Sleep Paralysis has anyone had it?

I was about 12 when it first happened on a Saturday morning sleep in. I felt all the weird vibrations and so on and opened my eyes and it was no dream.

Strangely enough I didn't panic, I actually embraced what was happening, colours and light in my room seemed extremely vibrant and heavenly. I get sleep paralysis occasionally now, but I've only seen something once. Which was on this occasion.

It was a small humanoid shaped creature, probably could of sat in the palm of my hand, that what I can only describe as what looked like some sort of mud creature. It wasn't menacing at all. It just observed me, and me it. I couldn't believe my eyes.

It seemed rather curious and approached my face as it crawled along my bed towards me. I didn't feel threatened but I was a little uncomfortable now as I was unsure what would happen next, and it wasn't like I'd experienced anything like this before. So I closed my eyes and tried to move, not knowing if i was paralysed for real as I'd never experienced this before. But I broke out of it and thought to myself, wow, what just happened.

Maybe it can be explained scientifically, I probably could myself, but I'd like to believe it was more than that. And from other things I have experience first hand many years later I'm certain it was.

Originally posted by RevelationGeneration
Has anyone on ATS actually experienced the phenomenon known as "Sleep Paralysis" ?

The reason i ask it here is because its usually accompanied by some sort of alien encounter...

I'm doing research into this and i would like to know what you experienced.

Please no fake reports, you will only discredit/damage the UFO community further.

If you have ever had a real case of sleep paralysis please post the following:

1. How old was you when it first happened / which area was you located?
2. How long has it been going on/does it still happen?
3. What you saw (if anything).
4. What happened?
5. How long did it last?
6. Were you able to do anything to stop it?
7. Are you a religious person? (elaborate)
8. Were you contacted by something, if so what did it/they say?
9. Did the experience feel positive / negative.
10. Were you left with any after effects? (Feeling sick or different in yourself)

I think those are enough questions, so to summarize this thread is dedicated to ATS members who have had Sleep Paralysis / possible contact. I hope this topic is not trolled and only serious accounts are given, you can also post if you know anyone who has sleep paralysis as well.

Video

edit on 17-8-2011 by RevelationGeneration because: (no reason given)

I experience it a couple times a month, for as long as I can remember.

I sometimes see tall shadow figures, other times when I know the sp is going to happen, I can create what I want to see. First real memory of sp I paniced. Upon research of the event I learned tricks on how to avoid it, how to bring it on, how to get my body to move and the practice of lucid dreaming. The event only lasts a few seconds although it can seem like hours. Yes, I have learned how to stop it. I would not consider myself religious because I don't believe in any specific religious order or congregation, however, I do believe in God and I am well aware of my spiritual energy and the energy of all things that are connected. If I don't make an attempt to create my own scenario in sp and I experience shadow figures, they seem to just slide into my room, stand there and look at me. I do not feel positive or negative about that... just curious. They don't say anything. I am typically left with an after effect of being dehydrated.

I hope this helps.

reply to post by RevelationGeneration



1. How old was you when it first happened / which area was you located?

I live in south florida. First time I can remember was in my mid teens.

2. How long has it been going on/does it still happen?

I think It's happened 3 times in my life. Last time was within the past year.

3. What you saw (if anything).

Basically I saw just the room.

4. What happened?

I was awake and I couldn't move. I felt strange and it also felt like there was something malevolent nearby.

5. How long did it last?

I'm not sure. A minute or so.

6. Were you able to do anything to stop it?

No. After a minute or so I wok up.

7. Are you a religious person? (elaborate)

I hope that there is a God. But not overly religious.

8. Were you contacted by something, if so what did it/they say?

Not contacted. But it felt like I was being mocked or toyed with.

9. Did the experience feel positive / negative.

Negative

10. Were you left with any after effects? (Feeling sick or different in yourself)

No after effects.

1. How old was you when it first happened / which area was you located?
It happened when I was 17 years old. I was on the top bunk of my bunk bed in my bedroom.

