For those who don't know sleep paralysis is when you are semi awake but you can't move, no matter how hard you try nothing will move, you can't even roll over...
I've got this twice recently and im wondering if anyone else gets it or if it is supposed to mean something.
It usually only lasts about 5-20 seconds for me.

man that would scare the shit out of me

the first time i got close to projection i had sleep paralysis. it affects everything for me. i tried to scream as loud as i could but it was not possible. it only happened that one time. it was fucking cool and i wish i could do it again for a few seconds.

quote:

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Originally posted by DoPesTeR-DaZe:
For those who don't know sleep paralysis is when you are semi awake but you can't move, no matter how hard you try nothing will move, you can't even roll over...
I've got this twice recently and im wondering if anyone else gets it or if it is supposed to mean something.
It usually only lasts about 5-20 seconds for me.

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Yup I get it a lot, er rather I experience it frequently.

There's three types:
The first occurs as a prelude to a very serious medical condition known as Central Sleep Apnea. This is the infamous
sleep paralysis. This is usually accompanied by hypnogogic hallucinations i.e. feeling
as though somebody were sitting on a person's chest.

The second occurs between beta(awake) and delta (asychronous) stages.

The third is preparatory to "astral travel" or the release-consciously or unconscioously-from its physical housing. This is wrongly assumed by neuroscientists to indicate the so-called dream state.

BTW: Please tell your doctor about those events. It may indicate a serious sleep disorder.

[This message has been edited by SunOptikos (edited 04-14-2002).]

Yeah well its fucken dangerous when youre lying face down and can't move or breathe properly.

The freakiest time it happened to me was a while ago when i had one of those dreams you know where youre falling and then you wake up, well i was falling and i had a spasm or something and smacked my head on the bed-head then i had sleep paralysis and i couldnt move. I thought i was dead for a few seconds.

Also the last time i had it i was bent and i could sorta talk and it lasted for like 30 seconds...but it was kinda different that time it was kinda like i could think clearly and i was ordering my muscles to move but they didnt wanna do it.

my 2cents...

SunOptikos wrote>

"There's three types:
The first occurs as a prelude to a very serious medical condition known as Central.."

3types?...#4 would be, could be resultant of too much time spent consecutively in a "dopester daze", (no offense to the Australian )-in other words, sleep deprivation or periods of such may be a contributing factor in the onset of a sleepparalysis episode.
Also, sleep dep, (even minimal) in conjunction with the ingestion of high concentrations of sugar and or caffeine, in a short period of time and the subsequent rush of sugarhigh or caffeine type energy rushfollowed immediately by the rapid, "unrush" can bring about paralysis with some degree of reliability.

It is a terrifying experience when one is unfamiliar with it, even if you are for that matter, there is a element of "lucid dreaming" practice to be had there, but since the opportunity exists in a state of panic it doesn't seem like the most prefferable way to practice the luciditydisclipine or whatever you want to call it.

I would describe it quite simply, as the unsettling instance of having ones body fall completely asleep long before ones brain is prepared to do so and without the chemical permission of ones self-preservation instinct.

That instinct benefits tremendously from each instance in which it is utilized in it's most subconscious, spontaneous form and as such will be quick to detect the onset of such another terrifing sleep paralysis episode should it have the opportunity.

It is the input from ones own thoughts based on this minimal bit of prior knowledge of what the oncoming experience will entail that provides the person with the slim, but thankfully not non-existent possibility of affecting the episode in a pro-active way which gains ability and skill with each "exercise".

It's weird, I don't like it either, never did. Try to be aware of contributing factors and take steps to avoid the combination that leads to this happening to you.

As for the astral projection, hhrrrmmm, seems like a pretty risky, uneccesarily chaotic way to go there, I stopped "experimenting " with inducing paralysis the second time I did it successfully, the 1st time, I thought , "Naaaah..it's not that, but yeah...it is that, hrrmmm, well one way to find out..." so then the second time was that way, and it is not a way I'd wanna go, then again, I guess maybe I don't wanna go that bad or too lazy to go or whatever.

Be careful with yourselves, it should never be anyone elses responsibility to be careful or not with you in such unfamiliar realms, if there is Mr. Goodwrench, then there is Mr. Evilwrench ....it would suck to have someone steal your car while you left it running unattended.

yeah neuroscientists don't know what they are talking about.

