Has anyone ever experienced ?

Question

Sleep Paralysis?

about 6 yrs ago i had laid down on my couch after a work-out and fell asleep. a short time later i woke up, but i was unable to move. i lay there completely paralyzed. i couldn't even talk. my eyes were open, i saw the room, i heard my tv, but i couldn't budge. i was extremely scared, and nervous. i remember screaming in my head, i remember trying to shake myself out of this state but i couldn't. i had watched a show about sleep paralysis 3 days earlier, and this was my the only reason that i stayed rational in all this. the reason i've listed this question here, is because sleep paralysis has been linked to the "alien abduction" feeling.

it was quite scary, a feeling of impending doom surrounded me, and right before i was finally able to get up i felt like there was a presence in the room w/me, and i started to see grey figures. the only thing that kept me sane was the knowledge that i was having a "waking dream" i.e. sleep paralysis.

has anyone else experienced this? did you know of sleep paralysis when this happened to you, or did you go through it ignorant of it?

Answer 1

Yep, I go through that all the time.  And no, the first few times it happened, I knew nothing about it.  I thought I was dying or something.  Now it's not that big of a deal--still weird, but I can just relax and let it take its course.  And I've had the weird waking dreams with it too, with the creepy figures walking around near me.

And why do people always have to make rude comments about needing meds?  Sleep paralysis is a noted phenomenon, unlike some of the stuff that gets posted on here.

Answer 2

im not sure what causes it but we now know it is a scientificly proven happening, back in the ancient world (early ad europe) this happeneing was explained as a "succubus/incubus" attack, succubi were demons that descended on men while they slept, and had s*x with them to feed there own needs, an incubus is the same thing but with women, this also explained to happenenings we now know as "wet dreams" sorry if its a little adult but its an intresting story eh?

Answer 3

I experienced sleep paralysis but no aliens involved. However, my experience involved something like a spirit, I couldn't quite catch what it was and I tried to scream but I couldn't. It happened to me more than once and hope it does'nt happen again because it is quite frightning.

Answer 4

Sylvia  Browne says this happens when we return to our body after leaving it during sleep. Don't worry, you're never alone.

Answer 5

I have never had this happen to me, however it may be a sign of MS. Please try the DR. rout before you jump to the conclusion that it is alien abduction. That is not to down play your traumatic situation but start with the most logical then when all of those avenues have been explored then the illogical can be considered. Peace&Love be with you...~M~

Answer 6

I used to get sleep paralysis when I was little, They stopped though and I haven't had one in over a decade.

I used to see hooded figures hovering over me, It was the scariest thing ever.

Answer 7

My Uncle has been having sleep paralysis for more than 40 years. He used to be a tractor trailer driver and when he woke up he could speak and knew everything that was happening around him but he couldn't move. I witnessed it myself. So to be able to move when he woke up he would put his foot on the very edge of a bed or a bed post and the next morning when he woke up not being able to move his foot would slide off the bedpost and just the little jar would be enough so he could move. He always left his socks on so his foot would slide off the post. Sometimes it would slide off several times in the night but he was glad because he had found a way to jerk himself out of the paralysis. When he would fall asleep at home on the couch he would hang his foot off the couch cushion so it would jerk him out of the paralysis. He went to tons of doctors but none could do anything for him. He is in his 60's now and still suffers from it. You might try his trick of keeping your foot nearly off the bed so it will jerk when you wake up and you can move.

Answer 8

I've been suffering more lately from sleep paralysis. It's absolutely awful. One thing I have tried, which seems to be working, is avoiding sleeping on my back. People who sleep in the supine position, women, and African Americans are more likely to suffer from sleep paralysis, by the way. Some doctors prescribe Klonopin in cases of moderate to severe sleep paralysis.

The condition is quite terrifying. You suffer from anxiety, auditory and sensory hallucinations, and usually go into full panic mode while in that state. Your heart rate and respiration go through the roof. Essentially your brain is partially awakened and your body is paralyzed. It's awful, and I empathize completely. If it persists or gets worse, see a doctor. Good luck...

Answer 9

ive has it happen to me as well,but never thought much of it. just figured my body was so tired that i wouldnt move. i would just close my eyes and drift back to sleep

Answer 10

This has happened to my husband. He woke up and was unable to move  or speak. To make a long story short, we researched the problem and found out it's called sleep paralysis. It's like your brain wakes up before your body knows it. It was a lil bit creepy. He got his voice back first and called my name. Hearing him groan out for help while his eyes were open was freaky.

We were told it can be caused by stress.

I hope you don't have to feel that way again.

Answer 11

I had sleep paralysis for very many years as well and it is an experience just as you described. I'll write some stuff here for general readers looking at this Q:

Sleep paralysis is not necessarily considered pathological like a disease but it can be disturbing nonetheless. It is  a phenomenon in which the neurochemistry that governs the sleep/wake cycles gets a little screwed up and out of synch about whether you're dreaming or not, awake or not, and whether the chemicals that keep your body from acting out your dreams while asleep have shut themselves off or not. You seem to be awake and in familiar surroundings when this occurs because part of you is awake and aware of your surroundings, another part is still dreaming --or even hallucinating--and another part is keeping your body "paralyzed" because you are still dreaming even if you are somewhat awake. And yes, folks that insist they have been abducted by alients, etc., are really having sleep paralysis  usually compounded by some other weird things going on with them psychologically. Some people have episodes like this that they also experience as "astral projection." Some of my sleep paralysis episodes had this flavor as well. Still, nothing supernatural or otherworldy is really happening, the consciousness is not outside the body or projecting anywhere--everything is going on in a different state of consciousness in the brain.

Sleep paralysis is often a frightening feeling--like a sleep anxiety attack--for a number of reasons one of which is that primitive parts of the brain might be stimulated.

It usually starts happening during adolescence and then usually becomes less frequent as one approaches middle age.  I rarely have an episode now.  Sleeping on one's back (putting pressure on the back of the head) and on the left side (putting pressure on the heart) might aggravate sleep paralysis episodes in some people--it did for me.  Also, for women, hormonal shifts related to the menstrual cycle might aggravate it.

At a certain point when this was frequently happening to me, I began to shift into lucid dreaming and was able to control the episode to a degree--wake myself up without struggling and panicking so much. It is important to remember when it is happening that a supernatural event is NOT occurring and that if you relax and be patient, you will be released from the episode.