Sleep Paralysis Episode

I have had sleep paralysis on and off since puberty. It comes in waves, which I read is normal. I'll go through a phase there I will get it a lot, and then for months nothing. I'm currently, in one of those off cycles, it's been around a year since my last episode.

However, reading the Serpo thread reminded me of a very strong episode I had one of the last days I was in still in college. I was house dad at my fraternity. I was a graduating senior that was an "administrator" of our house. I was not on our governing board, but rather a leason for the alumni that actually own the house. I fix things that are broken, collect rent, evict people, etc.

At any rate, one night I had this dream that I was in our chapter hall talking with my buddy's girlfriend. Then, all the sudden, the room fills with smoke/fog, and it gets really dark. The ceiling disappears and a beam of light shines down on us. We grab hold of each other, not sure what to do. Then, we can feel ourselves being lifted up into the air. My buddies girlfriend says, "What's happening?" I reply, "I think we're being abducted." Then I "wake up."

I woke up, lying on my back, knowing instantly it was a dream. I could tell it was daytime, but I couldn't move. I tried to hollar, but not much of a moan came out. I could feel a "presence" over my right shoulder. Again, since I couldn't move I couldn't turn to look at this "presence." I felt very scared. My bed was a loft, and I only had about 3 feet or so between the bed and the ceiling. So if someone was there, they'd have to be standing on something about 4 feet tall or so.

I tried to move but couldn't. Then, I head a voice say to me, "It's all real," and I felt the presence go away. Almost immediatly, I could feel the paralysis slow and my body could move.

That was one of only two times I heard a voice. At the time this took place I had not yet discovered what sleep paralysis was. I knew I hadn't really been "abducted" or anything, and figured it was my unconscious mind trying to make sense of the inbetween state my body was in, so it filled it with a voice saying something.

At any rate, it was also the only dream/paralysis thing I remember. Every other episode had me just waking up, with no knowledge of what I was dreaming about. I think in this case, since I heard the voice say something to me, as if to suggest I pay attention to something I would normally shrug off (like a true abduction), it forced me to remember what I was dreaming about. I hope that makes sense. In other words, had I not "heard" a voice I wouldn't have remember what I had been dreaming of in this case either.

Has anyone else heard voices in their paralysis? I've read this can be common for many people, but it hasn't really been for me. I always wake up on my back, except for once (which was the other time I heard a voice or sound). On that occasion I was laying on my right side. When I wake on my back, I used to try and scream, but couldn't get much out other than a muffled moan.

Thoughts? Questions? Similiar episodes? I'm really intereted to hear what other people may have experianced.

Oh wait... I did have an episode where I felt like a small person was walking around my bed, as if to get one final look at me before poofing. So, three times, out of the many I've had, I felt like someone else was there with me.

-O

This has also happened to me since childhood. There have been a couple of times I have heard voices. These were the times when I first became aware of my spirit guides and started receiving messages from them. The times this happened, I had no fear and felt only good energy but couldn't move or speak.

One time when I was about 16, this happened to me and I felt negative energy.....very bad vibes. I finally forced myself to open my eyes even though I was scared as hell. I saw the shadow of a figure and red eyes in the dark. I remembered a discussion I had previously with my mom and in my mind repeated the name of Jesus.....whatever it was suddenly left and I could get up and screamed.

I've experience sleep paralysis on many times, these are just two examples.

The time I awoke on my side I felt a "demon" presence. I could hear something, almost right up against my back, breathing or moaning of some sort.

I was really freaked out. However, by this time I'd read about what paralysis was amd understood that even though I couldn't move, nothing was wrong.

After a moment I relaxed and rolled to see what was there. Obviously, there wasn't anything.

I figure it was the low hiss of my wall mounted A/C unit starting up that my braing turne into a "demon" behind me. Whenever the unit would kick on, the first few moments there was a weird hiss, which I think had to do with the compressor starting up or something.

I can relate to the demon thing, scared the bejesus out of me.

-O

Just to add, when I wake up, I can open my eyes. I just can't move them. So, if I'm on my back all I can do is look straight up.

If I'm on my side, all I can see is whatever is in my path of vision.

I feel like my head can look around, but I can't actually do it. I don't know if that's because of my mental state or what?

-O

[edit on 4-2-2006 by The Big O]

I'm sure there are times when you can rationalize a reasonable explaination but not always. I have had many experiences with the spirit world and have had this happen to me when I was not sleeping or near sleep. I use a metaphysical method of white light protection on a daily basis.

Good topic. I too have had sleep paralysis. Something came into the room, I couldn't move, it tried to kill me, etc, etc, etc....

For the longest time I honestly believed something was trying to murder me when I slept. Then i read about sleep paralysis and it suddenly made sense and I breathed easier. It was finally explained what was happening.