2. How long has it been going on/does it still happen?
Only happened once.

3. What you saw (if anything).
Everything was black it was as if my eyes were still closed.

4. What happened?
I remember waking, but not being able to move. The only thing I could do was think and hear myself speak in my thoughts. I remember thinking OK this is weird I can't move, everything is dark, why can't I move, am I breathing, and then I started to panic in my mind. It was crazy. Then I heard this deep male voice softly say, "Submit to me..." The first time I thought I was going crazy. Then the voice said submit to me a second time. I was thinking OK who/what is this. Then the voice said it the third time, and it was then that I realized that whatever this was didn't have my well being in mind, so I instinctively did what I thought would save me from whatever this voice was. I said in thought within my mind, "I only submit to Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior!!!" At this point my vision was restored, I was able to breath, I realized I was in a cold sweat, I then was able to move, and I shouted out for a split second what I was saying in my mind when I was trying to physically speak.. I climbed down the bed and ran into the other room where my dad was sleep and woke him up and told him about the ordeal. He said I was just having a nightmare and to go back to sleep.

5. How long did it last?
I have no idea. Couldn't have been too long as I couldn't breathe.

6. Were you able to do anything to stop it?
Call me crazy, a loon, a sheep, uneducated, uniformed, whatever you will, but after I proclaimed Jesus as my Lord and Savior whatever it was went away.

7. Are you a religious person? (elaborate)
I used to go to church a lot, then I stopped, then I started back, and now I stopped again temporarily. I once considered myself a Baptist, but then I began reading the Bible and had questions about some of their beliefs and rules, and they didn't answer them the way I felt was right, so I disassociated myself with that denomination and just proclaim myself to be a Christian in the fact I believe Jesus died for our sins, is alive, and gave us one commandment which is to love. I'm not "holier than thou" or anything. To each his/her own.

8. Were you contacted by something, if so what did it/they say?
Yes I was. The male voice only said, "Submit to me three times" Then it left as suddenly as it came.

9. Did the experience feel positive / negative.
Started off negative and terrifying, but ended positively as it has never come back to mess with me again.

10. Were you left with any after effects? (Feeling sick or different in yourself)
Just affirmed my faith more and I always remember and question why whatever it was was after me. I'm very inquisitive.

Hey OP

Im 20 years ols and live right on lake superior in northern Ontario. I get sleep paralysis around once every few months, give or take, and have been since I was about 14. I am not religious what so ever. When it happens to me my eyes somewhat open, I am somewhat aware of what goes on around me but my body will be unable to move, it almost feels like I'm being held against my will. I heard it is because your body is still in a state of rem sleep, so your mind is awake but your body is not. I often feel great panic, I usually get really scared cause IT IS scary haha. I usually try to call to my girlfriend to wake me but I am usually unable to speak, sometimes I'll kind of moan and she'll fully wake me, but there are times when I can do nothing about it and I eventually either fall back asleep or wake up in sweat. I can never remember if I was abducted lol. The only time I had it bad and felt I may have had alien contact was one night after I watched the fourth kind and did some reading on abductions. I went to bed and had a terrible nightmare regarding abduction followed by a bad case of sleep paralysis, but I think I just freaked my self out before bed. I also live in a rural area and my neighbors and my family have seen UFO's out here among other strange happenings, but I think sleep paralysis may just be a normal thing that has been happening to people forever =) But if it's not I hope these aliens stop abducting me, it's starting to get annoying!

reply to post by RevelationGeneration


Yes, I use to have it a lot, so much so that I was able to put myself into sleep paralysis before going to sleep if I wanted to. Wasn't that great at it but every once in a while It would work. First time it happened to me I felt as if I was getting abducted. I couldn't see anything as my eyes were closed and could not open it but i felt the presence of a bright white beam over me and the sense of floating was all over me. The I started to shout, but of course no sound and i began to panic, then I started to calm down and take deep breaths and I awoke on my bed just as I had been right before I feel into sleep. Second time it happened I felt a dark presence over me. It felt like a dark femanine black body was holding me down, sort of like a witch. Which later I learned that it was common to feel that sort of feeling. For the record, I do believe in UFO's and Alien life. Also I have yet to see any unknown or strange phenomenon in my life which makes me very depressed...

