January 19th, 2006

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Science
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Sleep Paralysis Sounds Scary

My Irish friend Sarah periodically suffers some strange symptoms first thing in the morning:

Sometimes, maybe every month to 6 weeks or so , this really horrible thing happens to me. I wake up, but I’ve been dreaming so I’m still paralysed–you know the way when you are dreaming you can’t move so you don’t act your dreams. Sometime my husband’s arm will be around me and the weight feels like it is completely crushing me. But I can’t speak or shout out and I can’t breathe. I lay there struggling for what feels like minutes desperately trying to both breathe and speak. Eventually, just before I burst, I manage to explode and I ROAR out gasping for air and shouting at him. The poor man who has been sound asleep gets the fright of his life and scurries over to the far side of the bed convinced, that yes, he did marry the scariest woman in Ireland.

Our bodies are so weird, eh? These terrifying episodes are known as sleep paralysis:

Sleep paralysis occurs when the brain is awakened from a REM state into essentially a normal fully awake state, but the bodily paralysis is still occurring. This causes the person to be fully aware, but unable to move. In addition, this state is usually accompanied by certain specific kinds of hallucinations. This state usually lasts no more than two minutes before a person is able to either return to full REM sleep or to become fully awake, though the sense of how much time has gone by is often distorted during sleep paralysis.

If I’ve immediately rendered the hypochondriacal among you totally petrified (hi, Imo!), this graph may allay your fears. It indicates that if you haven’t suffered sleep paralysis by the age of 25, you’re unlikely ever to do so. That graph comes from this fairly exhaustive site on sleep paralysis, including discussions of the common hallucinations paralyzed people experience..

Comments: 86 Responses so far

Maktaaq
January 19th, 2006
11:19 am

My uncle suffers from that too. Only, because we’re Romanians, the condition is attributed to Satan haunting him. My aunt cures him during these incidents by placing a cross on his chest.

It happened a few times to my grandmother. She swears that it started after she gave birth to said uncle, when Satan, a naked red man with cloven hooves instead of feet, came in through the front door and got on top of her, in what would be termed the incubus hallucination. Though paralyzed, she could move her tongue and made the sign of the cross in her mouth, thereby banishing Satan.

Oops, that turned into an awfully long comment. Sorry ’bout that.

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`jen
January 19th, 2006
4:58 pm

i get this occasionally as well - usually after a lighter sleep (ie: nap or if i’ve already woken up once in the morning and gone back to sleep before the dreaded alarm).

however, my “version” seems a bit more harmless than your irish friend’s. i don’t get terrors if someone else is touching me and usually hallucinate that i have left bed and am getting a drink of water or making it to the bathroom.

when i actually wake up and realize i’m still in bed it’s a very strange/disorienting moment. mostly along the lines of “oh, i seriously dreamt all that? the water tasted soooo good!”

alternatively, i have been “aware” that i’m not actually in the bathroom, but my arms and legs just don’t work yet.

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vicky Reply:
December 1st, 2008 at 11:20 am

Hi my experience is very similar to yours i dream im going to get a drink then realise im still in bed,it happened a few times before i felt as if someone was holding me down.

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Wilson
January 19th, 2006
6:55 pm

I get occasional episodes of that; say, once a year or so. Used to be more frequent when I was younger. They’re not as terrifying as she describes, but very uncomfortable anyway.

The first time I read about sleep paralysis I was incredibly relieved to find out that it happened to other people as well…

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Gwen
January 23rd, 2006
5:10 am

It apparently runs in the males in my father’s side of the family. My dad tells how he and his brothers tormented their father (as only boys can do) while he was apparently taking a nap only to find out later that he was wide awake but unable to move. Boy, were they in trouble when he was finally able to move again.

As my dad got a little older, it started happening to him and it happens occasionally to my younger brother. I know my brother experiences some of the hallucinatory aspects when this happens to him and I believe my dad has but I don’t know what, if anything, my grandfather saw.

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Brittani
January 30th, 2006
10:25 am

I have had SP for about a year now. I started getting it when I was diagnosed with mononuleosis(sickness which causes constant sleepiness).

I will wake up and my mind will be completely awake but my body completely paralysed except for, if I try with all my might, I can open my eyes or shut them. This takes a lot of effort.

I usually feel as though there is someone in the room with me, but it’s always very dark becasue I blocked my window for better sleep, so I cant see anything. It’s just my mind playing tricks but this usually lasts about 1-2 minutes. It feels like the state lasts about 10 minutes but time is distorted when this occurs. I know this because I check the clock.

After this happens and the paralysis goes away, my muscles are so relaxed and I am so drained of energy from trying to move that I just want to sleep again. But if I do fall asleep without COMPLETELY waking up first then this all repeats.

There is no pattern in the number of times I experience this in a month. I have had this 10 times a month before, and I have had it about 7 times in one night before (thats when i dont completely wake up.) Today I had it again for the first time in 2 months.

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Brad
February 27th, 2006
5:52 am

This happened to me this morning, only for about 10 seconds. It has happened to me about 3 times altogether now, but I never get wierd hallucinations or the feeling that someone else is in the room with me. I just can’t move and thats it. I never feel as if there’s weight on my chest, and it’s happened to me laying on my back, front, and side.

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'terrifyedteen' who believes that god can show you the way out~
March 14th, 2006
9:03 pm

im 14 and i have sleep paralysis .i nver had it until i moved to this new home that my family bought like 7 months ago.the first time i had it was just unexplainable-i litaraly thought i was about to die and couldnt do anything about it but just sit there ,unable to move or speak.there were times where i felt i wz flying but i knew i wz not dreaming somehow-like i wz half awake and half dreaming—-its really hard to explain..i also felt like somebody or something was in the room with me just watching me and it just terrifyed me.im a very calm and quiet type of person and so most of the time now when it happens i jus stay calm and stare at my wall -since thats the only thing i can do anyway -until its over and then stay up and not go back to sleep ,most of the time it happens while sleeping on my back but this once i ended up sleeping on my side and it happened and i have to say this was the most terrifying thing that i have ever experienced–i was on my side and i couldnt move at all,i tried to stay calm but the pillow was blocking my air and i couldnt breathe ,i was suffocating and was sure that i was about to die ..i tried my best to take in the little breaths that i could knowing that the only way to get throught this was to stay calm and so i did and after a while i snapped out of it ….but there is no way to explain how scared i was that day i didnt sleep at all the next night …..ill b turning 15 this march 31 and it has been at least a couple of months since i last had an episode..~~im a muslim and believe that praying to god will get you throught it… follow god and he will show you the way out~~i shouldnt be the one telling you this though—by that i mean ‘you should already know’

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Scott
March 21st, 2006
2:21 pm

I can’t stand for this to happen. I pray that nothing bad happens during my sleep paralysis dreams. They are horrifying and it is merciless. I hope I never hallucinate the Devil or anything. I always keep my eyes closed so I don’t panic if I supposedly see something. I am certain I am awake, or atleast conscious, when this happens. I usually feel something crushing me most often on my chest. It feels like I am being stepped on by a T-Rex or something.
I am 15 years old now and have had these for about 2 years so far. The “Old Hag Syndrome” started for the first time just after I moved from Kentucky to Ohio. I thought at first it was just going to be a normal SP that I have twice a month. I felt that dreaded feeling of losing control of your body. Then I felt something pounce on my chest and make it very hard to breathe. I paniced thinking I was suffocating, but thank god that wasn’t the case. I have to build up my strength for a few minutes before I kick my leg or spring up in bed. I was horrified when I realized my door was closed and my cat couldn’t have gotten in. I seriously hope that this has no supernatural cause to it. After all, scientists have proven that it occurs between your REM cycle and waking up, and REM does create hallucinations (or dreams). But it is still freaky when it happens. I worry that I will literally be scared to death, but that has not been reported yet. Usually this happens when I have a blanket over my face or am laying on my side. My personal advice is to make sure that your matress is comfortable when you lay down. Sometimes I wake up from one and feel these huge springs poking my back.
These dreams don’t seem to be caused by even worrying about it. Last night I was reading all about SP and nervous about having a SP dream, let alone the “Old Hag” coming to pay me a visit. I feel so helpless when it happens, and I can’t bear it. All I can think about is that it is the end of my life, and I will never wake up. One time, I had a lucid dream after realizing it was Sleep Paralysis, and a demon made me play a stupid game before I could wake up. I kept trying and trying for what I actually believe was atleast 30 minutes. I finally woke up sweating and about in tears. I thought it was real and is still extremely convincing. I’m not one of those people who think it is supernatural, but I am not so skeptical on this topic. Usually I just pray to God to wake me up, even though I’m not very religous, and I wake. It is probably just some kind of “will-power vs. fear” thing.
Does anyone else have the same experiences? Please reply if you do so I can sort of relate here.

