1st Sleep Paralysis Experience!

Right.
Last night, I was working late in the home office, as per usual.

I prefer to keep late hours, typically keeping regular office hours from noon - 9pm. This works for me since I'm a night owl circadian type, and my clients need not miss work for a visit at the business office.

It was around 2:30am, and I felt an overwhelming fatigue, which for me, at that hour, is a little unusual.
I'd been working on some papers, updating some information while snacking on some mixed nuts.

When the feeling of fatigue came over me, I decided to call it a 'day' from work, and watch a TV show I'd downloaded. I watched an episode of Vampire Diaries, as well as an episode of Elementary.

I then, still feeling unusually fatigued, very untypically barely able to keep my eyes open, quite similar in feeling to the eye-weary exhaustion experienced from driving at night on long cross country trips, decided to shag off to bed.

A few minutes before drifting off, I noticed an unusual ringing/buzzing sound in my head; not heard with my ears. I also fell a creeping, gradually increasing sense of outright terror. Further, I had the distinct impression, feeling, and knowledge that I was somewhere else; another house I'd purchased, lived in, remodeled, updated, and sold that was an old 1936 built 4200 sq/ft 4bdrm, 3 bath, pier and beam, colonial style, 2-story construction that the previous owner claimed was haunted.


I also could not, try as I might, move.

It was all quite puzzling.

Despite the building sense of terror, I was detached in observing this fascinating phenomenon first hand.

I eventually took a deep breath, seeming the only thing I had conscious physical control over, held it for a count of 5, then let it out slowly which seemed to break the spell.

It was then that I felt disoriented and quite chagrined to find that I was NOT where I thought I was during the episode, but at home as I was before I went to bed.

It was a very interesting and fascinating experience.
I can see now how many people who do experience this kind of thing, especially if they're the superstitious type that likes to take stock in and belief for supernatural things can convince themselves that they're experiencing space alien abductions, demon possession, or some other sort of spectacular nonsense.

To some up the experience:

1. Precursor body weary fatigue.
2. Buzzing/Ringing sound 'heard' inside head (not with ears)
3. Building sense of rigid all consuming terror.
4. Absolute conviction of being somewhere else, such that I didn't even realize there was anywhere else I actually should be.
5. Complete paralysis (except breathing)
6. Slight disorientation (and humor on my part once I realized what had just happened) after the episode.

This is the first time I'd experienced such and look forward to more self study through first hand experiences.
I wonder if the mixed nuts i was snacking on had any hand in it as the mixed nuts were the only thing different in the routine before turning in. I'll have to experiment and try replicating the cause and effect.


Any thoughts?

It's nutso is it not?

I've only had one real distinct one and it was scary. Thought I was having a heart attack or something, I was trying to call for help to my wife but could barely speak a whisper. I'm pretty sure it was one of those "old hag" experiences they talk about.

It sure is an interesting experience. I still try to have one per week.

Did you leave the TV on? I find I can only enter Sleep Paralysis drifting off with the TV on or a window open for background noise that can keep you out of deeper sleep stages. Also, it must be a couch, not a bed.

That initial feeling of doom will always be there, but its easier to deal with once used to it. I usually become aware hearing the front door slam shut, but the door is locked. It still freaks me out

reply to post by Cyprex


I don't have a TV per se. I've graduated to Downloading anything I want tot watch and putting it up on my big LCD computer screen. This allows for leisure watching of any show or movie on my schedule, as well as commercial free.

As far as white noise, or ambient noise goes, I'm fairly certain the air conditioning unit was active at the time which sounds somewhat (to me) similar to the ocean noise when I leave a window open when renting a beach house, or staying in a room at a hotel night next a busy metropolitan freeway.

I can't verify the air conditioning as being active 100%. I'll have to ensure to take note of anything such if this happens again.

I was also in bed, not on a couch or anywhere foreign.

Of additional note, after the episode was over, after taking stock and making mental note of the experience, I simply rolled over facing a wall, into a more vulnerable position with my back to exterior window, and continued on with going to sleep where the rest of the night was dreamless and quite restful.

reply to post by Druscilla



The only thing noteworthy with my experience was I was lying flat on my back in bed when it occurred, which is not my usual sleeping position, I'm normally on my side, one or the other. I've also noticed a higher propensity for nightmares when I'm on my back.

Sometimes I lucid dream, hopefully you get to do that too. That's the stuff!

reply to post by tjack


Yeah, I too can only experience it on my back.

The best part moving your hands in front of your face. When you move your arm move cross your vision... and see nothing ... wow.

I think you may have just been over tired and were caught in between dreaming and being slightly awake.
This has happened to me many times since my head injury , & that was the answer my sleep therapist gave me

Welcome to the club. Did you have any sense of someone/something in the romm with you or standing over you? That is quite common.

I have been experiencing this since I was a toddler. There is always something or someone over me or coming towards me.

I always experienced feelings of pure terror at bedtime as a child into my teens and both my children have terrible experiences with sleep.

