[fm47]

When I have SP, I'm still asleep.  Everytime it convinces me that I've awoken, but in reality, I remain asleep.  I know this because when I'm truly awaken, it feels completely different from the SP dreams.

So far, after I wake up from "controlling" my dreams, I do not fall back asleep and experience another SP.  I wake up as if it were any other dream.  With SP, I would wake up for a few seconds then, almost helplessly, fall back asleep.

The state between awake and asleep is very weird.  I feel like my brain has separated into individual parts and each doing their own thing.  During this stage, I am stuck in between consciousness and unconsciousness.  For moments I would know what I'm thinking about, and quickly it would switch to moments as if I just had a dream... like my brain skipped a beat.

For example.
1st 30 seconds: asleep, but conscious.
2nd 30 seconds: *had a dream
3rd 30 seconds: think I just had a dream, but don't remember.

The 2nd 30 seconds becomes very vague to me.

This was also the stage where I felt the "floaty" or the supposed Out of Body experience.

[MunK]

Well everytime I've had SP i've been convinced that i've been awake.  Especially the last time it happened as I was trying to call out but couldnt and i've had that in dreams before but it was nothing like when i experienced it in SP.  However it doesnt feel like normal conciousness at all, when I came out of it it seemed like there was previously loads of background noise that had vanished and everything was a lot more clear in an instant, but it wasnt like waking up at all. If it was a dream then it was like no other dream i've ever had, much much more real.

[Henry]

Hello my name is Henry and 18, I didn’t read all the post but what I suffer from seems a little different. It first happened when I was 15. One night I woke up, rolled over and saw the time 12:35am, then positioned myself flat on my back; I tried to fall asleep and woke up unable to move. This was my first ever experience of this happening to me with my eyes open. I almost cried but couldn’t, my door was cracked open and I saw my mom walking in her room and couldn’t scream for help. Eventually my eyes closed and I went to bed. Ever since that day I tried explaining it to people and no one under stood but a few. Strange but I know when and how to get it. I don’t have them when I’m lying on my back just that one time the first time. I now have them when I sleep on my chest with my arms down. And bang, I can’t move and cant scream the only noise I can make is the sound of heavy breathing. I regain control and rock my feet left to right, then up and down real hard and fast, Try watching that I bet it looks like I’m possessed, freaky. As soon as its gone I don’t have enough time to reposition my body and it comes back even worse. This happens around 3 times a month and each time it happens I get attacked around 3 times in that night. When my cousin used to sleep over I told her about it and she told me it happens to her, and we usually get them in the same room at the same time. When we wake up we then talk about it and laugh because it so weird. Her case soon changed when she told me she gets them now with her eyes open and she sees things. Last night I was attacked and it was the worst case ever. I don’t know what time it was when the first attack happened. I was sleeping, hmm no dreams, when all of a sudden my bones got stuck and tight. I felt like my body was sleeping toward the bottom of the bed when I sleep at the top. It felt like someone took my blanked and wrapped it around my face and I could feel my hot breath because the blanket felt around me, it was difficult to breath and I remember squeezing my eyes really really hard till I saw lights and colors, I gave up, I was weak and tired and couldn’t fight it anymore then it went away. I didn’t wake up it was as if it never happened and I immediately fell to sleep. I knew it was morning when I got my other two attacks because I remember hearing birds singing. I was on my belly, left arm was up and bottom arm was down, what happened with the gravity man, couldn’t move, how can I fight something I cant see, I don’t know I just started squeezing my eyes again trying to regain control and my legs started flying round, as soon as it was over it happened again another attack.  My wonderful mother saved me as soon as she walked in to tell me she was going to buy food it was over. I don’t know why this happens but I like it sometimes because its weird that something so strange is happening that I cant explain but then its horrifying and feels like I’m helpless and I cant do anything, even when people are right nest to me they never know that I’m being attacked and that’s scary..

