Help! Is it sleep paralysis? or something more?

I have experienced some things in the past month or two I can't quite explain. Is it sleep paralysis, or something more?

First some background. For the past few years I have suffered from what I think is sleep paralysis. I wake up sometime during the night (usually during the first couple hours after I fall asleep) and I see things in my room. Usually it has been ghostly figures or things I can barely make out and they wouldn't last very long at most 10 - 15 seconds. Most of the time they are distortions of real objects in my room. At first I was scared because I didn't know what was going on then after some research I found that it was most likely sleep paralysis. I would have these as a kid too but they really increased since 2008, there isn't a problem with this other than they can freak me out sometimes.

However the last 2 times have got me questioning if it's sleep paralysis, schizophrenia, or perhaps something paranormal.

About a month ago I had a dream about my deceased grandfather. He was inquiring about a belt of his I had inherited after his death. After some dreaming I woke up and felt very odd, like I wasn't alone. I stared at my wall for a good 20 seconds or so, because I was seeing something in the shadows. Then a shadowy figure walked right in front of my bed (in contrast with the moonlight). This hallucination (?) lasted quite long and had me extremely frightened.

So I thought meh, big deal maybe some paralysis that just lasted longer than usual. No biggie, but that was until 2 nights ago.

I was asleep with my girlfriend and this time I woke up and saw what I can only describe as a saint or Jesus. I layed there and watched this figure repeatedly raise his arms. It was lasting quite a while so I told myself just get rid of it, get more awake. So I tried closing my eyes to ignore the figure and when I closed them I still saw the figure! It was different with my eyes closed... like someone was shining a bright light in front of your closed eyes and all you can see is the figures outline. I opened them again and shut them trying to shake this off and the image switched to a hooded woman looking down with a halo behind her head. At this point I'm thinking "you gotta be kidding me... go away!"

I opened my eyes and the saintly figure was still there. I looked over to my girlfriend and said,
"I'm seeing things again... visions".

"What?!" (she was scared) she embraces me tightly and asks, "what are you seeing?"

"Saints," I replied. At this point my hallucinations subsided. That was it, we just fell back asleep. I didn't want to talk about what happened until the next day. I didn't understand and still don't.

Anybody got any ideas?

The saint or Jesus kind of looked like this.




The figure was translucent, was floating in the same spot in front of my door. He also had a white somewhat curly beard. When I closed my eyes I could still see all the details the face, arms etc, not just a shadow. Even when it switched to the woman.

Myoclonic jerks are normal but have you been having them too? Ringing in the ears? Have you been playing with the occult?

If you have control of your body during this and are not paralyzed, I do not think it is sleep paralysis. Numbers... Why are you asking about ringing in ears, is this common with sleep paralysis? Just curious...

When your body is torpid or you are real tired your, mind slips in and out of dream mode while you are 'awake' this may explain the visions.

Sleep paralysis could be explained simply by saying that when you sleep your body is induced chemically into and paralzed state. This is good. Without this barrier as you dream you would physically act what you are doing which would be most dangerous.

Sometimes you can consciously awake while your body is still asleep. I have had this happen on occasion where I wake up and I can barely open my eyes, I try to move, cant, try to ask for help, cant. I start to panic, I have learned that if I try to rock my self it wakes my body up. Strange, strange strange

reply to post by Shadow Herder
Good explanation of what sleep paralysis is. It seems that it is fairly common in that many will experience it at some point in their life, is this the case I wonder? I have never had it happen to me... Yet. Sounds scary.

Gday, First time poster but have followed this site for a year or so. As for sleep paralysis I used to have it all the time.
It got to the point I was scared to go to sleep. I actually had the old hag type person holding me down and obviously I couldn't move. over time I found that by telling it it didn't exist in my reality and that it wasn't welcome that it often went away and I woke up.
In more recent years, I often hear a weird bell like sound in one ear just as I am nodding off. I then know what I am in for and can sort of prepare. Also, days before I notice I get very tired easily and cranky. I think this is somehow related.
I've heard that Christians call for help from God or Jesus and that that's enough to send them packing. However in your case maybe the Lord is trying to reach out to you. Good luck anyway.
Cheers

I have experienced sleep paralysis at least once a week for 10 years +. Don't let any sleep techs, neurologists, or ATS posters tell you "it's just a dream glitch". The hallucinations can't hurt you but they can be ghastly at times. They can also be comforting and tranquil (it really seems to depend on your state of mind)! Most important is to control the fear and take charge of the situation.

I believe this state is sort of a gateway to paranormal activity (here is not the place to expound on my observations and theories). In other words, it IS more than "just a dream". This is why it is important to conquer the fear, because it seems only to feed itself.

There are also many who believe that sleep paralysis is the first stage in astral travel or out of body experience. I tend to agree from personal experience. Again, overcoming the fear is the key. It is my opinion that sleep paralysis is a spiritual experience once common for the human species, but somehow it is now muddied by our own fears and nightmares and psychological muck.

