Sleep Paralysis?

I have had 2 SP episodes, the first time i thought that i was dying because i could not move at all, and it felt like my heart was going to beat out of my chest, i woke up the next mourning and told me wife what had happned and she couldnt beleave it, i was trying to move and couldnt, iy was terrifying, The second episode was a few years ago, kinda the same thing but this time i hallucinated Superman was in his uniform with his cape flwoing in the wind right outside my window, then he flew away and i was awake for 5 mone minutes freaking out inside my head because i couild not move speak or anything else except move my eyes all of this happned with my wife right next to me, it has not happned since but both times wer scary as hell man. I still to this day get a little jittery when i think about those two episodes

It must be a very frightening experience. I do not suffer from it, but i do suffer from other strange things in my sleep.

I will awake (while still half asleep) and i see things around the room. It can range from bugs to people to lights. I will be adamant that these things are in my room. I've seen things float and move... only to realize, when i fully wake up, that it was all a dream.

I call it a dream because i can't think of anything else to call it. I'm pretty much fully aware and i am sometimes stood up... to an untrained eye i look awake. My family know i'm not fully awake.. But i remember these events - sometimes partially, sometimes vividly.

No idea what's going on in my head but these have been going on for so many years that it's become a bit of a running joke. Especially if i wake my family up by trying to catch something in my room that isn't really there... Hahaha.

The mind is a weird thing.. especially during sleep.

reply to post by samstone11


I have been suffering with sp since I was 12. I am now 38. It happens to me regularly. I have had hundreds of episodes over the years. Some sp episodes have hullcinations and some don't. Based on my own personal experience, it is best if you try to remain calm. If I am frightened and I am having hallucinations, the visions will increase in intensity and unfortunately, horror. Sometimes I can see the room, other times I cannot. Sometimes I can move my toes, whisper to the person beside me, move my eyelids or fingers to break free of the paralysis, other times I have to wait (seems like forever). If you can move any body part it should help. External noise like a phone ringing sometimes will wake your brain up as well. If you can't move at all, try and remain calm. Sometimes there is no visual hullinations but it feels like someone is sitting on your chest. I can tell you after that after experiencing hundreds of these episodes I always fight to move and "awaken". I dont know why this is. Maybe it has something to do with the fight or flight response and what the brain perceives as danger.

whatliesbeneath
reply to post by samstone11

 

I have been suffering with sp since I was 12. I am now 38. It happens to me regularly. I have had hundreds of episodes over the years. Some sp episodes have hullcinations and some don't. Based on my own personal experience, it is best if you try to remain calm. If I am frightened and I am having hallucinations, the visions will increase in intensity and unfortunately, horror. Sometimes I can see the room, other times I cannot. Sometimes I can move my toes, whisper to the person beside me, move my eyelids or fingers to break free of the paralysis, other times I have to wait (seems like forever). If you can move any body part it should help. External noise like a phone ringing sometimes will wake your brain up as well. If you can't move at all, try and remain calm. Sometimes there is no visual hullinations but it feels like someone is sitting on your chest. I can tell you after that after experiencing hundreds of these episodes I always fight to move and "awaken". I dont know why this is. Maybe it has something to do with the fight or flight response and what the brain perceives as danger.

I'm sorry it has been so troublsome for you. I couldn't imagine having hundreds of SP episodes as I have only had one.

It was terrifying but it was also intriguing and I'd like to repeat it.

I think I'm pretty used to the horror feeling because I used to have full blown physical panic attacks(fight or flight gone wrong) that landed me in the ER more times than I care to admit....

Nowadays I am the anti-panic having gone through all that..


Anyway, I wonder if maybe you need to stop fighting it and just let go? Perhaps leave your body? Maybe your higher self is repeatedly trying to get ahold of you?

Idk and I dont feel it''s really my place to speculate too much since you're much more familiar with SP

And it sounds like you would rather it stopped all together while many of us seem to get a kick out of it....Except a previous member said this as well....

i've had it many times and it's never seemed paranormal. it hurts really really bad for me.

Which sure doesn't sound pleasant.

Sorry this kind of ran on, just thinking out loud really....