[NightLord]

This is a very interesting thread!
I have this too, though not as intente as some of you guys. It seems to happen randomly and it occurs only some times in a year I guess. The first couple of times have been very scary but later on I noticed that if I REALLY REALLY try, I'll be able to move on my side and that will get me out of it.
The strange thing is though that I can't remember ever snapping out of it to a fully awake state, I always seem to fall back asleep for a short while before waking up vividly remembering what happened.
This is the reqson I started to think that maybe this was just a bad dream, however when it occurs I'm just way too concious for it to be a dream. Heavy cases of SP report hallucinations and all that, I haven't had those... yet...

It's been quite clear to me from the first occurences on that sleeping on my back triggers it, and as I said, turning over on my side seems to get me out of it.
Just like most people say it surely is a very unpleasant experience and I even told my girlfriend that if I ever seem to be in a coma or something because of this she should definitely try to put me on my side and even try to punch me. :-)

It seems to be unharmful though, I've been having this for many years now and luckily it does not happen often.
Funny thing is that I've never been able to keep calm and just let it happen, or to relax and fall back asleep... Somehow it also triggers quite an intense state of panic, eventhough I know it's not going to be permanent.

/NL

[fm47]

To Henry,

Many times when I have SP, eyes closed or not, I can see my surroundings exactly as I saw it when I fell asleep.  If my eyes are closed in my dream, then it's like a mental image.  Depending if you believe in the supernatural, having it in the same room at the same times... that's kind of weird.  The frequence of it happening should say something.

I too enjoy my SP experiences, but more than 3/4 of them are simply annoying and disturb my sleep.

- fm47

Anyway, though my "period" appeared to be over, I had SP again last night.  It was rather interesting because I sat there trying all the methods that everyone's posting saying it's helped them.  The finger wiggly doesn't work for me.

I feel like I'm becoming weaker in those dreams... as in I can't pull myself out of them as much, I have less control, and it's becoming very dark... very vague...  There wasn't even the "hostile" presence there this time.


NL, you just made me realize that I've never actually been woken up by someone during SP... what would happen o_O?

[Trantor]

Hello everyone.
Phew! Googled SP and got to this site. I'm glad to see there are others that 'suffer' from it. I recently mentioned SP to my housing officer to see what he thought of it... I think he thinks I'm barmy! [] Err right I'll just keep this to myself from now on.

I get SP once or twice a month if I'm lucky (unlucky). It usually occurs mid sleep. I become aware that I'm no longer sleeping (is that right?) and I want to open my eyes/move.

I think to myself the next time it happens, try to tell myself that it's okay etc... but it's useless. Lying in limbo is not okay, it's bloody scary. It's a fight to open my eyes, but I usually manage it before they're forced shut again. I'm not sure what it is that finally makes me snap out of it - growling (talking doesn't work), swaying bit by bit until I've built up enough momentum to pull out of the state or clawing at my body with my hands, if within reach.

There, said my bit. []

[NathanDavies]

Hello All.

I have been 'enjoying' Sleep paralysis for many years now. I find it a great experience of exploration and wonder.

I have reached the stage of being able to lie down and consciously 'bring-on' an episode. I have SP once a night except when I have been drinking too much alcohol.

One thing that I have noticed about SP is that no else seems to mention experiences of free virtual limb/body movements. This is the extraordinary process of proceeding to move a part of your body, and it feels as though it is moving; but you can still see your hand or leg in the original position. This has developed so much that I can roll out of my body.

Also when you move your ‘virtual’ limb though an object, your mind seems to be able to imagine what that feels like. I can move my limb through my partner’s leg and I can feel her flesh and bone. (Ghastly I know - sorry) or you can push your legs through the bed and feel the roughness of the wooden slats.

Astral travel experiences can also happen at this stage when you completely leave your body.

I find the constructs of the human mind fascinating!

Sleep Paralysis is certainly nothing to be afraid of. It is my belief that this is a long forgotten skill that human beings once found great happiness and insight from. A natural ability to hallucinate or trip without drugs. []

Thanks,

Nathan

[fm47]

Whoa o_O that's intense.  I've never gone through things let alone feel them... things went through me (a lance from some giant knight >_<).

I lik eyour POV on this, Nathan.  Rather than a "curse", I think when you can control something such as SP, it's more of a blessing, a chance to explore in what there's none other way to.  Although I try to keep in that in mind, I still can't make myself calm down during SP.  There have been times where I'm simply irritated that it's happening again because it's very uncomfortable and disrupts my sleep, so I'd try to relax my body but only to feel some sort of invisible constriction that almost leads to what feels like a seizure (or what I'd imagine a seizure would feel).