I had it a few months ago at a sleep test. They registered it while i was all wired up for Sleep Aptnea testing. it doesnt show up as anything big. I talked to my Pulminary Specialist and he said its normal, its when you are in REM stage 4. and part of your brain wakes up but the rest of you is in coma stage. Thats right when you are in REM stage 4 you are partially comatized. you cant move. it seems longer then it is. for me it seems like minutes and not seconds. but its not going to kill you. I find you can shake your leg. just focus on your leg and shake yourself out of it.

after it happens to you a few times on a regular basis its not so much of a panic, you just think it sucks. just concentrate on not worrying about it, mine use to last minutes but now i can get myself out of it in a matter of seconds.

noise and over exertion induce it for me.

its never happen to me but i would think its is fuken scary

its pretty scarey at first but its more frustrating then fear factor.

quote:

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Originally posted by winki:
my 2cents...

SunOptikos wrote>

"There's three types:
The first occurs as a prelude to a very serious medical condition known as Central.."

3types?...#4 would be, could be resultant of too much time spent consecutively in a "dopester daze", (no offense to the Australian )-in other words, sleep deprivation or periods of such may be a contributing factor in the onset of a sleepparalysis episode.
Also, sleep dep, (even minimal) in conjunction with the ingestion of high concentrations of sugar and or caffeine, in a short period of time and the subsequent rush of sugarhigh or caffeine type energy rushfollowed immediately by the rapid, "unrush" can bring about paralysis with some degree of reliability.

It is a terrifying experience when one is unfamiliar with it, even if you are for that matter, there is a element of "lucid dreaming" practice to be had there, but since the opportunity exists in a state of panic it doesn't seem like the most prefferable way to practice the luciditydisclipine or whatever you want to call it.

I would describe it quite simply, as the unsettling instance of having ones body fall completely asleep long before ones brain is prepared to do so and without the chemical permission of ones self-preservation instinct.

That instinct benefits tremendously from each instance in which it is utilized in it's most subconscious, spontaneous form and as such will be quick to detect the onset of such another terrifing sleep paralysis episode should it have the opportunity.

It is the input from ones own thoughts based on this minimal bit of prior knowledge of what the oncoming experience will entail that provides the person with the slim, but thankfully not non-existent possibility of affecting the episode in a pro-active way which gains ability and skill with each "exercise".

It's weird, I don't like it either, never did. Try to be aware of contributing factors and take steps to avoid the combination that leads to this happening to you.

As for the astral projection, hhrrrmmm, seems like a pretty risky, uneccesarily chaotic way to go there, I stopped "experimenting " with inducing paralysis the second time I did it successfully, the 1st time, I thought , "Naaaah..it's not that, but yeah...it is that, hrrmmm, well one way to find out..." so then the second time was that way, and it is not a way I'd wanna go, then again, I guess maybe I don't wanna go that bad or too lazy to go or whatever.

Be careful with yourselves, it should never be anyone elses responsibility to be careful or not with you in such unfamiliar realms, if there is Mr. Goodwrench, then there is Mr. Evilwrench ....it would suck to have someone steal your car while you left it running unattended.

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Ahhh Winki, you're not on the same theme as me and DoPe-sTeR-DaZe....

I know quite a lot about Central Sleep Apnea, certainly more so than you apparently, judging from your shallow input.

CSA HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH:

*ingestions of high concentration of sugar and/or caffeine

*Sleep deprivations

*Drug overdoses

*rapid onrushes

*voluntary thought inputs

*etc...

The next two paragraphs:
"....describe it quite simply...

And,

...having one's body fall completely asleep...."
are completely false!

In the third paragraph" .....it is the input..."
is not analogous to any events occuring in conjunction with this apneic disorder!

Although there are some shared features between them, sleep deprivation is unlike apnea along many other points.
Numerous studies done over the years on sleep deprivation have never shown any subjects displaying hypoxia and apnea....

Those two features, hypoxia(severe reduction of oxygen to visceral organs-especially the brain-and body tissues, and apnea(total oxygen cessation)in combination with catalepsy are what makes CSA so dangerous!

The other Apnea(w/mixed features) is also quite a dangerous sleep disorder....
Mixed=Obstructive & Central

A person suffering from apnea doesn't have control over it, it's not they can just wish it away with magical thinking or the like...

My suggestion to you is to learn about sleep disorders, research this area very thoroughly before making prejudicial remarks that don't help one iota!

