03-22-2007, 12:27 AM

This just happened to me, be aware that it is a waking dream and not reality. This may sound frightening, but if you've had sleep paralysis, I'm sure you've had similar experienes. I've been getting sleep paralysis for several years now, and it happens at least twice a month. What is happening is that I'm basically half awake and half asleep and your brain is still turned off. It always starts the same way. I wake up (well I'm half awake) and realize that I can't move. Then I hear buzzing and occasionally the room gets brighter. Then, most of the time, I see something open my door and move across the room. The entire time I fight to break the paralysis, but usually to no avail. Eventually, the figure that enters my room makes its way to my bedside and jumps on my chest and it feels like I can't breathe (although in reality I can). Then the figure will start screaming gibberish and strangling me. Finally, my paralysis breaks and the room is just dark. Nothing happened. Has anyone else gotten that before? I think it's a common occurence for about 4% of the population or so. I know it isn't real but it's still frightening.

03-22-2007, 05:41 AM

Wow! That is freaky! I'd go nuts with fear if this would happen to me, customer.

It sounds like a paranormal/esoteric experience.

03-22-2007, 06:34 AM

What a way to start your day! I go crazy when the cat jumps up and wakes me, can't imagine how bad that is to deal with so often.

Wikipedia has listed these as possible causes:

-Sleeping in a supine position (facing upwards).
-Irregular sleeping schedules; naps, sleeping in, sleep deprivation.
-Increased stress.
-Sudden environmental/lifestyle changes.
-A lucid dream that immediately precedes the episode. Also conscious induction of sleep paralysis is a common technique to enter a state of lucid dreams, also known as WILD.
-Artificial sleeping aids, ADD medications and/or antihistamines .

Any of that apply to you?

03-22-2007, 06:43 AM

Could be night terrors...and friend of my daughters gets them and wakes up screaming. Not just night mare but way worse. We think it has something to do with all the crap she has gone through with her parents arguments, fights, and then divorce.

03-22-2007, 07:21 AM

No. But I noticed I jerk. Its like a huge twitch or something. It only happens while I sleep or while im trying to fall asleep. I never do it while im fully awake.

03-22-2007, 07:58 AM

Originally Posted by iBeldar

No. But I noticed I jerk. Its like a huge twitch or something. It only happens while I sleep or while im trying to fall asleep. I never do it while im fully awake.

I do exactly the same, I also sometimes make a strange grunting sound as I fall asleep - Pretty embarassing when I nod off on my girlfriends parents couch.

03-22-2007, 08:00 AM

Hi

Sounds like you are suffering from "The Old Hag".

I used to suffer from sleep paralysis, but seemed to phase out of it long ago. The last time it happened to me was on the night of Live Aid in 1985.
I, though, never had the vision of anybody, I just used to wake "inside" while my body remained almost in a coma. This used to happen about a dozen times a year and always freaked me out. I could see and hear but could do nothing, but I WAS awake. I spoke to a work friend about this, and she said Ah, the old hag. I didn't know what she meant, and she asked if when I was in this state, if a dark figure came into my room and bent over me as if trying to smother me, or if the figure tried to sit on my chest. I told her that, that didn't happen to me, but her telling me this freaked me out, but apparantly it is really common. Google The Old Hag and see if it matches up.....you are not alone !

This is taken from "The Paranormal" website:

"You wake up unable to move, barely able to breathe... you feel an oppressive weight on your chest... and you sense some evil presence in the room... The old hag strikes!"



Philip

03-22-2007, 09:32 AM

Darker times i was just about to suggest that. That's exactly what it is. My mother had it once when i was young. She described it just as TheCustomer99 did.

While i have never experienced "The Old Hag" i have experience paralysed limbs. It's usually my right arm. It's not "asleep" in the normal sense. It's completely paralysed. It's completely numb and I'm not able to move it at all.

03-22-2007, 02:29 PM

I've experiences this many times, but just not being able to move. I never saw any light or something come in my room. Usually I'l fight like crazy to get out of it. Sometimes I want to just let it go and see hwat happens, but I'm too worried I won't be able to "get out".

I've also slept on my arm in a way that it goes completely limp with no feeling. I just pull it on my chest and start smacking it with my other hand until the feeling comes back. It's a pretty freaky feeling and a little scary until you get it going again.

03-22-2007, 02:41 PM

Sometimes it's pretty cool. I mean, if they could invent a pill that could put you into the sleep paralysis state, it'd put the horror movie industry out of business. All it really is is a dream being projected onto your surroundings.

03-22-2007, 03:05 PM

Most people who "suffer/experience" this and similar symptoms, usually go on to develop sleep disorders.
The "Old Hag" bit is an old wives tale, but it is strange how many people from all over the world have the same or similar dream. Just before the brain moves into the REM phase, it shuts down all nerve connection with muscles etc. and moves into dream mode, now if you suffer with sleep apnea for example (and you may not know this) the brain detects when you are having trouble breathing, and tries to wake you suddenly. When you "part" wake, you are still in the state of paralysis until the brain gets everything going again. This may seem a long time to the half awake person, but is at max about 30 seconds.
Hence, you are still in a state of REM (so you are still dreaming), Part body shock (from being suddenly woken) and unable to move (due to muscle paralysis) - a combination that really cooks your noodle.


Philip

03-22-2007, 03:11 PM

Originally Posted by Darker Times

Most people who "suffer/experience" this and similar symptoms, usually go on to develop sleep disorders.
The "Old Hag" bit is an old wives tale, but it is strange how many people from all over the world have the same or similar dream. Just before the brain moves into the REM phase, it shuts down all nerve connection with muscles etc. and moves into dream mode, now if you suffer with sleep apnea for example (and you may not know this) the brain detects when you are having trouble breathing, and tries to wake you suddenly. When you "part" wake, you are still in the state of paralysis until the brain gets everything going again. This may seem a long time to the half awake person, but is at max about 30 seconds.
Hence, you are still in a state of REM (so you are still dreaming), Part body shock (from being suddenly woken) and unable to move (due to muscle paralysis) - a combination that really cooks your noodle.


Philip

Both my grandfather and dad have it, so I think I'll be suffering from Sleep Apnea sometime in the future.

03-22-2007, 03:36 PM

Hi

StretchR, My father suffered from this as well, and now I do.
Funny thing is, I did not know about it, and it wasn't till my partner said that I sounded like I was choking in bed, that I actually started to look into this, and researched the symptoms.

15% of the population "knowingly" suffer with sleep apnea, and it can be a killer, but usually the brain acts quick enough to shift you away from this, so fatalities are very rare. Although, I do believe the famous Drag Queen Divine died this way.


Philip

03-22-2007, 04:23 PM

Originally Posted by TheCustomer99

Has anyone else gotten that before?

Yeah. I had it for years until I could recognize the symptoms before the full onslaught hit.

Sleep paralysis is natural. If it didn't occur, you'd act out your dreams. The problem is, the timing chain slips a cog. You aren't fully asleep, but the paralysis has cut in.

You can still move your eyes even if you can't open your eyelids. Doing so helps to break the grip; maybe it shakes awake the sleeping part of your brain. When I found that out, I used it, and it was a lot easier to fully break the paralysis.

No hag made a visit, but she couldn't scare anyone who had met my former boss's secretary.

03-23-2007, 02:31 AM

I've had that a few times before, but only in the sense that my eyes are open and I can see the room but I have a sensation of not being able to move myself.

But I can feel myself straining to move and it usually goes away after a second or two...

My girlfriend has said she's noticed I suffer from sleep apnea before...