do i have sleep paralysis? because it seems like i have all the symptoms! my dad has sleep apnea if that helps..

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Answer by ladylon
It does sound like sleep paralysis. I would suggest you have a sleep study done, as it is usually a symptom of a sleep disorder. My neurologist had me do a sleep study that included the Multi Sleep Latency Test (MSLT). It showed that I suffer from narcolepsy. I was shocked! Most people, including myself, have a total misconception about narcolepsy (and other sleep disorders). I can say that I feel like a new person now that I know about and am treated for it. There is no ‘cure’ for most sleep disorders, but there is treatment to control it.

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the most recent one was when i was in school and we had finished a test so my instructer let us do what we wanted(so long as we were quiet)

so i laid my head down and tried to fall asleep but every one was talking so it was kinda hard. but at one point i drownd out the noise and fell into sleep paralysis(not intentionally mind you).

this episode lasted(for hat i thought to be)a couple seconds. right when i realized that i was paralysed i paniced a little and my heart rate raised sharply.

the scary thing was that i couldnt breath the whole time. and thus when i awoke for the episode i was gasping for breath. what are some causes and treatments for avoiding these episodes.

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Answer by Adam F
I don’t know the EXACT cause(s) of sleep apnea, but I do know it has to do with your throat muscles closing up making it harder for you to breath and thus causing snoring.

Treatment: there is no “cure” for sleep apnea…however: Do not go to the doctor with this problem. he will prescribe a machine with a mask you have to wear every night that is extremely annoying and not entirely practical..

What almost no one knows is: there is a musical instrument called the didgeridoo that will significantly help your breathing when you sleep which works as well as, if not better than, the machine for sleep apnea that doctors prescribe. i found the following information on wikipedia about it: Health benefits

A 2005 study in the British Medical Journal found that learning and practicing the didgeridoo helped reduce snoring and sleep apnea, as well as daytime sleepiness. This appears to work by strengthening muscles in the upper airway, thus reducing their tendency to collapse during sleep.

if you are interested in the didgeridoo (because I was since my grandfather had sleep apnea and I tried to help him) i found the following site. http://www.laoutback.com/images/parts/SnoringPopUp.html

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Answer by shlomogon
Sleep paralysis is when you can’t move upon waking up. It usually goes away after a few minutes.

Sleep apnea is when you stop breathing when you sleep, usually due to obstruction of your airways.

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Eat healthy. Avoid going to bed hungry. Avoid caffeine 5 hours before sleep.
Remember that, although it can feel dangerous, it isn’t.
Some may find that the more they try to move, the worse it gets and the longer it goes on for. If so simply relax for a few seconds, stop trying to move and after a few seconds have passed, try moving an arm or leg, then you should be out of the paralysis.
Most episodes can be stopped by coughing the word ‘cough’ repeatedly. Although you may still go into another episode if you try to immediately go back to sleep. Coughing is both a voluntary and involuntary response, which such responses break the sleeping state.
Note: Some may not be able to speak under sleep paralysis, rendering this method useless.

Talk about it with others.
An improper sleeping schedule can be a cause of sleep paralysis. Try to get 8-10 hours of sleep every night at the same time of night every night, and sleep paralysis may go away.
Concentrating on trying to move or “shake” yourself may break you out of it in no time.
Sleep paralysis is most common while sleeping on your back. Try to avoid sleeping this way
Try to avoid coffee or medications that affect your heart rate.
Consider having a sleep study to diagnose whether the cause of the sleep paralysis may be sleep apnea. With proper treatment of a diagnosed sleep apnea condition, the sleep paralysis events may subside and/or disappear.
If you find you are experiencing paralysis as you are falling asleep try sitting up and staring at a bright light for a minute or so before lying down again. No one is sure why, but this does help some people.
Always remember to relax because sleep paralysis last only a few seconds or minutes and will fade away momentarily.
Some people that frequently deal with sleep paralysis have found the following technique to be helpful. Take a moment each day to relax and imagine the sensations of your sleep paralysis. Focus on your breathing, then take a deep breath while picturing that breath lifting you up to consciousness as you open your eyes. Practicing your escape procedure when not experiencing the paralysis can greatly reduce the anxiety that can accompany an episode.
Make sure that you are actually awake. Sleep paralysis could very well be a dream, and you will likely be able to discern whether or not it is a dream by moving into the next room. Focus on moving into the next room, or in general, away from the location of paralysis.
Although you may feel that you are not able to move, you can try concentrating on moving one finger (or any small part of your body) – when this succeeds and you experience the small movement, the paralysis recedes. Of course, you need to be lucid to do this.
Inhale deeply then exhale forcefully (do not hyperventilate). Repeat this several times; most of the time this can get you out of sleep paralysis.
Medical marijuana has been proven successful in preventing episodes in states that allow its use as prescribed by a doctor.
Always remember that sleep paralysis is a medical phenomena and just that. Do not associate it with supernatural things like ghosts and evils. It will only make it worse. Keep reminding yourself that it’s just a medical phenomena.
If you experience disassociation( “out of body” feelings), Try to “feel” the texture of your sheets, clothes, or furniture around you- you’ll find that you wake up faster from tuning into a sense. Alternately, ignore the sense of paralysis, and allow yourself to follow the “out of body” feelings; you can turn an unpleasant surprise into an enjoyable lucid dream, which you may be able to control. Try visiting friends or pleasant spots you have visited. No harm can come to you, so don’t be afraid.
If you can ‘fall asleep’ in your dream, when you wake up, you will wake from your dream as well. Almost like falling asleep twice – except when you wake up in your dream, you wake up in real life.

