Reader Question: Paralyzed!
Punk661, this is one of the most common types of questions I receive -- and that's not surprising because this phenomenon is very common. It is not paranormal, but is a condition known as sleep paralysis. Most people experience it occasionally, and some people experience it more often. I've had it a few times myself, and it is a very scary and often frustrating experience. It is often accompanied by the feeling that you are being watched or that there is someone else in the room when there might not be.
According to an article in About.com's Sleep Disorders section, "episodes of paralysis can occur when the body is in any position, but happen most frequently when the sleeper is lying flat on his or her back. Intense fear is common, but sometimes other strong emotions, such as sadness or anger, are present. Often a sensation of pressure on the chest makes it difficult to breathe." That feeling of pressure is what gave rise to the myth of Old Hag Syndrome, the archaic notion that an old woman's spirit was sitting on your chest during your sleep.
What's the solution? The Sleep Disorder article says, "The best remedy is to will yourself to move, even if it's only the wiggling of your little finger. This is often sufficient to break the spell. If you can manage, it, scream! Your roommate may not appreciate it, but it's better than suffering through a long and fear-filled episode. If all else fails, seek professional help. There are drugs that can help you."
Comments
I have had this happen to me sometimes. More often when I was young but it still happens even as a middle age adult. Last time it happened it was about noon on a weekend when I was sleeping late. For me it’s often a feeling of someone attacking me and I can feel pressure of this entity on my bed. It often feels like it’s moving around usually coming from the back of me. Often times I can not move, but sometimes I do have limited fighting abilities. My mind is not quite awake, but awake enough to know that I am lying in my bed and not asleep. Sometimes I can think of other things in this state. I often try to wake up and can sometimes pull myself out of this state into being fully awake. Then the entity and the “dream” stops at this point. Once in a while I go deeper into the sleep stage and have another dream or nightmare. Once awake I know it for what it is, a dreamlike state inbetween being awake and asleep. Some people only think that there are two stages of consiousness, being awake and being asleep. But of course that’s not quite true.
seriously Punk click my name to see what’s going on during the night
I’ve had it happen too, though sometimes it feels as if someones sitting on my chest. Most of the time i’m laying on my side. I know people say it’s Sleep Paralysis but sometimes there’s things you can’t just deny, like it could be a ghost or something.
Why the conclusion that since sleep paralysis is a “condition” that is therefore had no connection to the paranormal? I have experienced the phenomenon as have others whom I have interviewed and I can assure you that there were disembodied entities associated with it. Japanese lore is rife with tales of it which persist to this day where the phenomenon is known as “kanashibari” trans: “wrapped in bandages” hence, immobilized.
I had this happen to me in the middle of the night. I woke up and I could not scream, move, anything. I thought to myself, guess I’ll go back to sleep and see what happens come morning. AFter all there wasn’t much I could about it at the time. In the morning I was fine. I mentioned it to my doctor but she didn’t have anything to say about it at the time - that was about 45 years ago.
Punk661, welcome to the sleep paralysis club! I’ve had this ever since I was a teenager, and still get it sometimes and I’m almost 48. Some advice after thousands of these experiences: Never sleep with your fingers interlocked, especially across your chest. If you do, its very hard to break out of sleep paralysis. Or even if your hands are touching each other it difficult to break. The joined hands has something to do with energy, but I don’t understand it. So better to keep the hands from touching when you sleep, also try to sleep on your side, (right side is best). What Stephen said is true; you can break sleep paralysis by wiggling your fingers or toes as fast as you can. This is very important so don’t forget it! If you forget this advice, and sleep with your hands touching and can’t wiggle your fingers, you can still break it by calling out for someone to help you. Fortunately or unfortunately, you will be fully conscious in the sleep paralysis state. In my case, I can see and hear with my astral ears and eyes when this happens, so if there are any spirits around I can usually see them, hear them and feel them. If you don’t want this, then break out of sleep paralysis as fast as you can. I’m not afraid of ghosts any more but I was at first. They can’t harm you, just remember that. Good luck. Sincerely, David
I myself had had this happen on many occasions and am in my late 30s. I am not fully aware of the medical reasons, only that it has something to do with the what the body has to do when you are asleep.
