sleep paralysis
Question:
i suffer from infrequent bouts of sleep paralysis which can scare the living daylights out of you does anyone have some positive info on this subject, no ghost, hag, troll, alien, dark hooded, vampire, demon, devil, stories please as i know these are figments of the imagination of a semi conscious scared witless mind where the shock of being paralysed induces a panick attack resulting in the brain conjuring up these images (i think). I have been wondering if my regular cocaine and ecstacy use has contributed as well as the use of valium and temazipam, when i use these substances it is usually on a binge session which can last for days resulting in sleep depravation, when i eventually do get to wind down and go to sleep it almost always results in S/P, my only reason for dismissing drugs as a benifactor in my S/P is that i experienced it once when i was younger and had never touched drugs, which pushes me towards the sleep deprivation conclusion ,hmmmmmm. please help ps. i know its stupid to take drugs so please no lectures.
Response:
Hi, I used to have sleep paralysis all the time. It was a "ghost whistling" and menacing me, following me down a road. What was following me was like an unseen ghost who wanted to kill me.I was totally stuck and could not move and it was horrible. Started when I was about 12. After a few horrified bouts, I would say to myself "OK, you”re having one of those things again, no big deal" and I’d try to see if I could get out of it. With the maximum of my effort, I would try to move my index finger. Once the index finger moved, I would gradually be able to move my hand, then arm, and gradually, slowly, painfully break the paralysis. I became so proficient at breaking up the paralysis that by my mid 20’s I no longer had them, nor did I fear them. In my mid 30’s I even experimented with staying with it and having a good spiritual experience, going down a tunnel of light. I don’t know what else to tell you but 1. When it happens, realize it’s happening and it’s just a mind state, you’re not going to be harmed 2. break the paralysis by willpower, in moving any part of your body that you can. It truly is a horrible experience, but you are stronger than it is! Ari ~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~* Ari’s Adventure Travel Spiritual journeys to Egypt and Nepal http://www.eskimo.com/~tlotus ~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
Response:
stephenbram…@ntlworld.com (stephenbrammer) wrote in <ftIN5.54072$mv2.188…@news2-win.server.ntlworld.com>: – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->i suffer from infrequent bouts of sleep paralysis which can scare the >living daylights out of you does anyone have some positive info on this >subject, no ghost, hag, troll, alien, dark hooded, vampire, demon, >devil, stories please as i know these are figments of the imagination of >a semi conscious scared witless mind where the shock of being paralysed >induces a panick attack resulting in the brain conjuring up these images >(i think). I have been wondering if my regular cocaine and ecstacy use >has contributed as well as the use of valium and temazipam, when i use >these substances it is usually on a binge session which can last for >days resulting in sleep depravation, when i eventually do get to wind >down and go to sleep it almost always results in S/P, my only reason for >dismissing drugs as a benifactor in my S/P is that i experienced it once >when i was younger and had never touched drugs, which pushes me towards >the sleep deprivation conclusion ,hmmmmmm. >please help >ps. i know its stupid to take drugs so please no lectures.
I know that E affects the amount of serotonin in the brain, which for all I know can affect sleeping and dreaming. Why not take some 5-HTP after an E bout? You can at least replace the stuff the E has gobbled up, and it is helpful if you are having problems with serotonin deficiency, as they are wont to call it, which can cause depression. Benzos usually cause most people to sleep very hard, very deeply, so that they do not even bother to get up to go to the bathroom, for instance; that might explain why you would have sleep paralysis after taking them–you can’t really wake up. I don’t take either of those drugs, but I have had the experience of sleep paralysis–no monsters, only my own father, who is scary enough, and once just my father’s shirt. I like the other poster’s idea about moving one finger. I will hopefully remember that next time and give it a try.
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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->i suffer from infrequent bouts of sleep paralysis which can scare the living >daylights out of you does anyone have some positive info on this subject, no >ghost, hag, troll, alien, dark hooded, vampire, demon, devil, stories please >as i know these are figments of the imagination of a semi conscious scared >witless mind where the shock of being paralysed induces a panick attack >resulting in the brain conjuring up these images (i think). I have been >wondering if my regular cocaine and ecstacy use has contributed as well as >the use of valium and temazipam, when i use these substances it is usually >on a binge session which can last for days resulting in sleep depravation, >when i eventually do get to wind down and go to sleep it almost always >results in S/P, my only reason for dismissing drugs as a benifactor in my >S/P is that i experienced it once when i was younger and had never touched >drugs, which pushes me towards the sleep deprivation conclusion ,hmmmmmm. >please help >ps. i know its stupid to take drugs so please no lectures.