This is a very serious subject nd it needs very serious people who can add value, not diminish such.

Re: Sleep Apnea. I have it. Have you guys ever been tested for it? They stick these electrodes all over your head and body. You have to sleep face towards ceiling (Which is unnatural for me). You can not role on your stomach or they come and wake you up.

once they establish you have sleep apnea and they decide to use a Device called a "CPAP" on you, you have to be fitted for the right preasure gage.

You wear what looks like an oxygen mask. but its just a fan device pushing air into your lungs. until they find the right preasure its is pretty uncomfortable to wear having air forced into your lungs. most people panic when first using the device. its pretty strange when the facemask slips off and you're struggling for air. but once you get used to the device it is suppose to help people with apnea who will otherwise end up with potentual heart vavle problems

Sleep Paralysis is truly terrifying. I have lived in fear of this occurance every night of my life. I have had truly terrifying occurances since the age of 11. The first instance has defined my life. The terror that experience induced has led me to research the subject from that day. There is a myriad of literature out there on it. Neuro-scientists cannot explain it-they just simply come up with names for something.
Physically, it can result in injury. I have tried to rationalize and scientifically explain to myself and for my own sanity that it was a simple neurological phenomena. I think it is more of a spiritual occurance with a very real world potentail for harm. I hate even stating I believe it is spiritual and yes I would prefer to see it as a scientific phenomena, but I just cannot simply say that anymore and know I am lying to myself. I do agree that by disciplining one's mind it is possible to get thru this.
Dopestardaze-there should be a wealth of material in Australia relating to cultural sleep studies as the Aborigines believed what occurred to a man in a dream could kill him. Perhaps they have methods to avert harm in this state. I use everything possible in disciplining myself in case this happens. If you find anything about Aborigine methods could you please post. The dream phenomenon and beliefs of the Aborigines have been documented by anthropologists but in my research I have never seen an article as to what they did to defend themselves in this state. At one time I thought since the phenomenon is so well known amongst the aborigines it may be genetic but as I stated - I no longer believe in a scientific explanation.

im spiritual. i believe its just what science say it is. "Dream/Wake" or sleep paralysis. You're body is coming out of rem. when you are in rem you are in a 1st degree coma. you cant move. its only when you break rem cycle that your body moves itself around to circulate blood (or you develope blood clots). its just some peoples minds wake up before their bodies do. it is pretty scarey. sometimes i feel like im not breathing but i think its because im having sleep apnea at the time im having paralysis. sleep apnea is when you stop breathing for 1-3 minutes at a time during sleep process. so there were a few times i would wake up from apnea.. not breathing and couldnt move. thats when people panic the most. The worst from what the doctor said is you damage your heart valve over time. so i have to have this taken care of.

We talked about this before. there is a thing called the old lady witch" or something. people with sleep paralysis swear they wake up and there is an old woman on their chest. its one of those weird common vissions. I have never had it. i think the reason is I never sleep on my back. but those that do say its like she is pushing down on their chest.

Trog, I do agree with your theory about people with sleep apnea and coming out of stage 4 and as an in between state. However, my experiences occurred as I was trying to go to sleep. I would be staring at the wall which would then be followed by paralysis and a humming sound. This followed by some rather unreal shit happening. I don't feel I went directly from wide awake to Rem 4 and back. Yes, there are aberations but I never make it that far into the stages (at least hypothetically) when I have them although I suppose it is possible if I am dreaming with my eyes open and then wake up with my eyes open. When I was in "hell" as I like to refer to the feeling and trying to scream I was bumped by my partner at the time. I questioned what I had been doing-she stated I was just staring and she was a little frightened. The content of what I was seeing was horrifying. I have thought my brain may have painted a cognitive picture and perhaps I was dreaming while awake. I like this answer the best because it is the least spiritual in nature but I had an identical experience which the same partner had the at the same time-that is why I am still spooked about this stuff to this day. The odds of this happening are within possibility but highly unlikely-thus I think it is a spiritual phenomena.
The old lady witch thing made my blood run cold when I read this. When were they discussed. I have not read far back as I am one of the dreaded newbies.

i dont want to freak you out but have your head scanned. humming sounds can be fluids in the ear canal and its possible that you thought you were awake for minutes or seconds but your body fell right to sleep and you woke up 40 minutes later in stage 4. You can hit stage 1 or 2 in a matter of seconds and lose all sense of time. if not then go tell a pulminary specialist or ask your doctor to direct you to a sleep center or nuerologist.