GoShredAK

whatliesbeneath
reply to post by samstone11

 

I have been suffering with sp since I was 12. I am now 38. It happens to me regularly. I have had hundreds of episodes over the years. Some sp episodes have hullcinations and some don't. Based on my own personal experience, it is best if you try to remain calm. If I am frightened and I am having hallucinations, the visions will increase in intensity and unfortunately, horror. Sometimes I can see the room, other times I cannot. Sometimes I can move my toes, whisper to the person beside me, move my eyelids or fingers to break free of the paralysis, other times I have to wait (seems like forever). If you can move any body part it should help. External noise like a phone ringing sometimes will wake your brain up as well. If you can't move at all, try and remain calm. Sometimes there is no visual hullinations but it feels like someone is sitting on your chest. I can tell you after that after experiencing hundreds of these episodes I always fight to move and "awaken". I dont know why this is. Maybe it has something to do with the fight or flight response and what the brain perceives as danger.

I'm sorry it has been so troublsome for you. I couldn't imagine having hundreds of SP episodes as I have only had one.

It was terrifying but it was also intriguing and I'd like to repeat it.

I think I'm pretty used to the horror feeling because I used to have full blown physical panic attacks(fight or flight gone wrong) that landed me in the ER more times than I care to admit....

Nowadays I am the anti-panic having gone through all that..


Anyway, I wonder if maybe you need to stop fighting it and just let go? Perhaps leave your body? Maybe your higher self is repeatedly trying to get ahold of you?

Idk and I dont feel it''s really my place to speculate too much since you're much more familiar with SP

And it sounds like you would rather it stopped all together while many of us seem to get a kick out of it....

Sorry this kind of ran on, just thinking out loud really....

edit on 1-3-2014 by GoShredAK because: Oops

I have also noticed sp episodes tend to occur more when I'm sleeping on my back and during times of stress. I dont buy the sp and alien abduction theories. Sometimes the hallucinations are blending into what my eyes are physically seeing in the room. Basically lucid dreaming in physical reality. Next time it happens I'll try not to fight. Also if it does happen again for you, you may feel really groggy when you finally break free. This is normal for lack of a better word.

Don't watch horror movies like Paranormal A. etc. No matter how you laugh at it during the day it's messing with your subconscious and if the last thing you think about before falling asleep is some possible boogieman in the dark corner you won't sleep well. It's an one-eye sleep like you were sleeping in a wood full of snakes, bears and unknown danger. To not have that alertness and fear try to imagine yourself in all dark places in the house, feel only your powerful presence and light in all rooms displacing everything else.
Sedative herbs are ok but you have to repair your psyché too and make your amygdala believe you that to the point you don't care and you don't need to fear, watch or listen to anything. Few times I had terrifying SP like that with a feeling of presence of someone sitting near my head. I was trying to push it away and I had succesfully moved my arms but for me was and is the most powerfull sword in all cases the inner prayer and repeating (roaring) God's Name to the point of saying it aloud... It can stop SP immediately waking me up, lifting me up of any hell and making me win all possible nightmare fights. When I wake up I can still be frightened, hallucinate and hunt non-existing insect and analyse the situation for hours but the worst is gone
I can imagine many of SP sufferers have some history of pot abuse. Abuse of any powerful herb, alcohol etc for fun watching stupid upsetting movies is always bad idea. Such harm can probably be best fixed by CBD hemp which carries some antiPsychOTic properties.
Blue Vervain and Calamus root are also worth your examination. They are true gifts for good dreaming.

The next step forward from sleep paralysis is an out of body experience. Do away with the fear and relax into it, at that point you will be propelled out of your body or maybe half out, you may get stuck; but don't worry just think about your bod and you are back in. Turn around and have a look at your self sleeping there. Super cool! You can focus down and examine the weave of your sheets look into your body, or go for a spin. All these people on here saying it's evil or something is out to get them in their sleep are just afraid. That fear manifests for you when you have the ability to imagine things into existence. So if you think that there is a skeletal thing with leathery bat wings attacking you...guess what? You put it there. it's real to you. Make it go away. Been there done that. Fear rules in this world; cast it aside and see what lies ahead.

try wearing a blindfold to bed.
its obvious how it works.

reply to post by samstone11


I get it a few times evry other month, eyes open cant move. When I first had it I was screaming (But in my head) it came out as a mumble nower days I just relax and go back to sleep in away then wake up and snap myself out of it then stay up if I drift back off can go back in, I still dont like it but it doesent really bother me as much enymore now I no how to get out of it, remember the harder u strugle the more your traped just relax and snap out of it.

reply to post by samstone11


My nephew who is approx 30 years old, knows of my being a little weirder than others in our family, in other words, he trusts me with 'these' kinds of stories. He related to me many times that he has almost verbatim the same kind of experiences you just described. He thinks he is being abducted (extra-terrestrial nature). I"m inclined to agree. I've asked him to visit this forum himself and relate his own stories as I would not give them justice.