I am not religious. Im spiritual and to me theres a difference.
I was about 20 or so when it happened (then again I don't remember) give or take a year. Once it happened it seemed it happen quite often after that. Then it slowed down and now it hasn't happened although I have a feeling it will happen tonight since im talking about it. The third time it happened (which it has happened all while i was sleeping in my room) i felt my entire room vibrating and the sound of a book being thrown but constantly without interruptions.

Hi I'm in my thirties and have had this experience a few times in recent years.

I woke but was unable to move, not negative, I just woke before my body.

I was at home in my bed and I am not religious though I do have strong spirituality.

There have been many documented cases of abductions which occur in a fully waking and occupied state so I fail to see the connection with abduction and sleep paralysis in most cases. I believe it is usually our natural hormone balance though I do not discount the possibility that it has been induced in some cases.

I do believe in' God' and Angels and Cherubim, I do believe in Aliens. Obviously God is not 'of this world' so it follows that God is ET as are the others mentioned. I also believe that some entities are extra-dimensional. It makes sense of a lot of the paranormal experienced.

We are scratching the surface of what exists in reality and I look forward to the time that the study of these other energies and different forms of life and their habitats are a normal part of science.

reply to post by RevelationGeneration


1. How old was you when it first happened / which area was you located?

I was a very young child. Maybe 3 or 4. I live in the south of England.

2. How long has it been going on/does it still happen?

It still happens now. I am 33.

3. What you saw (if anything).

I have in the past seen black figures moving towards me. Like shadows perhaps.

4. What happened?

I used to try to scream, but no sound would come out, and I would panic. Now I just wait til I can move. It only lasts a few seconds.

5. How long did it last?

A few seconds.

6. Were you able to do anything to stop it?

No.

7. Are you a religious person? (elaborate)

I was raised as a Christian, but I do not follow any particular religion now. Although if I did, it would be Buddhism. As a result of all the strange experiences I have had in my life (OOBE, Preminition, Sleep Paralysis, Lucid Dreams etc.) I am a very spiritual person.

8. Were you contacted by something, if so what did it/they say?

No.

9. Did the experience feel positive / negative.

I would say negative because I always found it terrifying.

10. Were you left with any after effects? (Feeling sick or different in yourself)

As with OOBE's, Sleep Paralysis always leaves me feeling 'drained' for a few minutes. As if all the energy has been sucked out of my body, and is slowly recharging.

reply to post by RevelationGeneration


1. How old was you when it first happened / which area was you located?

It began in my late 20s-early 30s / i live in northeastern Texas

2. How long has it been going on/does it still happen?

It continued until i was about 49 years old, at which time i diagnosed with Sleep Apnea and prescribed a C-PAP machine which enables me to sleep properly with more normal sleep patterns and this, of course, leaves me less exhausted all the time.

3. What you saw (if anything).

I never saw anything; was just aware that i was awake and could not move.

4. What happened?

I would awaken from sleep and would be unable to move. Most commonly it would happen if i took a nap. I took many, many naps because i was always exhausted. Often the naps were not even my idea; i would just nod off due to exhaustion.

5. How long did it last?

The condition or the episodes? The episodes: anywhere from about a minute to several minutes. The condition: approximately 20 years.

6. Were you able to do anything to stop it?

As i stated above, sleeping with a C-PAP has helped tremendously. Prior to that, i would do everything i could NOT to sleep when i was alone because the episodes can be very terrifying. If someone were home, i would tell them i needed to sleep and ask them to stay nearby. If i awoke in a state of paralysis, i would do my best to scream. I was told that it would sound like i was lightly moaning. If they heard me making noise, they knew to shake me, slap my hands, call my name loudly, or otherwise do something to awaken me.

If it happened when i was alone, i tried to practice deep breathing and put myself back to sleep as experience had shown me that if i could just get back to sleep i would awaken normally a little later. After learning what the condition was and doing a little research on the subject, if i had an episode i would try to concentrate on just moving my toes or fingers. Either method was generally successful in getting myself to awaken without the paralysis.

