different from previous episodes. This time i felt like someone was holding me down and i felt i was being molested. The sensation was so real but i couldn't move nor see or hear. I'm very scared. Is this real or just a dream. I can't differentiate whats real or dream now. Please help!

—Guest Lee

SP THE MOST TERIFYING SLEEP EXPERIENCE

It all started when I was around the age of 16 they have all been the basic paralyzed feeling. You know? can't move, feels like i only have squinting vision, can't scream for help, stress, anxiety, fear and etc. I'm 25 now and it still continues to happen to me. This morning It happened I was panicking laying there knowing I was wide awake or at least I thought I was. Only to find out that I can't move or barely see anything at all, It feels as if something is just pushing me to the bed forcing me not to move. Some how my mind will trick me into thinking that I actually got up and moved until i realize that's impossible. The activitys i see right now aren't really going on only to realize I'm still in the same spot struggling to move and to wake my self up. That repeats over and over until i'm able to sit up and snap back to reality. Most of the time i feel as if theres a spirit pacing back and forth next to my bed. I'm always afraid to go back to sleep after.

—Guest Amanda

I'm stuck

I have experienced sleep paralysis twice before. I never ever sleep on my back, but the one time I chose to do so, I felt the worst feeling ever. As soon as I drifted off to sleep, I felt as if I couldn't breathe. I told myself that I was having a nightmare, to wake up. But when I tried opening my eyes all I "saw" was a strobe light of fuchsia and bright white light flashing so frequent that it gave me a horrible headache. I tried so hard to struggle and wake up but I was stuck in paralysis, grasping the sides of my bed as hard as I could. I eventually woke up from the experience. When I did, it felt like finally being exposed to air after being held under water for an extended period of time. My second experience happened nearly a day after the first, except I was sleeping on my left side. It happened just after one of my normal dreams had ended, and my subconscious was telling me to wake up. But in the process of doing so it was like I was stuck between dreaming and being awake.

—Guest Howie

what is this

I am a patrolman, from time to time on midnights, I tend to nod off when things slow down about 4am. One night, I parked on my drive way and fell asleep. While asleep, dispatch called for me to respond to help another unit with a burglary in progress. I tried to respond by answering the radio but for some strange reason, I couldn't move. I began to panic. Soon, I felt as if the squad car was backing up. Mid you, I was reclined back(we don't have cages) I couldn't stop it because I could move. I felt as though I was being held down. I was thinking"how will I explain this" I tried to yell but felt like I was choking. My moans awoke me. I came to and noticed I was in park. I didn't hear anyone talking on the radio. I called another cop on the phone and asked if I missed a call. He said I did not. I can't stop wondering why it felt so real.

—Guest gk

Scary s***

So it all started about one week ago.Normal night I fell asleep,I had a dream it was about to be my party and all my teeth were raughtning up and falling.(Latins say it means death.)Two days past,my uncle and my cousin had a car-crash thankgod no real bad injuries happened.A day past and I was sleeping it was around 1:00 p.m. I woke up sideways , I was just looking out the window.When I actually tried movieng on my back I noticed something was ontop of me and in the back of me.I yelled out my moms name and realized I was at me aunts house rite when I was going to yell out my aunts name something covered my mouth with a huge amount of energie.I was extremly scared.Next thing I know I felt it touching me as in a abusement way.I am not sure what happened all the pressure and energy made me pass out I woke up about ten min. later and was trying to figure out what happened.Just yesterday I found out my other uncle had a car-crash in N.Y. he past away on Wednesday.I am REALLY confused.!?

—Guest Sandra