Sleep Paralysis - yea or nay

[rareboy]

After many months, I had a an event this week and wondered if anyone else had experienced this?

It is terrifying.

And always happens if I accidentally fall asleep with my hands linked across my stomach.

It is like being locked in your body but unable to move an inch or to scream.

 

[unloadonme]

That sounds really weird. Should you mention it to your doc?

Mercifully, it's never happened to me.

 

[peeonme]

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/parasomnias/sleep-paralysis

This happens to me on ocassion.

 

[LeicsDom]

It is well known. As far as I know it is scary but not dangerous

 

[NotHardUp1]

Rareboy, is it possible to perhaps plant a thought in hypnotherapy, that when you think you are paralyzed, you'll immediately think of it as uninterruptible rest and welcomed peace, rather than imprisoned?

If it's not actually a health threat, perhaps the anxiety could be blocked by the implanted thought.

I have held very still before and pretended I couldn't get up, and it simply made me wish I could stop breathing and just be perfectly still, not necessarily dead.

How lazy must I be to not want to breathe?

 

[USEDCAR]

That used to happen to me back in the days. Thank god it doesn't anymore

 

[EddMarkStarr]

Sleep always involves a partial disconnect to the voluntary muscle system, it keeps your surrounding in one piece while you dream.

 

[Rickrock]

No, it hasn't happened to me and I never heard of it before. It is encouraging that other people have had it. You should probably mention it to your doctor. peeonme's post was really helpful.

 

[72-Jay]

I've had it happen in the past, and yeah its its damn scary.
Hopefully if it ever happens again, I'll be able to catch it and take control. Could be a cool experience just like a Lucid Dream.

 

[LeicsDom]

On a similar note, anyone have panic attacks?
They are scary until you understand them and work out how to control them. I know controlling them is not for everyone but I learned how to control mine.

 

[gsdx]

^ As did I. Many, many years ago. I still remember my first one. I had many others over the years before I learned how to get them under control with breathing exercises and now I can (usually) stop them before they start.

 

[Peloso]

My life is one long, drawn out panic attack.

Sleep paralysis once or twice when I was a little kid.

 

[gsdx]

Anxiety Attacks/Relaxation Breathing Exercises.

These are the breathing exercises which helped me conquer my anxiety attacks. It can be quite daunting and challenging until you figure out a routine you can handle (un)comfortably. (You'll figure out what I mean.) These exercises take a great deal of concentration when done at your maximum capacity. I will give instructions for a bare minimum which you can increase over time to your own particular maximum.

Firstly, when you have an attack, make every effort to remove yourself from the situation if possible as that is quite often the 'trigger' for the attack. If you can't, these exercises can be done whenever and wherever you are and no one will even know.

Starting with empty lungs and sealed lips:
1 - Breathe in through your nose as slowly as you can while counting off seconds in your head from 1 to 10. Try to time the breath so you reach maximum lung capacity at 10.
2 - Make a small hole between your lips (as if whistling) and slowly exhale while counting seconds from 1 to 10. Again, time it so that your lungs are empty at 10.
3 - Immediately begin a new round and continue as necessary.

Ten seconds should be very easy to do, but practice it until you can match your breathing with your time limit. After that, slowly increase your time limit by a few seconds and adjust your breathing to match the new time limit. Most importantly, you should still be inhaling and exhaling at the end of your time limit even your lungs are completely full or empty. No matter how uncomfortable it may get, Practice until you can take it to the limit. (I time to 25 seconds.)

The concentration it takes to do these exercises is what takes your brain out of the anxiety attack. They slow your heartbeat and take your mind off the sweating and embarrassment, allowing you to calm down and relax. And remember, doing these exercises are a lot less noticeable and embarrassing than the anxiety attack.

Questions?

 

[Maklaar13]

I asked my guy, he is a sleep disorders expert. He says that it is a sign of narcolepsy, it should be taken seriously and that you should talk to your doctor as it could be dangerous. He says that there are medications to treat it. Take good care.

 

[LeicsDom]

M<y method for counteracting a panic attack is to drink a hot sweet drink.
Weirdly it invariably works. Maybe, for me, because my panic attacks usually happen at night, in bed