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Answer by William Jefferson Clinton
Every word.

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Answer by happylilbumblebee
Dear “tubby”
I was on tegretol at one point but soon after I started to develop these strange spasms and odd muscle spasms during the night. Shortly thereafter I started to get seizures. They are not epilepsy or gran mal. They are now being called “stress seizures”. But to me it is way too coincidental that this started when I was on Tegretol. I dont have difinitive answers, I really wish I did. I hate to see someone else suffering. I woudl recommend you do a search for adverse effects to Tegretol. This is a good start here and I really do hope you get some answers. I am sorry I couldn’t offer you more help or better hard proof. I’m sorry that you are going through this. I sincerely hope that you feel better soon and get the best treatment possible for your apnea. One thing to keep in mind is a sleep study.

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And if you peeked at my 360 page and made a judgment that my life was stressful by what you saw there, you would be quite wrong. A will liked, gentle artist, i enjoy the very limited company i choose very much – they also enjoy me (*wink). Sooooo…anything else?
Oh, and WILD, i also have to get up and move once i do awake or it does happen over and over all night, tho i don’t have the pins and needles but that might confirm what i heard about lack of oxygen (circulation, apnea even?).
And I’m sorry Sun T, but as an educated woman (a BSW) I have bothered to study this condition as well as the basic benefits of sleep. The site you were so kind to point to is about children and sleep and just the very basic information on what sleep is and how one goes about getting it. Your answer is simplistic almost to the point of being insulting. Perhaps you were trying to help, but there is more information in my question than your answer. I am looking for personal experience from someone with the same problem, not an oversimplified insult to my intelligence.

Best answer:

Answer by Mark B
I have sleep paralysis for many years now. Never saw a doctor. But most of the time they come from high stress factors. So and try take a break if can. If you don’t think it is that, see a doctor, for sleep meds. As for I self medicate, with booze. or any CNS depressent helps me.

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I was just wondering if anyone had ANY idea what this could be. I have had sleep paralysis since I was a child, and as terrifying as it is, I am used to it on occasion. But here lately (it seems to have coincided with me getting Mocha Frappes every day) I have been waking up GASPING for breath, or starting to fall asleep and, kind-of starting to Lucid dream then almost feeling like i was forgetting to breathe then gasping, and the other day I started to fall asleep, realized I wasnt breathing then tried to wake up only to realize I was paralyzed. It lasted only for about 30 seconds I assume. (It felt like 2 minutes but it was terrifying so I’m assuming it was only about 30 seconds because I would have passed out if it had been 2 minutes) but anyway, I tried to wake up, was paralyzed and couldnt control my muscles to breathe in and thus couldnt breathe at all. Slowly i was able to breathe again but it felt like I had tons of weight on my chest. (but my throat wasn’t tight like the asthma attacks I had as a child)

Any input is appreciated – I have already made an appointment but I;m just kind of curious right now.

Best answer:

Answer by Jerry
You already know that you have sleep paralysis. It also seems likely that you may have the other conditions as well. I have sleep apnea and i wake up several times during the night although I don’t feel that I can’t breathe when I awaken. You should see a neurologist about you sleep problems.

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I close my eyes, i cant breath, i cant move, i cant open my eyes BUT IM AWAKE!
no i do not see demons and all that crap, i dont feel anything touching me its just that i cant open my eyes i cant move or breath FOR ABOUT 10 – 15 SECONDS

is it Sleep Apnea or Sleeping Paralysis?

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Answer by Ragan that is Called Ragan
Sounds like sleep paralysis. Hallucinations can occur during sleep paralysis, however they are not always present. What generally happens is you are alert and conscious, but your body continues to act as though you are asleep, and does not respond properly.

Edit: Difficulty breathing is a common effect during sleep paralysis. People who undergo sleep paralysis often describe a “weight on their chest” making it hard to breathe, although I have never experienced this.

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Answer by Jennifer J
Stanford has a good page: http://www.stanford.edu/~dement/paralysis.html

They recommend this to help, but not prevent…
- Get enough sleep
- Reduce stress
- Exercise regularly (but not too close to bedtime)
- Keep a regular sleep schedule

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Answer by pdl756
I think you got the answers you needed when you asked this question the first time.

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