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Kevin
March 24th, 2006
8:57 am

I just woke up from that “half sleep state” and I’m new to this so I don’t know what the correct term for it is. I am so scared right now even that I am awake in front of the computer, some minutes ago I couldn’t stand up from my bed and I could clearly see my television distort into something creepy like other dimension and I tried to move and wake up but it was useless and if I stopped trying I felt the television started to suck me into it. Finally I could move my arm and just to realize my hand was missing! I wasn’t fully awake yet but somehow I could see my “real” room. I’m so scared and crying that I’m not really awake right now. Please help!

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Emily
March 28th, 2006
10:00 pm

Sleep paralysis happened to me last night. I didn’t know what it was called until today when I looked it up. I went to sleep, about five minutes after I was asleep, I felt like I was awake and all I could see was black. I tried to move but couldn’t. I woke my self up slightly and then fell back asleep and it happened again. This happened four times before I finally woke up. I said, “Jesus, wake me up!” and then I woke up for real. I was looking around my room and kept seeing shadows and was very terrified. I felt like something evil was in my room. I didn’t want to go back to sleep but I was extremely tired and had to get up early so I prayed for protection and clung to my husband like glue and finally went back to sleep. I have had sleep paralysis several times in the past but have never been this frightened or felt an evil prescence like I did last night. I am so tired right now but I am scared to go to sleep tonight.

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Stik
April 2nd, 2006
10:10 pm

I had this happen to me for the first time last night. It scared me very much. I quit using drugs and drinking just over 8 months ago. I gave my live to jesus and it has been good. Last night my paralysis started as I felt as if something was crawling in bed with me. Next thing that happened was paralysis and crushing on my chest. An image came and called itself the Hound of Hell and told me that Satan was not done with me yet. I tried calling for my friends but it seemed that each time I screamed, the crushing was more, I also am recovering from some broken ribs from a skiing accident 2 weeks ago, Dont know if that contributed to this, aAfter what seemed like several minutes the paralysis went away Iand I came into what I guess would be awareness of my surroundings. My feet were on the floor and my body was still on the bed, Like i was twisted or something but still stiff. Really strange but my friend said he had it happen to him after he quit doing drugs and gave his live to jesus. Not the same dream or whatever as mine but very,very similar. any more info on this would be great and all I can say is keep your faith in christ and Satan can stay in hell. Good luck and god bless Stik dad2it@yahoo.com

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Neal
April 5th, 2006
9:30 pm

I used to get this a lot, but its gone away for the last 10 years or so. It only happened if I slept late, waking up a few times in the morning and then going back to sleep. When it happened, I always fought to get awake even though I could easily have just let go and gone back to sleep. And I always felt like I was not breathing enough. So I would concentrate on moving one toe, try to rock it back and forth until finally, with a huge effort, I could explode awake. And then if I did not sit up, I would immediately fall back to sleep and get paralysed again.

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Barney
May 19th, 2006
11:49 am

Does this sound like SP? I am woken up because I cant breathe, Im usually face down in the pillow but i cant lift my head up, i cant move at all, then finally i am able to move and i relax and i go straight back to sleep, but i dont hallucinate, i dont feel like there is a presence or any thing like that, i rarely remember it in the morning i will usually remember a few days later

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tasse
May 22nd, 2006
6:50 pm

I had my first experience with Sleep Paralysis today. I’ve never even heard of this before, but it really feels good that I’m not alone. When I told my colleagues about it, it turned out most of them had had the same experience too (and they’re all a lot older than me).. They also gave me the advice not to sleep with my head facing north (not sure if this will help though), but I’ll try!
I was scared as hell when it occured the first time, then i fell asleep again to experience it again.
but now it just feels like a dream..

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Melanie
May 22nd, 2006
7:14 pm

I actually had this happen to me last night. I woke up, and couldn’t move and there was a silhouette of a person next to me, except they would have had to be on their knees because their head was right up to mine and I tried to scream but it only came out as air. (Although I’m kind of happy about that because I’m actually staying at a friend’s house for the week, and I don’t think the parents would have appreciated it.) Well anyways, I closed my eyes again, and then re-opened them, but it was still there, and my eyes were still the only things I could move. And then the face started coming closer to me. I’ve experienced sleep paralysis before, and what I always try to do is concentrate on something small to move, such as my toe, because it seems like once I can move that the rest of my body follows. I’ve been looking it up online and found out that sometimes they can be caused by a change in the sleeping habits, which would make sense because where I’m staying is off from the time back home. The only thing I can’t find online, that makes my experiences different is that when I wake up terrified like this, and unable to move, everything flashes back and forth between red and green until it’s over. Maybe the colors are just a unique manifestation of my terror, but either way, these things aren’t pleasant. To everyone else suffering, good luck, and as for me, I think I’ll go to bed with the lamp on tonight.
Oh, P.S… I’ve only ever seen black silhouettes. I think I would have a heart attack if anything even resembling the devil approached me when I couldn’t move. I just hope that it doesn’t happen now that the possibility has been made known to me. lol

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Josh
June 1st, 2006
2:57 pm

Ive had this sleep thingy since i was 6 years old and i am now 19 i think its kinda cool somtimes because i do feel really relaxed after that but when i hallucinate i feel a presence like a ghost but i never see it i just know its there and once i woke up sweating to death and it was winter and we didnt have the heat on i thought it was just like to much adrenaline or something but its weird for those who dont have it it feels like your paralized and like a cave man not knowing who to talk or say anything only be scared and do not go back to sleep after you get this that is when the hallucninations really get worse and get more stronger so any ways thanks to however put this website up that way i know its not just me

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donna basinger
June 4th, 2006
2:45 pm

I just have to say it is very possible that sleep paralysis could have a medical reason. I had this when I suffered from Graves Disease. I had this Thyroid problem a long time. The Sleep Paralysis was terrifying. I am glad it didn’t happen that often. It is always best to have a blood test for any thyroid problems. It is not that expensive and could save you from having a lot of medical problems associated with hyperthyroidism.

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annie
June 6th, 2006
7:14 pm

I have experienced what everyone is talking about since I was a little girl. I am 22 now and experienced SP just the other night. I experience it quite often and each time it is just as scary as the last. I can always feel myself going into it but cant seem to get out of it right away. I lay in a position completely motionless. I lose all control of my body and am completely paralyzed. It takes an enormous amount of effort to move my body to awaken myself. Its weird to say but I feel like I will die if I do not wake myself up because my breathing is so short and I have to take little bits of air. I am aware of what is going on around me. Its like watching yourself and having no control…its petrifying. As soon as I get up I force myself to stay awake because I am so frightened. If I try to go right back to sleep it will happen again. I can remember being about 6 years old and experiencing this. I was just reading what donna said before me and I also have Graves disease so it would be nice to hear if that affects your sleep and causing SP.

