Night terrors and Sleep Paralysis.

[Cliffhanger]

For as long as I can remember I've occasionally suffered from sleep paralysis, it can happen both when I'm falling asleep and when I am waking up. The weird thing is that when it happens while I'm falling asleep I feel like some weird type of creature is on top of me strangling me or trying to suffocate me. I have also hallucination during these episodes in the past.

Over the past few years it's gotten weirder, I wake up terrified, my heart is pounding, elevated breathing etc, I suddenly become aware of how vulnerable to attack I am, I become terrified something or someone will jump through my window and murder me. When I am awake and fully conscious this is never in my head, I walk home alone at any time of night without any fear, but for some reason in that state I become terrified.

Does anybody have any experience with these problems?

 

[Charles Bronson]

I feel like some weird type of creature is on top of me strangling me or trying to suffocate me.

Oh shit I have been caught..


lol no seriously though its from not getting enough oxygen when you sleep that makes you go into that state. You can feel like you are floating too. Check your posture and also check if you have good airway to breathe.

 

[GAZF]

For as long as I can remember I've occasionally suffered from sleep paralysis, it can happen both when I'm falling asleep and when I am waking up. The weird thing is that when it happens while I'm falling asleep I feel like some weird type of creature is on top of me strangling me or trying to suffocate me. I have also hallucination during these episodes in the past.

Over the past few years it's gotten weirder, I wake up terrified, my heart is pounding, elevated breathing etc, I suddenly become aware of how vulnerable to attack I am, I become terrified something or someone will jump through my window and murder me. When I am awake and fully conscious this is never in my head, I walk home alone at any time of night without any fear, but for some reason in that state I become terrified.

Does anybody have any experience with these problems?

Happened to me once about 6-7 years ago, I could only move my eyes. It was horrible.

 

[doggzfan4lyf]

I get sleep paralysis usually when I have lack of sleep or am stressed which unfortunately has been going on since I was 15, at one stage it made me scared to sleep just so I wouldn't experience it again which would then make it worse for me when I eventual did sleep.

I panic when I get it and think if I do not struggle or try to fight it then I will never be able to wake/move again then it just gets worse.

Not a fan of it to say the least

 

[some11]

Had it once a couple of years ago from trying to sleep face up when I was still drunk, ended up in some kind of lucid dream screaming to wake myself up, then I woke up and realised I was paralysed.

f**king terrifying, but apparently going to sleep drunk face up will induce it.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

It's a fairly well documented phenomenon. Has happened to me in the past, sometimes semi-regularly. SSRIs tend to fix it, though I wouldn't necessarily want to be prescribed them just for that reason.

 

[Danish]

Apparently if you can manage to alert yourself to the fact you are just asleep you can actually have some wicked hallucinations that you can control. Essentially like when you are dreaming and know it, so you get to start flying around and doing whatever you want to do.

Haven't had it myself so no idea how realistic it is to compose yourself during it but it can be done and some people once they learn to control it actually induce themselves into having them

 

[God-King Dean]

Sleep paralysis the scariest thing that's ever happened to me.

It's terrifying. I feel like I can't breath & I'm not sure if I am when it happens.

 

[God-King Dean]

But the worst dream of all is when you dream you playing footy, you make a break, you're about to score - and you can't move your legs. I wake up swearing.

 

[Thomas]

I suffered from what you've described since I was a child. I never had the sleep paralysis but I've had the lucid nightmares and terrors ever since I can remember. The last time I had them was about 5 years ago though and the nightmare continues (the feeling of being crushed) even when I am awake.

Good luck.

 

[some11]

But the worst dream of all is when you dream you playing footy, you make a break, you're about to score - and you can't move your legs. I wake up swearing.

Yes! I've had it in a different version though, getting into a fight and not being able to move my arms properly haha.

 

[Eelementary]

The first (and, thankfully, last) time I ever experienced sleep paralysis was just after watching "The Exorcism Of Emily Rose". I recall in the film they mentioned she would suffer from sleep paralysis at approximately 3am (because that's when the portals to our world from the underworlds are more open or something).

Anyway, I wake up - and I can't move. I call for help, and I can't talk. I manage to move my head to look at my clock, and it's 3:03am. I freak out.

I am sure it only lasted a few minutes, but it felt like hours.

I have had night terrors for years. Sucks.

 

[_snafu_]

But the worst dream of all is when you dream you playing footy, you make a break, you're about to score - and you can't move your legs. I wake up swearing.

I've actually had this type of dream. I woke up feeling disappointed.

 

[HowHigh]

A couple months ago I remember feeling paralysed in bed. I don't know if I was sleeping or slightly awake but it was kinda scary. It lasted about 5-10 seconds where I couldn't move at all but I saw the light from my computer (probably seeing something familiar and knowing it was real) which made me snap out of it and was able to sit up then go grab a drink.

Hasn't happened since thankfully.

But the worst dream of all is when you dream you playing footy, you make a break, you're about to score - and you can't move your legs. I wake up swearing.

Haha they're the worst. I remember a random one where I was driving a car then somehow it turns into a piece of cardboard that I was trying to slide on across the road.

 

[Valheru]

It sounds like you are describing 2 different things Cliffhanger. I have suffered from night terrors my whole life on a regular basis (a couple of episodes a month) but never sleep paralysis. It’s worth noting that night terrors occur in NREM sleep (usually within 45-90 minutes of falling asleep) where the body is still able to move thus someone suffering from night terrors will be highly motivated to flee from the perceived danger. Sleep paralysis is similar in that the sufferer thinks there is danger about but they are in, about to enter or about to leave REM sleep and thus they are not able to move temporarily.

It sounds like you are more describing sleep paralysis as you don’t indicate that you move when you feel the danger. When I have sleep terrors I always wake up outside of my bed as I am trying to leave the situation. Normally I don’t remember leaving the bed and I awake with an extremely high heart rate and partial memories of what I was afraid of.

I sympathise with you as I know they can be terrifying experiences. On multiple times I have believed, just prior to waking properly, that I was going to die imminently.

 

[Cliffhanger]

I am aware they're two different things. I don't get them both at the same time. When I was researching it I found the thing I was experiencing when I was waking up in the middle of the night was more synonymous with the symptoms of night terrors than sleep paralysis. A more mild form though, I haven't woken up screaming yet.

 

[Houdini]

Never had night terrors but am pretty sure I have experienced the sleep paralysis a couple of times.

Each time I feel like I am trying to wake from my dream but try as hard as I can, I can't seem to wake up properly. It's like I am only semi aware of what is going on. I can't move and I start to feel panicky and like I can't breathe.
I have no idea how long it lasts for, but it really is terrifying. I feel like I try so hard to wake up and to move and I can't do either. I try to cry out and I can't seem to make any sound at all.

Does anyone know what causes this or how to reduce/stop it from happening?

 

[Houdini]

I panic when I get it and think if I do not struggle or try to fight it then I will never be able to wake/move again then it just gets worse.

Not a fan of it to say the least

Same, I panic too. I can't describe it, but I feel like I have to fight to move and fight to wake up too. And when you can't do either it is incredibly distressing

 

[Jubileeboy]

Y'all possessed.
Exorcisms required

 

[Packy]

I used to get this heaps when I drank heaps of piss. Not necessarily on the nights I had been drinking but just in general. I assume it was my brain trying to regulate itself.

I sleep like a lord now days. 6 hours a night sometimes if my farkin kids let me.