Nightmares are something everyone experience at least once in their lifetime: the feeling of being trapped, trying to run away in vain or the sense of impending doom. Some dreams even feel so realistic that you wake up in sweat!
Unfortunately, for some people, a nightmare isn’t the worst of what can happen in their sleep. In fact, sleep paralysis can be an incredibly frightening experience. Sleep paralysis is one of the most horrifying experiences in life, because we feel awake but can’t believe what is happening to us.
What Is Sleep Paralysis?
Sleep paralysis is the feeling of being conscious but unable to move. It occurs when a person passes between stages of wakefulness and sleep, typically as they are falling asleep or as they wake up.
During these transitions, you may be unable to move or speak for a few seconds up to a few minutes. Some people may also feel pressure or a sense of choking. via WebMD.
Worst of all, these symptoms can be accompanied by hallucinations. Most sufferers report feeling or seeing something moving towards them in the darkness. These can look like monster or simply shadows.
The most frightening thing is that you find yourself unable to move or scream, and sometimes this paralysis is accompanied by the certainty that someone –or something — is in the room.
The truth is, sleep paralysis is a biological event and there is nothing to be worried about.
Why Does The Body Do This?
Dr. Michael J. Breus explains that, during rapid eye movement (REM), the body goes into a state of paralysis known as REM atonia (2).
This is a normal part of the sleep stage, when major muscle groups and most voluntary muscles are paralyzed. One important function of this paralysis may be to protect the body from injury during sleep.
REM is a sleep stage when much active dreaming occurs. Without the paralyzing effects of REM atonia, we might act out physically in response to our dreams.
In certain sleep disorders, including REM Behavior Disorder (3), the normal paralysis of REM sleep doesn’t work as it should, and people act out physically — sometimes aggressively and violently — in sleep.
It can be caused by the following factors:
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- Lack of sleep
- Genetic factors
- High stress or anxiety
- Sleep schedule that changes
- Mental conditions such as bipolar disorder
- Sleeping on your back
- Other sleep problems such as narcolepsy or nighttime legcramps
- Use of certain medications, such as those for ADHD
- Substance abuse
How To Deal With Sleep Paralysis
Sleep paralysis may make you feel helpless, but there are a few things you can do to deal with it.
1. Relax It’s better not to fight sleep paralysis as it can cause you more distress and worsen your symptoms. Fighting back may even increase the feelings of being held down, as well as heighten your fear. Instead, just breathe deeply and remind yourself that you’re okay and you’ll be fine.
2. Try to gently wiggle your fingers and toes. These tiny movements will eventually tell your brain that your body is awake and to stop the atonia.
3. Try to move your eyes by blinking and looking around the room. Again, the goal is to establish waking-like movements to fully awaken your brain and body together.
4. Try to move your lips and facial muscles.
5. Focus on breathing as slowly and deeply as you can. If your breathing feels restricted, remember that you have been breathing fine like this while asleep for hours.
6. Maintain a calm and positive mental state. Focus on relaxing thoughts. Imagine a beach in the sun, a million miles away from the darkness of your bedroom. Sing an upbeat song in your mind.
7. The Ultimate Method We know — we said 6 ways, but this is the single best way to wake up from sleep paralysis and it’s really in a class of its own. When you realize you are in SP, scrunch up your face. In other words, make a face like you just smelled something bad. Snarl and squint.
Do this two or three times in a row and the paralysis will break IMMEDIATELY. We’re not sure why it is so effective, but unlike the pinky wiggle, this method is foolproof.
Once you shake off sleep paralysis, go to the bathroom and splash some cold water on your face. If you stay in bed, your chances of slipping back into sleep paralysis are very high. Instead, wake yourself up and slowly begin to lull yourself back to sleep
Stress is a big factor in sleep paralysis. You can prevent these night time terrors by taking the time to wind down before heading off to bed.
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