I am 32 and have had sleep paralysis about twice a year on average ever since I was a small child. It's more common if I take a nap during the day or go to bed much earlier than usual. The terror is like nothing else I have ever experienced in life. My symptoms are pretty much the same as many others in this thread.

I decided that nothing which instills such intense fear could be "okay." I have always fought against it, and always will I think, with every ounce of strength in my being. I'm also of the belief that it's not purely a physical condition or hallucination, that there is something more to it either spiritual or extraterrestrial. Maybe the fighting skills will come in handy some day, if there's ever a need to summon forth your absolute deepest strength in the face of overwhelming adversity.

There was ONE time where I was not able to fight it. I had taken a nap upstairs at my grandparents' house in the late afternoon. The SP was coming on so strong and relentless that my 'strength' or 'will' gave out and I couldn't fight any more. I was laying face-down in the bed and there was a loud crackling or crunching sound. A dark spiral or whirlpool shape formed in front of my vision. I fell through the bed to the floor underneath. Then I sort of floated across the room to the window, and then through it. This window overlooked the roof on the patio, and it seemed like I was standing on the roof outside the window (which was closed). I noticed that the gutters were filled with dirt and some small plants were sprouting from them. Then I snapped back to my body and 'woke up.' Later I noticed that the gutters on that part of the roof were indeed filled with dirt and had plants growing in them for real (my granddad was not fond of cleaning them). I can't say for sure if it was anything more than a strange and vivid dream, but I've never had another one like it.

It may sound contradictory that I have resolved to fight SP, when that one time I let go it led to a somewhat remarkable experience. However, I did not ask for the experience and didn't want it. It was forced upon me and was quite unwelcome. I don't care to dabble in astral projection or lucid dreaming and I feel that such matters should be the choice of an individual, made in free will of their own volition.

Finally, I will add that prayer has been the fastest way of breaking an SP episode that I have found. I am not religious and do not follow any particular beliefs except for my own, but if I am going to give an honest account of my experiences if must be mentioned. The fact is that when I began praying to the higher power of my own personal beliefs, the SP episodes stopped very quickly, and faster than any of my other techniques such as wiggling my toes, change of breathing rate, or moving my head/eyes from side to side. That is why I believe there's more to it than just a scientific explanation.

reply to post by samstone11


After lurking about on this site for years, I finally read something compelling enough to sign up so I could post my own thoughts and experiences. This whole "sleep paralysis" subject is quite mysterious and I've personally been affected by it for several years. I believe it started soon after I turned 18 years old. Which, coincidentally, was around the same time my consciousness expanded and I acquired a brand new spiritual perspective of the cosmos. I am now 24 years old, as of the 24th of this past February. Lately sleep paralysis has been occurring more and more frequently .. Sometimes it is a frightening experience ... sometimes it sort of blissful in a chaotic-like way (if that even makes any sense) .. and occasionally there is just a blank, floating sense of indifference.

One specific occurrence, however, stands out above all others. It was Christmas Eve of 2012. I went to bed feeling normal. Suddenly I was awoken in the middle of the night, only to realize I was in the all-too-familiar situation of sleep paralysis. Like others, I feel as though my consciousness is divided between the sleeping/dreaming/astral realm and the waking realm. I can hear things which often become distorted and could easily be considered auditory hallucinations. I can also slightly open my eyelids to see the blurred outlines of objects around me. The only thing I am in control of during this time is my breathing and the slight opening of my eyes. (I've also recently discovered that I am able to shake my head side to side which, if done to a certain extent, disturbs my brain enough to cause me to wake up and break free. This technique is usually painful and exhausting because it requires so much energy, but it has proven most effective for breaking free.)

