My sleep paralysis experiences. Absolutely terrifying.

When you are asleep and are in REM (dreaming state) the body is in a state of paralysis - it prevents you walking about and playing out the dream - it is normal.
Sometimes the paralysis overlaps into the waking state - you wake up but can't move. You cannot even open your eyes. It has happened to me and it was terrifying - I wanted to use my fingers to open my eyes but of course I could not move any part of the body. Now I know what it is I will not be so scared if it happens again.

reply to post by Itisnowagain


This is true and you also see it in animals when they dream, your dog may whimper like a puppy and move it's paw's like it is dreaming of playing.
The function of physical sleep paralysis is to stop you enacting a dream and in people whom sleep walk it seem's to have failed but believe me knowing the mechanics of this theoretical why's is one thing and experiencing it is another entire reality.

reply to post by LABTECH767


I have seen a video where scientists have removed whatever it is that causes the paralysis in a cat - it was asleep but walking around playing with imaginary things. People who do not have this rem sleep paralysis have to remove all things from their bedroom and pad it out to make it safe.

Again posting this, again it works. There are tricks to make sure you are in a dream but you have to be ready to spin as soon as the realization hits you that you are dreaming. Because it will be real as sheet, mayne. But my bad this is the link check it out, techniques work but it really is on you and you don't have to do all the other prepping beforehand, although going into it as strong as possible will help motivate you to not move and stay conscious until the, for me its a buzzing noise in my ears and my whole body eventually starts buzzing to let me know to open my eyes because I have just entered sleep paralysis.


i.imgur.com...

112233
Again posting this, again it works. There are tricks to make sure you are in a dream but you have to be ready to spin as soon as the realization hits you that you are dreaming. Because it will be real as sheet, mayne. But my bad this is the link check it out, techniques work but it really is on you and you don't have to do all the other prepping beforehand, although going into it as strong as possible will help motivate you to not move and stay conscious until the, for me its a buzzing noise in my ears and my whole body eventually starts buzzing to let me know to open my eyes because I have just entered sleep paralysis.


i.imgur.com...

You cannot open the eyes in sleep paralysis - paralysis means you can't move. Maybe you are talking about partial paralysis

Is that it? I opened my eyes, I couldn't move at all, and I'll think different friends are in the room hanging out with me or the outlines of the wall will have tracers of light moving back and forth on every single line around me, and the walls will move like crazy. No it's sleep paralysis, I just looked up on partial paralysis because I will literally not be able to move and that let's me know to close my eyes. It takes a moment to open up enough but it works.


Edit: But I've only done it once, but it works, after I came out of it the rest of the night I kept forgetting to open my eyes and went through the night where it doesn't seem like you're sleeping at all but the time is flying by.

reply to post by Blue Goblin


I get it probably twice a week since I was 3 or 4 (28 now). Mine don't involve dreams like you say though. Mine are all going into sleep or coming out of it. I have had some auditory hypnogogic hallucinations though. Also, i've never seen "it" but i've felt it near.
Let me just say, I have had some weird ones.

Itisnowagain

112233
Again posting this, again it works. There are tricks to make sure you are in a dream but you have to be ready to spin as soon as the realization hits you that you are dreaming. Because it will be real as sheet, mayne. But my bad this is the link check it out, techniques work but it really is on you and you don't have to do all the other prepping beforehand, although going into it as strong as possible will help motivate you to not move and stay conscious until the, for me its a buzzing noise in my ears and my whole body eventually starts buzzing to let me know to open my eyes because I have just entered sleep paralysis.


i.imgur.com...

You cannot open the eyes in sleep paralysis - paralysis means you can't move. Maybe you are talking about partial paralysis

edit on 31-1-2014 by Itisnowagain because: (no reason given)

This is incorrect.

In the majority of instances, the experiencer does indeed open their eyes. This is when the person will see hallucinations, such as an incubus sitting on their chest, smothering them, or standing at the foot of their bed, intently watching them. They are menacing and are often accompanied by a feeling of absolutely sheer evil & terror.

