Sleep issues

[Caz]

I know there is a probably a thread some place already on sleep and the weird-ities of sleep but last night I experienced what I can only describe as ? sleep paralysis and I have to say that it completely freaked me out... I know I have always been a little odd talking in my sleep and used to sleep walk etc etc but this I must admit was a little beyond that...

In a nutshell I was watching TV, lazing on sofa, and drifted off to sleep. Next thing I knew I was half awake, aware that I was on sofa, but couldn't for the live of me open my eyes or move or do anything... I was aware that I had been dreaming as I was convinced I was reading a book (and I know damn well that I wasn't in real life..) but no matter what I tried to do I couldn't make myself move / speak / open my eyes or anything for what felt like a good few minutes...

Once I did eventually come round and was able to move I was so freaked out that I wasn't sure what had happened, so took myself up to bed to sleep properly... until today at work when I remembered what had gone off...

Just wondering has anyone else had this? or am I a complete fruit loop....

[Dreadful Scathe]

fruit loop.

but a nice one

[CheesyRobMan]

Sleep paralysis is a documented phenomenon, it's scary but usually harmless, and as you say you come round after a minute or two and are able to move and act normally again. It's the opposite of sleepwalking - normally your body disconnects your brain's motor functions so that when you do things in your dreams, you don't actually do them in real life. Sometimes it gets confused and you carry out actions in real life (sleepwalking) or the disconnect stays on longer than it should (sleep paralysis).

First useful-looking link I found is here.

[Caz]

Thanks

Interesting seen as I have sleep walked before and as close friends could tell you I have been one for interesting night time activities....

Was talking to a guy that I work with and he says he gets it quite regularly... pretty scary really.....

[StokeBloke]

Everyone achieves sleep paralysis when they drift off to sleep. If something should disturb you slightly it may be enough to bring you partially back from the land of nod, this is where you can get caught between states. Partially awake and asleep.

Night terrors often occur when people are in this state. They will dream and even 'see' monsters in their room, creeping from the shadows they come. Moving with steady, deliberate ease towards their prey, they feel the weight of the creature kneeling on their bed, feel their fetid breath of their faces, smell the stale blood on their claws, but all the while they are helpless, paralysed, unable to scream, unable to move or escape. They just lie there waiting to be devoured in lonely silence.

You got off lightly

This does not mean you are a fruit loop honey

[dep]

and that's what you left after removing the scary bits.

I begin to doubt if Caz will ever sleep soundly again.

[Caz]

Originally Posted by StokeBloke

Everyone achieves sleep paralysis when they drift off to sleep. If something should disturb you slightly it may be enough to bring you partially back from the land of nod, this is where you can get caught between states. Partially awake and asleep.

Night terrors often occur when people are in this state. They will dream and even 'see' monsters in their room, creeping from the shadows they come. Moving with steady, deliberate ease towards their prey, they feel the weight of the creature kneeling on their bed, feel their fetid breath of their faces, smell the stale blood on their claws, but all the while they are helpless, paralysed, unable to scream, unable to move or escape. They just lie there waiting to be devoured in lonely silence.

You got off lightly

This does not mean you are a fruit loop honey

Originally Posted by dep

and that's what you left after removing the scary bits.

I begin to doubt if Caz will ever sleep soundly again.

anyone want to come stay over and look after me?????

oh and thanx for telling me I am not a fruit loop

[drathzel]

I get it too sweetie, but i also suffer nightmares most nights, its the nights that i dont have a nightmares that i get it.

My only advice is, now you know what happened, if it happens again it will be less scary, i normally try to go back to sleep

[ShinyWeeStar]

If you're a fruit loop, I'm a fruit loop. And I'm many things, but I'm sure I'm not a fruit loop.

I've experienced sleep paralysis before and it can be quite unpleasant. Particularly horrible was one of the first times, when I'd somehow ended up with my arm lying across my face and felt like I couldn't breathe. When I realised I couldn't move my arm either or roll over, I soon convinced myself I was going to die.

Obviously the whole thing only lasted a couple of minutes and I lived to tell the tale (luckily for you lot eh? ) but it was pretty darn scary at the time.

Now you've experienced it though, you know what it is and that it'll soon pass, so it won't be nearly as scary if it happens again.

