Taking the Fear Out of Sleep Paralysis

Ever woken up, but couldn't move a muscle? You're not alone. It's called Sleep Paralysis and it can be really scary. Laci takes a look at what happens when this disconnect occurs between your brain and body.

Read More:

"Brain Chemicals That Cause Sleep Paralysis Discovered"

"During the most dream-filled phase of sleep, our muscles become paralyzed, preventing the body from acting out what's going on in the brain. "

"Ask the Brains: What Is Sleep Paralysis?"

"Psychologist Christopher French of Goldsmiths College in London explains:
Attacks by demons, ghostly visitations and alien abductions: some people are certain they have experienced such paranormal events."

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[tremor]

All I did was go back to sleep when I got sleep paralysis

[dgedawesome]

I have been in sleep paralysis countless times but I've never seen scary things. Why?

[rawaserwan]

When you lucid dream do you need a passport to go to other countries?

[FuzzyFuzzy]

I've had sleep paralysis, but there weren't any demons or feeling of pressure. I just couldn't move, that's all.

[origamilester]

I'm scared shitless lmao. Imagine watching a really scary horror film and that night is the first night you have sleep paralysis.

[HowtolucidOfficial]

Me: trying to relax, sleep, maybe lucid dream
My sleep paralysis: I’m boutta end this mans whole career

[squeguinquack]

I have had a sleep paralysis





I was in a sleep paralysis state and my cat came in and slept on my stomach. Was scary

[SolidMikeP]

Just had one, again, last night. Dark, immense pressure, body flexing so hard I thought I was going to break my own back. I felt something behind me, and as hard as I tired, I could not turn my head, or attempt to wake up my Wife next to me. I have been having these a lot, and in one night you can experience multiple episodes. One night, I was so fed up with this that I snarled at the presence, taunting it to show itself, and then it stopped for a great while. Now it has returned, caught me off guard, but I will try to be brave next time and stand up to life isnt hard enough.

[og_arman]

After my paralysis I'm just like f this shit I'm going back to sleep

[MrMsSihrus]

3:02 Never dangerous? It's hell. It's like being waterboarded. It happens to me often. It's hell.

[AmariDeraisx]

I have sleep paralysis almost every night... one time it got real serious where someone was choking me and I literally couldn't breathe, I thought I was gonna die but then I didn't, hence, me writing this comment now

[fazzbear]

Why the hell did I start researching this?? It's now 9:30pm and I'm scared shitless that if I go to sleep now, I won't sleep, and SP will happen

[MIMIForever]

Okay so it's 3:32 AM, and I just experienced this for the first time, and I am freaked out, and now I can't go to sleep. 😭

[dudyguyslolybro]

I had one before when I was 6 and I saw SpongeBob opening the door with a knife

[puggerslovers]

I don't remember ever experiencing sleep paralysis, I really hope I don't experience it for a while either

[lbnfnxw]

I experienced this twice, I felt as if i was suffocating and that someone was pushing me down, the second time was the scariest moment of my life.

[ATTV]

I was 8 and i was sleeping sideways. Looking towards the door out of my room. I could not not move. Then, one after the other three "aliens" appeared. And looking beck on it, they looked like some alien out of Mass Effect. There was a blue light shining form the living-room witch made me think it was a portal.
But the worst part was that the where walking slow, every time getting closer to me with a voice the sounded like some alien from Predator. (Grl)
I was lying in my bed aware of my self and believing it was true. I was afraid to death. And the only thing I could do was screaming "mom" a few times.
But then with all the fear that i could have possibly had in my whole life, I just closed my eyes concerning surreality.
And i woke up fine.
But i have never told someone.

True story.

[rustyblade]

i dont get the horror. for me, sleep paralysis is just: im unable to move or speak, but it will pass in just a few seconds. it doesnt even feel long, im just like ok, its over in 3... 2.... there it is. i get up, drink some water and go back to bed. never hallucinated, never got scared, never felt a pressence of an entity or shadow people... but from what i hear everyone experience it like this. i guess im one of a kind? the key is to not go right back to sleep afterwards..

[lokustic]

ive experienced sleep paralysis a few times and boy it is scary.  im pretty sure if i was old age with a heart condition i wouldve been scared to death -- literally.  my body was sweating and heart pumping so fast and i could hardly breathe cause it felt like something like a dark shadowy figure is putting pressure on my chest. the feeling is unforgettable.  unlike a dream which you tend to forget immediately... this experience sticks to your mind like it was real. 

weird thing is.. this experience only occurs in my bedroom at night.  ive never experienced it anywhere else.

[NovaBadger]

My absolute worst experience of sleep paralysis happened when i was sleeping on the couch near a big window in our living room, with my feet p and head propped up and i was looking towards the door, i was lying there thinking "ok this'll end in a sec and I'll get up" but then i heard like a tapping on the window that was literally less than a foot away from my head, it was like claws tapping the glass then dragging down it, a few seconds later that tapping started moving down towards my feet in the direction of the door, and I heard that tapping much louder on my door like someone was knocking but eventually it started wiggling the door knob, after about 30 seconds of that it came back to the window and was tapping faster and louder, about that time i started wiggling my toes which woke up my legs, i moved my legs which woke up my hips, and i kept on with that sort of pattern ascending upward, when i reached my chest it's almost like i got shocked awake