Sleep Paralysis

[Edicius]

...annoys me. About two years ago, a friend told me about her experiences with this. I attempted to make some deduction, and did some research, but no diagnosis seemed to fit the symptoms conclusively.

 

I've had similar experiences recently, so I'll try to describe them and if anyone knows what it might be, that'd be neat-o.

 

 

So, it happens... when I'm asleep, in the early stages of sleep, or sometimes when I'm just unconscious - or at least not aware of anything (a sort of spacing-out I do). I become conscious, aware of myself; but I still feel unreal..? I can't move my body, or speak.

 

Every time it happens I believe I'm going to die, or am dying. I feel pressure inside my head, which seems to exert an outward force against my skull.

 

I don't believe they're dreams, but they may be a manifestation of some neurological disorder; I'm conscious, but can't control my body.

 

She thought they might have been caused by drugs she took as a teenager, but I've never taken illegal drugs; I even refuse to use prescribed medication.

 

dying isn't fun

 

if anyone has an idea of what this might be, I would be very grateful for your opinions

[YT2095]

it`s quite normal and happens to almost everybody when they sleep, the brain de-activates control over your body so that you don`t act out your dreams, it`s a kind of Safety precaution, probably evolutionary from when we lived in trees (you wouldn`t want to fall out whilst asleep!).

 

it Does have a technical name, as does the condition of being mentally alert during this time, I just remember them off the top of my head.

[Revenged]

paralysis occurs in REM sleep...

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapid_eye_movement_sleep

[Sisyphus]

Aliens!

 

Ahem, that is to say, that's actually totally normal. Most people experience it at some time or another. The "you can't move" type of nightmare has the same cause, becoming aware of REM paralysis. It's more likely to happen if you have irregular sleeping habits, are overstressed, or overtired.

[YT2095]

True, it`s quite Literally a case of your Body falling asleep before your Brain does. (put in simple terms)

 

oddly the reverse can happen too!

 

there are countless testamonies of Soldiers so weary and tired they fall asleep while still marching.

[Neopluto]

Just to put my two cents in, yes, it's pretty much normal in that your friend isn't insane.

 

My friend too has this problem, but she says that it's more likely to happen to her when she's sleeping on her back and when she doesn't have enough time to sleep properly.

[Psyber]

The de-synchronisation of sleep, dreaming, and muscle relaxation, are well known, and more likely to happen if you are sleep deprived, or under physiological stress - including by drugs or alcohol.

 

You can dream before you get to sleep or after you wake - called hypnogogic and hypnopompic hallucinations. And you can sleep-walk or wake semi-paralysed. [You are still breathing.]

[erynna]

i have experienced this as well, and its absolutely terrifying.

[thedarkshade]

I just woke up from such situation. You really have the right to be annoyed by! It's absolutely a bad feeling!

[DrP]

This has happened to me as well a couple of times. IIRC the Chinease used to put this down to a spirit/deamon that sits in your chest while you sleep. It is quite annoying and, whilst in your semiconcious state, it can be be quite confusing and a bit scary.

[Herr_Noob]

this has happened to me, but while dreaming usually in a nightmare, about 2-3 times but I was younger, probably between 10-14 and most of times it was cause of fear like i would be dreaming that some "ghost" would come at me and i would try to run but i couldnt move , i was able to move maybe a tiiiny bit but not much and although i was standing in the dream i felt like i was laying down (so half awake?) I couldnt speak either the most that came out was like a quiet squeak, breathing was hard and movement i could barely raise my arm, this only lasted about a minute tho then i wud wake up or fall asleep fully again (and remmeber on morning) so yeah that basically happened, same sceneario about 3-5 times....

[Rev Blair]

I've had something like this happen a few times, and I think it might go a long way to explaining "alien abductions" and incubus/succubus encounters and likely faeries and leprachauns too. Colloquially, it's known around here as the "Old Hag."

 

Anyway, in the latest one I was awake enough to think I was awake, but asleep enough to think everything I was experiencing was real. There was something hiding behind the plant in the corner. I knew it had to be a malicious something because the dog, who barked at everything, didn't wake up or notice it (dream reasoning being no reasoning at all). When it emerged from behind the plant it was a hideous monster that looked just like the hideous (actually kind of laughable) monster from the movie I'd been watching earlier. It crouched on my chest, and I could smell it. I knew it was going to harm me. I couldn't move to defend myself or fight back. I couldn't speak. I couldn't kick the dog to wake him up (I tried that really hard). Then the monster was gone.