My only problem is the more I think about it the less I feel its nothing more then a dream. It is SO real when it happens, It is too real to be just something that naturally occurs.

How to explain this???????

Medically they say that your brain is dis-engaged from your body while your in REM sleep (dreaming) to keep you from acting out your dreams. Sleep paralysis occurs when the mind has awoke but the brain is still dis-engaged from the body. Your mind is awake but your body is paralized. You get a heavy feeling on your chest, can't breathe, you see someone in the room with you, someone sinister.

I woke up screaming. Not some manly scream of pain but like a girl screaming in a bad B movie.

The more I think on these things though, the more i come to believe it's more than just some medical condition that people go thru.

There is more to sleep paralysis then is being explained away by the doctors. I believe this.

I can't prove it.

I just believe it.

Love and light,

Wupy

Originally posted by mrwupy



There is more to sleep paralysis then is being explained away by the doctors. I believe this.

I can't prove it.

I just believe it.

Love and light,

Wupy

I agree with you Wupy. I believe it is more a seperation of soul and body.....not brain and body. There have been a couple of times when I could briefly get a glimpse of myself laying there. I believe that in some cases, there could be an energy that is attempting to attatch to you or pull you away......but just as you said, I can't prove it nor do I feel the need to. It's just an inner knowing.

See, I disagree completely.

To me, it makes complete sense that this is the body disengaging from REM sleep.

When your body sleeps, your brain does something so that you can't act out what you are doig in your dreams. This works for the most part, however, just during REM sleep. Tossing and turing occurs out of REM sleep.

I don't know about a "spririt world," not do I believe in one. However, I'd be more interested to hear about it from you Christy.

Again, I think this is a perfectly normal thing for people. Some people get it, some don't.

For example, I have PVCs (premature ventricular contractions), the bottom half of my heart beats extra sometimes. Some people have it, some don't. Medically, it's explained, and even though I feel like it's something else, something bad, it's not, and I just have to accept that. I'm using this as an example to give you my mindset realted to your "sprit world" comment. It's something I experiance that no one else I know does.

Please, share more about your light projections and stuff. I'm interested to hear about them. Being part native American, I've always had an interest in deep meditation, and the level of thought that can be acheived there. However, being as high strung as I am, it's hard for me to effectively meditate, so I have to take other peoples word on it.

-O

o, even high strung people can learn to meditate. some people think it has to be all or nothing and do not feel they are acomplishing anything by taking things slow. You can start out with meditation only a few minutes at a time and build up......there are also many forms of meditation that allow you to quiet your mind and will lead you to meditaion on a deeper level. If you are interested in hearing about my techniques feel free to u2u me and I will share my information with you

it could be that when you were awake, you were still partly in a dream world. some people with the intent to, wake up in their dreams and its all more real because you are actually inside your dream(i've done it about 6 times in my life).
it happens on accident to some people(including my first time, but after i woke up i wanted to go back and was able to go back). some people can do it on purpose so easily they can just sit there and go into a dream state(which is called meditation[some people think it's just sitting there relaxing- just like most books teach).
and you might actually have not this lucid dreaming capability, but something severe instead. its called "waking dreams." which means you are literally awake, but you dream a few things into you're waking state(auditory, even visual). i suggest you see a doctor as sometimes people do stupid things in a waking dream. do some research about it on Google in case you think im playing. I found out about waking dreams while searching for "lucid dreams."
so i don't know if you want to search for that first or "waking dreams" because i don't remember if "waking dreams" is the technical term for it.
by the way. i seriously believe you and this problem while others might have called you a fictional storywriter or a crazy guy. i myself have woken up in a dream and walked around inside my house and made things happen. for instance, i said, "i know im dreaming, i feel so happy and everything looks so great and trippy like im on the perfect drug," then i said, "i need answers."
so then i desired writing to be on the door when i leave my apartment. so i went outside. turnt around and looked at the door. i saw tons of wrtiting only took notice to 1 word written before i decided to look at the nighttime sky in amazement of my dreamworld where anything can happen and does happen(as you already know)but then i woke up. i tried to go back but couldn't this time, its kinda hard for me. to be in a dream in consciousness instead of waking up to it as a memory is exhilerating.
you're not crazy, but you might need help, a waking dreamer can be a danger to himself and others.
good-luck.
and if it was real,
exra double good luck, the aliens!!! ahhh!!!

[edit on 4-2-2006 by chibidai_rrr]

[edit on 4-2-2006 by chibidai_rrr]

Yeah, I don't think this was a waking dream.

I've slept walked a few times in my life, and all of them were related to urination and being really really drunk before I went to bed.

I've never once left my bed or moved around during a pralysis episode.

Christy, do you move around in your paralysis? Is this possible?

I mean, the definition of paralysis is not being able to move, so I don't think this is a waking dream/sleep walking type of thing, but I could be wrong.