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Kevin
June 18th, 2006
7:51 am

I had this for the first time in my life last nite. I was sooo scared. I’m 18 years old and just graduated high school…never in my life…have i experienced something like this. I think maybe it was caused by a dramatic change in sleep patterns…due to the grad ntie party was last ntie from 9PM-4AM (was a great party by the way). But anyhoo, when it happened..my ears tightene up a little i coulda sworn i heard some sort of screaming…I remember my body being frozen with fear and i tried to move and scream but i couldn’t. After what seemed like forever I ran to my parents room, and they said it was because i didn’t get enough sleep. I didn’t believe them i thought there was a demon in my house so i prayed, though i can’t say im the religious type of person. After watching discovery channel and their shit about demons, ghosts, etc. I decided to let the power of God take over, hah. But anyways, when i finally broke free i ran to my parents room, yes…I’m 18 but i can still be scared shitless enough to run to my parents…so my mom, who is a very heavy non-believer in anything just said i was having a nightmare…so i told my dad and my mom went to my room and i slept next to my dad the rest of the night. He told me he had it before too like you feel frozen and you see a black shadow or something…though i didn’t really see anything after i opened my eyes. just black spots here and there but my eyes were playing tricks on me.

the thing is…I know now that I will not change my sleeping habits ever agian, the only thing I’m worried about is that I will go through another terrifying episode like that. Now that’s what I DONT want to go through, even though it’s just a disorder. Is there a cure for this…b/c i just read all of the above and it seems like people go through it more than once…

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Janelle
June 21st, 2006
9:23 am

I had SP the other night. My boyfriend had left my house around 2:00pm and i stayed laying on my couch downstairs. I feel asleep there. Suddenly i felt like i woke up. I heard what i thought was my father talking to me, except i couldnt understand him, sort of like a mumbling deep voice. I tried to tell him that i was going back to my room now, but when i tried to speak nothing came out. I tried opening my eyes all the way open, but i could only get them half way. I tried moving off the couch but if felt like i was glued to it and couldnt move a thing. Then i felt like this weird tingle sensation overcome me and i started praying “God, Jesus i love you..” then finally i managed to move a little, and i soon as i got all my muscles back i ran up the stairs to my parents room, lol. While i was going up the stairs though, it felt like i was going faint and felt like something was with me. My mother spent the night with me in my room after she saw how shook up i was. I went to bed again fine that night. In the morning i still felt a little funny like something was with me but it soon subsided. Honestly i felt like that night something was trying to possess my body, like that talking man was. This was my first time experiencing this, and i hope its my last. When i went to work the next day i told a co-worker about it and he said that he has had it before so i felt better, he told me to look up sleep paralysis and here i am. I’ve also heard eating sweet foods or drinks right before bed causes this, which i did, i went to IHOP at around mid-night…but i’ve also eaten late before and it has never happened. And my b/f ate IHOP with me and he never had it. I just hope i wont have it ever again!

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GANESHRAJ
June 21st, 2006
12:24 pm

sleep parlysis doesn’t sound scary…..

Iam too is suffering from what is so called sleep paralysis for about past 3 yrs…,.I haven’t seen anything behind me or presence of anything in my room.

reason for sleep paralysis:
sleep is not just getting to rest through one state.it actually compraises of two states.. REM(rapid eye movement)state and NREM(non rapid eye movement state)

so when u want to fall asleep,u will be going through different states in this way…..

1.FEELING ASLEEP STATE
2.REM STATE
3.NREM STATE

4.REM STATE
5.NREM STATE
.
. REM & NREM CYCLES
.

REM STATE
NREM STATE

REM STATE

here occurs sleep paralysis

WAKE UP STATE

a gud news to all u guys is that,sleep paralysis is common and doesn’t cause any physical harm even though we feel as if we r gonna die if we r not going to wake up during the episode….

this more often occurs bcoz of different sleep patterns & sudden changes in the enviroinment around you…..

so no demon, no serpant, its allabout REM & NREM

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nosarembo
June 23rd, 2006
5:57 am

There is absolutely nothing to worry about with SP. In fact, if you can push through the terror, you can achieve some fascinating mental states that are similar to very deep meditation.

I personally struggled with this phenomenon at about age 22. Not knowing what it what, it scared the bejeebus out of me.

Just remember that you are only paralysed because your body is stopping you from acting out your dreams.

If you really want to break the state, concentrate hard on “wiggling” one part of your body (think Kill Bill - wiggle your big toe).

I used a mantra to break through my fear - “there is nothing to fear but fear itself”. Now I quite look forward to SP, because the next stage is the mental state of Astral Projection - a whole different kettle of fish, and more intense than any drug rush.

Peace,
– Noz

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Glen
June 25th, 2006
6:29 am

Sleep paralysis is one of the symptoms associated with narcolepsy, the sleeping ailment. I know; I have it.

People with narcolepsy suffer excessive daytime sleepiness. They also go through sleep paralysis, hypnogogic hallucinations (such as feeling like a demon is sitting on your chest) and cataplexy (a sudden loss of muscle tone, often triggered by strong emotion).

If you don’t like these experiences, see a doctor. Insist on seeing a sleep disorder specialist. You will be scheduled for an overnight sleep test, in which technicians monitor all sorts of things to provide data for the doctor to make a determination.

And there are treatments. I take an antidepressant, which has eliminated the sleep paralysis, hallucinations and cataplexy, and I take a new medication that helps treat the daytime sleepiness.

Sleep paralysus also happens to people who don’t have narcolepsy. I suggest you discuss this with your doctor, regardless (even if you find you enjoy the experience). Sleep disorders can lead to other health problems: high blood pressure, stroke, heart attack or, more immediate, traffic accidents and crippling injuries.

Many tales of alien abduction, demonic possession, succubus and incubus attacks, all can be traced back to sleep paralysis and associated hallucinations. You are not alone.

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bizi
July 5th, 2006
8:50 pm

The best advice i can share with you guys is to sleep with the bible open (on any pages) next to you or under your pillow. Trust me, this shit will never happen to ya agan. I use to be scare to go to sleep plus i am living by myself; that’s how much this thing use to happen to me. But now, after i use this method “the Bible” this never happens again. I do believe that there is a mysterious or satanic meaning behing this. Remember the God exists and so as the devil.

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Marc
July 14th, 2006
10:41 pm

I have had this problem since I was 15yrs. old and It is still happening to me now and I am 34. It comes and goes…may happen once or more a week or sometimes, once every few months. It always seems to happen right as I am dozing off. My eyes are still slightly open, I can hear and see my tv and hear every other noise in the house. The first time it happened to me at 15, I was starting to close my eyes and before I knew it…the darkness around me was getting thicker and thicker,(it was an abnormal darkeness..if that makes since) and a pressure came over my chest on up to my head and neck, and it became extremely powerful (while my legs and arms were completely parolized) and I could not breathe. I could hear my brother snoring in the next bed and also, could hear my sister on the phone in the living room…so I know it was not a dream. As it was getting worse, I was trying to move and moan so my brother could hear me but…it just wasn’t happening. All of a sudden, it was like my conscience kept telling me, “The devil is entering your soul, the devil is entering your soul!” Not saying that it was the devil or anything but..thats what i heard in my head at that time. I could not break out of it and I finally began to pray the Lord’s Prayer. Immediately, I broke out of it and was able to move and breathe again. Since then, it has never left me and its intensity has increased. There was a time when I was experiencing this and my best friend had slept over that night.(a few months back)As it was happening, It was like I could actually feel myself being pulled out of my body completely. its like I was over my body looking down on my friend and myself, my dog in the middle of us all sleeping with the tv on and everything. When I finally snapped out of it (again, only when I began to pray will I snap out of it) Everything that I saw when I was “looking down” was exactly the same. we were all in the exact position, as we were when I was looking down at us sleeping. Now..I am not a superstitious person, nor am I a hyper religious person..but, it seems everytime my spiritual life gets stronger and stronger, I begin to experience this even more. I was in the Seminary for 2 years back in 97 and it was happening to me almost every nite while there. The closer I was getting to God, the more this would happen to me, more and more intense..It was an absolute excruciating experience. For me, the only thing that gets me out of it, is when I begin to pray…it stops instantly! The nite before last though, it happened 3 times back to back almost. Presently, I have been trying to strengthen my spiritual life and now these nite terrors or whatever the hell they are, are increasing again. So damn wierd!

