Paralyzed while sleeping

[Mandy4183]

Since I was a child, and until now (27years old) about once every three months or maybe more, I will have a frightening experience while sleeping.  Once I'm asleep, sometimes it feels like my head will get really heavy and there will be a deep low humming sound in my head or maybe a train sound that seems to paralyze my entire body, however once this feeling of heaviness occurs, I wake up internally, but my eyes are not open and I can hear everything going on around me.  At that point I seem to be conscious but unable to open my eyes or even move.  I then have to force myself fully awake by jerking my entire body.  And then, if I happen to fall right back to sleep, I will go into the exact same state again and jerk myself awake once again.  It is quite starling and frightning.  It kinda reminds me of what being in a coma might feel like.  Can anyone tell me what this is and is it possible not to be able to wake up from it, what ever "it" is?

Thanks,

Mandy4183

[GlennHall3]

I too have this issue, and the comment above about it being hereditary makes sense, my mother has this same problem. I have been to two doctors that have ran test on me, but have not been able to tell me what's wrong with me. If anyone has any specific answers as to what this is and what I can do about it I would really appreciate it.

[Violet96]

Hi

I was attacked before I was one and I didnt expect I managed to be one of them today. I personally feel hings can be strange sometimes. Life is complex but at least it is predictable.

I believe this incident may happen on and off to many people and maybe data was not disclosed or incident wasnt recorded and there many possibilities out there especially neuro science. There are many things captured in our brain before it eventually happened.

In term of scientific, sleep paralysis can be also genetically inherited. I recently just found out my mother used to have this during her afternoon nap. Could it be coincident or genetic? My father and the rest of my siblings doesnt have it.

This can happened to maybe small percentage of people, our brain is kind of strange sometimes especially there are so many chemical reaction taken place at once, plus the lifestyle, eating habits, environment, sleeping habits it is also affect our sleeps.

If by having a positive lifestyle can help with your problem why not? You wouldnt want yourself having such a nightmare every night. After all, I believe sleep paralysis is multicauses, muscle tension, especially when you fear, worried of something.

If this happened to you again perhaps you want to try to move your fingers, toes little bit and slowly your upper and lower limbs it will get back to normal state again. I have done that and it works for me and some of my classmate.

[intitek]

Your whole theory is based on facts and science, because you choose to believe that; and also cause you are reluctant to accept that it can not be anything else right! Men going to the moon, cloning, small gadgets that would allow people to communicate with other human beings across the world, all these things and others were view as science fiction and often people were ridicule for having an opened mind that these things could actually be possible some day.
So tell me! Why does a small percentage of people are affected by this sleeping disorder?
Also, if you weren't in a medical field, would your feelings and views change?
I don't believe in the whole praying thing or that it would help me some how sleep better or keep evil spirits away, but you have to admit that there is a very peculiar thing happening here.

[Violet96]

Im Asian. I used to have sleep paralysis during my high school time usually happened to one of my afternoon nap. I somehow felt here is heavy things on my chest, couldn’t move, my throat was blocked, dare not open my eyes and I was frightened. It never occur again until 7 years later where I was suddenly awake middle of the night, I couldn’t move, heavy things on my chest, I try to scream for my friend who is sleeping right next door but it doesn’t work, my eyes was closed and I can hear someone was walking outside clearly like dragging their feet and when I was about to open my eyes I saw dark shadow surrounding me. I was feared and I closed my eyes and forced myself to sleep again. I told my friend about this incident on the next morning and she asked me to pray and burn joss stick and pray outside the house but I refuse to do that. Coincidently it was ghost festival everywhere was surrounded with joss sticks, peoples are praying and burning papers and red candles, its kind of scary cause im not used such environment. I‘m kind of freak out if the dark shadow if it is relate to ghost festival and it is hard for me to accept, Im not superstitious and I don’t really believe by burning joss stick it will not occur again.
I’m curious so I did find out from my friends and colleagues but mostly told me ghost, evil things on you. I rather choose not to believe it cause it is only makes me scared to sleep. And I was peaceful again and experieced some nightmares or weird dreams.
This never happened again until 25th June 2012, I was too tired but still force myself to study for the next day exam. I was too tired half way of study I fall asleep somewhere between 9.30pm and I was awake again by 10pm and I study again and I fall asleep again by 11.30pm so I tell myself I need to sleep as my body can no longer take it. I can say I fall asleep less than 5 seconds. Im sure it was a deep sleep REM cause dream occurred. Suddenly my eyes open and I found my body can’t move, I couldn’t talk and I was nervous and tried to scream and after trying for like about 3mins I managed to produced sound sort of like after sniffing helium gas and I tried to move my right carpals it somehow work. After doing that for like 5 mins my brother heard my screaming and shake my leg and I was able to move again. The entire incident lasted for less than 8 minutes.
On the next day, I decided to find from internet if someone out there having the weird scenario as me and I was relief cause Im not the only person out there. Yesterday night I tried to sleep in different position instead of sleeping on my back but nothing happened.  This time Im not frightened cause I’m a medical student and I study forensic so I can convince myself
with all the medical stuff that I have learned.

Just wanna share this, so do not feel feared it was just a nervous system of your body that is not moving smoothly as there are so many reaction takes place at the same time in your body :)

[Kaylove2012]

The things that you are experiencing is called sleep paralysis. It's very common.

[Lizs1985]

That sounds like sleep paralysis which can occur from narcolepsy. Do you have excessive daytime sleepiness too? If so, you should go see a sleep doctor. I have narcolepsy w/o cataplexy but no sleep paralysis. I'm on nuvigil which works pretty well. I think Xyrem might work for sleep paralysis but I'm not 100% sure.