I've had it happen to me off and on since I was a child, but after my knee surgery it was happening almost everyday for like 3 weeks while I was off from work. I think it was mostly because my sleep cycle changed. I usually wake up at 4:30am for work and while I was off I was waking up at at 9 or 10. It's not scary, it just sucks because I'm ready to wake up. I have only seen something once, a big hairy hand grabbed my arm and I woke up. That happened when I was child. Don't remember seeing anything the recent times it happened.
I took the liberty of googeling it... pretty interesting. Summary: the cause of sleep paralysis is a chemical released by your brain during REM to keep you from moving. You experience it when you wake up too quickly while in deep sleep. People without it are prone to sleep walking. http://www.livescience.com/21653-brain-chemicals-sleep-paralysis.html
She said she was awake walking and then woke up again. She felt something following her. I was asleep downstairs when I heard a loud thump but I was too tired to get up. I just picked up my legs.
Growing up, as a kid...my Mom told me stories of me sleepwalking and doing some pretty weird shi ite. One time, apparently, when I was 11...I got up and ran laps around the living room couches. Mom woke up, found me in said sleep-marathon. I then preceded to the laundry room and promptly pissed in the dryer. No lie. "Stepbrothers Movie" style...embarrassing, but true. This stopped but I did experience serious sleep paralysis once or twice about 10 yrs ago in my mid 20's. I woke up and just couldn't move a muscle. Was scary for what seemed like longer than it probably was. Then I feel like I fell asleep and was just awake moments later. Feeling fine.
Ive definitely had the times where in my dream I try to yell and I cant, but then wake myself up gasping for air. Does that count?
No, you are actually awake, just paralyzed. I've only heard sounds usually, but one time I had the hallucination. Your body catches up and you're fine, but it is absolutely terrifying the first few times it happens, probably the most scared I've ever been. Only happens once or twice a year, it's more of an annoyance now. I've thought of giving lucid dreaming a try.
It still happens to me about once a month. Usually when I fall asleep on my back on the couch. I'll hear people walk into my house and I can't move to see who it is. Or I'll hallucinate and see objects on my walls. I just continue to struggle until finally I can wiggle my toes, then I'll wake up panting.
The only time this slightly happens to me is when I'm napping on a plane. I'll hear people around me and the engines etc. but I can't move my body. Then I try really really hard and I slowly start to be able to move lol.
I have had that feeling before of being aware of my surroundings while not being able to move.. Several years ago, this happened to me and I ended up going into a seizure. Turns out it was a benign form of epilepsy during childhood. Still, its pretty freakin weird just lying there not being able to control your body.
I have had it but I was told it can be a side effect of high levels of chronic anxiety. Which made sense because at the time I was going though many anxiety attacks and anxiety episodes. It was terrible. All has since calmed down and I haven't had one since.
Never mind, thought it sleep paralysis. She just had a nightmare with bad spirits trying to come in. I thought she was upstairs since I heard that loud thump upstairs.
I get it all the time. It is strange. Last time I saw a giant centipede crawling towards me. Terrifying.
It's happened to me sometimes. I'm fully conscious but can't move and can't breathe, feels like I'm suffocating and I'm making a desperate attempt to snap out of it. Sucks.
this is fascinating. I'm not sure if I chimed in on the other 4 threads, but some of the descriptions I am reading here are exactly how it happened for my brother in our grandma's house, in an upstairs room that always freaked us out growing up. I think we were in our 20's, staying in the same old room we would sleep in as kids, when he explained the presence of a being in our room, pushing down on him in his sleep. he said in his dream he was trying to scream out for help but he felt paralyzed and let out a whimper like grunt. he finally woke both of us up and that was the last night he ever stayed in that room. so yeah here's what happens when you google image search "sleep paralysis" Sweet Dreams, Clutchfans!