Just wondering, anyone find any good books on SP?

[Jughead]

I have experienced SP at least three times and I am convinced it is Supernatural. The SP has occurred whilst I am "sleeping" on my stomach. It begins with waking up not being able to move, speak, scream...only being able blink and move my eyes. I will feel a cold tingly rush flowing down my spine. I have a sense of something, not human, going up and down the hall that is behind the sidewall of my bed. I feel I am seeing what that something is seeing. I get the impression it is attacking me, pushing hard against my back... It feels like it is taking something from me, like, energy. Then it is over.
I will wake up the next day not remembering my experience until hours, sometimes days, later.

I have only ever experienced SP in my bedroom, which is also the one place I have encountered Spirits. One night I went to bed around 1am, hours after the rest of my family. As I walked down the hall and around the corner to my bedroom, I came across a grey elderly woman. It scared the sh*t out of me for a second before I realised it must have been Mum. The woman walked by me without a word. I turned to say something when I realised the woman was gone, and the only way out was through the closed bathroom door. I then realised my parents room door was closed also. I was freaked out and quickly turned my bedroom light on and composed myself. Ten minutes later I turned the light off and went to bed. A short time later, I noticed several different coloured "orbs" floating around the corner of my room. I immediately sat myself up and pushed my back against the wall. Then there was a dark figure in the corner of the ceiling right next to my bed. I watched both events carefully then there was a big flash in the room. I could then see the figures of people walking around my room freely, not paying any attention to me. This lasted several minutes before everything going back to normal.

Since that night, I have not experienced SP again. I feel that SP and my encounters were linked. I do not know how or why, but instinct tells me that SP is something supernatural. I hope to experience it again one day and learn more about. No PhD will be able to explain what happens. You must seek your own answers and enjoy the experience.

Feel free to email me at newbielink:http://mailto:paullester3@hotmail.com [nonactive] with your thoughts.


P//\//\L

[fm47]

Ok, so recently, my SP cycle has come back around... but now it seems harder to get out of it.  It's very distruptive to my sleep, and even worse, drives me nearly insane because I know that I'm in my dream, having SP, but can't do a thing about it except wait with fear.  Everytime I convince myself that I have nothing to fear for, something happens; things touch me, certain areas ache, entire body constrictions...

I'm not sure what to do, but I'm thinking of going to a church and get a blessing or have something spiritual done about it.  It may not work, since it could easily be a sleeping disorder, but it might at the same time...

Should I go for it?  These... experences--are awesome because what I experience there I can't in real life.  The possibilities in SP is just remarkable.  Though I want to get rid of this nusence (spellcheck), I also don't really want to lose it if I could do something about it...

[fm47]

Ok, so recently, my SP cycle has come back around... but now it seems harder to get out of it.  It's very distruptive to my sleep, and even worse, drives me nearly insane because I know that I'm in my dream, having SP, but can't do a thing about it except wait with fear.  Everytime I convince myself that I have nothing to fear for, something happens; things touch me, certain areas ache, entire body constrictions...

I'm not sure what to do, but I'm thinking of going to a church and get a blessing or have something spiritual done about it.  It may not work, since it could easily be a sleeping disorder, but it might at the same time...

Should I go for it?  These... experences--are awesome because what I experience there I can't in real life.  The possibilities in SP is just remarkable.  Though I want to get rid of this nusence (spellcheck), I also don't really want to lose it if I could do something about it...

[Rhapsody]

I have had sleep paralysis for most of my life and two of my 5 children also have this problem. I get very emotional just thinking about what I have been through. I just thought I would tell you that ever since I put a floor lamp in the corner of the bedroom with a small 25 watt light bulb in it and leave it on all night I have not had an sleep paralysis.It has been over a year now. I can't explain this. I just thank God.