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Marc
July 14th, 2006
10:46 pm

Oh and by the way….NOW I DON’T WANT TO GO TO SLEEP. IT PROBABLY WILL HAPPEN NOW!…UUUGHHH!

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kellie
July 16th, 2006
12:30 am

My workpals and I were talking about this just yesterday. One of them told me about the Old Hag thing and that freaked me out. that same night i had my first experience of SP. It was as if i was fully awake but i couldnt do anything - i couldnt move, i couldnt speak and i couldnt breath properly. i was lying on my back with my arms rested on my chest. they felt as if they were crushing my lungs. then i just remembered about the old hag and even though she wasnt there i was saying in head,”please dont come near stay away!” i tried to scream but i couldnt although i could hear the scream inmy head. so i just kept my eyes closed and after about 20 seconds i forced out a hmm sound which seemed to wake my body up. after that i couldnt go to sleep, i was absolutely terrified. i dont want to have that happen to me again but everyone here seems to have had it more than once.

I am not looking forward to sleeping tonight!

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John
July 19th, 2006
1:34 pm

I’ve been having frequent episodes for the past four years, first time it happened I likened the experience to a coma and was pretty scared to go back to sleep in case I wouldn’t wake again.

For me it doesn’t matter whether I sleep on my side, back or front, it will still happen. I can guarantee it will occur if I go sleep on my right side, which is unfortunately my favoured side. It usually happens within a few minutes of going to sleep.

I rarely have the visions that people talk about, but I’m sometimes able to float out of my body, which is a pleasant experience. I occasionally feel a presence in the room, or something sitting on me or the bed.

I’m fully aware of what has happened when I manage to shake myself out of the paralysis, but during it I’m usually too scared/stressed to calmly go back to sleep or try to enduce lucid dreams.

I had an episode last night where I was sleeping chest down and felt a presence sitting on my back, and it was poking fingers into my sides!

It’s very interesting reading about others experiences with this, I’ve only met one other person who has experienced this, most people think I’m crazy when it’s mentioned!

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Haniff
August 3rd, 2006
3:36 pm

This happened to me today and other nights [it's random for me]. I felt like someone was sleeping next to me [left]. I say this since there was pressure on my left side and on my chest and a portion of my leg, nothing except my eyes were able to move. Usually when I feel a tingle through my whole body I know it will happen, and that’s exactly what happened. There is also a feeling as if a your entering a twlight state. I could see my blue shirt, though the logo was out of focus. In my dreams I don’t see what I’m wearing. I could have sworn that I saw my shirt moving, but I guess I was just hallucinating. As soon as I said a short prayer, everything went black and I woke up. I looked at my clock and it was 12:15PM. I recalled turning on the AC at 11:55AM., so only 20 minutes passed. I’m a 17 year old male Muslim and I’m glad to know that invoking God’s help was helpful for others including myself. My sleeping habits have been messed up due to my late sleeping. It’s summer vacation, what do you expect? I have a new respect for those that have a type of mental hallucinating problem. It was tough for me. It must be awful for them.

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Evelyn
August 8th, 2006
6:02 pm

I have heard voices, other sounds, felt like something is suffocating me, and have felt a presence in my room. I have even felt an evil presence, black (I saw it but it all happens so fast), hovering around my room, then over me, and plunging into my chest. I then get paralized and feel like it is trying to take over and I fight for control. In the end, my head snaps to the side and I feel like it comes out of my chest and I feel relieved. I have also felt that presence behind me when I am trying to sleep on my side, I close my eyes and it feels like it is taking over half of me and then I hear it laugh loudly into my ear and I feel intense fear, so intense that I can hear my heart pounding in my ears and I lose my breath for a moment. Another thing I have had is waking up in the morning into paralysis and getting out of it. I can then be fully awake and sit up in my bed, but my head feels heavy and I still feel a bit tired. I then fall back and into the paralysis again…….. and then everything happens all over again. So this doesn’t happen, right after paralysis I shake my hands or legs vigorously, stand up, and walk. I fear sleeping on my side because I get a strange feeling on my spine, like a chill, and hear someone whispering in my ear. I believe in spirits but the room would have gotten very cold and it didn’t so I don’t believe it was a spirit trying to talk to me. Oh, and one more thing, I could be in class and put my head down for just a moment, like a minute or two until the bell rang and I know this, and I would hear a loud snap in my head, it would be so sharp and hard that it would fling my body backwards into my seat.

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Andre
August 9th, 2006
1:19 am

i just ran into this site and relized its comforting to know im not the only one who has this. i didnt know it was called sleep paralysis, its gotten to the point for me where i get these sometime 3 to 4 times a night and a couple in the moring. some days i know im gonna get it some days i know i wont. if i feel i can i can usually induce it by laying down and waiting for it, but i have to be dead tierd and stressed. ive had feelings of my dog jumping on my bed with me and laying on my feet and snapping myself out of it looking and seeing hes not there, ive heard voices and sometimes my dad snoring as if he were sleeping next to me, ive had people, shapes, figures, standing right next to me staring at me and sometimes their face in my face looking right into my eyes. ive had feelings of being really cold when its 100 at night cuz we dont have the AC on. the hardest part for me is snapping out of it, i can sometimes snap myself out right away, but my girlfriend says sometimes when she knows im having it it takes her about a min just to get me to wake. its the scariest thing ever, i remeber feeling myself not breathing once and though my body was still my mind was paniking, and what was worse is that i couldent wake myself up i had to wait for it. im just worried that this is dangerous and i might die from it.

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whitney
August 19th, 2006
2:25 pm

i’m glad i finally researched this. i had my first episode a couple months ago, and have had a bunch more since… including the two within the past two nights. mine happen to be extremely terrifying…. they seem to happen when i am extremely exhausted and i feel as if i can fall asleep within minutes of laying down… but i guess the processes in my body work at different rates maybe?

the first episode i had went like this… i was exhausted, laid down, and literally within a few minutes my body felt dead. but i thought this was because i was so tired and i didn’t bother to try and move it anyways. but then i felt my eyes rapidly going in every direction, although closed… which must have been the start of my REM state. then the hallucinations came. i literally felt the presence of some man in my room, but i couldn’t open my eyes to look, i couldn’t open my mouth to speak. he came over to the left of my bed, closer, and just stood there. he came into my bed, under the sheets, close enough to me that i could feel his breath on me. i was absolutely terrified… i was fully awake in my mind but literally paralyzed and i was screaming in my head. he pulled the sheets from me… he kept touching me… and raped me. i had no control. after a few minutes i completely snapped out of it and saw that he was gone. i realized i must have had a weird dream… but i knew that i was awake… and it was sooo real… i felt his skin, his breath…

since then i’ve had these episodes and they are all extremely dark and horrifying and so real that i still am in denial of them actually occuring or not. this shit scares me.

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Anna
August 21st, 2006
1:31 am

I have had this for years, am 25 now but as long as i can remeber I have been scared of the dark and suffered from horrible nightmares as a child, feeling like i was being pulled from my bed etc. I always thought it was ghosts but now i know its just SP. I did a google search a while ago after getting so fed up with it- but i had practically figured out what it was before I researched it- trapped between being asleep and awake. As soon as i knew this -the ‘ghostly’ aspect to my SP diminished but it is still scary and i have the odd hallucination- often imagining people are in the house when they are not. It’s a real mind over matter thing to convince yourself its a hallucination when you’re having it - it seems so real! I feel so sorry for those who think its ghosts- you are making it mnore scary by your own imagination! A couple of things to try and persude you its not: i have moved house numerous times and it has happened in all places (surely ghosts only ‘haunt’ certain dwellings.) It happens when i’m right next to my partner in bed and he experiences nothing, i have had hallucinations that are mundane (as well as the scary ones when i was little) and I just hear family members clattering around downstairs- i really believe they are there but when i wake up i am aware i dont even live with them anymore!! the strange thing is even though i can be rational about all this i still have to make myself wake up every time! why is this and has anyone ever ’stayed in’?? When i wake myself up from it i am so heavy and sleep it is sheer will to get my self up and moving. I dont usually let myself go straight back to sleep as it just happens again- i find getting up - to get a drink or something, then going back to sleep a few mins later can stop it happening again- almost like giving the chemical time to leave your brain….