7. Are you a religious person? (elaborate)

I'm a spiritual person; a Christian with a lot of traditional Native American beliefs. There is a strong difference in my book between being 'spiritual' and being 'religious;' i don't have much use for the extremely religious (no offense to anyone intended)

8. Were you contacted by something, if so what did it/they say?

No; not at all. I could, however, hear others in the house or room, tell them what they were doing or what they had said, etc. I was fully awake; i just couldn't move or speak.

9. Did the experience feel positive / negative.

It feels downright creepy and uncomfortable. I suppose if i had to choose between the options in your question, i would have to say the experience feels negative simply because you're temporarily not in control of your body.

10. Were you left with any after effects? (Feeling sick or different in yourself)

I often felt more exhausted than i did prior to the nap simply because it's a rather unnerving event.

As far as I know everyone is experiencing sleep paralysis. This is to prevent us from hurting ourselves while sleeping. Sleep paralysis does not last very long and usually you are no longer paralised when you wake up. It is possible for few people to wake up paralised, but I do not think you should be very worried about that unless it happens very often. You should be worried if you are not paralised while sleeping. You can't however tell if you are paralised while sleeping, simply because... you are sleeping.

As a kid I had some weird experiences, and memories that I can´t seem to place. I remember having lucid dreams, or maybe even an OBE, where I would float down the stairs of my house, and there were always some entities present that were trying to chase me back, or seamed not pleased that I was floating in their world.

Anyways, I was still very young, around 6 years old or so. I dion´t really remember stuff like that happening after that përiod.

But a few years back I had an unpleasent experience with sleep paralisis, and with, according to my research a succubus.

I seemingly woke up and couldn´t move or make a sound, and I felt a heavy weight or pressure on top of me.

I didn´t know what was going on and panicked, tried to fight and scream, but couldn´t do anything.

Next thing is this full visual of a hairy monster with the claws, growling at me and then I woke up in a pool of sweat, heart pounding in throat.

I found an image,





It´s freaky to me how this supposed image of a succubus looks almost exactly like the thing I saw in my dream.

It only misses a wherewolflike body.

1. How old was you when it first happened / which area was you located?
I was around 14 and was in bed at home.

2. How long has it been going on/does it still happen?
Only happened one time.

3. What you saw (if anything).
Nothing.

4. What happened?
I awoke and felt like my soul was being ripped out of my body, and that if I couldn't stop it right away my body would die. It was terrifying. I was trying to scream but I was completely paralyzed, could not move or speak.

5. How long did it last?
I'd guess less than a minute.

6. Were you able to do anything to stop it?
No, but it suddenly stopped and I was able to move (the first thing I did was shout for help).

7. Are you a religious person? (elaborate)
I'm a believer, but not into mainstream religion.

8. Were you contacted by something, if so what did it/they say?
Not that I recall. But it felt like some spiritual creature was behind it, literally trying to manually remove my soul from my body.

9. Did the experience feel positive / negative.
Very negative and evil.

10. Were you left with any after effects? (Feeling sick or different in yourself)
No although thinking about it still creeps me out and it's been over 35 years ago.

EDIT TO ADD: I posted this before reading the rest of the replies as I didn't want my response to be influenced by others' comments. But after reading the other replies I wanted to add that I have experienced another form of sleep paralysis throughout my life that is quite different than what I described above. Basically I can open my eyes and look around but cannot move, but it's more a feeling of being in a very relaxed state. It's not at all alarming and in fact it feels really great, and I usually just go back to sleep when it happens. It is nothing like the experience I had above though. I have no idea if what I experienced above was supernatural or what, but it was completely terrifying, not because I couldn't move but because it felt like that evil presence was trying to tear me away from my body. I also forgot to mention that my eyes were open and I could see the room quite clearly while it was happening.

Originally posted by CaptainInstaban
As a kid I had some weird experiences, and memories that i can´t seem to place. I remember having lucid dreams, or maybe even an OBE, where I would float down the stairs of my house, and there were always some entities present that were trying to chase me back, or seamed not pleased that I was floating in their world.