I believe I have recently experienced sleep paralysis, freaky stuff. The only question I have is, does it have like a climax?

I.E: When I woke up I could move slightly then I couldn't; a few seconds later, my right arm would not move at all but I was able to get out of bed....

Just curious, I was scared, but at the same time thought it was cool...

please fill me in, it'd be much appreciated.

No climax, just pure terror till it ends. trOg, don't worry about freaking me out, a night terror is more terrifying than death. There have been numerous times I would have rather died than go on experiencing the night witch. Anymore, I say just fuck off to whatever it is. It does not seem to care much though.

quote:

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Originally posted by belarion23:
Trog, I do agree with your theory about people with sleep apnea and coming out of stage 4 and as an in between state. However, my experiences occurred as I was trying to go to sleep. I would be staring at the wall which would then be followed by paralysis and a humming sound. This followed by some rather unreal shit happening. I don't feel I went directly from wide awake to Rem 4 and back. Yes, there are aberations but I never make it that far into the stages (at least hypothetically) when I have them although I suppose it is possible if I am dreaming with my eyes open and then wake up with my eyes open. When I was in "hell" as I like to refer to the feeling and trying to scream I was bumped by my partner at the time. I questioned what I had been doing-she stated I was just staring and she was a little frightened. The content of what I was seeing was horrifying. I have thought my brain may have painted a cognitive picture and perhaps I was dreaming while awake. I like this answer the best because it is the least spiritual in nature but I had an identical experience which the same partner had the at the same time-that is why I am still spooked about this stuff to this day. The odds of this happening are within possibility but highly unlikely-thus I think it is a spiritual phenomena.
The old lady witch thing made my blood run cold when I read this. When were they discussed. I have not read far back as I am one of the dreaded newbies.

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Belarion:

No! Don't agree with Trog, he's way off base! He wasn't describing SLeep Apnea at all, but an entirely natural part of the sleep/ awake cycle!

Don't give credit where credit isn't due!

You've described it perfectly! This is what I referred to in my last reply, i.e. sleep apnea doesn't derive from a "stage 4 to beta wave awareness... that's pure bull!
I know what the hell I'm talking about-I've suffered from central sleep apnea for too long to have people who know nothing about it, trying to describe this type of sleep disorder as if it's nothing worse than a slight cold or an eye twitch! And sooooo easy to explain and then dismiss as mere happenstance!

Give me a break!

I did agree with trOg because it is within the realm of possibilty but not likely. Yes, this might occur but goes against scientific data and my own experiences. This is why I agreed within him-it is possible given individuals laying on the far far end of the bell curve.
This is also the reason why I believe trOg has never experienced the old witch, We are undergoing experiences very different
Despite all I have read, I am still clueless as to the sleep paralysis theory. There will always be the 1 in a million.
To me, It is still a spiritual occurance. Thank you for the imput.

quote:

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Originally posted by tr0g:
I had it a few months ago at a sleep test. They registered it while i was all wired up for Sleep Aptnea testing. it doesnt show up as anything big. I talked to my Pulminary Specialist and he said its normal, its when you are in REM stage 4. and part of your brain wakes up but the rest of you is in coma stage. Thats right when you are in REM stage 4 you are partially comatized. you cant move. it seems longer then it is. for me it seems like minutes and not seconds. but its not going to kill you. I find you can shake your leg. just focus on your leg and shake yourself out of it.

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Trog:
Your pulmonary specialist is full of s__t!

And you don't have a clue about sleep disorders at all!

First things first, it's named SLEEP APNEA, not "aptnea"
Second:
Just because he's a pulmonary spec. doesn't mean squat when it coomes to dealing w/ APNEAS!
My advice to you is to have another "talk" with that jerkass and find out what he does know about APNEAS, and not what he's only second guessing about! My feeling is, is that he's not board certified in the pathology of sleep disorders or hasn't boned up on understanding.

Ask him about:

1. consequences and comorbidity?

2. how ADVERSELY the cardiovascular system is affected
by Apneas?

3. systemic hypertensio?
Third:

4.bradyarrythmias?

"...doesn't show up as anything big...completely normal" huh?

5. Ask him about the apnea-hypopnea index(AHI)?

6. How about the demonstrated relationship between apnea and gastroesophogeal reflux disease?

7. respirtory disturbance index (RDI)?