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Patti
August 23rd, 2006
9:34 am

Hello. I don’t have sleep paralysis but I have a mild case of insomnia. My older sis has SP though as had it for years. Just a tip for you all on getting out of the paralysis from her doctor…try moving a small limb such finger or toe or eyes (instead of trying to move your whole body)…my sis concentrats on moving her pinky. Her doc told her patients find moving fingers are easier than any part of the body. At first she said it was tough, but she has this 3-4 times/week so it is real easy for her to snap out of it now. Also if you have a sleep partner and are able to make some sound let that person know what it is so that he/she is aware of it. Usually then a gentle shake or touch from that person can break you out of it too. Hope this info helps you all.

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Chelsea
August 23rd, 2006
11:06 am

Oh my, this is where I belong. lol!! I was reading all of these posts going “Oh my gosh thats exactly what happens to me!!” I was thinking about starting a yahoo group for people who suffer from sleep paralysis. I know it sounds corny, but how good did it feel to share your stories with others and realize you arent alone, and that this does happen!!! Please email me if you would like to be added to the group!!!

My email is cmalibu1@yahoo.com
I look forward to talking to you all. I am so glad that there are other people out there who can share the same experiences, frightening or not its comforting to know I Am not the only one!!
Chelsea

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Francis
August 24th, 2006
8:35 am

wow Im glad i’m not alone. I’ve been having this for quit some time nowlike about four years and its gotten really intense. When it happens to me i feel as if someone is touching me, and it always it starts touching my genetils, and once it squeezed. It hurt so much, and im i guy so it really hurt me.and one time i felt like someone was choking me, i opend my eyes and i saw a dark round misty shadow in front of me. i also here voices somtimes a man and other times a woman but i usally hear a womans voice.. i remeber one night i heard a womans voice whispering in my ear. i didnt undersatnd anything except one thing and she said it in spanish. she said that she didnt want to be a burden for me. why she said it or what thats sopossed to mean , i have no clue. i just hope it really is just sp, i just want it to end!!!!

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Francis B
September 11th, 2006
7:36 pm

Well, to make any of you guys feel any better, im 18 and i have been having these sp experiences for as long as i can remember. In the first stages, I had expreiences in which everything around the room increased in size. Then the experiences evolved into hallucinations of which i would feel a presence around me, crushing my torso from all angles. Finally to get to the point, I’ve gotten to the point in which ive seen the devil twice- not a good experience- I freaked out, and possibly Jesus once. Today, i have had the most vivid of such experiences from which this time it was as though I was looking at chinese or japanese symbols flipping through next to a dark figure wearing a hat as well as a figure of two black dragons facing one another. After each episode I’m completely fatigued. I’m wondering, do i have narcolepsy or any sleeping disorders?

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Sarah
October 21st, 2006
8:35 am

Wow everyone! I just read through all of your stories and felt compelled to post a reply. You may think I’m a little crazy for what I want to say, but here goes…

About 8 years ago, I experienced SP with the same symptoms everyone here has described. I “woke up” in the middle of the night to find a menacing being in a black hooded robe slowly approaching me. I couldn’t scream, couldn’t move, couldn’t escape. Just as he hovered over me, I snapped completely awake still unable to move but now he was gone and I was really awake. I’ve also had the experience of a force on top on me trying to seduce me, holding my hands behind my head…etc. Scary stuff.

A couple of years later, I found people on the net who had similar experiences and had overcome it. Here’s where you’ll think I’m crazy. I have to second what nosarembo said up there. SP is a prelude to out of body experiences. Everyone leaves their body during sleep whether they remember it or not. The key is to overcome the fear barrier and the scary SP experiences will open up into new and unbelievably exciting astral voyages.

I realize that seems easy for me to say. But since I’ve learned to have out of body experiences, I’ve never again experienced sleep paralysis. And I’ve learned so much about myself. I realized my SP was just a tool to shake me into a higher awareness. To make me realize what I, and we all, are capable of.

If any of you want more information, or would like to learn some techniques to use to work with your SP and overcome your fears, please click on my name. It will take you to the forum, projectradiantlight.com (sorry for the plug-it’s sincere, I promise) It’s full of people willing to help and who have had similar experiences to what I’ve read here.

I hope this helps you some. I know how scary SP is and I only want to show you there is nothing to be afraid of, you are not in danger, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. None of us are crazy.

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Heather
October 26th, 2006
9:14 am

Wow, that was very interesting reading about others Sleep Paralysis experiences. I’m 33 now, but I’ve had SP since around my early 20’s.

Mine have been sporadic over the years - I might not have one for several years, then I might end up having them regularly over a the space of a few months.

The only real link I can associate to my episodes are: over-tiredness and anxiety, relocating to a new home, and sometimes while sleeping in strange surroundings (hotels and such).

Mine always happen just as I’m drifing off to sleep and are almost always accompanied by a malevolent presence. Someone else mentioned that feeling of not wanting to open their eyes because they could sense a face right next to theirs. Oh boy, do I know that feeling! And worse … (I was actually hoping someone else might have had this experience)… I’ve felt like I’ve been dragged out of my body and can feel myself being swung around the room! That really terrifies me!

The last few episodes I’ve had have not been as bad - I still feel that horrible presence, but i somehow feel a little more in control of my wits, proabably due to educating myself on this phenomena. There are times I wish I could just let go anf not fight to wake myself up. I often wonder if it will open the door to powerful lucid dreams or some sort of astral activity. But, the instinct to pull myself out is almost too over-whelming. Maybe one of these days I’ll pluck up the courage. Of course, I’d love to hear from people who have just ‘gone with it’ so to speak.

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oak
November 25th, 2006
8:50 am

i am a 14 year old female who has been having some poblems in waking up. i can sleep fine but someitmes when i wake up early in the morning i fall back to sleep and when i try to wake up from that sleep i cant. i want to move and talk and open my eyes but i feel frozen. The first time i had this i tottally freaked out and had a panic attack. my parents think im dreaming but its not because it happens alot and i know whats going on.

is this normal? please help

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Abdias Batista
December 19th, 2006
8:24 pm

I’m 22 years old and sleep paralysis is something that happen to me at least three times a week, but the part that most terrify me is not waking paralyzed,but those frightening sounds. they’re like an ambulance alarm and that is enough to make sure I dont get back to bed that night.I someimes have to drink a couple of beer to make sure I bypass the REM state without waking up in the middle of it. lol rude right?

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bek
March 26th, 2007
2:34 pm

HI, i have never sent a email before but this site MADE me get a web address.During the summer of 2001 i was out in my garden catchin rays and watching over my 5yr old playin. I remember closing my eyes to the glare of the sun but being very aware of noises around me cars, birds, other kids playing, all very normal untill i heard my neighbour talking to my son and tried to open my eyes. My body felt completly dead! panic, panic,panic was the best way to describe how i felt.Within a couple of seconds i was awake the panic subsided and i put it down to a very strange dream. Since that day my ’strange dreams’ have happened at least 3 times a week. I never wanted to go to a doc, because i was slightly worried he’d think i was barking mad.
There is no pattern to my sp, it does not rely on chaos in life or change of circumstances it matters not if im happy or sad it comes when it wants to. I have tried,i feel to go with it, at first i really thought the panic i felt during sp would give me a heart attack, but once i realised i woke up every time i got a small piece of comfort from that and instead tried to let my mind wonder ,it never goes far. I think because i concentrate so hard to let my mind go i inadvertadly wake my self up.
It was so great to read about other people and i am very very relived to discover i am not alone. Thanks to everyone who’s experience i have read that has given me answers to some of the questions i had.xxx

