Sleep Paralysis - Hallucinations?

Question

Well, I've had sleep paralysis since I was about ten. I'd have it maybe once or twice a month, but nothing series. I would just jerk out of it. So I didn't think much of it rather than me hating it.

But yesterday, a couple of friends and I were just messing around, and we got into the topic of sleep paralysis. I really didn't know that it should come with hallucinations, and that some people just can't jerk out of it. I've never had a hallucination during sleep paralysis, but I had all the symptoms.

My questions are -

Is my symptom actually sleep paralysis when I can just get out of it my jerking my body? Sometimes, if I breathe in really deep, I break it too.

Why don't I have hallucinations while suffering under sleep paralysis?

Thanks.

Answer 1

Hi, I don't know why you don't have hallucinations when you get sleep paralysis but I have to say I have experienced them and they can be quite scary. I used to get them when I was younger, it would usually involve me hearing someone walking into my room, sometimes I would feel them sit on the bed, I would be lying there unable to move, not sure if it was just the paralysis or that combined with fear. I went for a long time without having any but about 4 years ago I experienced them again. My partner had gone to work and I was still in bed, half awake half asleep, after maybe an hour or so I would hear someone walking around the apartment, it was so real, at first I thought my partner had come home again but I was unable to move, it took me all my strength but I managed to move but there was nobody in the apartment. This happened a few times and then yesterday it happened again but this time I heard them walk into my bedroom climb on the bed and felt them touch me on the back, they said something but I cannot remember what it was now. again it took me all my strength but I managed to break out of it. In the past it didn't really bother me too much, I just forgot about it as the day went on but yesterday it freaked me out and last night I couldn't sleep.

Michael

Answer 2

Sleep paralysis makes you feel like you're awake but you can not move, it didn't always last that long more me either, I remember feeling like I had to pull myself out of it too.A lot of people who suffer from sleep paralysis are dreaming and because it's a frightening experience they are usually bad dreams that seem really real. I used to think I had a ghost. I do not know why you haven't been dreaming, but it could still happen to you so if it does just keep telling yourself "this is not real". You can read more about this to get a better more technical answer. Many people who think they have had demonic experiences or alien abductions actually suffer from this condition. Sleep paralysis can be a symptom of narcolepsy, so you can read about that and see if you have any of the other symptoms. Adderall can treat narcolepsy. I outgrew sleep paralysis, I do not know if that is the case for everyone.

Answer 3

Sleep paralysis is a common condition characterized by transient partial or total paralysis of skeletal muscles and areflexia that occurs upon awakening from sleep or less often while falling asleep. Stimuli such as touch or sound may terminate the episode, which usually has a duration of seconds to minutes. This condition may occur in normal subjects or be associated with narcolepsy, cataplexy, and hypnagogic hallucinations. The pathophysiology of this condition is closely related to the normal hypotonia that occur during REM sleep. When considered to be a disease, isolated sleep paralysis is classified as MeSH.

    * Paralysis: this occurs after waking up or shortly before falling asleep. The person cannot move any body part, cannot speak, and only has minimal control over blinking and breathing. This paralysis is the same paralysis that occurs when dreaming. The brain paralyzes the muscles to prevent possible injury during dreams, as some body parts may move during dreaming. If the person wakes up suddenly, the brain may still think that it is dreaming, and sustains the paralysis.

    * Hallucinations: Images or speaking that appear during the paralysis. The person may think that someone is standing beside them or they may hear strange sounds. These may be dreamlike, possibly causing the person to think that they are still dreaming. Often it is reported as feeling a weight on one's chest, as if being underneath a person or heavy object.

These symptoms can last from mere seconds to several minutes (although they can feel like much longer) and can be frightening to the person. There may be some body movement, but it is very unlikely and hard for a person to accomplish.

Clonazepam is highly effective in the treatment of sleep paralysis.[14] The initial dose is 0.5 mg at bedtime, while an increase to 1 mg per night might be necessary to maintain potency.

Answer 4

The sleep paralysis that you are experiencing is actually Astral Catalepsy.  I am sure you may have known this already. If you have not heard this term before, please research it and it may answer you questions....Good Luck!!!