You haven't described sleep apnea at all!

You need educated on this set of sleep disorders, because by repeating the kind of nonsense that you placed in here helps to foster a continuation of lies and half-baked truths!

SunOptikos, I've started this reply a bunch of times. I have finally gotten it to succinct!!!
Thank you for pointing out my shallow and uneducated presence as the waste of time most find it. Not the nicest thing to realize, still new real realizations can only be good, so thank you.
I wasn't talking about sleep apnea, which you seem to knwo a great deal more about than anyone else, the title of this thread is sleep paralysis and there was a time when I was very very interested in finding out all I could about the most terrifying thing that had ever happened to me. At that time, a few years ago, there was little to be found.
I did, in my personal experience find a way to produce it and there in that series of events is where my shallow input came from.
But it was input on paralysis, not apnea, so that's it.
What does SunOptikos mean? I haven't been interested enough in any particular topic to look into it thoroughly enough to converse intelligently I guess, so if the meaning is a no brainer, I plead no contest.
I hate competition anyhow~

ps-a few years ago there was little info readily avbailable on sleep paralysis and I doubt that the body of knowledge backed by research is complete yet. I might have no business suggesting a possible #4 for paralysis, but it is a pompusWho fan who at this point performs such an agressive one-man dance of ring around the rosy. I lack intellectual depth and education, but I am sure the circle of discovery in this area is not yet been, or near completed.
Kudos to you for being an extra-ordinary sharer of fact though, I will cease and desist far more often now, and I again, thank you for spawning the train of thought your response to my post (above)did.

incidentally an entry, in your name, has been made in my "frankenstein puzzle-piece-perfect journal, you have been more useful than most. Thanks

"and I'm looking for that free
~ride to me...I'm looking for you!"

quote:

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Originally posted by winki:
SunOptikos, I've started this reply a bunch of times. I have finally gotten it to succinct!!!
Thank you for pointing out my shallow and uneducated presence as the waste of time most find it. Not the nicest thing to realize, still new real realizations can only be good, so thank you.
I wasn't talking about sleep apnea, which you seem to knwo a great deal more about than anyone else, the title of this thread is sleep paralysis and there was a time when I was very very interested in finding out all I could about the most terrifying thing that had ever happened to me. At that time, a few years ago, there was little to be found.
I did, in my personal experience find a way to produce it and there in that series of events is where my shallow input came from.
But it was input on paralysis, not apnea, so that's it.
What does SunOptikos mean? I haven't been interested enough in any particular topic to look into it thoroughly enough to converse intelligently I guess, so if the meaning is a no brainer, I plead no contest.
I hate competition anyhow~

ps-a few years ago there was little info readily avbailable on sleep paralysis and I doubt that the body of knowledge backed by research is complete yet. I might have no business suggesting a possible #4 for paralysis, but it is a pompusWho fan who at this point performs such an agressive one-man dance of ring around the rosy. I lack intellectual depth and education, but I am sure the circle of discovery in this area is not yet been, or near completed.
Kudos to you for being an extra-ordinary sharer of fact though, I will cease and desist far more often now, and I again, thank you for spawning the train of thought your response to my post (above)did.

incidentally an entry, in your name, has been made in my "frankenstein puzzle-piece-perfect journal, you have been more useful than most. Thanks

"and I'm looking for that free
~ride to me...I'm looking for you!"

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Wink,

First of all, I offer my apology for remarks that went overboard.

2. If you were actually shallow, you never would've replied with such a post.

3. I don't see your presence here as "a waste of time" at all!

4. You're quite correct "...body of knowlege and incomplete research into paralysis..."

5. Yes, I do understand your emphasis was with sleep paralysis itself and not with apneas, but sleep paralysis is, after all, about a condition of sleep.
It's part and parcel of apnea studies, in the way that narcolepsy or restless legs syndrome are like the apneas, classified under an umbrella of sleep disorders.

I take this subject of apneas & paralysis very seriously-some think too seriously-but it's as important to research sleep disorders as it is to research cancers (includes AIDS).

Think of the number of drivers who "nod off" going to and from work who are involved in traffic accidents. The NIH estimated 60% were blamed on poor sleep habits, the majority of which involved a sleep disorder(apnea).

The study of sleep disorders increasingly is being seen as a national security issue.
Well I've gotta sign off now `cause I gotta get some shuteye.....later