I've had a few experiences of what I assume to be sleep paralysis. It tends to happen when I wake up in the middle of the night and then go back to sleep. Like, if I wake up at 3:30 AM but have to leave for work at 6:00 AM, in the remaining few hours I'm far more likely to experience SP. Usually I don't realize I'm still sleeping and feel like I'm awakening. But it's a bit different in my case. I don't feel completely immobilized like most people here, I just feel really sleepy or exhausted and can't bring myself to sit in my bed, and then scary stuff happens. Usually it is a big black shape (not necessarily human-shaped, most of the time it's just a blur) that comes out of nowhere and jumps on me, and then it immerses me somehow, and I feel a weird sensation in my body, like some kind of jolt or seizure. It is an unpleasant sensation, but it is not painful.

First time it happened it scared the crap out of me. Now when it happens I just tell myself "oh, that must be sleep paralysis!" and my panic subsides a bit. I don't think it is paranormal, though.

I'm glad to have finally heard of people who've had the same sp experiences I have. I've tried explaining it to people but they flat out laugh in my face and tell me to get a head doctor!
Mine started when I was about 16 and ive had them many time since (now 29) They are for sure the most terrifying thing I've ever experienced. My experiences usually start with a low buzzing in my ears, at which point I wake up and open my eyes. My body is completely paralyzed except for my eyes and sometimes my head/arms. Then gradually the buzzing (sounds like feedback from an electric guitar) gets louder and louder and louder literally to the point where I feel my ears might explode. Then come the dark figures. I've seen them with the corner of my eyes but I've never built the courage to look at them! without a doubt i can feel them usually at the base of my bed or at the side. The most terrifying thing for me is the feeling of vulnerability. They seem so strong and you're so weak. They usually last for about 2 minutes and will often repeat themselves 2 or 3 times in the same night. Recently ive found that praying during the episode helps a lot. I've also noticed I almost always get sp while sleeping on my back. Actually the only time I've had it while on my stomach resulted in my first and only OBE

reply to post by Blue Goblin


I wrote this short explanation for my Mother a while back to try and help her understand what may be happening during her sleep paralysis experiences. I've also posted it here once before on ATS, though I cannot find it now. I hope it helps you further understand what you may be going through.


Sleep paralysis - Fear!

When you're asleep and extremely relaxed you can sometimes inadvertently project your astral body after reaching a deep trance/lucid state. This is the point where your 'Physical mind' will effectively make a copy of itself and enter the lower 'Astral Plane'.
Normally under a controlled, willing and conscious projection you would be aware of the mind "splitting" and remember the projection occurring; keeping track of both the physical and astral minds simultaneously. In sleep paralysis episodes however, because you're extremely relaxed and have no conscious recollection of the projection you cannot keep track of your simultaneous 'minds'. You will only be aware of the physical mind when you wake up paralysed.

The paralysis itself is caused by your body protecting itself from accidental injury by preventing you from mimicking the actions of the astral body.
The feeling you get of "something" standing in the room with you is actually your astral body, but because you don't remember projecting it and it also doesn't remember being projected it feels like something else standing there.
The sudden fear that follows is extremely powerful because your physical mind can now sense the projected mind, and vice versa, but neither of them are aware that they are actually one and the same because the projection was spontaneous and not consciously remembered. Consequently both become scared of each-other and try to flee but because both are actually the same and are linked they cannot escape.

The physical body needs full control of both "minds" to function and animate your body. Naturally your physical mind will try to reintegrate the escaping astral mind by pulling it in, even though it is unaware that it is doing so or even needs to do so.This will make it feel like the unknown thing in the room is getting closer. What this does is frighten the split minds, making them even more stressed and fearful as the astral mind panics and tries even harder to escape, but gets ever closer. This will continue until the physical body either passes out through exhaustion and you fall back to sleep or it successfully wins the tug of war and snaps the astral mind back into the body - releasing the sleep paralysis and waking the body up and restoring you to a single full consciousness.