i hadn’t had an episode of sleep paralysis in months and I have just started using E and now it has started back up. I have read that SP is common among people with manic depression and I believe E is definately pushing me in that direction. So I would say there is definately an indirect relationship. I can’t say that i’ve ever had a positive experience! sorry.. i just can’t get rid of the panic. Best of luck. Belisha B we sink like stones and we’re lost beneath the waves, not a trace to mark the graves…
Response:
Sleep deprivation can definitely cause SP because your body is craving REM sleep. I know because I’ve been there. You go into REM almost immediately, before you are even asleep. If you sleep more and above all dream more, this may solve the problem. However, any drugs that manipulate neurotransmitters in the brain *may* also increase the likelihood of SP. I actually learned to enjoy SP and it has even led to numerous out-of-body experiences. Still, it is considered a sleep disorder. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->i suffer from infrequent bouts of sleep paralysis which can scare the living >daylights out of you does anyone have some positive info on this subject, no >ghost, hag, troll, alien, dark hooded, vampire, demon, devil, stories please >as i know these are figments of the imagination of a semi conscious scared >witless mind where the shock of being paralysed induces a panick attack >resulting in the brain conjuring up these images (i think). I have been >wondering if my regular cocaine and ecstacy use has contributed as well as >the use of valium and temazipam, when i use these substances it is usually >on a binge session which can last for days resulting in sleep depravation, >when i eventually do get to wind down and go to sleep it almost always >results in S/P, my only reason for dismissing drugs as a benifactor in my >S/P is that i experienced it once when i was younger and had never touched >drugs, which pushes me towards the sleep deprivation conclusion ,hmmmmmm. >please help >ps. i know its stupid to take drugs so please no lectures.
Response:
I find it strange that this disorder suddenly appears. I’m the Sleep Disorders Guide for the Mining Company, and some one has just written asking me if I had ever heard of this weird nightime paralysis. As it happens, I suffer from it myself occasionally. As far as I know, I have no other sleep disorder, but this one can be very frightening. Then, just after I replied to the gentleman and told him of my own problem, I received a news bulletin from my news reporter (the same bulletin that appears on the Dr. Koop site.) I have decided to write an article on this. I would like any information anyone may have on this problem — whether you think it’s related to some other sleep disorder, when it happens, how it affects you. Feel free to contact me at my home address (in my sig file.) Also check out my latest article on the Mining Company on another much misunderstood disorder – delayed sleep phase syndrome. Florence ============= Florence Cardinal cardi…@telusplanet.net http://sleepdisorders.miningco.com
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could be sign of Narcolepsy! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Florence Cardinal wrote in message <3713EC24.F2C2F…@telusplanet.net>… >I find it strange that this disorder suddenly appears. I’m the Sleep >Disorders Guide for the Mining Company, and some one has just written asking >me if I had ever heard of this weird nightime paralysis. As it happens, I >suffer from it myself occasionally. As far as I know, I have no other sleep >disorder, but this one can be very frightening. >Then, just after I replied to the gentleman and told him of my own problem, >I received a news bulletin from my news reporter (the same bulletin that >appears on the Dr. Koop site.) I have decided to write an article on this. >I would like any information anyone may have on this problem — whether you >think it’s related to some other sleep disorder, when it happens, how it >affects you. Feel free to contact me at my home address (in my sig file.) >Also check out my latest article on the Mining Company on another much >misunderstood disorder – delayed sleep phase syndrome. >Florence >============= >Florence Cardinal >cardi…@telusplanet.net >http://sleepdisorders.miningco.com
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Hi, I was looking around DrKoop.com and found this very interesting article on sleep paralysis. It says 2% experience sleep paralysis, or the inability to move or open ones eyes while asleep. I never knew there was a name for it. I just thought it was one other weird sleep problem I had. I have had it so bad sometimes that I have become convinced that I am being possessed or something. The article is at http://www.drkoop.com/healthnews/newsframe.asp?page=/healthnews/rhn04… 041202.asp Has anyone else had this problem? pyt