 

This is the fourth time I've experienced this. It is truly terrifying. It is also very real...if you would have asked me just after I woke up, I would have sworn it really happened.

 

The resemblance these experiences have to alien abduction stories is kind of uncanny.

[Introspect]

Funny you should mention your dog, and something crouching on your chest, Rev Blair.

 

I used to have these experiences quite often too a few years ago. Always after around 4am, always when I was asleep on my back. They were just as terrifying as everyone else has reported. As they became more familiar I found that I could force myself to scream, or at least so I thought. My g/f told me all she heard was a strange whimper.

 

And then one day the presence (there was always a feeling of a presence and it seemed different each time) turned into a dog, and instead of the usual malevolent feeling I suppose something in my brain associated dogs with good feelings, and so the dog jumped lightly onto my bed and licked my face. I woke up laughing.

 

Ever since then the experiences have been few and far between, and never as scary as they were, and I always had enough willpower to force myself onto my side so that I'd wake up.

 

Incidentally I also figured out how to induce the experience. If I lie in bed after waking up, for about 30mins or so, and I don't allow myself to go back to sleep for that time, I start to feel a little groggy and drained. If I let myself go back to sleep then I'm almost guaranteed to wake up in sleep paralysis soon after.

[Demonslayer]

I've had this experience once (15 years ago), and once was enough.

Had I been asleep I would have written it off as a nightmare or sleep paralysis.

But this happened while I was watching TV in my room. I heard heavy breathing on the top of the bookcase, there was no doubt that it was breathing, it was as clear as any other real sound. I turned of the TV and could exactly located the source of the sound but there was nothing there. Then I heard "it" jump down on the floor and move slowly towards me.

I'm not easily frightened and since I could not see anything I presumed that this was just some interesting trick my own mind was playing on me, so I walked over to it and reached towards the sound. A region of cold air was clearly definable around "it" and enveloped my hand when I stuck it through the "creature". It was about 3 feet high and did not seem to stop just because I touched it.

I climbed into my bed to get away from it, but it climbed in after me. I concluded that this "thing" could not hurt me in any way since it was clearly not a physical "thing", so I lay down and tried to ignore it.

The "thing" then crept onto my chest and I could clearly feel its weight. Then it lay its hand around my throat and started to strangle me. Since I did not feel any strangling sensation I decided to just ignore it (after cursing at it and telling it that it had no power to hurt me) and I fell asleep.

I have never "seen" it since, but later when I moved in with my girlfriend, her 4 year old son woke one night and came screaming into our room saying that a little ugly man stared at him while he was sleeping (I hadn't told ANYONE about this, not even my girlfriend). He described him as three feet tall and refused to go into his bedroom for a whole month even in daylight. He still remembers this "ugly little man" clearly even though he is now nineteen.

 

I really don't know how to explain this but sleep paralysis doesn't quite fit since I am sure I was completely awake when it happened.

Edited June 20, 2008 by Demonslayer

[antimatter]

I've had this experience once (15 years ago), and once was enough.

Had I been asleep I would have written it off as a nightmare or sleep paralysis.

But this happened while I was watching TV in my room. I heard heavy breathing on the top of the bookcase, there was no doubt that it was breathing, it was as clear as any other real sound. I turned of the TV and could exactly located the source of the sound but there was nothing there. Then I heard "it" jump down on the floor and move slowly towards me.

I'm not easily frightened and since I could not see anything I presumed that this was just some interesting trick my own mind was playing on me, so I walked over to it and reached towards the sound. A region of cold air was clearly definable around "it" and enveloped my hand when I stuck it through the "creature". It was about 3 feet high and did not seem to stop just because I touched it.

I climbed into my bed to get away from it, but it climbed in after me. I concluded that this "thing" could not hurt me in any way since it was clearly not a physical "thing", so I lay down and tried to ignore it.

The "thing" then crept onto my chest and I could clearly feel its weight. Then it lay its hand around my throat and started to strangle me. Since I did not feel any strangling sensation I decided to just ignore it (after cursing at it and telling it that it had no power to hurt me) and I fell asleep.