To conclude, you must have a very powerful mind. You are clearly aware of your paralysis and have stated an element of control in your dreams too.
It will be hard but try and remember what you have read here. Try and recognise that you are actually staring you in the face.
The astral and lucid realms are very subjective and are easily influenced/manipulated by your own personal feelings/thoughts. If you panic or get scared you will automatically manifest scary and fearsome shadows until you learn control... being paralysed is scary - it automatically alters your relaxed state of sleeping and produces negativity. I know the feeling very well.

All the best.

I hope you read this.

Your fear of the situation manifests the illusions of your experience. You are just shy of an out of body experience. Relax and allow yourself to be propelled out of your body. Welcome to eternal life, and an existence that is not ruled by the paradigm of fear. the thought of that which you are is powerful. Focus on truth and it will come to you both in the spirit and in this world. Focus on being that which you were meant to be. Be honest and kind in all you do. You have nothing to fear...NOTHING.

Everyone has this ability.

reply to post by Jarring


It's not an illness, you were built that way. It's you fear of the situation that makes it unpleasant. Relax and exit the body.

I used to suffer from SP for about 12 years. It was terrifying. I was scared to go to bed, scared of the dark, windows. It went away and thankfully, knock on wood, hasn't happened since. I would sense entities in my room. It felt like demons to me. That was just my perception of its meaning and feeling. The first time was the worst and i thought satan, was there to take me. I could swear i was levitating off my bed going into an evil green light. I had all these thoughts the world was ending, but I think that was just me being in shock that satan was in my #ing bedroom . No idea why I thought that. It just felt evil. I never had auditory hallucinations though.

I wonder what the real cause is?

Hope it goes away and you can sleep in peace.

reply to post by esteay812


In my sleep I can ask my wife to wake me up. It is possible to live life in a third person view. There are accounts from runners who all of a sudden find themselves floating above their bodies while they run. It's actually not paralysis it just works differently when you are not stuck inside.

violet
I used to suffer from SP for about 12 years. It was terrifying. I was scared to go to bed, scared of the dark, windows. It went away and thankfully, knock on wood, hasn't happened since. I would sense entities in my room. It felt like demons to me. That was just my perception of its meaning and feeling. The first time was the worst and i thought satan, was there to take me. I could swear i was levitating off my bed going into an evil green light. I had all these thoughts the world was ending, but I think that was just me being in shock that satan was in my #ing bedroom . No idea why I thought that. It just felt evil. I never had auditory hallucinations though.

I wonder what the real cause is?

Hope it goes away and you can sleep in peace.

The cause is that you were built to do this. Make sure you read page 3

reply to post by esteay812


I thought so at first, but now I believe all movements are dreams. I always focus my energy to make a movement and I will feel the paralysis "break" and my arm jerk but my arm doesnt actually jerk. S.P. is very weird.

reply to post by WHYFIGHT


I had a legit o.b.e. when I was 8 or so and im sure it was s.p. related. Ive never had another but I do have regular s.p. I think its all chemical, but it was interesting and anyone that reads my posts here knows I dont b.s.

reply to post by spektikal


Its incredibly common. Especially in men from.. the Philippines I want to say? Or Indonesia? I dont remember. They have the occasional death due to it, but I believe that is because the superstition of it gives them heart attacks.

It's very common though. Pretty much everyone gets it once. We are just lucky enough to get it weekly.

While I can remember a few instances of sleep paralysis, there really hasn't been any significantly scarey events since I was a kid. But I have had many instances of lucid dreaming. At first they weren't purposeful, but I've learned to bring them on occasionally. A couple weeks ago I had a dream that started turning bad, realizing I was dreaming I tried to wake myself up. I ended up in a cycle where I thought I was awake and in bed only to realize I was still dreaming. This happened numerous times and the fear kept growing. I finally got to the point where I was still dreaming but telling my girlfriend to wake me up (in the real world). Me being asleep and telling her to awaken me freaked her out. She did eventually but it was really weird for her. Anyone experienced this?