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will
May 1st, 2007
1:53 pm

The first encounter I had with sleep paralysis that I can remember occured when I was around the age of five years old. Ive always been a vivid, lucid dreamer even when i was young, and I could more often than not recall my dreams in great detail. I cannot recall any more episodes until I reached my early teens. It never really followed any kind of pattern, sometimes I would go for about a month without an epsidode, sometimes i would experience it up to three times a week. Fortunately this never lasted more than a month before I got a bit of a break from it. Early in my life, wigling, or trying to wiggle sometimes helped me break free, though I experienced not only the sudden shock of being awakened, but also a very physical sensation of pain in the extremety I managed to move. I always thought I was just dreaming all of this. The more I experienced it the more i realised that everything i was seeing in this state, aside from the halucinations that eventualy began when i was 15 or so, were real. That i was perceving the world around me. Forgive me if this is so long but ive lived with this for a long time and until just today have never known a name for it, or even that so many suffer from it in almost the same way I do. It feels good to be able to say something to people who can actualy relate and know I am not insane. I read above someone saying that it doesnt cause any harm and that it is an enjoyable state, please do not think I am trying to belittle your words. If that is your experience I am very glad for you. I do not wish mine on anyone however. Shortly after the halucinations began, I at first felt the pressure on my chest, feeling like I had to struggle just to gasp for sparse breaths of air. Everytime I felt like I would suffocate. Eventualy the wiggling defense stopped working. i found i could actually begin to move my fingers, wiggle my toes and feet, even rock back and forth slightly and still not be able to break out of this state. The worst of it began when i was around 18, im 23 now by the way. I began feeling very exagerated pain in my limb and torso, mostly in my arms and back, sometimes my chest when ever i experienced sleep pralysis. Perhaps it was just my own fear of not knowing just what was going on that caused it, but being a religious person I did begin to perhaps wonder if something more spiritual was behind it. Perhaps thats why I began to get this feeling something else was in the room with me, even begin to halucinate shadows, the feeling of hands and such on my body, Voices as well. I will say for me, the bible under the pillow, nor singing repetatively jesus loves me didnt help the situation much. now that I am 23 and serving in the us army, here in iraq I was treated to another startling eviolution in this state of paralysus. I was laying on a cot, my head was slightly covered by a blanket. My buddy and i were working a field sight. I was in the paralysed state, though he couldnt see my face. I could see him through an opening however. I was having all the classic symptoms of pain, extreme anxiety, and feelings of suffocation. It was duering this moment I truly came to realise that it wasnt just some strange reoccuring dream. He was talking to me, and i managed to lift my hand from where it rested on my leg and began motioning to him. Belevin i wanted a cigarette from him he took one and placed it between my fingerings having no idea what was going on. I opened my fingers and dropped the ciggarette, motions wildly with my hand trying to think of some sign or gesture that might clue him in to my trouble. it wasnt until i began to actually tap SOS on my leg that he started shaking me and i gasped back to consciousness. perhaps all this may sound a bit extensive or even more unbelevable than satan wants to hurt me and who knows maybe he does. Its still comforting to be able to share it, to know it has a name, and most importantly that im not alone. for those of you who have found enjoyment in this state, I wish for you the greatest of experiences. I know when I dream I can only wish for a few more minutes before i wake up. Dreams are such a wonderful world once you can manipulate them to your own fancies. For those of you who suffer, perhaps even worse than me. You have my thoughts and hopes of easy waking with you.

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sims
June 26th, 2007
8:18 pm

I recently suffered from this too, and I`m glad to know Im not alone at first I thought I was going crazy and when I told my family & friends they didn`t believe me. The first time it happened it was dark in my room but my tv was on and I woke up and there was what appeared to be a shadow infront of me, I tried to scream but nothing would come out, after that it didn`t happen until yesterday I was having a nap in my room and it was light in my room and I was half awake, my computers right by my bed but it was turned off, I could have sworn I saw a shadow over top of me and yet again I couldn`t scream or move for about 1 minute.

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berlinn
July 2nd, 2007
2:59 am

i have had up to twenty episodes of sleep paralysis, but five of those twenty stand out as being highly memorable. i have hallucinated the hag herself with a bony hand locked around my jaw and her knees in my chest. it is usually my jaw that locks first and then the rest of my body freezes.

the first very vivid sp experience i had included ants crawling down my bedroom wall and a little girl humming a taunting tune in my ear. batwings in the corner of the room came next and then my ex boyfriend rifling frantically through his drawers looking for something. i tried to call him to ask why he’d come home from work but he couldn’t hear me. it has always scared me for obvious reasons but last night was a turning point.

i fell into the sp in the usual way and starting seeing witchy faces and eyes. i remember thinking if you just concentrate you’ll be okay, think of something nice. my father’s face appeared and he smiled at me. he’s been dead for twelve years. for the first time i hallucinated coming out of the sp state, when really i was still in it. i felt relieved and happy but then heard a door creak. my boyfriend, who i hallucinated had woken and was comforting me, said “it’s just the dog” and i felt the weight of a dog’s paws climbing over my back. we were laughing until i came to realisation we don’t have a dog.

this was the most complex sp episode i’ve ever had. i am almost looking forward to the next one, as i’m sure i can now control whether the hallucinations are good or bad. i still have a sore back, neck and jaw for the rest of the day, and like others, i usually experience sp after waking and falling asleep again or over-sleeping. i also toe or finger wiggle to escape bad episodes.

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shannon
July 5th, 2007
9:41 pm

i had that happened to me one time it felt like i was floating in the air kind of and i couldnt move at all and it felt like something was moving me and i could hear music playing perfectly i think it was the scariest thing that ever happened to me

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ringo
July 18th, 2007
11:13 am

Hi! i really wish someone can help me.. you see. i am in Germany and do not speak the language, so i could not even go to a docotr and explain what is wrong with me. I am 40 years old and hardly can get any sleep…as soon as i get to sleep i fight to open my eys again becuase i hear an almost metallic sound and what ever dream i have becomes into a nightmare even if it is a dream about cooking pasta.. i am totally paralyzed ! i tried to touch my partner to get me out of this dream but i can not move although i can see myself touching her to wake me up.. i asked her didn’t you feel me or hear me.. and she always says no! so obviously i am not moving as i thought i was..? everything seems to be fine once i open my eyes…butthe last two days.. i have slept all together 4 hours.. with sleeping pills that is..i am afraid that this will happen with my eyes open…
Please help anybody…?

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Chris
July 19th, 2007
2:10 pm

I get sleep paralysis probably a few times a month. They are always demonic in nature. I will be sleeping, or dreaming that I am asleep, and a very hateful demon will grab me and hold me down. I can feel his hatred for me, as if he wants to kill me. His sole purpose is to keep me from waking up, and to torment me the whole time before I do.

I begin to say prayers and ask for Gods help to get rid of the demon and awake myself. I might say “In the name of God, the son, and the holy spirit, go back to hell from which you came” or something along those lines. I am terrified through out the entire experience, only wanting to awake, but cannot, for what seems like an eternity.

The whole time I chant words of God to expel the demon, to no avail. Finally it ends and I awake, only to be terrified for hours to come. Getting back to sleep is a painful process.

Sometimes I will be dreaming that I am in another room in the house sleeping. Last night I was dreaming I was asleep on the couch with the T.V on, although I was in my bedroom. The door opens up and a demon comes from outside and does what I described above. I can sense his plan to kill me and then my family. Finally I expel him and awake.

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james
July 19th, 2007
2:46 pm

it was wednesday, i was researching religious prophecy earlier in the night and at about 1.30am woke
but couldnt move, something was holding me down at the shoulders dark, very fast i knew it was there though i told it to get off me i immediately was able to move, the room was quite, 2 others live in here the window was open.

i believe in evil spirits, they’re attacking us
SP dont be fooled

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Morgan
October 1st, 2007
4:43 am

Some real interesting experiences above - wow. It wasnt long ago I discovered that others were experiencing these phenoumena (what ever is is.)