That sounds so familiar, it's a little OT to this thread but when I was a kid I would have similar dreams (really nightmares) where I floated out of my body and was being pulled to an empty, black room in the house. I couldn't see anything in the room past the door, it was total, inky blackness; but I could sense that there were evil things in there waiting for me, and I was powerless to stop myself from floating towards them. I usually woke up just before going into that room and every time my heart was darned near pounding out of my chest. It was horrifying!

reply to post by RevelationGeneration


I've had sleep paralysis accompanied by Lucid dreaming, when on Earth would I want to stop that!

Interested in that info on CSP versus HSP. I'm not sure if it is quite so clear the difference between the two. Also as a qualifier, I doubt there is any connection between "abductions" and "sleep paralysis", although I do agree that many reports of "alien abduction" may simply be some form of sleep paralysis.

Originally posted by RevelationGeneration
1. How old was you when it first happened / which area was you located?

I was nineteen years old. I was sleeping in bed.

2. How long has it been going on/does it still happen?

I had very infrequent episodes for many years. I haven't had any for quite a few years.

3. What you saw (if anything).

Didn't see anything.

4. What happened?

I felt I was awake and there was another entity there. I felt it as a "malevolent force" which was trying to overpower me. I was unable to move or speak. I also felt a sort of throbbing/surging sensation that went through my body, something that seemed to coincide with my heartbeat.

5. How long did it last?

Probably less than a minute each time.

6. Were you able to do anything to stop it?

No. I struggled mentally but nothing seemed to effect it. It just receded on its own. I guess I become fully awake at the end, otherwise I'd forget about it.

7. Are you a religious person? (elaborate)

No. But the first time this happened, I had just received a Saint Christopher's medal as a parting gift from my parents as I was going away on a long journey the next day. I thought that the incident was somehow connected with the medal and I thought it might be some sort of "demon" involved. I removed the medal but I still had more incidents. (Note: I think it was possible that the excitement and anticipation interfered with my sleep and may have been the trigger - not the medal).

8. Were you contacted by something, if so what did it/they say?

No communication. Just a sense of another entity.

9. Did the experience feel positive / negative.

It felt negative.

10. Were you left with any after effects? (Feeling sick or different in yourself)

No. But it it cause me some worry until I read years later that this was a common occurrence.

I did find out that my sister has experienced sleep paralysis also. Her experiences are similar although she also has that feeling of something crushing her chest.

I should point out that I don't think you are necessarily completely paralyzed during "sleep paralysis". One time, I woke up and experienced an episode. I was thinking "Its the cold air on my chest" and I was aware that my window was open. So I struggled very hard to sit up in bed and slide the window closed. This took great effort and I was experiencing the sensations of sleep paralysis as I sat up, closed the window, then lay down again, yielding to "the force". I then woke up completely. I was lying in bed. The room was cold and when I checked, the window was closed. So I don't think it was a hallucination or dream that I had closed the window while "paralyzed", but I am not certain.

Sleep Paralysis

Might be a useful read for anyone interested in the subject.

Originally posted by SavedOne
1. How old was you when it first happened / which area was you located?
I was around 14 and was in bed at home.

2. How long has it been going on/does it still happen?
Only happened one time.

3. What you saw (if anything).
Nothing.

4. What happened?
I awoke and felt like my soul was being ripped out of my body, and that if I couldn't stop it right away my body would die. It was terrifying. I was trying to scream but I was completely paralyzed, could not move or speak.

5. How long did it last?
I'd guess less than a minute.

6. Were you able to do anything to stop it?
No, but it suddenly stopped and I was able to move (the first thing I did was shout for help).

7. Are you a religious person? (elaborate)
I'm a believer, but not into mainstream religion.

8. Were you contacted by something, if so what did it/they say?
Not that I recall. But it felt like some spiritual creature was behind it, literally trying to manually remove my soul from my body.

9. Did the experience feel positive / negative.
Very negative and evil.

10. Were you left with any after effects? (Feeling sick or different in yourself)
No although thinking about it still creeps me out and it's been over 35 years ago.

I have to agree with pretty much everything stated here. Although once I knew this was a common occurrence, I felt it was less threatening. I sort of would "fight less", but that didn't seem to necessarily work. It was more like "riding it out" until t just ended on its own accord. I really did think it was a struggle for my soul (at least the first several times this happened).