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There was a discussion on ABC’s Good Morning America Monday morning April 12, 1999. I tried a search on ABC and came up with these two URLs, but the info therein is different than what they said on the show. My wife turned on the TV just as they were discussing it, so I don’t know if I missed something that had been said before she turned it on. http://abcnews.go.com/sections/living/DailyNews/sleepparalysis990411…. http://more.abcnews.go.com/sections/living/DailyNews/sleepparalysis99… ml Kent Taylor Florence Cardinal wrote in message <3713EC24.F2C2F…@telusplanet.net>…
|I find it strange that this disorder suddenly appears. I’m the Sleep |Disorders Guide for the Mining Company, and some one has just written asking |me if I had ever heard of this weird nightime paralysis. As it happens, I |suffer from it myself occasionally. As far as I know, I have no other sleep |disorder, but this one can be very frightening. | |Then, just after I replied to the gentleman and told him of my own problem, |I received a news bulletin from my news reporter (the same bulletin that |appears on the Dr. Koop site.) I have decided to write an article on this. |I would like any information anyone may have on this problem — whether you |think it’s related to some other sleep disorder, when it happens, how it |affects you. Feel free to contact me at my home address (in my sig file.) | |Also check out my latest article on the Mining Company on another much |misunderstood disorder – delayed sleep phase syndrome. | |Florence |============= |Florence Cardinal |cardi…@telusplanet.net |http://sleepdisorders.miningco.com |
Response:
Hello; I am not an expert on Narcolepsy, but what you describe sure sounds like narc to me. Did you have the MSLT (multiple sleep latency test) which is a daytime sleep study to determine narcolepsy? Do you mind me asking what HLA and DR refers to? I have had episodes of sleep paralysis since a small child. I was diagnosed with apnea in 1989. Since Bipap treatment began 11 years ago, I have had fewer and fewer episodes of sleep paralysis. I now only have about one episode per month as opposed to several per week. Not sure why. Looking back on my young life with sp…..I do not remember feeling daytime sleepiness or any muscle weakness. My EDS and other apnea symptoms started occuring in my mid 20’s. Not sure if there is a correlation between sleep paralysis and apnea or narc, but I would most certainly contact your physician and tell him you are still suffering. Are you on meds for your sleep paralysis? Good luck to you, Tracy I was diagnosed to have sleep paralysis in the sleep disorder clinic. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->I was checked for the HLA+DR and negative result. >I am always tired during the day. >I feel persistent drowsiness.and sometimes I fall a sleep in classes and >when talking with people. I feel an urge to sleep which I cant resist. >Moreover I feel weakness in my legs and in my hands from time to time when >laughing with friends or argue on something. >I have sleep paralysis attacks 3 times a week >I sleep 8-10 hours in night >can any one advice me what to do ?
Response:
Sounds like you have catalepsy, which is something like your muscles get weak when you laugh and possibly narcolepsy. Like the other post said, you should have a nap test done which is you take 5 naps at different times during the day and if you fall asleep within 5 minutes and have rem then you have narcolepsy plus the catalepsy (spelling?) sometimes happens with narcolepsy. Check this web site for more info: http://www.sleepnet.com/disorder.htm Liam Roditty <li…@artcomp.com> wrote in message
news:390fe0d2$1@news.barak.net.il… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> hi, > I was diagnosed to have sleep paralysis in the sleep disorder clinic. > I was checked for the HLA+DR and negative result. > I am always tired during the day. > I feel persistent drowsiness.and sometimes I fall a sleep in classes and > when talking with people. I feel an urge to sleep which I cant resist. > Moreover I feel weakness in my legs and in my hands from time to time when > laughing with friends or argue on something. > I have sleep paralysis attacks 3 times a week > I sleep 8-10 hours in night > can any one advice me what to do ?
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -"Liam Roditty" <li…@artcomp.com> wrote: >hi, >I was diagnosed to have sleep paralysis in the sleep disorder clinic. >I was checked for the HLA+DR and negative result. >I am always tired during the day. >I feel persistent drowsiness.and sometimes I fall a sleep in classes and >when talking with people. I feel an urge to sleep which I cant resist. >Moreover I feel weakness in my legs and in my hands from time to time when >laughing with friends or argue on something. >I have sleep paralysis attacks 3 times a week >I sleep 8-10 hours in night >can any one advice me what to do ?