Like many of you I have experienced SP, with varying stimuli since an early age- for eg. I have a sense of evil, violent screamings, mumbled and shouted at in strange dialect into my ear, touched, punched, and smothered - all in the state of paralysis.

More interestingly though is the visions of the dark shadow figures. Now I have only recently discovered others see them too - specificly the most hurrendous one I saw when I was thirteen - ‘The Hat Man.’ Has anyone else seen this figure? Or the Shadow people? And what has happened to you?

Also, just quickly, has anyone been chased in their dreams by a bald man with a whitish grey sunken, skullen face - and then strangely made friends with this character? Maybe you have seen this man during paralysis? Much like the Shadow Beings he is a watcher, glares, stares etc.

Take care everyone - I hope all are well.

Morgan x

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stranger
October 29th, 2007
10:43 pm

hi all, i’ve also have such problem.. but usually is when i’m reali tired n lack of sleep. 1 thing i’ve found out to sort of prevent it from happening when i know it’ll happen(ie. when i’m lack of sleep the night before)… Try sleep with your front body down with your face at the side of cos.. it really really works very well for me. Never try lying down flat on our back…you’ll experience such state for sure.. and if you do, n you know immediately after u manage to get out of that state n you wanna sleep again, try the front. Hope my tips help..

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Jackie
November 15th, 2007
9:53 am

So, need to tell you guys my sleep paralysis experience last night. It was pretty scary and it was my first time I’ve ever experienced it (I’m 25). I only had 5 hrs of sleep the past 3 days,,,and when I got home last night, I slept from 6pm to 12am before I got up to shower. But around 7pm, I felt like I was awake but there was a black cat rolling around on my chest, but I couldn’t move at all so I couldn’t get it off of me! I was thinking OMG how did a cat get in my room? AHHH. Then I tried to reach for my cell phone for light, but it was sooooooooo hard, but when i finally did, my cell didn’t have any light! Then I tried to get up to reach for my light switch,,,but that’s when I woke up & realized there wasnt a cat in my room…..

I told my bf about it and 2 years ago he experienced it and thought his roommate was home, walking around in the kitchen, but he couldn’t get up to say Hi. When he did wake up, he realized his roommate wasn’t even home!

Scary, I’m afraid of the dark now,,,,cuz there might be a cat around.

****************************
http://www.stanford.edu/~dement/paralysis.html

“In some cases, when hypnogogic hallucinations are present, people feel that someone is in the room with them, some experience the feeling that someone or something is sitting on their chest and they feel impending death and suffocation. That has been called the “Hag Phenomena” and has been happening to people over the centuries. These things cause people much anxiety and terror, but there is no physical harm.”

“The major difference between the two types of Sleep Paralysis is that Hallucinatory Sleep Paralysis is accompanied by frightening hallucinations, feelings of intense fear, and the strong feeling of an evil presence. Almost all cases of Hallucinatory Sleep Paralysis occur when victims are sleeping on their backs.”
(I was sleeping on my back!)

“There are still quite a few incidents of Hallucinatory Sleep Paralysis that report a black cat on top of the victim stealing their breath, ”
(That was my hallucination, a black cat on top of me)

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tina
November 28th, 2007
1:17 pm

I am 17 years old, going through a lot of stress. ever since I was little I always had nightmares, they mellowed down alittle. and now recently i been getting horrible nightmares, their worse then nightmares. just last night i went to sleep at 1030 and I dont remeber what I was dreaming about, or what was happening. all i remeber was being so scared and helpless. I remeber being in a bathtub unconcious and water was filling up my lungs. the next thing i remeber was being confused if i was dreaming or it was actually happening. i was struggling so hard to get up but i couldnt move a bone. i finally get up and im in my room and i feal really weak , I walk downstairs to my mom to tell her i dont feel good and somethings wrong. I faint on the floor and my body is getting dragged out of her room to the bathroom to the bathtub..it turned out i was still dreaming.. everytime i would really get up in reality i would struggle to get up but i couldnt. i finally made it to open my eyes and I stood up before I was able to fall back asleep. i wasnt able to breath right away. I didnt go back to bed , but I felt naucious and sick for the rest of the night. and it was only 1200 when i wokeup, so all of this happend within 1 hr.

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Cassie
December 8th, 2007
1:32 pm

Really interesting stuff!! I had my first episope of SP while in hospital the day after having my 1st child. in Feb 1981 I was 23. It was terrifying as I thought something had gone badly wrong. I was fully aware but unable to move or make a sound & when it ‘broke’ my first instinct was to get a nurse - then almost immediately I felt a bit silly as I had snapped back to normality so completely I wouldn’t have known what to say so didn’t say anything to anyone.
since then I have had many episodes - One tip that may work is to mentally chant the Lord’s Prayer. Maybe just focusing on this helps to relax the body while the paralysis clears. I do believe the fear exacerbates the symptoms. It can feel reassuring as well, perhaps a sense of protection in a scary situation.
I have had vivid hallucinations at times. Once the bedroom door opened and I saw & heard a fire roaring in the hall way. It was so real - then in a flash I was in a dark bedroom and the door was shut.
Another time I saw a young woman leaning over me she had a scary expression & was waving her hair near my face.
A man walked through the room and straight through the wall.
I had not had an episode for ages until last night - I am just now 50. I fell asleep on the sofa, supine, and the familiar tingling and buzzing in my ears let me know. I fought to get up and did so - I stood up and then felt dizzy and began to fall backwards. I was expecting to bang my head on the floor but kept on falling til I was almost flying but backwards. Then I realised I had not moved at all. I struggled to wake up - freed my hands and began to hit my face - again realising this was also unreal!! By then I was kind of enjoying it - knowing it was an illusion but ready for it to stop. I had a few false exits before actually waking up in reality. Weird after a really long time. I feel there may be a chance this could lead to astral projection & lucid dreaming however the sense of powerlessness is hard to deal with at the time. Keep writing - fascinating!

[Reply]

Karen Maxwell
January 5th, 2008
1:13 pm

Incubus

Half way to sunrise
I hear it draw near
half asleep half awake
it rings in my ear

If I don’t head this warning
and flee from my bed
I’ll have accepted a duel
with the evil half dead

It’s weapon is sensual
and I’m half tempted to try
on this half human lust
from a soul that won’t die

My body’s like lead
as it hovers above
a half inch from mine
it wants more than love

In fear for my soul
I fight to break free
it’s hold like a vice
I can’t scream, I can’t see

With all of my will
I shake from its spell
and pull myself back from
half way to hell

I throw on the lights
disperse energy
“In the name of the Lord,
Begone…leave me be”

Is it half truths, or dreaming
Is it dead, or alive
Is it gone, or just scheming
Will next time I survive

K Maxwell

[Reply]

karen
January 26th, 2008
3:38 am

i’ve been getting sleep paralysis on and off midly for around 15 years in the last couple of years its become quite frequent.i get the old hag sitting on my chest or holding me down around once a month but sometimes this can be as often as weekly.last time it was a bit different i was being punched in the head and was paralysed and couldnt wake myself, after a couple of minutes i think i shoock myself out of it fell asleep then it happened again. been trying to find something on the net, has anyone else experienced this?

[Reply]

cuba
January 26th, 2008
5:12 am

That has happened to me as well. I was punched several times in the stomach one night. and i’ve had the sensation of being poked in the head. it is scary especially when you are paralyzed and sometimes when i shake myself awake and fall back asleep, it happens again

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Laila
February 18th, 2008
2:41 am

I am 22 and it first had it 4 years ago, only once.
But this year it started again. Sometimes it’s not there for months and sometimes I get it several times in one night.
It was not frequent so I hadn’t researched it before but last night I had it like 7 times (because every time I went to sleep right away and I discovered now as I read your comments that I shouldn’t have done so ).

I don’t see ghosts or scary figures and I do hope I won’t!

I just feel I want to wake up and I can’t. The only hallucination I had was today when I dreamed as if a friend was calling me on the phone and I wasn’t able to say hello clearly. In reality, I wasn’t talking at all.

