Question by the ~maiden~ xanz: Does anyone else suffer from “Sleep paralysis”? Also called Hypnogogic Hallucinations?
I experience this just as I am falling asleep. I also have “lucid dreams” (where I can control the content of my dreams) and have since I was a child and they often happen together, especially when over tired. But the SP is terrifying as I seem to actually be awake, accurately perceiving the conditions around me (who is in the room, time of day, etc.) but also feel extreme terror and cannot wake. I always feel that if I could move, I could wake up, but of course that’s the problem. I’m told by some that this is actually a desired state by many as a step toward an OBE – which I think is garbage. But my question is how do I stop them? Is there some way to end them? I suffer from chronic pain – don’t say get more sleep – quite obvious, I need something else.I’ve tried to remember to BREATHE when it happens, being told that a lack of oxygen may be part of the problem, but was unable to make it work. Did try a new pillow, to keep my neck straight, in case apnea was it. HELP?
OMG…yes, i also have PTSD, but only quite slight, due to a severe childhood assault, but it’s quite far in the past and very well dealt with. Have had every kind of “scan” known to man – all normal and even a psychiatrist is somewhat baffled, tho he has seen it before. i do have sleep meds – i’m on the strongest dose of Chloral hydrate allowed, and i’m opiate dependent due to spinal disease – but the lucid dreams and the SP started as a child – long before any of these other problems. The drugs are on a very strict dosage and never vary (tho i rarely use the sleep meds), but the dream cycles do.
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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