Understanding sleep paralysis

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Have you ever felt awake, but yet unable to move? if yes, there is a name for what you might be experiencing and its called sleep paralysis.

Sleep paralysis occurs when you wake up before finishing your REM phase. During REM sleep your muscles are turned off so as to prevent us from acting out our dreams or even sleep walking. REM phase is characterized by rapid eye movement, and it usually in this phase that dreaming occurs.

Sleep paralysis can occur either when you are about to fall asleep or when you are just waking up. If it occurs when you are about to fall asleep it is hypnagogic or predomital sleep paralysis, but if it occurs when you are just waking up its called hynopompic or postdormital sleep paralysis.

If you wake up before the REM cycle is completed, you will notice the things going on around you but you will not be able to move. This usually lasts for a few seconds or a number minutes, it doesn't go on indefinitely. Sleep paralysis might also cause people to experience hallucinations.

Hallucinations experienced during sleep paralysis

Sleep paralysis may also make people experience a number of hallucinations, and some of them include:

Intruder Phenomenon: This is a kind of hallucination where you feel there is someone else in the room with you. Your mind creates an illusions of a shadow like person that mimics one's body posture

Incibus phenomenon: Incibus or male demon phenomenon is a feeling that you are being crushed or suffocated during sleep. According to mythological traditions the incubus is a male demon that lies upon women when they are asleep and engages in sexual activities with them. The female version of the incubus is known as succubus.

How to overcome sleep paralysis

Concentrate on moving the smallest part of your body, like a finger, as this create tiny movements that can break the paralysis.
when you are aware you can't move, breathing heavily or making small noises can alert your partner and this can help him or her wake you up.
Avoiding sleeping on your back can reduce the chances of having sleep paralysis.
Staying calm as much as possible and trying to convince yourself you are only dreaming can reduce the intensity of the attack.

In conclusion

Sleeping on your back may sometimes lead to episodes of sleep paralysis so, if you experience it every now and then by sleeping, you might want to try sleeping on your side. Sleep paralysis has no specific treatment, but in some cases anti depressants may be prescribed, but only when this is severe.

Image credits

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References

Avidan, Alon Y.; Zee, Phyllis C. (2011). Handbook of Sleep Medicine (2 ed.). Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Sharpless, Brian A.; Barber, Jacques P. (October 2011). "Lifetime prevalence rates of sleep paralysis: A systematic review"
Incubus (demon). Britannica.com. Retrieved October 16, 2017.

External links

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