I will try your advices. It’s good to know it’s not harmful..

[Reply]

Lyle
February 18th, 2008
9:34 pm

I have had many of these type of dreams. Up until about age 12 I never experienced a nightmare and had full lucid dreams. I knew I was dreaming and had control. I started having these very dark paralysis dreams about 3 years ago. It is always the same. I am in whatever room I am actually sleeping in with everything in the same order, including the lighting. I am completely parallelized, I can not speak or make any noise. When my ex wife was sleeping in my bed she would also be present in my dream. There is always a dark evil figure standing over me. Sometimes choking me and sometimes just standing over me. When I wake the room is identical in every way except no dark figure but the sense of its presence remains for a few moments. I usually will get up and eat or watch TV or surf the web to get my mind busy. I am convinced these are actual encounters. I believe because of them spiritual warfare is very real.

[Reply]

Lyle
February 18th, 2008
9:43 pm

My Last Paralysis dream involved a different being. I had all the same symptoms as my last post, however. I kept having false wakes. about 4 of them I think. On the last false wake, waking and still dreaming but thinking you are awake. I was stuck there in bed on my back, I was trying to cry out so someone would help me but unable to produce sound. I blue young woman, translucent, came from the ceiling floated down and said “No you can’t come with us” “You must stay here!” This was the first one of these dreams where I felt completely same from the presence or visitor. I know this sounds crazy but this was 2 months ago and it stuck with me enough to do research today on this phenomena.

I have also woke up finally screaming “You Get the Hell out of here!” Scaring the crap out of my former wife. This is my normal attitude no matter how scared I am I try to scream out to tell the dark presence that it is not welcome and to leave at once but can not speak. Thank you for reading my posts. Is it just me or are we being visited by spiritual beings in this sleep state? Please help me understand this. I need to know this is not just me and that I am not crazy.

[Reply]

Lyle
February 18th, 2008
9:53 pm

would any of you experiencing dark presence or attacks be willing to participate in a survey? I am curious to know if we have any commonalities. Religious, Agnostic, or Atheistic? Geographical location, and many other lifestyle specific items. This could be done anonymously and only divulge what we are comfortable with. I would be curious to know if there are certain things that are common among us and what that is. These dreams are terrifying, if they are more than dreams we have reason to be concerned. Some ammunition or tools would be kind of nice. Yes? Let me know and if so I’ll try to organize some type of intelligent and respectful questionnaire.

Lyle

[Reply]

Submitter19
March 17th, 2008
5:58 pm

First of all I’m an 18 year old Muslim, and do believe I am quite religious but sometimes off task. Let me give you a seemingly quick summary of my episodes as well as the history behind it. Well, I moved to this new house with my family when I was ten. There, my sis saw a cat in the hallway, but we never had one. One night my uncle stayed alone at our house, he later complained that the lights went out by themselves and he heard someone walking around in the house. Another time, my grandma complained seeing a woman’s figure in the hallway and vanishing in seconds. Finally, one day we all heard a huge thud from the basement. We investigated and later found that two of the basement windows were open. We saw human hand prints and foot prints on the inside of the wall, as though someone had climbed down, but this is logically impossible! Then from that window was a trail of cat footprints that led to the window at the opposite end. Again, there were human foot prints and hand prints as though the human had climbed upward and out of the basement. This had scared me to death…the first thing that came in my mind was that we were dealing with a jinn or whatever you wish to call it.
We moved again. My grandmother visited our house one day and she complained that she heard a young child crying in one of the rooms! We were shocked! Second incident took place in the bathroom, while I was performing ablution…suddenly near my feet I saw a short woman all black and she was on her hands and feet, shaking her head. I gasped, jumped back, and she vanished in seconds! Another day, my younger sister also complained seeing a short black figure moving very fast near the dining room. One morning, as I sat alone I heard a cat meow loud and clear 2 or 3 times, as though it was coming from behind the sofa I was sitting on, but when I checked, nothing was there. I was terrified of course and ran like the wind. Again, in another room, I heard a cat’s meow coming from the underneath the computer table 2 or 3 times as I sat there. I checked under and as before, there was NOTHING!
Third house, we moved again. Here some of my siblings, as well as I had complained seeing dark glimpses of a person on separate days and random times, usually when we were alone. This is the house in which my sleep paralysis started…there are so many incidences, but I will just explain the major ones. During the first episodes, it was mostly like this: loud blurry noise (somewhat sounding like that robotic noise affect in the matrix when they switch worlds), the feeling that someone was on your head or on your chest, and not being able to speak. In the first one, which happened around midnight, I heard some loud noise. I seriously thought it was someone downstairs in the kitchen banging pots and pans! In the second episode, along with the symptoms described above, the room window was open with heavy wind blowing in and on the bed next to mine that was empty before I went to sleep, now had someone on it, pulling a blanket over them as I turned to look. I woke up minutes later to see that no one was on the bed and that the windows were closed. I was absolutely horrified! The episodes that followed this one were worse. Every time I would see a short woman in front of my bed and completely dark with her hair covering her face most of the time. My head would feel heavy and there would be the same loud noise again, as she stood there! They freaked me to death and sometimes I would cry…I even thought I would die! There were some worse ones that had happened as well, and in one of them, that woman jinn, or spirit, or whatever you would like to call it, was sitting near my head on my bed. Sometimes it choked me and other times it beat me. And when it was not even in the room during my sleep paralysis I could sometimes hear it breathing or coming towards me. Unbelievably, there was one incident that was interesting and definitely not scary. I would usually never miss my first prayer. In the middle of the night, during my sleep, I could see some tall figures stepping into the room all white and shining bright. One of them leaned on my bed and shook me to wake me up. It went something like this “wake up…we’re waiting for you downstairs to pray with us.” And…I did wake up to see that they were not in the room anymore, and shockingly it WAS time for fajr prayer, so I did as they had told me! I personally believe it is a jinn or jinns…it’s reasonable to say so, since the one my family members and I had witnessed in real appeared to be the same one I would see in my sleep paralysis. The scary ones still continue to happen, as one just happened to me today. Please give me your comments or any advice that you may find suitable for me…thanks very much!

[Reply]

moesha
March 29th, 2008
6:49 am

it happened to me only once thank god, no ghosts or anything, just woke from a nap around 2 in the evening and was paralysed lying on my back for around ten seconds. I tried to call out to my mam but nothing came out,and i could see out of the corner of one eye around the room. I was terified! i’m glad
there is a rational explanation, i’ve heard stories from friends about there being a spirit in the room who didn’t want you to wake up and see them so stopped you waking until they had gone!

[Reply]

Lana
April 1st, 2008
8:15 am

I have experienced this “SP” since I was about 15, I am now 27, I was not raised as a religious person, but when I started going to church around the age of 15 I started having “dreams”. The dreams usually consisist of me fighting to open my eyes or “wiggle my leg”, to no avail. Just around 3 years ago did I experience the most terrifying experiences every night for about two weeks straight. When I was around 25, I was alseep one night and I heared a loud buzzing in my ear, and a force holding me down. I would awake, pray for protection and then I would be ok for the rest of the night.
During this time, the experiences would intinsify. One night I was sleeping I heared a loud buzzing, I was trying to wake up, then I felt like I was being held down, I then heared a man’s voice tell me that “I could not get rid of him that easily”. I began to quote scripture to it, ” No weapon formed against me shall prosper”. ” Greater is He that is in me than is in the world”. I would also say “Jesus”.

I also started to read the bible more, ( so I could have more Bible versus to throw at the “thing”). I would pray before I went to sleep, Psalms 27, 91 my favorites. I also play gospel music at night or watch the Christain channel.

it works for me

[Reply]

Rich Washington
April 23rd, 2008
12:39 pm

I have exprienced sleep paralysis about 2 - 4 times throught the ages of 18 - 23, but I’ve never really know what it was. I would sometimes be sleep then open my eyes to the room I am