I really don't think this involves aliens in any way (but I might be wrong about that since there is some alien type things happening in our family).

I believe I was in junior high. I can't remember how old I was.
I shared a room with my brother at the time and our room was in the basement of our house. I was sleeping and when I woke up I immediately felt a shock of fear and felt paralyzed. I didn't move at all and I opened my eyes just barely to see what was in the room. On the side of the bed I could make out a figure. It looked like it was wearing something white in color and I could make out the shoulders but not the head and I didn't see legs.
It felt negative for sure. I had the fan going and the only light in the room was from the alarm clock and I could hear pages turning like this thing was looking at a book.
Again, I didn't open my eyes all the way and didn't have the guts to move because I was scared stiff. It didn't say anything and I didn't have any lasting affects of any kind afterwards.
Also, at the time I was going to a youth group at a church but that was because my friends went and there was free food! haha I was not religious at all. I don't think that had anything to do with it though.
It only happened that one time but I will never forget it. That was the only thing that happened to me that was unexplainable. I think it was a ghost of some kind.

All the time.

i had sleep paralysis for years. Most annoying thing ever since I actually got it just before sleeping.In other words, I would go to sleep (and I sleep at my back) and my body would go into sleep paralysis before I actually was sleeping. So I had to move to snap out of it. Since sleep paralysis also makes it feel as if you get too little air at the same time you can't move, not a very nice situation.

I only stopped having it like a year ago or so. Had it for at least three to four years. I moved during that time periode and had two different beds and neither made me have less sleep paralysis.Also not having a job or having a new one made a dime a difference in it.

It came without appearend reason and left without appearend reason.

Alien interference? Well, that was the time in which I developed my thoughts about phase shifting matter particles and multi-dimensional null vortexes, but I hardly think that has anything to do with aliens.

Sleep paralysis is usually the mind screwing up in the sleep sequence.

/edit; To clarify. I could not move unless I focust upon the tip of my finger or toe's, with lots of concentration and force I could move it for about an inch or two and then suddenly my whole body would jolt up and respond to commands normally. I didn't just have it once or twice during those four years but at least 100 or 200 times, there were weeks that it would set in every freaking evening.

In only had it once or twice when waking up. But before sleeping, most of the time during that period.

I havent read the thread yet but will do after I type this, firstly I'd like to note that some of the pictures I saw when quickly scanning to the back page are very similar to what I saw, a devil.

Yes happened to me twice, once when I was single and once while I was married(still am), I'm in Australia and do believe in GOD.

First time I was about 27, seems like I thought I was having a dream but then I somehow woke up, and I was screaming at the top of my lungs but nothing was coming out of my mouth, I couldnt hear my own scream, I kept screaming for help and it was as though something was sitting on my stomach, I was absolutely terrified at the time. then when I actually got control of my body again, I jumped up and just thought to myself wtf was that all about.

Second time was about 4 years later, except this time it seemed alot more sinister, I saw what could only be known as a classical satanic looking figure above me, initially I remember almost laughing at him and asking him wtf he wanted with me, then the paralysis stepped in, I couldnt speak at all, this devil **** started using every swear word known to man, talking absolutely filth talk, he told me my wife is a f****** wh*** and that he was going to drag her to hell with him(amongst other obscenities), the whole time he spoke to me I couldnt move, I screamed out to my wife next to me as loud as I could to try to get her to move me as I couldnt move, but again there was no noise at all coming out of my mouth. I wasnt so much scared as I was pissed off that I couldnt fight this filthy f***.

havent had it since then(2+ years)

Now I just get dreams where I'm flying lol, extremely vivid dreams as if I really think I can fly by just willing it, I fly around near where I live, tis good fun lol.

EDIT: looking back on this page yes that figure some are calling succubus is the one that looks very similar to what I saw, but the drawing doesnt quite do it's true ugliness justice. Also I think some are mixed up with succubus and incubus, succubus is more like a female devil that tries to have sex with you I believe. Has been a while since I've looked into it, it was after the first experience that I descirbed above was when I looked into it.