Very weird thing occuring to me...

Question

Sometimes when I wake up, I can't move my body. I can usually move my feet, I can hear everything that goes on, and my brother says my eyes twitch. My dad rarely has this too. It doesn't happen to me often, it happens rarely, but when it does it's pretty freaky. I'm not aware that I have any disorders, and my parents tell me its nothing to be concerned about. But I was just wondering if anybody knew what was this. At point a person told me that its just my brain is awake but my muscles have responded because my brain woke up quickly. So if anybody knows what this is please tell me!

Thanks!

Answer 1

HAHAHAAAA!! That's so funny because I used to get this ALLLLLL  the time. There are a few things that I have been told about this and medically documented reasons as well. Medically, it basically reiterates what you said...your brain wakes up a bit faster than your body does, so your body is catching up w/your brain. Another one (def not medical lol) is that a "spirit" is entering your earthly body thereby rendering you "paralyzed" for the moment. They say they do it so that they can feel "alive" again...being a Christian and a spiritual person, I don't totally discount either idea. The "spirit" one is cool as heck to me though lol...When it would happen to me it would feel stranngggggeeee...I would mentally be struggling to move my arms or legs and I couldnt do it! When I would come "out of it" it would usually be very aggresively...like I was fighting my way out of something...hasn't happened in a while..but it did happen quite often back then. My brother used to get it nearly every day....our house was  bit haunted I believe...which is why I bought into the "spirit" explanation as well as the medical one. LOL Hope I help...I'm sure lots of folks will think I'm some kind of kook...but I'm really normal! lol  

Answer 2

Waking (or to become aware) before physical activity isn't strange. Most don't remember.  

Answer 3

No need to lose any sleep over this — your doctor is right that what you describe is normal and not dangerous. When you're snoozing and you move into REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, the deepest part of the sleep cycle, your body becomes largely disconnected from your brain — this is why we don't hurt ourselves or our bed-mates during active dreams. Sometimes, the mind disconnects too early or too late from the body, leaving you unable to move voluntarily. This temporary condition is called sleep paralysis, and it usually subsides after a minute or two.

Though sleep paralysis is harmless, it can be terrifying, especially if you don't know what's happening to you. Someone experiencing an episode may have hallucinations, or have the feeling that someone is in the room or sitting on his/her chest. Hearing and smell can also be involved, as can the feeling of floating or flying.

The exact cause of sleep paralysis is unknown. The condition is often linked to the sleep disorder narcolepsy — a condition that causes people to lose control over when they fall asleep — but people who don't have narcolepsy experience episodes as well. Sleep paralysis seems to run in families and is more common in teenagers and people who have panic attacks.

A few things you can do to lessen the chances of encountering sleep paralysis include:

exercising at least twice a week

going to sleep and waking up at the same times each day

getting enough sleep to keep you feeling alert and awake throughout your day

reducing or better managing the amount of stress you deal with during the day (check out Alice!'s archive on stress for tips)

If you experience sleep paralysis more than once a week for at least six months, a health care provider or sleep specialist might be able to prescribe medication that can help you regulate your sleep patterns and manage the episodes.

Answer 4

i heard of this before but i cant remember what it was sorry! But go to the doctors as soon as possible!

hope this helped!

xox

Answer 5

Well it very well could be that your mind has woken up before your body. When you sleep your body is kinda paralyzed. If it wasn't you would be acting out your dreams. And when you wake up its most likely that your body hasnt caught up with your mind and is still paralyzed

Answer 6

You need to ask a doctor. I think it is very unusual.

Answer 7

I think that Cassie is correct in that you're just waking up during a deep sleep phase and your body doesn't respond to the awakening as it would if it went through a complete cycle of descent to REM and gradual climb back.  This cycle is typically repeated during a full night of sleep with your body and mind "programmed" to return to consciousness at a consistent time of day, often aided by an alarm clock, but nonetheless accustomed to reaching that state at a habituated point in time.

I've had the same thing happen occasionally.  For me it's not only scary, but a sad memory of what my father experienced.  He was an ALS victim and during the last year of his life had no muscle control at all, yet was fully aware when awake (at least that's what we we told).  Sleep paralysis to me is a token reminder of his condition and what a prison a body can be when it ceases to function properly.  I guess there's some small comfort in being able to relate to his suffering.  

And no, occasional paralysis isn't a symptom of incipient ALS.  If it was, I'd be terrified.