I have been able to be semi coherent in a dream before. Like, having a dream about being in school and realizing it was a dream because a, I figured out it was saturday, or b, I'm 27 and not in school anymore (especially Jr. High, what is it what dreams I'm back in Jr. high?).

Also, I find many times that when dreaming, if something bad happens (i.e. "bad guys" coming to get me, monster shows up, bomd explosed, etc) I can jump into the air and push down with my hands and propel myself, sort of flying. I do this very often in my dreams, even at times where there is no threat present in my dream.

-O

[edit on 4-2-2006 by The Big O]

No I don't move around when I experience the paralysis, during an episode, I can't move at all unless I think something in my mind to release it such as I mentioned repeating the name of Jesus or visualizing light to overcome me......I do however move around (not physically) when when I am having an out of body experience. During sleep, you can also leave your body and not even know it. When you are dreaming about flying, falling, jumping really high etc are all sure signs you are leaving your body. I am always dreaming of being pursued by something evil or bad and then I jump (like Tigger lol) and keep boucing higher and higher until I am flying and out of harms way......sometimes it's even above the clouds and I float.

Originally posted by ChristyZ
No I don't move around when I experience the paralysis, during an episode, I can't move at all unless I think something in my mind to release it such as I mentioned repeating the name of Jesus or visualizing light to overcome me......I do however move around (not physically) when when I am having an out of body experience. During sleep, you can also leave your body and not even know it. When you are dreaming about flying, falling, jumping really high etc are all sure signs you are leaving your body. I am always dreaming of being pursued by something evil or bad and then I jump (like Tigger lol) and keep boucing higher and higher until I am flying and out of harms way......sometimes it's even above the clouds and I float.

Interesting, I don't usually detect any sort of "evil" presence in my episodes, other than the one when I woke on my side. Even the alien thing didn't seem evil.

In my dreams when I fly I'm not usually being followed or attached by anything evil. I cited points when I usually do take off and fly, which is when monsters, guys with guns, and whatnot attack, but this is actually a rarity. And, as often as I fly, I'm just as likely to charge up DBZ style and attack, which sounds really lame.

Do you find you fly more often when you feel evil or more often when you don't. I'd say I lean more heavily to flying when nothing evil is around, since the vast majority of my dreams when I fly involve nothing evil at all. Never thought of this as an out of body experiance though.

-O

Originally posted by The Big O
The time I awoke on my side I felt a "demon" presence. I could hear something, almost right up against my back, breathing or moaning of some sort.

I was really freaked out. However, by this time I'd read about what paralysis was amd understood that even though I couldn't move, nothing was wrong.

After a moment I relaxed and rolled to see what was there. Obviously, there wasn't anything.

I figure it was the low hiss of my wall mounted A/C unit starting up that my braing turne into a "demon" behind me. Whenever the unit would kick on, the first few moments there was a weird hiss, which I think had to do with the compressor starting up or something.

I can relate to the demon thing, scared the bejesus out of me.

-O

sometimes logic doesnt always apply, for instance, my mother told me this happened to her a no. of times.

when she was sleeping, she would be woken up by someone calling her. it was more to whispering. that entity would mimic what my dad usually calls her by her 'nick-name'- u know when someone who knows you well and teases u by their special name...anyway that entity would mimic my dad's voice but then the problem is my dad was working at that time. so my mum, she was petrified. by the way i forgot to mention that my mum is a light sleeper. my bro and i and my sis were sleeping in our own rooms. i dont know about them but i sleep like a log. when she decided to get up from the bed, she felt pressure near the side of her bed. she became even more scared, she closed her eye tight, refusing to see what it was. anyway after a while, she didnt feel anything around her and got up and came over to our rooms and woke us up. she slept with my sis that night.

another experience with the unknown, she was sleeping sounding when all of a sudden, she was pushed down by something- her exact words were 'she felt like something was on her back, pushing her down with their body weight.' she struggled to get up, she could only move her hands and legs but not her body. after a while it 'went' away.

she didn't wake us up this time. she didnt want to frighten us. u see we were little at that time. but she told us what happened the following morning. this incident could be sleep paralysis. but the earlier one is most certainly not. she also stated that she felt a presence during the incident.

ps. when my uncles and aunts were told about these incidents, they told us that this building was built near a hospital. many people died horrible deaths back then in WW2. i am from singapore by the way.

note they have seen 'things' that are impossible to expain. at one time, my dad and uncle went jogging at around 4am, when they passed the local cemetery, they saw a white figure near the trees that practically 'flew' into the woods: the area is like a small forest. they ran away as fast as they could away from it of cos.

another time was during their training, note my dad and uncles are police officers i.e. they dont scare easily. this time, late at night, my dad and uncle and a couple of his platoon friends heard this evil female laughter echoing through the jungle. note the jungle is strictly used for training purposes only. civilian people are not allowed in that area. anyway the laughter continued for a while and stopped. they just said their prayers and tried to sleep through the night. they didn't encounter anything more during their later stages of their training.

ps i know this is off topic but i couldnt resist cos u said that u felt a demonic presence. so i was just relating my parents experience with the unknown.