Weird stuff.....I usually stay up all night anymore, only sleep in daytime.

I have experienced sleep paralysis several times a year for the last couple of decades.

I can fight it off these days before it takes over.

I get this strange numbing, vibrating sensation in my head when it first starts. I am always convinced that there is another strange presence in the room.

reply to post by Druscilla

Dru...I am a Lucid Dreamer which means I always know I am dreaming. This has it's benefits as I know I am dreaming I can manipulate the Dream in ways such as...say I am in the dream being attacked by a Bear....I can instantly create a weapon to use against the bear in the dream.

I have little fears except one...Natural Disasters and in particular...Tornado's as well as Rouge Waves. I have since I was young had two reoccurring dreams in which either of these two constructs of nature are threatening not myself but a loved one who in the dream is ignoring my desperate warnings of the on coming disaster.

To make things even more strange...BOTH of these dreams have become REALITY as I experienced being slammed with my Father next to me in the Ocean Waters off the shore and beach in Florida. I also just recently experienced the second dream come to pass as Massachusetts was hit by a Category 3 Tornado which I saw coming and ran into my home to desperately try to warn My Girl who was busy fixing a stereo which was turned up loud and I had to grab her and throw her over my shoulder and carry her down cellar as she screamed and protested the whole way.

In Florida swimming in the ocean with my Father...I saw two massive waves in coming and desperately but successfully got his attention but my screaming to the Mothers and Fathers with young children on shore was paid no heed. I am a superior swimmer as well as a Master Diver and my Father at the time was also a very good swimmer. We attempted to get as close to the in coming waves as possible to avoid having the waves break upon us.

The waves were too massive and although we survived we both were cut up fairly bad as the water ground us into the coral bottom. We spent over 20 minutes after the waves came in dragging people out of the water as many were pulled out as the waves receded.

When I have these dreams and I KNOW I am dreaming...I force myself awake and have to battle through the Sleep Paralysis. This is not easy as the Human Brain shuts down the bodies ability to move during REM Sleep. It is the brains way of protecting the dreamer as if this did not occur we would all move our bodies as we do in the dream. I am used to it now and I do not fear it or like in your case feel a dire sense of dread because I KNOW what it is. For many this can be very disturbing and may be the basis for many abduction claims.

Now that you have experienced it...I believe now that you know what it is and what to expect...when it happens again you will not fear it as much. Split Infinity

reply to post by Druscilla


That is awesome! I have had bouts of this on and off over the years. When I worked an overnight shift, I would have this quite often. I'm not sure what the "trigger" is but it is definitely related to poor sleep habits,

That buzzing noise is always disturbing. The first time it happened, I thought I was having a seizure. It is a bizzare experience since a lot of brain chemistry is kicking in.

I was trying to induce an abduction experience but have failed. The last few times this happend, I didn't try to stop it and went into a lucid dreaming state which is very enjoyable,

I have been experiencing sleep paralysis for over 10 years. It is interesting to be sure! I have it a couple of times a month even when I try to avoid it (sleeping straight on my back is almost a guaranteed paralysis episode; I opt to sleep on my side.) Although, through much of that self-study you have mentioned I have found that the experience is totally inducible as well as abort-able. There are techniques to help you shape the experience.

I'm sure you are well aware that the amygdala (fear center of the brain) is highly stimulated during sleep paralysis. Sounds like it didn't spook you too much this time; but it can get excruciatingly scary..if you let it.

I will not expound on my baseless, ultimately unscientific, theories on sleep paralysis. But, I will say to have fun and don't let the fear control the experience (it is sometimes called "waking up in a nightmare"--and for good reason.) Sometimes it may feel like you cannot breath (the hag sitting on the chest aspect.) Your lungs are definitely breathing, you just can't feel the musculature involved in inhalation/ exhalation.

Keep calm, have fun with it, and be sure to take plenty of notes to share with us.

Originally posted by Druscilla

It was a very interesting and fascinating experience.
I can see now how many people who do experience this kind of thing, especially if they're the superstitious type that likes to take stock in and belief for supernatural things can convince themselves that they're experiencing space alien abductions, demon possession, or some other sort of spectacular nonsense.

This is especially made worse when you see beings/creatures/people walk in and either start doing things to you or just stand there over you. The sense of terror increases dramatically!

EDIT: Just to say the below video is pretty freaky, so don't watch it if you feel anything a bit heavy/negative may influence your future experiences...

www.youtube.com...

There's a video there showing similar experiences to what I have had.

Intense stuff indeed. I'm not saying the 'beings' / 'monsters' are real, but as you say, it's very easy to see why people might consider them so...

reply to post by Druscilla


This happens to me, and at first it was kind of scary. Sometimes, it will happen over and over in the same night, but not very often.

I have learned to stop it, but it took some practice. One time, when I woke up, I could hear myself shouting "Wake up" over and over, not out loud, but in my head. Weird, but at least I knew it was a dream.

Also of note; I don't recall any feeling or sensation of the presence that anyone/thing was there.