I have never "seen" it since, but later when I moved in with my girlfriend, her 4 year old son woke one night and came screaming into our room saying that a little ugly man stared at him while he was sleeping (I hadn't told ANYONE about this, not even my girlfriend). He described him as three feet tall and refused to go into his bedroom for a whole month even in daylight. He still remembers this "ugly little man" clearly even though he is now nineteen.

 

I really don't know how to explain this but sleep paralysis doesn't quite fit since I am sure I was completely awake when it happened.

 

That sounds utterly horrifying!

[arnoldschwartz]

I have suffered from this numerous times. On some occasions I have also started to hear voice adn began hallucinting during sleep paralysis. whether these are linked or not is a completly diffrent post

[DJBruce]

Normally when you go from REM quickly you begin to feel bad. Also because in REM you are paralyzed in order to keep you from acting out your dream when you quickly go from REM to awake you sometimes remain paralyzed.

[Jules7890]

I'm not sure if it's exactly the same experience ... I wouldn't exactly classify my experiences as "terrifying", but I was a little scared at the time. It used to happen often when I was a smoker, so I attributed it to poor circulation, and I still think that was a factor. I remember being just about to fall asleep when all of a sudden I felt a numbness in my feet, and although I was aware of where I was, I couldn't move or speak. I think I did manage to call someone's name, though.

 

Anywho, I did kind of have a half-dream at the same time, that I was being levitated out of my bed and spun around in the air. (during the dream, I was sure it was aliens )

I can understand why that sort of thing might cause rumors of alien abductions.

 

but omg you have quite the story there, demonslayer! I kind of wish something like that would happen to me.

(but no one would believe me )

Edited June 29, 2008 by Jules7890
multiple post merged

[Barry II]

This thread reminded me of a recurring dream that I had again recently. I don't think I have it often, but maybe I just don't remember it often. I dream that I'm in bed and then get up and maybe walk a little, but then I'm back in bed and the getting up and walking was just a dream. I try again a few times and the same thing happens. I assume the whole thing is a dream. I'm not sure how it ends. Maybe I wake up for real after those dreams.

[antimatter]

Seems like all of these dreams involve 'something' sitting on your chest.

And so far almost every description is rather terrifying.

I wonder what the reason is for the sensation of something on your chest. Perhaps it has to do with the constriction of muscles due to stress, and it manifests itself in a disturbing dream? Hmm...

Does anyone have any ideas?

[Kyrisch]

Seems like all of these dreams involve 'something' sitting on your chest.

And so far almost every description is rather terrifying.

I wonder what the reason is for the sensation of something on your chest. Perhaps it has to do with the constriction of muscles due to stress, and it manifests itself in a disturbing dream? Hmm...

Does anyone have any ideas?

 

It would seem to me that it has to do with the fact that an individual experiencing sleep paralysis is just that -- paralysed. And while breathing will still occur due to its autonomous nature, it will not be able to be consciously controlled. How this translates to weight is simple, you might have experienced this yourself; if an appendage of yours has ever 'fallen asleep' to the point where it is completely numb (or paralysed), a sensation of heaviness occurs due to this utter lack of control and as such an inability to lift it (which is definitely one of the ways the brain gauges weight).

[antimatter]

It would seem to me that it has to do with the fact that an individual experiencing sleep paralysis is just that -- paralysed. And while breathing will still occur due to its autonomous nature, it will not be able to be consciously controlled. How this translates to weight is simple, you might have experienced this yourself; if an appendage of yours has ever 'fallen asleep' to the point where it is completely numb (or paralysed), a sensation of heaviness occurs due to this utter lack of control and as such an inability to lift it (which is definitely one of the ways the brain gauges weight).

 

 

You're most likely correct, so thanks for this explanation.

I still wonder though; what causes the actual nightmare?

As in; why is a nightmare that is associated with the paralysis?

[Kyrisch]

The nightmare is most likely not associated with the paralysis, the paralysis is associated with the state which is also associated with the nightmare. The nightmare (vivid hallucinations and the like) is due to the nature of the state in which brain function occurs during sleep paralysis; since it is similar to a dreaming state except that, of course, the individual is aware, the dreams translate into things that the brain hallucinates into existence.

