STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

itsapinkthing · Coach

Anyone ever experience sleep paralysis?

ico · Dooney & Bourke

Sorry it left you so scared!

I was experiencing episodes of SP last year around this period. I have done quite a bit of research on that, also b/c I found the phenomenon so fascinationg that I decided to write a story on that.
I really suggest you to search for info on the web: I found that when I got familiar with the phenomenon, it suddenly stopped! One caveat: some researches say if you read something about this right before going to bed, it's more likely that you will experience an episode that night.

I know it's really scary, but when you know it's nothing dangerous you can sleep better, IMO.
I am really sorry you are not getting your well-deserved rest because of that. And I am sure when hubby comes back you'll be fine! Hang on!!!

lynnie · Chanel

yea, a few times in my life. it is so so scary.. it's common though. i'm like, man i wish i could move, but i can't. AHHHH. Usually I just try to go back to sleep, and when I wake up for real, i'm fine.

itsapinkthing · Coach

lynnie wrote:

yea, a few times in my life. it is so so scary.. it's common though. i'm like, man i wish i could move, but i can't. AHHHH. Usually I just try to go back to sleep, and when I wake up for real, i'm fine.

I wish last night's was just the can't move type episode, but I actually had those hallucinations (sp?)
ico...since I was not sleeping last night I did some reading online too. I hope it helps to be educated about it, because I read a LOT...

scarlett · Marc Jacobs

Yes, this happens to me a few times a year. I hate it so much. For me it happens more if I sleep on my stomach, so I've tried to not do that anymore. Generally when it happens to me I try to "wake myself up" by making as much noise as I can, as in, trying to speak. It tends to work. When my BF is here, he'll notice and he'll shake me awake.

gingembre1 · Kate Spade

Yeah! I found it happens more when I'm on my stomach...it is really scary though. I've actually had it happen when I've fallen asleep in the car, sitting upright, too. It hasn't happened for a while though...I hope that thinking about it today doesn't bring it on tonight!

CarrieS · Marc Jacobs

Yup, I have. I hate it. It freaks me out when I can't move my body, which of course freaking out doesn't help the situation either. I usually have to focus very hard on getting my head to move, and once I do that, the rest of my body loosens up.

Yeah, it's just a weird occurence that I wish wouldn't happen.....

Jade · Nine West

I used to have those all the time when I was in collage. It's so scary! When it happeans, I tried very hard to move something like my toes to get out of it. It works but there were times when it look like I couldn't do it. Sometimes I would see red dots moving afterwards.

Until now I didn't know it was called sleep paralysis. At the time it happean, I told my mom and she thought I was curse! Force me to go a weird lady to get rid of it. I guess some Chinese believed the reason of not being able to move was because a ghost or something like that, is sitting on the person while sleeping. And if u see things like moving dots (like me) it's the ghost moving. Yeah, I know that's nuts. Well, my Chinese friends believed in it too! Now I know I'm not curse! The weird lady I saw didn't help much anyway. I think it was just stress from school.

Isapinkthing, may be if u try to relax before bedtime, it would help. And ICO could be right. Once ur husband is home, it should stop. I don't get it anymore since my man stays over my place now.

nunzi182 · Kate Spade

This has happened to me before, but hasn't happened since my freshman year in college (about 4 years ago). I had no idea what it was until I was talking about it with one of my sisters. She said it has happened to her before too so it must be pretty common. She saw some documentary about it, which is when we realized the name for what was happening. The last time it happened on was on my then-BF's bed taking a nap and I finally got myself out of and tried to explain to him what happened and he just didn't get it. He didn't understand. It's the most awful experience. I felt like I was outside of my body and there was nothing I could do about it. I think I sort of just snapped out of it after a bit. It's horrifying. I was just thinking about this yesterday for some reason, so it's odd that you brought it up itsapinkthing.

I don't have any suggestions for you, but I wanted to let you know you're not alone.

erin · Chanel

i used to have this happen a lot...but i haven't in years (thankfully). i used to have night terrors as well. it's awful. i would wake up screaming and have hallucinations (and i've never done drugs!). very disturbing. i fortunately have not had one in maybe five years...

luckyclover · Dooney & Bourke

itsapinkthing wrote:

I wish last night's was just the can't move type episode, but I actually had those hallucinations (sp?)

This is the kind I have. I didn't know what it was until I had a really really bad episode which prompted DH to look it up. It's called "old had syndrome" http://paranormal.about.com/library/weekly/aa112000b.htm

I think it does help once you know what it is. It doesn't stop it from happening in my experience but you aren't terrified. For awhile I didn't want to sleep because I was afraid it would happen. That article says not getting enough sleep will trigger it. DH says I make a funny noise before it happens and so now he just wakes me up before it gets too far.