I was in my bed, but for some reason I thought I was laying in the living room sleeping on the couch. I live with my grandparents, and my grandfather in particular is quite the joker. I thought I heard him coming into the living room, stepping slowly toward me, chuckling and making the strangest sound. It sounded like a high-pitched "CHUM-EE!!, CHUM-EE!!, CHUM-EE!!" With interrupting periods of this sinister snickering. All the while edging closer..and closer..and closer to the place where I lay listening. Suddenly I feel the presence just over top of me. Standing beside me now, it continues making the same sounds over and over, leaning in over top of me closer and closer....Suddenly I realize this is not my grandfather, and I'm not on the living room couch. I'm in my own bedroom, in the dark, but hardly alone. I feel my heart beating faster and the hairs standing on end up and down my frozen body. When I feel the presence leaning just in front of my face, snickering, I open my eyes as wide as I possibly could, only to see the most hideous, translucent, mass of dark intermingling shards of blackness hovering right in front of me. TERRIFIED now I breathe faster and faster and my heart is pounding nearly out of my chest. The dark entity is laughing and taunting me all the while, saying "CHUM-EE!! CHUM-EE!! CHUM-EE!!" ....

Finally I break free and shoot up from out of my bed..looking around..only to see nothing, and hearing my fan blowing from across the room.... Needless to say, I could not go back to sleep. I could only sit up wondering WHAT WAS IT? WHY DID IT APPEAR TO ME? WHAT IS GOING ON? I've experienced sleep paralysis many times before this, but never this intimately, never this terrifying.

The story didn't end there. When dawn finally broke. I called my mother who had been staying out of town with her boyfriend. I told her something horrifying happened to me over the course of the night. She's known of my sleep paralysis and sometimes I am even able to squeek out a small "heeelllp!" loud enough for her to hear and she'll come over and shake me awake if she's in the room. Before I told her what happened, she said something very strange had happened to her the night before also.

She insisted I tell my story first because she didn't want the details of her experience to influence mine. When I told her, she was speechless at first. Then, she told me what happened to her: "I saw a dark shadow too, hovering above in the dark. I was reading bible verses on my phone, waiting on Andy (her boyfriend) to come home because he worked 2nd shift. Suddenly out of the corner of my eye, I saw this dark mass, hovering above me, staring at me, weighing down on me. I was paralyzed with fear. Finally I rolled off the couch and prayed for everyone I could think of. Then I ran to the light switch and flipped it on. The thing was gone."

Neither of us could determine what this was, what it meant, or what caused it. But one thing was for certain, something similarly terrifying appeared to both of us on the same night for the first time ever. My mother has never reported experiencing sleep paralysis. Neither has my father, but he has admittedly been involved in occult/esoteric practices in his earlier years. I also have this magnetism toward all things esoteric. I have studied and researched many things and it only seems like a drop in the ocean. I wish I could understand what causes this phenomenon and why it affects so many people. Is it something in our food? Our water? Is there something deeper going on spiritually? Any input is welcome. If you made it this far, thanks for reading this mini-novella, which is also my very first post here at ATS.. Peace and Love -F

I don't think SP has anything to do with alien abductions. If it did, I wouldn't be able to instigate sleep paralysis on command, which I used to do. I refuse to believe I was instigating alien abductions each time on command...

I have all sorts of hallucinations indicating I'm about to fall into SP. Auditory, such as hearing several people talking at the same time. I can never quite tell what they are saying. Visual, such as a literal radar sweep going in a circular motion whether my eyes are open in the dark or closed, slight buzzing sensation, etc.. Lately I've ran into several occasions where I can hear myself snoring lol. It's really interesting to be half asleep like this and hear yourself snoring.. so weird, but I haven't had SP for a while and haven't instigated it. I might try tonight by leaving my light on and going to bed before I get tired. Those two things usually do it, along with focusing my vision on one tiny object or LED light somewhere in my room.

I had sleep paralysis just after xmas, after a 5 year break!!

It was the first time ever that I had it with the light on and I couldn't believe my eyes. I had a bit of a cold and I was laid up on the sofa watching tv. I was trying to but concentrate but it was as if the tv was intermittently skipping channels and Im thinking its because I keep dosing off. Anyway next thing I know I thought I heard a loud buzzing .. again I think its the tele! Then I hear the buzzing again, louder this time. By this time im on red alert and I go to get up and realise I cant move!! All of a sudden the buzzing is louder and closer, right in my face ... then bosh right in my #ing head!! I still have my eyes open and I can see nothing except my body in complete paralysis. It was like a bolt of lightening had struck me! I am then watching my body fighting against whatever it is and watching my feet retract backwards and forwards. It was unbelievable!! I wasn't scared though, although I really didn't like that buzzing sound. When I say I saw nothing, I mean there was no little green man or goblin, just the loud buzzing or static???