When you you are sleeping a chemical in the brain is produced to prevent you from hurting yourself, and so you are basically unable to move. This is perfectly normal and is a safety mechanism to prevent the body from injury whilst resting, thus allowing for a proper nights sleep. Every now and then some of us wake up just as this chemical is allowed to do it’s job, thus the poor sufferer is wide awake but left feeling frozen in fear thinking they are dying, or worse never going to break free of this Paralysis. This can be a very scary feeling but when you know the reason behind it you can ease this fear. Just try and remember this Punk611 and if it happens again just tell yourself that it will pass and that you are NOT going to die or go nuts.
On another note, I am one of those that suffer from night terrors and so for me this can be a tad dangerous, as I have even ran through plate glass windows whilst screaming my lungs out, imagine living with that for a night…lol
Takes all sorts eh!
Not to worry. When this first started happening to me, it was scary, and I discovered that by concentrating all my attention on my little finger and trying to wiggle it, I could easily break out. It happened several times, but infrequently.
Then I got curious; what is it? So I decided that next time it happened I would try something different. When the next time came I resisted the fear and found that my eyes weren’t really open, but I could see. Strange.
Then I just’willed’ my spirit self, the energy part of me (rather than the physical) to go out of my body, and it did! I was excited, it was fun, I could fly, go whereever I wanted instantly, visit other people and enter their dreams, (and sometimes they’d remember the next day). When I was done I easily and instantly went back to my body if I wished. Sometimes I’d just fall fully asleep and wake the next morning.
Then I started becoming aware when I was dreaming. I’d suddenly know, “This is a dream.” When that happened I’d look at my hands and everything around me would change - I’d be somewhere else than where I was in the dream, and again I could control my spirit movements, astral project, visit people, fly around, whatever.
Only infrequently did I run into disembodied spirits. I discovered that they could not harm me, they have no power over living spirits, but the bad ones often try to scare you - if any give you trouble just send white light energy at them, KNOW they can’t harm you, and they will go away.
There’s a whole wonderful other world out there to share and enjoy, but you first must overcome your fear.
I think the experience of what they call ’sleep paralysis’ may be triggered by spirits coming to interact with you. They have to make you aware in that level of sleeping consciousness to communicate. It might be a recently deceased friend or relative, an astral traveler or whatever, but one thing to remember: You are never in any danger - do not be afraid.
If you want to visit a friend, remember what their eyes look like and think of their eyes when you’re ready. That’s what works for me.
Spirit - Kaneohe, Hawaii
P.S.
Remember:
1) Medical people will view this as a medical or psychiatric ‘problem.’
2) Religious devotees will give you their take on it, saying it is either a ‘demon’ or whatever they BELIEVE.
Experience speaks louder than theory. Once you learn to control it and experience it, you will never have any doubt as to what is happening.
Trust yourself first.
I’m in sleep medicine. Your condition sounds like cataplexy, which may be indicative of Narcalepsy. The best thing for you to do is get in and see a sleep specialist. Your situation is most likely organic and not due to a incubus.
You can either be in fear of it or you can calm down and try to control what you are doing when in this state.
At first it really is hard to be calm when you have no control over your physical self and it feels like you can’t breath. It’s like a panic attack.
But if you get a grip on it and are able to do so you will learn that you can fly. I mean really fly.
It’s amazing. You can actually feel yourself lift off the ground. Like when you are on a roller coaster. Your stomach goes up and you can feel the invigoration of the altitude and know that you are in control of it.
I used to have these night time paralysis quite alot when I was a kid.
Now I teach others to fly. But only when I am flying. I can will myself to fly when I go to bed at night and will end up flying when I sleep.