[foodchain]

Its a biochemical thing, part of natural sleeping that immobilizes the body. Sometimes people wake up out of sync so to speak, I don’t know if this is classified as a disease or what not though.

[lawsinium]

I have posted this section from my book Creation by Laws to provide readers a different perspective about the body and soul duality and to compare this phenomena from other studies. Is the soul an alter pair of our physical body? Does the soul really exist?

 

Proposition: All particles, in all forms, can be weighed. If the alterbody, which maybe defined as "soul" for illustration purposes, can separate from the physical body, it is highly empirical that a difference in the total weights of both bodies can be calculated. Other methods, such as displacement, can also be employed.

 

By formula:

 

Total Body Weight = Physical body weight +

Alterbody (soul) weight

 

If an experiment were conducted and the total weight of a physical body diminishes, as the "soul" separates instantaneously as the out of body experience transcribes, we may therefore conclude, that human beings and all forms of matter in general have "soul".

 

Researchers have identified some basic supporting claims or similar signs that transcribed repeatedly in most of the testimonies of these people who went into Out of Body (OOB) experience. The following excerpts, including my experience, were collected as basis for a more detailed quantitative analysis. However, I am introducing a different concept that will classify OOB experiences

 

The XYZ-syndrome is a group of symptoms, which can be collectively characterized as sleeping-state condition. The X-syndrome is related to the individual amount of sleeping time, e.g. insomnia. The Y-syndrome pertains to reactions manifested by an individual while sleeping, e.g. sleepwalking. And the Z-syndrome attempts the out-of-body experience. It can be categorized as astral projection, sleep paralysis, near-death experience, and other events where the alterbody leaves the physical body. Basically, the physical body comes to rest or relax, through sleep, meditation or comatose and the alterbody takes over.

 

The Z-syndrome:

 

I will try my very best to recall precisely what transpired during the time of my “out of body” experiences and cautiously enumerate every detail in order to create a basis for comparison. I will attempt to categorize the process into four stages to provide a crystal clear perspective of each phase of transformation.

 

The TRANCE Phase

 

* Lying on my right or left side of my body, in a crouching position

* Recalling most activities that happened on that day or previous days

* Feeling of drifting off with only the mind still awake

* Jerking once

* Moments of total silence sleeping

 

The PROJECTION Phase

 

* Total darkness

* "Mentally awake" but physical body still asleep

* Seeing, with closed eyes, my "soul" detaching away from my body

* "Soul" detaches slowly, starting from my feet and ending up at my head

* A sensation of floating

 

The ALTERLIFE Phase

 

* Seeing my physical body, sleeping on my side, from a distance

* Realizing a new body very different in its composition and characteristics from the physical body

* Seeing all physical materials inside my room in total darkness

* Fear of conflict of dying or coming back to life

* Deciding to come back by engaging in prayers

 

 

 

The RETURN Phase

 

* Trying to speak or call for help but no words come out from the lips

* Trying to move any part of the body but unable to create any mobility

* Praying solemnly

* Movement triggered on my fingers

* Sensation of numbness in areas where the whole body is resting

* Awareness and assessment of the same physical environment

* Going back to sleep in a comfortable position.

 

Sleep paralysis:

 

This portion was adopted from a questionnaire survey, developed by the office of Human Research at University of Waterloo spearheaded by Dr. J.A. Cheyne, which samples the variety of experiences associated with sleep paralysis. The research identified some similar patterns that transcribed repeatedly in most of the participants who were involved in the sleep paralysis disorder.

 

* Trying to move any parts of the body but unable to create any mobility.

* Trying to speak or callout someone for help but no words come out from the lips.

* The feeling of someone or something is present in the room.

* A sensation of floating or flying as the "soul" temporarily left the physical body.

* Hearing unusual sounds, sometimes loud or ringing.

* Feeling vibrating or tingling sensations, numbness on areas where the whole body is resting.

* Seeing ones own body from a certain distance.

* Unusual odors.

* Experiencing moving up and down rapidly like the sensation in an elevator.

* Illusion of sitting up or walking around the room.

* Feeling of falling, spinning or turning rapidly.

* Feeling of being strangled.

* Sensation of being physically touched.

* Sleeping on the right or left side of your body.

