[Discussion] Sleep Paralysis - Have you experienced this?

[GreenTeaChloe]

Sleep paralysis occurs during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep or dream sleep.

During this time, the brain turns off most of the body’s muscle function, temporarily paralysing muscles.

In sleep paralysis, the person wakes up but the transition between sleep and waking up fully isn't as smooth as it should be. They begin to wake up and may sometimes even be able to partially open their eyes, but find themselves unable to move.

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The paralysis only lasts for a few seconds or minutes but can be terrifying because the victim may experience vivid hallucinations.

Now I've experienced sleep paralysis twice. First time was a bit scary - I did not hallucinate, because studying psychology (and finally receiving my Psy.D last year). I had read about this phenomenon, although it was unpleasant, i wasn't able to scream out or move, i immediately realised what was happening to me, shut my eyes and woke up able to move freely.

Second time, I hallucinated, seeing shadows moving around my room. I couldn't close my eyes this time and the shadows kept coming closer - this was really terrifying and although i knew what was going on. It still cannot be helped being petrified since you are unable to protect yourself. I was finally able to come to, but honestly, i was scared out of my mind!

Have any of you experienced sleep paralysis before? I'd love to hear your story.

 

[Dagcy16]

I had just told this to my classmate, this freaking nightmare... well, I still don't experienced sleep paralysis and I wish to never experience it XD not being able to run in your dreams is enough! that's already scary as shit!

 

[DoubleKamui]

Yeah, it happened to me once. Couldn't talk or move my body. Saw a shadow figure in front of me, which made me shit my pants.

 

[Dagcy16]

Yeah, it happened to me once. Couldn't talk or move my body. Saw a shadow figure in front of me, which made me shit my pants.

Oh god! what did you do when you woke up?

 

[DoubleKamui]

Oh god! what did you do when you woke up?

Nothing? Just went by the day as usual. It wasn't scary afterwards because I knew I've just experienced sleep paralysis.

 

[GreenTeaChloe]

The only reason why i experienced sleep paralysis, was because I was trying to achieve lucid dreaming - now I achieved it, controlled my dream for about a good 30 seconds, before feeling my real body begin to float and letting go. Next night... BAM! sleep paralysis.

It is not a pleasant thing to experience and there are people out there who experience sleep paralysis semi-frequently? Geez, to go to sleep and then wake up thinking you're about to be killed by a demon or some shit. Just eeesh! I never want to experience this again. Lol

 

[Reraru]

It's really scary I have experienced it too many times. Dattebayo!

 

[UchihaHiromi]

Yeah, it happened to me once. Couldn't talk or move my body. Saw a shadow figure in front of me, which made me shit my pants.

Same here, though there were a couple of them. Scary as fuc.k

 

[paratise]

I had it more than i can count since i was 14, now i am 20,5. It used to came in between 6 months but frequency increased to one every few months at some point. Sometimes it happens few times a month. In rare occasions i could feel presence of another being in physical levels. Something squeezed me from side of my waist and the spot ached for 2-3 days.

When i was younger i fleed next to my mother or sister to sleep. Because if i slept in same place the sleep paralysis would happen again. Now i sleep in the oppossite way i usally do (upside down) in my own bed.

 

[XxTayxX]

Sleep paralysis happened to me about 3 times, it only happened to me when i have nightmares. When i opened my eyes i'd see a dark figure wearing a mask standing by my door, & i was unable to move or speak.

 

[Complex]

I experienced it once

 

[NineSNS]

Sounds frightening. Never happened to me, and hearing the associations between lucid dreaming and sleep paralysis makes me think twice about trying to direct my dreams.

 

[UchihaHiromi]

Sleep paralysis happened to me about 3 times, it only happened to me when i have nightmares. When i opened my eyes i'd see a dark figure wearing a mask standing by my door, & i was unable to move or speak.

Like a silver looking mask?

 

[GreenTeaChloe]

Now what some scientist discovered about the hallucinations we witness is that there's a disturbance in the brain region that holds a neural map of the 'self.'

The appearance of a ghost or demon could result when the brain tries to project the person's own body image onto a hallucinated figure.

If this idea is true, people who are missing a limb might hallucinate figures who are missing the same limb.

I hope they do more studies on this.

 

[Bluelightning]

Yes it has happened to me before so many times I was even scared of sleeping.

 

[rollin]

Its happened to me a few times but not in a while
If you breathe heavy in the middle of sleep paralysis itll stop because it makes your mind think your awake

 

[silmarill]

2 times like 2 years back
It's unpleasant. At the time I didn't knew what it was until someone made a thread about it here on NB a while back. All the descriptions were check . It felt like I could not breathe.very scary

 

[Venomous Cobra]

Lol I did, but not exactly like that I just woke up opend my eyes but I couldn't move my body ,shit was funny I was alone in the house , it lasted for like half an hour or so.....

 

[XxTayxX]

Like a silver looking mask?

I cant remember the color honestly, its been yrs since i experienced sleep paralysis

 

[DoubleKamui]

Sleep paralysis happened to me about 3 times, it only happened to me when i have nightmares. When i opened my eyes i'd see a dark figure wearing a mask standing by my door, & i was unable to move or speak.

lolllllll

That must have been a terrifying experience.