The power of suggestion before you go to sleep each night is a strong thing. So if you are intrigued by all of this then go for it. If not then tell yourself over and over before you fall asleep that you want a peaceful, restful sleep.
Good luck to you on how you want to deal with this. ;o)
Hi, This happen to me only once.I was in fear.I also was able to see but could not move. I also felt baby hands touching my bodyall over. I know that because I had enought time to concentrate on it. I thought ok is this a adult hand or child hand. Yes it was a chils hand. I to told my Dr. and he just listen.
its spirits holding your body down sleep paralisis meANS YOU cant feel your body this is severe pressure pusing down on you.
Wow - Lots of conflicting advice.
Of course, for medical conditions, if they are potentially dangerous, like if you fall asleep while driving, it’s always best to see a physician.
If there’s no physical danger, only fear of the unknown, I think it’s best to conquer your fear. I think even doctors will agree you are in no physical danger as you describe it.
What do YOU think?
Base on our Chinese saying, what we called this phenomenon is “Pressing by Ghost”. What that actually means is while you are sleeping (usually at night), there are many unrest spirits wondering around and it just happens your particular sleeping position at that moment in time “matches” the dying position of that particular spirit in your room, then the spirit thought he/she “finds” his/her resting body and wants to go back into it. Once that happens we, the victim becomes paralysis and cannot regain any movement - as many of us had experienced, including myself. Since I was a little boy I was very interesting about ghosts, UFOs and other unexplained phenomenon and discover a way to regain my movements. According to the old Chinese saying since the “ghosts” have no neck muscle and hence they could not turn their heads with their necks. However, as we are human, we have no such problem, therefore in order to regain our movements under the “Ghost pressing”, we are advised to turn our heads using our neck muscle in order to set ourselves free. For some reason I just remember it and it proofs this action right as I did experience few times in my life. I haven’t heard of moving fingers since I couldn’t even move my fingers during that time. At the beginning, it was not easy to move my head, but once you just give it a go, then after few more moves, my body is set free. Having said that, there was one night while I was sleeping with my pillow next to my head, I suddenly woke up but realised I was paralysis, but the worst thing was I also realised that pillow covered my entire face and it was pressing against my face - I was suffocating. I was so scared and could not scream for help. Fortunately, I remember the neck muscle trick and you bet - it worked and that technique saved my life. I soon realised that there was no one in the room at that time and wondering who put my pillow over my face and tried to suffocate me. Perhaps it is true, there are some scientific explanations to this phenomenon, but for that one particular night which I never forget, it seems to me that I was really “pressing by the ghost” rather than some scientific phenomenon. From that night on, I never put any pillows, in fact anything next to my head before I go to bed. I had learned my lesson.
I suffered from sleep paralysis throughout my college years, and still experience it on occasion. I’ve found that I’m more prone to episodes of this kind when I’m sleep deprived. If you attempt to regulate your sleep pattern, perhaps it will help to alleviate these occurrences. I know the sensation can be terrifying, but learning to recognize when you are in the state of paralysis can help you control it. On more than one occasion, I was able to progress from a state of paralysis into a state of deeper sleep, and dreaming, once I overcame my initial panic…
I have experienced sleep paralysis since I was about 40. It usually happens when I am napping on the couch and sleeping on my side. Many times I could see one or both of my sons, or my husband, and would scream for them to shake me, but my mouth never opened. I also realized that when I willed my arm to move, my physical arm stayed where it was but I could feel it moving and could see it like a transparent arm-shaped distortion. It occurred to me I might be able to have an obe if I concentrated when this happened. I have, to date, had two definite obes. I know they were not dreams. So-remember it is nothing to be afraid of. If the sleep paralysis does disturb you enough, and you do not want it to continue, definitely see a sleep specialist. If nothing else, the doctor should be able to put any fears you have to rest.
This has ,fortunately, never happened to me but it is quite common, so i’ve heard. In Greece it is beleived that some kind of ghost is sitting on you and is called iskioma meaning shadow.What you do is say a prayer three times and you are then released.Hope i’ve helped.