[dropkick_murphy]

hi everyone. have enjoyed this thread, especially since i have been exp SP since as long as i can remember. how many of you guys exp sleep apnea as well as SP?

when iwas younger, right up until a coupl eof years ago, it would start with a spinning sensation, like my bed was being spun round and round, faster and faster, just as i was drifting off to sleep, i have always been powerless to stop this, and must say i kinda enjoyed it as i got older and studied a little on astral travel etc...

the thing that has always scared me has been the loss of breath, right up until it the last second when i eventually get a gasp of air. scary.

in recent months though, things have changed. no longer is it  a pleasant experience. when i lie down on the bed (preffered sleeping position is face down, on my stomach) i can feel as if i am being drawn into this state, even though i am aware /awake and dont want to be drawn into it, my Girlfriend is lying next to me unaware, i can hear her breathing and fidgeting about.. then theres the presence, like lots of dfferent voices all saying different things at the same time, i can understand what they are saying kind of, random, almost malevolant phrases, and sometimes laughing/giggling(i can never seem to make sense , or remember what i heard when i come out of this state).
 sometimes i try to fight it, i know this rarely works  but it can be quite distressing at times.. i have felt this prence/multiple presence physically come to me and have heard the voices so close in my ear. Last night it happened 3 times, i made my girlfriend aware of it, an she saw me try to struggle and woke me up.  afterwards she went to the loo, and in the 30 seconds she was out of the room (i knew it would happen) it happened again, the worst yet. pretty sure i heard the words "breing him round here", or get him".. something to that effect.  i got up, went through to the living room an fell asleep in front of the tv.

im aware of how fcucked up it sounds , but if anyone experiences the same , id like to hear from them.

happy sleeping campers[:p]

[julius]

hey,
I've just returned from a trip overseas and i had about 4 or 5 experiences of sleep paralysis... and i had the same experiences the last time i went overseas also (about 5 times). And now that i found there was a pattern to it i decided to google it and i found this.
My experiences arn't as bad as the most ive read here, mine just consist of not being able to move, while everything in the room is as always and having a feeling of alot of pressure on my body pushing me into my bed and only on the last two occasions i had hollucinations (spelling?)... one of my parents in the room and one where a voice appollogised to me for me waking up at night. The first few times i thought it was a fairly unamaginative dream of just my room, even though i panicked cos of the not moving part, but then i saw this show on alien abductions on tv once and sleep paralysis was apparently a possible explaination for apparent alien abductions, so i thought that it was sp that i had, which it probably was.
But im just glad that i dont get voices shouting at me or evil things in my room.

[gra30]

Hello

I am Graham from the Uk.

I really don,t know where to start or if I am even in the right place to get answers but I am really at a loss how to stop what I am suffering.

I am very level headed and to many that I describe this to , I only get a laugh or a sarcastic comment.

I have suufered from waking sleep paralysis for the last 10 years, often with a large gap between incidents but they are very very strong.

I have been on a train and can see fully my surroundings, even my stop, and I cannot wake myself.

I can be on a bus and hear and see everything around me, I shout, well my head does, yet no one can hear.

Lately I have learnt to make choking noises which people say they have heard after but they think I am doing it in my sleep.  I force my eyes open but my eyelids are like lead.

Today at 3.30 I fell asleep.  I awoke and I could feel myself lifting my arm, yet I could see it not moving.  I have learnt to try and fall back to sleep and I count and try to physically wake myself up.  It works but can take many times.

To all I speak to it sounds funny,  my wife does not understand and its not affecting my life,  but its the most scariest thing that I have ever encountered.

Please advise, there must be a reason but sometimes I am so scared to go back to sleep.

Kindest regards

Graham Scollick

[gra30]

Please may I add something.

After now reading this thread properly can I please ask NathanDavies to email if possible

My email is graandcathathome@tiscali.co.uk

I have too experinced seeing my body move yet seeing my form not move.

Today was the most intense.

I am vague as I put this down to being weird or, I thought it was in my head.

It was like a semi form, with colour but fuzzy.  My arm did not move but as I felt my body moving my arm as normal it came from my form.

As I was in a paralysed stse I certainly did not enjoy it but I realise I may be experincing things taht maybe I should be grateful of.

I am confused and if you could get in touch Nathan maybe you can help.

Thankou.

Graham

[Rhapsody]

Graham.
When I was in my sleep paralysis, I tried to yell for help for so long that when I finally got out of it, my throat hurts for days.