There is plenty of information on the topic, yet sleep medicine has so much to catch up on to offer a better scientific interpretation. Of course, "the science of dreaming" almost sounds like a contradiction in terms to me.

All in all, don't be afraid of the experience knowing that nothing can hurt you no matter how unpleasant. Also, there are numerous working techniques to abort the experience at your own will. Likewise, the experience IS inducible at will...hmm..makes you think there is something more to it than "just a dream".

I have had similar experiences in the past. I have woken up, barely able to move. I normally see dark figures or 'clouds' which are darker than even pitch darkness, its hard to explain. I also feel the presence of lots of people.

It's pretty terrifying when it happens.

Anyone ever get the ability to see vividly clear through closed eyelids while waking up?

You know I've been thinking about the OP's story and the fact that he was able to close his eyelids at will makes me think this might NOT have been sleep paralysis after all.

I have been trying to get other ATS sleep paralysis experiencers to answer this for me.

Are you able to open or close your eyelids during sleep paralysis? I believe that during paralysis that it is not possible to control the eyelids (or any part of the body). Likewise, shifting the position of the eyes does not seem possible.

It is very common (at least for me) that the eyelids shoot open during sleep paralysis and one is forced to look at your surroundings (usually with some visual and auditory hallucinations involved). I do not believe that one can willfully open and close the eyelids or change one's field of vision during sleep paralysis..

Some input from other ATSers who experience sleep paralysis would really be great. But, I'm usually a thread killer and the last person to post on these sleep paralysis threads

I've been wanting to solve this problem and accumulate all the observational data in one thread for a while, but it seems improbable for ATS. Oh well, it'll only be a few days before we see another thread JUST LIKE THIS. And again we'll be no further in coming up with a consensus to provide better answers.

OP, I personally am not sure that you experienced sleep paralysis based on the fact that you say you willfully closed your eyelids. This does not seem consistent with what I know about the phenomenon. I now wonder if you had some other type of hallucination or vision brought on by something else. Without that input from other SP experiencers, it is difficult to say what the norm is, exactly.

Thanks for all the replies!

I appreciate Shadow Herders response as it seems quite logical. I knew that sleep paralysis includes the paralyzation of the body which is why I have always been confused as to why I have control of my body during these visions. I could get out of bed when I have them that's how awake I am... at least physically.

As for fear triggering them or making them more apparent, I agree 100% with that. Fear and stress make them worse, which is why I usually have them after a night terror. However I didn't have any night terrors before the two I described.

Spirituality wise I do wonder if it is kind of a gateway to another world. Some of them are comforting, but when they last a while it kind of frightens me. I have even had times when I say "go away" and poof they go away, so that has always intrigued me.

reply to post by NarcolepticBuddha


I can close my eyes and move my entire body. I am not paralyzed at all. In fact there have been times I've been so frightened that I have jumped/fallen out of my bed.

Also apparently I can have conversations with my girlfriend lol

Originally posted by Shadow Herder
Anyone ever get the ability to see vividly clear through closed eyelids while waking up?

Not entirely, I have had astral projections and when I "see" my room it is mostly correct but the light is off or something isn't right about the room (like size or a window or something).

reply to post by asmall89


Ahh, but is it your "shadow" body (the spiritual, astral body) that you are in control of during the paralysis?..or is it indeed not paralysis at all, but some other state of consciousness.

This, I cannot answer..you must find your own answer through careful observational data. I suggest keeping a dream journal of sorts.

I do know that during paralysis, I often fool myself into thinking I am awake and can move my arms and what not. However, it is the shadowy body I am seeing, as I cannot actually move the physical body in this state.

The having conversations with your girlfriend part and the mobility makes me think you are having some other sort of experience. Did you actually verify these conversations took place while awake? In this state, all sorts of hallucinatory trickery can take place. But still doesn't hurt to observe very carefully and compile your recollections, visions, and feelings before and after for empiricism. Perhaps you are adept at skipping the paralysis part and stepping right into lucid dreams or astral projection/ OOBE/ whatever-its-called-these-days.

reply to post by NarcolepticBuddha


Yeah I asked her the day after about our conversation. She said she remembered having it and was frightened, she didn't want to open her eyes because she was afraid.

These experiences are definitely not my "shadow self". I really don't even think this can be classified as sleep paralysis, but maybe partly dreaming? I don't know, I'm conscious during all these experiences and remember them the day after.

reply to post by asmall89


Hmm, then some other sort of visions maybe. I know a lot about sleep paralysis..but that's about all I could tell you about.

All I can say is dig deeper! Go down the rabbit hole with caution and don't look back. Fear nothing. Whatever is in there should be afraid of you.

Best luck finding the answers you seek.