Do you ever wake from sleep and realize you are unable to move even an inch of your body? You're aware of your surroundings, but you are unable to speak, move your arms or legs, wiggle your fingers, lift your head or open your eyes. You might even feel pressure on your chest, have breathing trouble, experience weird visions or hear strange sounds.
This is called sleep paralysis, you regain awareness but can’t move. It can be scary and extremely frightening but it is not life-threatening. Luckily, most people who experience sleep paralysis don't typically have it often.
What Is Sleep Paralysis?
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| What is sleep paralysis? |
Sleep paralysis is a relatively common sleep condition where you feel paralyzed just after falling asleep or waking up. It occurs when part of the brain is awake, but a temporary and usually brief loss of muscle control, known as atonia.
The episode may last for few seconds or few minutes and can be broken by either falling back to sleep or waking up fully.
What Are The Symptoms Of Sleep Paralysis?
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| What are the symptoms of sleep paralysis? |
During sleep paralysis you may feel awake but cannot move, open your eyes or speak. You may also feel like your chest is constricted or find it difficult to take deep breaths. It may seem like someone is sitting or standing on your chest.
75% of sleep paralysis episodes involve hallucinations that are distinct from typical dreams, which may be scary.
Types Of Sleep Paralysis
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| Types of sleep paralysis |
There are 3 types of sleep paralysis.
1. Isolated Sleep Paralysis (ISP)
This condition involves a single episode of sleep paralysis that are not connected to any sleep disorder or medical problem for sleep paralysis. Isolated sleep paralysis is usually caused by high levels of stress or an irregular sleeping pattern.
2. Recurrent Sleep Paralysis (RSP)
This condition involves multiple and recurring sleep paralysis episodes over time, often in the context of narcolepsy - a sleep disorder that makes people very drowsy during the day.
3. Recurrent Isolated Sleep Paralysis (RISP)
This condition is extremely rare and occurring in less than 0.5% of healthy people. It involves multiple episodes over time that are unrelated to any sleep disorder or medical problem. These episodes can be quite frightening and last on average for 6 minutes.
Causes Of Sleep Paralysis
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| Causes of sleep paralysis |
While the exact cause of sleep paralysis remains fully unknown but it has been linked with insomnia, irregular sleep schedule - such as with shift workers, panic disorder, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance abuse, sleeping on your back and narcolepsy.
Sleep paralysis is therefore believed to be caused by a continuation of what occurs naturally in one's body during sleep.
How Common Is Sleep Paralysis, And Who Gets It?
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| How common is sleep paralysis, and who gets it? |
Sleep paralysis may affect up to 4 out of every 10 persons. It is often first noticed in childhood, adolescence, or young adulthood. But it can also occur in people of all ages and may run in families.
Some people may have a single episode of sleep paralysis without ever experiencing it in their lifetime. Others may have episodic periods throughout their lifetime.
Is Sleep Paralysis Dangerous?
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| Is sleep paralysis dangerous? |
Sleep paralysis is not considered dangerous and should pass quickly. However, it may cause emotional distress and can be a very unsettling experience.
How To Wake Up From Sleep Paralysis
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| How to wake up from sleep paralysis |
Unfortunately, you can't force yourself to wake up during a sleep paralysis episode. The best advice is to remain calm, try to relax your body and focus on your breathing until the episode has passed.
Is It Safe To Wake Someone From Sleep Paralysis?
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| Is it safe to wake someone from sleep paralysis? |
Waking up someone from sleep paralysis should be safe. Touching, gently shaking or speaking to someone who is experiencing sleep paralysis can help bring them back to a fully conscious state.
Treating Sleep Paralysis
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| Treating sleep paralysis |
Most people need no treatment for sleep paralysis. Sleep paralysis often gets better over time, but stress management, keeping a regular sleep schedule and improving sleep habits - such as making sure you get 6-8 hours of sleep each night can reduce the likelihood of sleep paralysis.
If you experience sleep paralysis regularly or if you have other symptoms associated with the episodes, discuss your concerns with a doctor as this can be a sign of other sleep disorders. Your doctor can suggest ways to improve your sleep.
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