Originally posted by mrwupy
I woke up screaming. Not some manly scream of pain but like a girl screaming in a bad B movie.
Wupy

I actually laughed out loud at that one.

That is so going to be my new sig =)

Originally posted by The Big O

.

Do you find you fly more often when you feel evil or more often when you don't. I'd say I lean more heavily to flying when nothing evil is around, since the vast majority of my dreams when I fly involve nothing evil at all. Never thought of this as an out of body experiance though.

-O

No, the flying or jumping in the dreams do not always follow the feeling of evil or being chased by something. Often times it just happens and also gives me a feeling of euphoria. In my dreams I can jump...keep jumping with each jump getting me higher and higher until I'm above the clouds and then I can will myself to go anywhere I want as a means of transportation during my dreams. I know this is getting sort of off topic since this is related more to dreams however I feel that sleep paralysis and dreams are related.

That's interesting.

Since I've never really remembered anything I was dreaming about before having an episode (other than the weird alien thing), I'd be interested to find out how often I'm dreaming of flying.

As I said, I'm not currently in a phase where I have episodes, so I don't know how long until I have one again, if ever. I'll be sure that as soon as I wake up ai try to remember what I was dreaming about.

Fun you said the thing about jumping, I'm the same way. I don't "life off" but rather jump really high. I then sort of float and if I don't do anything start to slowly move back toward the ground. However, if I push down with my hands I can go up and up and up. All I have to do is tily my body to move in any other direction.

I never get as high as you though. Usually only rooftop level, never had to go higher. Weird... I guess there was one time I could zoom around and stuff, but that was really a superman dream, not like my tyipcal flying dreams.

-O

I have had a lot of times when I get sleep paralysis.

What I feel is that I'm sort of half awake but I cannot move. I can open my eyes a bit and I guess what I see from my half open eyes influences what I feel. This isn't a constant though. My instinct on all these episodes is to force myself to wake up. Which is difficult because I feel that I'm doing everything I can to wake up. Most of the time I also feel a force smothering me or something.

I don't feel afraid though after waking up so I usually sleep a few minutes after again. That is until there was a time where I got 4 sleep paralysis episodes in a single night. After that I wait around an hour before I go back to sleep.

My latest one was last night and it was basically the same.

From my experience it usually happens when I drink a can of soda (Coke) as well as chocolates before sleeping. I'm guessing that it's the sugar since I can go to sleep no problem after drinking coffee. I guess, I'm quite impervious to coffee after drinking for so long.

Finally, I occassionally see things when I'm having this sleep paralysis. I don't see aliens or demons or anything but the last time I saw a vivid image was when I was jumping from board to board in a big well or something and at the bottom were flames. When I finally got through the sleep paralysis it was just a show in the tv showing the sun. Just in case you're wondering, yes I do feel a presence but my thought about it is that I always have felt a presence when having sleep paralysis (e.g. the smothering). I don't think the presence is paranormal though, just a symptom of sleep paralysis.

For me, it's just a matter of what I eat an hour or so or before I sleep that causes sleep paralysis. That's just my experience. I can't vouch for the others'.



Yes. This is my first post.

Stressed In

Originally posted by Stressed
Yes. This is my first post.

Hopefully not your last!

Welcome aboard, and don't be shy.

Obviously, most of us aren't.

Nice thread.
Ive been haveing these for a few days in a row. Everytime I dose off. I don't know if its paralysis but I think of them as "Feel Real" dreams.
Everytime it felt like I was flying and everytime I landed on the lounge chair in my backyard next to this big old tree. I look around but can't move, and see a BIG fury racoon, which then changes to a white dog. Then another one apears on the other side of me. They look like the bull dog from looney toons, but skinnier. They both growl at me and advance. Just at the last moment I launch back up in the air and land in my pool and sink to the bottom. Thats when I wake up. The thing is, I know it's just a dream the whole time, and I think, "I gotta wake up, I MUST wake up"

Like two days ago I woke up from a definate SP. I was laying on my side on my couch, with my face to the back of it. In the backrest was like a white, well, i dont know quite how to explain it, it looked kinda like the ghost dog zero from the night before christmas. It groweled at me so I groweled back. I woke up really sweaty. It kinda scared me. Just like the other ones I was thinking " I MUST wake up"

I do have a fever so I don't know if this has anything to do with it.


Does this have anything to do with '___'?? I sleep with my radio on and sometimes I can hear the music in my dreams.