* A weight pressing down, a person or creature sitting on ones chest.

 

 

Astral projection:

 

Descriptions of a basic projection studied by Gavin Robinson are enumerated below. There are many ways to achieve astral projection and usually some forms of meditation come along with this practice.

 

* Lying down or sitting down with crossed legs, to induce deep relaxation and trance.

* Experiencing a peculiar sensation.

* The process of leaving the physical body.

* A sensation of floating to a height about 6 ft.

* Perceiving the room that appears being illuminated by a strange radiance.

* All senses become temporarily shut off.

* The "soul" glows with a mysterious aura.

* Ability to pass through walls and fly.

* Exploring the surroundings and paying visits to friends and relatives.

* Returning back to the physical body.

 

 

 

 

Clinically Dead:

 

Here are some translated excerpts from a book, Ha-Chaim She-l’achar Hamavet Researchers have identified some basic patterns that transcribed repeatedly in most of the many testimonies of people that were clinically dead and then revived.

 

* At a very moment, the clinically dead person senses of a very rapid transit within a long and dark tunnel.

* Suddenly, he realizes that his "soul" is moving away from his physical body.

* He can now see his physical body from a distance on the same environment he was before.

* He sees everything that transpires in connection with his body and the attempts being made to restore it to life.

* He realizes that while he does have a body it is a new body very different in its nature and its characteristics from the physical body he had during his lifetime.

* The deceased sees that the spirits of his father and mother and closest relatives, as well as his already deceased friends, coming to meet him, to accompany him in his new situation and to assist him.

* The deceased person senses that he is encountering an entity, in a form of light, a wonderful light beaming tremendous love, a very warmth feeling of a kind he has never encountered before. This entity asks him various questions in a non-verbal manner in order to bring him to review the story of his life and the deeds he did while he was alive, and while the deceased reviews his deeds, there passes before his eyes a panorama that reconstructs before him all the major, important events of his life.

* At a certain stage the deceased feels that he is drawing near to something like an end, a border, a boundary, which seems to represent the borderline between earthly life and the life thereafter.

* When he discovers the hour of his death has not yet arrived, he objects and does not want to go back, for he is attracted to the situation in which he has found himself in this new and wonderful reality of life after death, and he has no desire to return to his former situation.

* Yet, despite his reluctance, he returns and is joined again to his physical body, and he returns to This World.

 

A human being is made up not only of its physical body (material space) but also an alterbody (energical nabse). The physical body houses the mind, where the conscious level of awareness sits. The alterbody carries the altermind, where the subconscious level of awareness resides.

 

The physical body, or conscious body, interacts with the environment. Our surroundings are detected by our senses, processed and recognized by the brain. The mind recognizes this signal, interprets and decodes this information, and stores and encodes it when needed. The conscious body is always multitasking, where actions like walking, listening to the radio, or eating a hamburger can be done at the same time when triggered “on.” (A radio will start broadcasting when you turn on the tuner; it will only stop when you turn it off).

 

The alterbody, or subconscious body, which has no physical essence, has to function indiscriminately when interacting with the environment, storing as much information, directly or indirectly, as it can register. It is the seat of power that overtakes the conscious mind instinctively. Those perceptions that are noticed indirectly by the conscious body are retained and processed by the altermind in the form of a dream or flashback in the conscious state.

 

In the wake-up mode, the physical body and the alterbody are always in-sync. Their frequencies and other characteristics are aligned with each other. When the physical body is in sleep-mode, or at rest, its frequency is also at rest or lowered. However, the alterbody, which has no alteration in its frequency, is now much "higher." It is for this reason that an out-of-body experience takes place.

 

Sometimes we attempt to use metaphors and examples to explain deep concepts, and this works well. In some cases, however, some topics take a tangent that does not seem relevant or fittings within its context. Like the dualities of water and air, air and land, land and water, they seem innocent but lies beneath their existence are the keys to the mysteries of life.

 

And so, the next time you come across the line that reads, “ashes to ashes, dust to dust”, better think twice – it is not only our body that goes back to dust, but far beyond the natural, our soul (an alterpair probably?) goes back to a place, where like in an isodimensional universe – SPACE is an ALTER-PAIR.

 

Creation by Laws: A Journal of a Creative Mind; (ISBN: 978-1-60047-217-6).