The house I thought I was in during the experience, when I actually still owned and lived in it, as said before, was related to me by former owner to be haunted.
Many neighbors and folk in the neighborhood seemed to also think so, and I was known as the new owner of The Haunted House.

It was a cool house; the biggest thing in the whole neighborhood at 4200 sq/ft of floor space, sitting on a corner lot, and built in the 1930s, the thing was imposing.

I attempted looking into the history of the place, and never found any record, news reports, or anything ever indicating any sort of violent crime or crimes had ever taken place there.

Lots of cool, strange and interesting things like old newspapers from the 30s, animal bones and such were found in the dead space between the ship-lap walls while renovating, but, nothing that would indicate anything supernatural.

While living there I never once had any ghost encounter, or ever the feeling of anything spooky or out of sorts.

Why, during this sleep paralysis experience I was "transported" back to the place is otherwise somewhat random. Why not one of the sailboats I've lived on, or another house I've bought, lived in while renovating, and sold?

Now that I've experienced an episode first hand, I'm all the more fascinated.
The underlying bio-mechanics which drive the similarity of experience with other wildly differing experiences had by other people is just really interesting.

What's with the buzzing/ringing that precedes these experiences?
What's with the paralysis?
What's with the slow building terror?

Why is it so common for people to be impressed with the presence of other people/things?
Why is it so common for people to be impressed with a feeling of being somewhere else than where they originally fell asleep?

The commonalities in experiences are simply wonderful as they describe similar electro-chemical/physical processes occurring across a wide range of different unrelated people world-wide.

Further, population and historical-wise, it seems a common enough patho-psychological condition to have developed its own mythologies from religious circles claiming demons are at work, to stories of the old hag, and other such.

I'm really quite excited about this and hope to have another experience soon.

Too bad it's not aliens abducting me, but, eh, I'll take sleep paralysis and run with it, since having experienced it now, it's utterly fascinating.

Sounds like a precursor to an OBE. If it happens again try to imagine yourself floating up and out of your body.

Originally posted by Druscilla
it seems a common enough patho-psychological condition to have developed its own mythologies

edit on 10-11-2012 by Druscilla because: (no reason given)

Is it really a patho-psychological condition? Certainly there are neurochemical elements involved, but why must it be pathological? You, yourself have alluded to its commonality across a global mythos.

Where is the line between pathological condition and natural function?

I agree with the previous poster in that sleep paralysis is a precursor to even more fascinating "chemical-psychological" conditions (aka, altered states of consciousness.)

I know you are facts-and-quantitative-data about this first and foremost. But, I'm afraid you're entering a territory that relies heavily on subjective data and observation only.

Please continue to share!

I have encountered sleep paralysis for most of my life, it has been an off again on again experience.

It has started again in the last month and i find it happening almost every night lately but I have found during my years that it will suddenly stop for long periods - Months/Years.

My addition to your circumstance is that I also do not feel another presence during my ordeals but I do feel semiconscious and mentally need to concentrate on activating my bodies ability to move.

As I get older I feel that this takes more and more time to accomplish, someone long ago mentioned to concentrate on moving your toes when in the middle of paralysis and this has some how worked for me, but it still is a haunting experience.

I have no explanation for it - this is just something that I have endured for a very long time.
I am sure there may be scientific studies but none that have fully explained what I go through.

I know that I have not added much to your particular experience but felt compelled to share my occurrences.

What's with the buzzing/ringing that precedes these experiences?

Its normal, everyone has it, every time you fall asleep/wake up, its so normal that your mind is ignoring it.
you hear it only bcause you are conscious while you are going to awake/sleep.

What's with the paralysis?

Read it few posts above. its your body in the sleep state, with awakened mind. somehow the body didnt
realised that your mind is awake and it continues to sleep.

What's with the slow building terror?

Imagine unexpected visitors at your bed, which your mind knows that it cant be, combined with unableness to move
- who wouldnt be feared if they havent experienced it and dont know
that they are perfectly safe ?

Why is it so common for people to be impressed with the presence of other people/things?

Its not impression, its real. what or who are they i dont know.
maybe other sleeping ppl who are wandering arround in their astral form.
maybe your spirit guides who are watching at you.
anyway its your part on this to find out who or what they are and why you have feeling of fear.

Why is it so common for people to be impressed with a feeling of being somewhere else than where they originally fell asleep?

your body is where you have gone to sleep. but your thoughts arent. read more about this at
lobsangrampa.org - book "you forever" under lesson nine.

reply to post by Hombre


Your last two points I disagree with.

Spirits?
Astral forms?

That's all just the brain playing tricks on itself.

Anything and everything you can experience in real life, the brain can be tricked, manipulated, and hijacked into simulating, even all on its own as a result of any sort of environmental, emotional, or any outside/inside change that the body/mind responds to.

Exploring the universe in astral form is just someone exploring the inside of their own skull that's just too goshed into awe through ignorance to realize how complicated and wonderful the brain is such it's ability to lie to and fool itself on a regular basis.