[loxdawg]

ok i just woke up from having "sleep paralysis" so it is called. during my sleep paralysis i felt like i induced the paralysis on my self. i felt like i had been dreaming and woke up but then i had the sleep paralysis then woke up again. it seems like it makes no sense. i will begin to explain what i did to induce it on myself by accident. first of all i was thinking about atoms and what holds them where they are. for those of you who know what atoms are they are helled together by nothing???can you exlpain that? i was thinking about the force that holds atoms and i was surrenduring my body to that force. i felt like the energy rushed through my body at speeds noone could imagine and that is what kept my body from moving. it felt almost like all the mucles in my body were tightend by the energy flowing through my body. i could open my eyes but that is al i could not awaken from it on my own and i had begun to panick. then i felt like if i want to get out of it try the same way i got into it except reversed. so i thought about not surrenduring to the energy and instantly i woke up from the dream as though it had never happend. it was way to weird though becausewhen i opend my eys during the sleep paralysis i could see my clock and the time was only a few minutes off when i woke up...... i dont feel like i was dreaming what happend but it feels like i was awaking from a dream asthough my body had to restart itself to wake up. after i had gotten up i felt like my body was soooo weak that i went downstairs and drank a whole bottle of water in one gulp. if anyone can explain what was happening to me please e-mail me.

[terrytoh]

Hello, I just chanced upon this forum while doing a search for sleep paralysis. I am a 19 year old student, since last year I started to experience SP. I experience SP 2-4 times every week, but it can never happens for one month or more. Most of the time when SP occurs, I find that my dream is very realistic, as if I am in other world. Quite often, I "fainted" in my dream (Strange isn't it?) and woke up paralyzed. Sometimes I experienced strong vibration in my ear (or so called ringing in the ear?). I noticed when I wake up, I go through 2 stages - first stage where I often see things with SP: such as my mum and she talking to me (twice); I can see my arm moving around rapidly in front of me (many times); see lightning outside my window (once); shadows (many times), single red and single green pinpoint of light. Second stage is where I finally wake up with SP gone. Several times, I can experience more than 1 SP in a single night. In every SP, I feel great fear of the unknown and also feeling cold.

These are some factors which I think may contribute to SP (based on what I experienced):

• Stress


• Sleep Deprivation (Usually I get 4-6 hours of sleep per day, but some days I sleep 8 or more hours)


• No Fixed Sleep Time (I usually sleep between 2-5am)

[digitalmonkeynuts]

Hi Julia & fellow SP sufferers, **warning i have just had SP so what i type here may be a little unfocused as i`m still freaked out by having an episode......i`m sure you`ll all understand

I can clearly say that if i never had the internet i would never know what I actually had, searched through google my symptoms and I now thankfully know i`m not going bonkers as others out there plainly have the same issues as me!

Okay well i must start by saying thats a whole load of experiences and i`ve had SP for over 10 years now on and off, i`ve just woke up an hour ago with yet another episode, this time it was the usual high pressure sound in my ears but my whole body felt like my blood pressure was going through the roof, then my heart started beating faster and faster (evil dark presence was there) I got that angry within the SP that i decided to give up fighting it and ended up thinking i was having a heart attack, was as convincing as if i actually DID have a heart attack, i put my hand on my heart to feel it (so i could see how fast it was going) but as i was drifting in and out of it fighting i was realising that my hand was not there it was just laying beside the pillow.

questions i have

Why the heavy presure (like high presure water going through the ears)

people getting the same visions? ghosts? aliens? Astro Projection (which ive actually had some fun with was amazing like i was on drugs or somethin lol) and WHY EVIL PRESENCE? is it becuase we feel like we are not in control? so the human brain automatically believes there is a evil presence in the room?

Why when i THINK i have my eyes open (but i actually dont) can i see my room? like it actually is?

I found this link showing brain activity during normal sleep and SP looks interesting.........

newbielink:http://www2.educ.fukushima-u.ac.jp/~kfukuda/sp_map_s.jpg [nonactive]

anyone wanting to discuss SP with me on msn add me if you wish, it`s interesting to hear peoples views