Sleep Paralysis

[MarkGrace]

Does anyone else get this? I first started experiencing it on my mission in 2000 and absolutely hate it. I've noticed that it occurs most often when I take naps while lying on my back. It happens every now and again even when I'm not on my back, so I basically avoid naps at all costs these days.

One quick story. Right after I got married, I was taking a nap on the couch and had a little sleep paralysis episode. I swear on my life that it felt like my body was levitating above the front room, and then somehow I was in the bedroom. I looked at my bed and there were two newborn babies sitting there, and one looks up at me and says "I'm cold." Next thing I know, I snap out of it and I'm still on the couch. I told my wife this story and she laughed hysterically. I was kind of ticked because I was so freaked out.

[SteelBlue]

Yes but not nearly as frequently. I've had 3 episodes in my life but all felt incredibly real. Each time I see a shadowy figure in the doorway that pauses when I see it then it lunges at me. At this point I realize I'm paralyzed and cannot even call out. I spend what seems like an eternity trying to shout for help but nothing will come out and that increases the anxiety tenfold. I wake up in a sweat absolutely convinced it was real and it takes me a minute to realize it wasn't.

[MarkGrace]

At this point I realize I'm paralyzed and cannot even call out. I spend what seems like an eternity trying to shout for help but nothing will come out and that increases the anxiety tenfold.

I so hate this. Every time it happens, I do the same. I feel like I'm yelling and thrashing around so that I'll wake up, but I'm actually not making a peep or moving at all. So frustrating.

[RockyBalboa]

Along with my insomnia it's something I've experienced a number of times myself.

It's scary stuff.

[Surfah]

How do you know some of those experiences aren't real?

[SteelBlue]

How do you know some of those experiences aren't real?

It's the same dawning of realization that comes with your standard run of the mill nightmare.

[Danimal]

This used to happen periodically to me as a teenager. I would feel like either an intruder was in the home and I couldn't get up to stop it or that the devil was in my room. I'd be totally freaked out until I came to. Hasn't happened to me in years, though. Knock on wood.

[Surfah]

This used to happen periodically to me as a teenager. I would feel like either an intruder was in the home and I couldn't get up to stop it or that the devil was in my room. I'd be totally freaked out until I came to. Hasn't happened to me in years, though. Knock on wood.

I have had several disturbing dreams where I am battling Satan and evil spirits. I hope they're just that.

[kccougar]

My wife experiences this fairly regularly, at least she used to. She found it happened more often if she took a nap during the day and especially if she had recently eaten surgary foods.

[wuapinmon]

"La vida es sueño y los sueños, sueños son."

[ewth8tr]

This used to happen periodically to me as a teenager. I would feel like either an intruder was in the home and I couldn't get up to stop it or that the devil was in my room. I'd be totally freaked out until I came to. Hasn't happened to me in years, though. Knock on wood.

Same here.

[pellegrino]

This used to happen periodically to me as a teenager. I would feel like either an intruder was in the home and I couldn't get up to stop it or that the devil was in my room. I'd be totally freaked out until I came to. Hasn't happened to me in years, though. Knock on wood.

I've experienced that before, but it's never freaked me out, probably because I've always realize while still asleep that it's just a dream. It reminds me of when you get into a fistfight while dreaming. No matter how hard you swing, you can never do any real damage to your opponent. That can be really frustrating.

[ERCougar]

Everyone gets this during REM sleep--it's a self-protective mechanism. I've just never heard of people being aware of it. That'd be terrifying.

[MarkGrace]

Everyone gets this during REM sleep--it's a self-protective mechanism. I've just never heard of people being aware of it. That'd be terrifying.

You've never heard of people being aware of sleep paralysis? I thought it was fairly common?

[MarkGrace]

Just had a nice little bout with SP during an afternoon nap. Scared me enough that I won't be doing that again for a while.