Thanks God,
Before coming to this site i was thinking i m the only person who is having this problem. I am having sleep paralysis few days very frequently few days very rare. I get very afraid in my early days. Then slowly i got habbit when this happens to me i get cool and calm i think somebody is pressing me i think u press me atleast i m able to breath then i loose my body. I remember my god and utter the prayings of god few sloke in god in indian community which has a very power over the spirit ” om bhurbhava swah tatsavitur varenyam bhargo devasya dheemahi dhiyo yonaha prachodyat” it’s a sanskruti language the gods language. Then i automatically get awaked. But this not help me too much some time has so fear i m too much afraid why this is happening with me only. I visited a Person who prays god in india. Then he gave me some thin to wear in my neck then few days i was not getting this problem i was happy. But one early morning again i found this happening now i was very upset why this happening with me only then i think in all those happenings what is common i found the common things that happen is i sleep straight or hands interlocked or hands put on middle of my chest. Then i think it is not a problem of spirit it may be something different because it happens only in these canses. So in early morning i started my computer 4 am morning i searched in google and find you people with same problem. Now i m relaxed. I think we are some lucky people who has a such a deep concentration in sleep. I will now try as you people said that we can fly in such conditions and will enjoy. Now i don’t have any fear. I will share my experiences with you. Please mail me your eperiences i m very eager about this.. to kish@indiatimes.com
About 2 years ago the same thing had happened to me i woke up in the early hours of the night and i was lying on my back with my arms on the side, i realised i was unable to move at all i tried lifting my legs but i couldnt move anything so i tried to call for my sister who was lying next to me but nothing would come out my mouth. then i got a warm pleasant welcoming feeling i didnt feel any pressure on my body either. With the pleasant feeling passing through me i must have fallen back to sleep, i wokeup in the morning quite confused and mentioned it to my family but didn’t think much of it as it didn’t feel threatning, it was quite calming to say the least. Later on during the day i had found out that someone close to me had passed away during the early hours of that night. I believe he had come to visit me for the last time. I hadnt ever heard or believed in sleep paralysis before my experience and i have only had in the once in my life. For me it was a positive experience and has made me believe that maybe in some differant life we may be able to meet our loved ones that we have lost through the years again.
Hello my Name is Michael, I have been suffering from this since I was 15.
I am now 21 and it’s still going I wake up unable to move, speak, breath but I can hear and see all around me while I am in this state of panic, I try to call out to my girl friend but I have learned that this is no use, I often try and throw myself on the floor in hope to wake myself up, I have found that I can move if I try really hard but its minimal, (e.g my toes, fingers or wrists).
Sometimes it’s just for 20-30 seconds but on the rare occasions it lasts longer and on these occasions I wake up seeing dots as if I have been punched in the face.
At one stage in my life I was suffering from this for 3-4 nights a week, I don’t believe anything about ghosts or the paranormal as some have said above the top but moving your little finger can help, but I have found all this does is distract you and calm you down till it passes, and the more experienced people would agree with me. I have found a solution to stopping this from occurring but I am not going to share it with a 15 year old as it is not something I would recommend, I have been suffering in silence and I know so many are.
I am posting this in hope that the people that are researching this will see it, because I have found a link that may provide more insight to this, please contact me on Epicfatigue@gmail.com.
If anyone can provide me with an address where I can contact people that are researching this please do so, as I am more then willing to be involved in a test as I can trigger this event, and provide a method that stops the event for me, and may result in possible research for a medicine.
Punk661, Avoid continuously going back to sleep. A trigger for me is to oversleep.
As in those morning when you are meant to go to school and you keep hitting the snooze alarm, I find if I do this repetitively I will always trigger this event.
I have not died yet mate, I know nothing anyone can say or do will make you feel better as this is truly a horrific episode.
For those that are really sufferers, the best way to describe this feeling I think is DROWNING.