I have had sp since the 80's and I have never ever experienced it with the light on ... never!! Guess there's a first time for everything!!
BTW No one will ever convince me I was asleep or dreaming!! The buzz wasn't coming from the tv, it was coming from the corner of the room to the right of the tv .. thought id add that bit incase I am asked..

Thank you Queenofspades for the youtube clips ..... hx

Just wiggle your toes, it sends a signal to the brain to be more alert.

reply to post by kodasaufa


I have tried that over the years and it doesn't work for me.

I have another experience I would like to share:

My husband had called to let me know that he made it to work one morning. After we hung up, I lied back down in bed.

I felt like I was actually laying there for awhile! I heard the front door open and close. Then I heard a weird sound and a shadow come into the room. He came right up to me and hovered down over my face. I tried to scream and move.

When I finally came out of it, I called my husband back freaking out about what had just happened. He was so confused and finally told me that he had just hung up with me from before! I checked the phone and sure enough the calls were around a minute apart!

I did not Lucid Dream before my Sleep Paralysis event occurred.

I don't find sleep paralysis paranormal what so ever. It seems like a very natural (albeit rarer) neurological "hiccup". I have had the fortunate luck of experiencing it once. Very interesting occurrence!

In mine, I was sleeping on my back on the bed, which is a position I almost never sleep in; but for some reason I felt it was comfortable that night. Just before I awoke, my eyes were open (literally), but I was still "dreaming".

My fiance was sleeping next to me, and I could see her with my peripheral vision. I was really seeing what I was seeing, as my eyes were open, but my brain was still "asleep", and was producing dream like images as well, over top of what I was seeing in reality.

I saw a dark figure rise up from the end of the bed (where my feet were). It slowly came up, black, drenched hair over a female body (think the exact depiction of The Ring girl, but more like 18-20 years old, and still petite). I couldn't make out a face at all, as the hair was over her face. Knotted and wet, as if she just came from rotting in some kind of bog. I tried to grab my fiance, as it was so vivid that I thought it was real, but I couldn't move, and felt helpless. I was so paralyzed that I couldn't even move my eyes, so I was stuck staring at this creature, who was staring at me, breathing, but not moving. I had to use my peripheral vision for everything.

My daughter, 16 years old, came up the stairs and into the washroom. Remember, though, the room was what I was seeing in reality, everything else was still the dream.

I attempted to scream out her name, so she could run away for her safety, as this creature seemed very dark and dangerous. So my daughter closed the bathroom door, and didn't hear me (because I was paralyzed and couldn't even groan).

That very instant is when I realized, "I'm dreaming!"

I don't have a daughter! (I'm 24). Once I came to that realization, I instantly became totally conscious. The creature was gone, and I felt quite relieved.

reply to post by Ghost147


Wth are you trying to say with such offensive avatar?

I've never really had much experiences regarding the paranormal - But what we call sleep paralysis used to happen to me when i was younger. Im 22 years old now and it happend to me last night like it has never before.

At this point i was still asleep or dreaming and I remember allowing it to happen - like someone asked me - i had a choice in the matter. I didn't feel a sensation or anything but i knew whatever i said yes to was now like with me. I felt different. Not better and not worse just different. The next sensation i can only describe like as if you were in the ocean and you realise you've swam out too far and won't be able to get back. I think i sorta woke up slightly and thats when the sp started and i panic'd like most of us do, especially when this doesn't really happen all that often. Trying to scream i managed to wake up lying on my back (i never ever sleep on my back). I wasnt scared though which is weird cus normally this stuff frightens me alot. I tried to almost immediately go back to sleep and thats when the ringing in my ears started. I could almost doze off then the ringing would come back. Again and again.

I've read alot of your posts and yes i definitely felt "drugged" - but really it was more like someone was there telling me to not be worried and this wasn't a bad thing that happened combined with feeling a little bit physically ill. I also have this thing which has happened to me many times as a kid. Its hard to describe but basically if u had to feel your duvet or blanket it would feel like thin, like a sheet of paper. Everything i touched feels like this after i woke up from this sp. All in all i kind of want it to happen again so i can remember more before i wake.

Just wanted to share my weirdness.

Cheers.