Sleep Paralysis is Scary But Not Dangerous
Sleep Paralysis may be one of the most frightening, least dangerous things one can experience in sleep. It usually happens just when falling asleep or right at awakening and is the distinct sensation that one cannot move or speak. The feeling is caused by a slight mismatch in the brain and body, in that one is awake and the other still “asleep”. It usually only remains for a few seconds, but can last minutes, which for the uninformed can be terrifying. The episode is usually ended by a sound or movement in the room that can “break the spell”. I have told patients in the past to just concentrate on moving one tiny muscle, like an eyelid or pinky finger. This usually allows full movement to return quickly.
When sleep paralysis occurs at the onset of sleep it is called “hypnopompic sleep paralysis”. In this situation the body is relaxing more and more while the mind is kind of surfing between wake and sleep. If the mind wakes up and finds the body far more relaxed than when it last checked it can lead to a startling feeling of being hard to move.
When it happens upon waking in the night or morning it is referred to as “hypnogogic paralysis”. This is more likely when waking out of REM or dreaming sleep. During REM sleep it is natural and normal that our big muscles should be completely limp or paralyzed. This keeps us from acting out our dreams all night – which is a good thing! However if we again have that mismatch and the brain wakes up from REM just a fraction before the muscles wake up we will “catch ourselves” in that paralyzed state.
Sleep paralysis happens more often if we’re not getting enough sleep or if our schedules are really irregular. A change in time zones can be a trigger as can some medications that alter sleep cycles or timing. It may occur only once in a lifetime or become a recurring experience. It is usually harmless and once one knows what is happening it can be kind of entertaining. It’s the only time we ever get to watch ourselves sleeping!
If sleep paralysis is frequent enough to interfere with refreshing sleep it can be addressed by improving sleep habits, catching up on sleep and working on some general stress relief. There are some antidepressant medications that change sleep stages in such a way that sleep paralysis would be less likely, though this would be reserved for a fairly severe case. It can be associated with Narcolepsy, though, so if sleep paralysis is a common occurrence and there is significant daytime sleepiness, an evaluation by a sleep specialist would be advised.
Have you ever experienced sleep paralysis? Please tell us about it in the comments below.
Best Wishes for Peaceful Sleep,
Patty
Almost everyone has experienced an episode of sleep paralysis at some time during their life. But to have it very frequently could be a sign of Narcolepsy. You should see a Medical Sleep Specialist (“sleep doc”) to see if this is something you should be concerned about.
Nothing risky in lucid dreaming that I know of Sarah. However, I don’t know of any way to intentionally “enter sleep paralysis”. It’s something that just happens when the sleeping and waking mechanisms of our brain have a momentary overlap.
I really hate sleep paralysis. And I’m also scared of it. I have it all the time. Like say, every month.
When I’m having Sleep paralysis my breathing stops. I find myself suffocating. I try to breath but the very muscles that enable us to breath are paralysed. Even trying to move my finger or toes can seem impossible.
I’ve heard about people dying in their sleep. Could sleep paralysis be one of the causes?
I have recently become facinated by the idea of lucid dreaming, but now I think I’m more scared to try it than before. Many sources say to try to enter sleep paralysis before actually sleeping, Is this healthy to do? Is it dangerous? Is there any chance of actually becoming paralysied? I am a healthy teenage girl, but will this cause me any harm? my parents always wake me in the morning, so someone would immeadately know if somethig was wrong, but im still scared. Should i try it? Lucid dreaming sounds facinating, but I hate to do something risky for a silly dream..Advice?
Thanks ironbird. The phenomenon of bangungot or SUNDS has been associated with the experience of sleep paralysis, by those who apparently felt they were about to die, but survived. One of the many theories is that it (SUNDS) is the result of Brugada syndrome, or a genetic cardiac dysfunction causing a fatal heart rhythm in the night. Another theory involves hemorrhagic pancreatitis, though this is less certain. There is widespread belief that bangungot is a visit from a ghost or evil spirit. No matter what the cause several Southeast Asian men died in the late 70′s and early 80′s in these suspicious circumstances.
Scary indeed!
Patty
Not dangerous? Investigate Sudden Unexplained Nocturnal Death Syndrome (SUNDS). Scary scary stuff. Don’t believe a word of the “it’s all in your head” wishful-thinking explanations. This stuff is real — as real as inter-dimensional ghosts and ghoulies get – evidently pretty darn real!
Sleep run-on (brain chemistry run amok) explanation is sheer speculation. Author of the REM explanation willing to admit as much. Skeptics have embraced it as gospel. A bit prematurely – I would suggest.
A waking glimpse of the fading end of your dreams perhaps? No need to be afraid of it. Let go of the fear part and it can be really, really interesting!
Yeah sometimes like 2-3 times a year I have sleep paralysis (sp) experiences for 2 days. Seems to happen a lot when my face is open facing the ceiling. It gets scarier and scarier, so tough to wake up. Just before waking up at the scariest point, a loud, real fast trr.trr.trr.trrr sound wakes me up. Waking’s really shocking to the brain. Real events get morphed into visions and sounds. Last time the trr was of a car driving below. Weird how the brain predicts the car so many seconds in advance.
Last time I saw I was in a large room. Full of alien scum. A door opens and then trr.trr.trr.
Hi Tabitha,
Almost everyone has an episode or two of sleep paralysis during their life. It is the unusual occurrence of the mind being awake and aware, before the body has been released from its normal state of REM-sleep paralysis. Sort of an “in-between” state. It usually only lasts seconds.
Having regular sleep paralysis episodes may be a sign of Narcolepsy and should be evaluated by a qualified sleep specialist. If you would like me to help you locate one in your area, please let me know.
Patty Tucker, PA-C
I suffer from sleep paralysis on a regular basis. I have been experiencing this for quite a few years. It happens to me either through the night or when trying to wake up. Whenever I do experience this it is very scary. I wind up always falling back to full sleep, or so I think, and then I start dreaming of violent things that have happened in my past. I am a 35 year old female. Is there anything I can do to help prevent sleep paralysis?