[batnurse]

I used to have night terrors - thought there was someone in the room standing next to my bed, couldn't move, but always went back to sleep again

[Caz]

Originally Posted by drathzel

I get it too sweetie, but i also suffer nightmares most nights, its the nights that i dont have a nightmares that i get it.

My only advice is, now you know what happened, if it happens again it will be less scary, i normally try to go back to sleep

thanx... like i say i have had other weird sleep issues before but never that... hence it scared the heebie jeebies out of me! i just got up and thought, right, go to bed where u feel safe etc.. rather than the sofa lol

Originally Posted by ShinyWeeStar

If you're a fruit loop, I'm a fruit loop. And I'm many things, but I'm sure I'm not a fruit loop.

I've experienced sleep paralysis before and it can be quite unpleasant.

Now you've experienced it though, you know what it is and that it'll soon pass, so it won't be nearly as scary if it happens again.

thank you as well Shiny.. and thanx for the hugs!

glad there are a few other forumites who have weird sleep.. makes me feel more normal.. mind you normal is dull

[Martin]

I do remember when I was 7, we had guests and I was on the foam matress on the floor.

My Dad told me what ever happens do not wet the bed.

So I deffo was not going to do that....

In my dream I wanted a pee - I thought, this is a dream, so it is ok - so in my dream I took a pee.

Sometimes dreams can be misleading

[Steven666]

I wish I could get to sleep...

[Mel_and_tonic]

Don't worry Caz, I get sleep paralysis too! It's soooooo horrible. I get it quite often. In fact, I was just talking to someone about it yesterday as it happened to me on Saturday.

It's the most frustrating thing lying there and not being able to move or open your eyes.

Argh I hate it!!!!

[fletch]

Originally Posted by Martin

I do remember when I was 7, we had guests and I was on the foam matress on the floor.

My Dad told me what ever happens do not wet the bed.

So I deffo was not going to do that....

In my dream I wanted a pee - I thought, this is a dream, so it is ok - so in my dream I took a pee.

Sometimes dreams can be misleading

I had something similare to this years ago, I had a dream I had got up gone to the loo, started to pee and then woke up half way through still in bed

[Martin]

Originally Posted by fletch

I had something similare to this years ago, I had a dream I had got up gone to the loo, started to pee and then woke up half way through still in bed

I thought that by being honest I was opening myself up to ridcule and the standard jokes.

Nice to know I am not the only one - even though it was some time ago

[Little Monkey]

Sleep paralysis is horrible - I've had it too! I also used to get night terrors quite a lot: in the morning it looked like I'd wrestled with a tornado - the bedlinen would be half off, and I occasionally found myself inside the duvet cover!!

One particular time I had sleep paralysis was extremely nasty. I'd fallen asleep with my arm in a funny angle underneath me, and with my hand right in front of my face. I then half woke, and could sense the hand in front of my face, but because the arm had gone numb and lifeless after being crushed underneath me, I thought it belonged to someone else! I was completely freaked out - thought I was trapped inside my own body unable to move, in bed with someone elses chopped off arm....... Nice!

[Twirly]

Originally Posted by fletch

I had something similare to this years ago, I had a dream I had got up gone to the loo, started to pee and then woke up half way through still in bed

Can still remember it - it was the last bed-wetting I had as a (slightly older) child. It's clearly embedded in my subconcious though, as have had similar dreams as an adult since, but have always woken up (so far!).

[Beowulf]

I suffer from occasional night terrors which are horrible.. usually more so for the person I'm with than myself though..

Often I'll wake up whimpering like a child with wet cheeks of course.. as soon as I'm properly awake I'm usually ok.. and even laugh about it.

If I get a start during the night, if I'm woken up suddenly then I do tend to scream , cry and resort to what Twirly refers to as my "Duvet Defence".. I.e. hiding under the blanket

but these episodes only usually last a matter of minutes. I think sleep taps into my more childlike fears and on the border of sleep and wakefullness I tend to be a bit blurred as to what age I'm meant to be.

At least I've not partaken of any noctunal walks at Twirly's .. at least not that I know of

[rubyred]

Originally Posted by Little Monkey

Sleep paralysis is horrible -

I sometimes get this too and when I was little it used to terrify me. Its a horrible feeling not being able to move, really scary. As a child I also used to dream that I was very very little and everything around me used to tower over me. Used to wake up with my heart beating really fast. Still get the sleep paralysis but not the other one.

Does anyone dream that they are running but can't seem to get anywhere ?

Has anyone had their dreams analysed?