I can’t tell you what to do about daytime sleepiness or about muscle weakness when laughing or arguing. I would like to comment on ’sleep paralysis’. Each time the body cycles into REM sleep the brain paralyzes the body so that we don’t hurt ourselves (or others!) by acting out a dream. This is sleep paralysis. It’s so normal and natural that we usually don’t even notice it. When we *are* aware of it, we’re experiencing Awareness during Sleep Paralysis, ASP. Many people welcome ASP as an opportunity … to initiate a pleasant lucid dream or out-of-body experience. If you’d like to discuss these issues with other ASP experiencers, you might consider subscribing to the Awareness during Sleep Paralysis mailing list, ASP-L. To subscribe send a blank message to ASP-L-subscr…@onelist.com. Hope this helps, Joe ***************************************************** Joseph Polanik, jpola…@mindspring.com Trionic Research Institute, http://www.trionica.com
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hi, I was diagnosed to have sleep paralysis in the sleep disorder clinic. I was checked for the HLA+DR and negative result. I am always tired during the day. I feel persistent drowsiness.and sometimes I fall a sleep in classes and when talking with people. I feel an urge to sleep which I cant resist. Moreover I feel weakness in my legs and in my hands from time to time when laughing with friends or argue on something. I have sleep paralysis attacks 3 times a week I sleep 8-10 hours in night can any one advice me what to do ?
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has anyone out there experienced sleep paralysis?
Response:
Cindy-on-…@webtv.net wrote: >has anyone out there experienced sleep paralysis?
Everyone experiences sleep paralysis 4 – 6 times each night. The brain paralyzes the body each time it cycles into REM sleep so that we don’t injury ourselves or others acting out dreams. About 15% of the general population has experienced ASP, Awareness during Sleep Paralysis. That’s probably what prompted your question. All by itself, ASP is not a sign of narcolepsy. Famed sleep researcher William C. Dement, M.D., writes in his new book, "The Promise of Sleep": "Patients experiencing several of these "sleep paralysis" episodes sometimes become so anxious that they rush to the clinic to be examined. We always reassure them that a few attacks of sleep paralysis with no other symptoms are completely normal and innoucuous." [p. 294] An ASP episode can be very frightening, but it doesn’t have to be. Once you know that your body keeps on breathing, even if you feel that you are suffocating under a great weight, it becomes easier to relax. Strange as it may seem now, learning to relax is the key. Some people learn to enjoy the sensation of immobility. I always marvel at my ability to ‘hold my breath’ because that what it seems like I’m doing. Once you learn to relax you might also use the experience of ASP as a springboard to lucid dreaming or out-of-body experiencing. If you’d like to communicate with other experiencers, you can subscribe to ASP-L, the Awareness during Sleep Paralysis mailing list. See my .sig for more information. Joe ***************************************************** Joseph Polanik, jpola…@mindspring.com Trionic Research Institute, http://www.trionica.com ***************************************************** Subscribe to ASP-L: ASP-L-subscr…@onelist.com List owner: ASP-L-ow…@onelist.com Onelist URL: http://www.onelist.com/community/ASP-L *****************************************************
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Looking for any specific information regarding this topic. I do not "fit" the typical descriptors for narcolepsy, yet I have, at least once per month, sleep paralysis. I have had this for over 20 years but it was not until recently that I found it described. Audru…@aol.com
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>Looking for any specific information regarding this topic. I do not "fit" the >typical descriptors for narcolepsy, yet I have, at least once per month, >sleep >paralysis. I have had this for over 20 years but it was not until recently >that I found it described.
I have had episodes of sleep paralysis with hypnagogic and hypnapompic hallucinations for about 30 years. For a while I was having these episodes several times a month. I could not get anyone to listen to me for years and, reached the point where I thought it was best to keep it to myself. It wasn’t until I found the descriptions in a text book that I discovered there was a name and explanation for it all. Basically, components of REM sleep are "intruding" into our waking — it usually occurs just when lying down or waking up. I was told that these symptoms alone do not mean you have narcolepsy — and that many people have these experiences. I have found that they occur for me more often when I am really fatigued, have gotten into a more erratic sleep wake cycle. Anita.
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I was just minding my own business on 21 Mar 1998 20:35:50 GMT, when audru…@aol.com (Audrusso) up and shattered my reverie: >Looking for any specific information regarding this topic. I do not "fit" the >typical descriptors for narcolepsy, yet I have, at least once per month, sleep >paralysis. I have had this for over 20 years but it was not until recently >that I found it described. >Audru…@aol.com
I hope this response doubles to also answer a querie by another poster for some references to sleep paralysis. In the current issue of the journal "Sleep" (1997, 20(7); 577-279), there is a very intriguing article on sleep paralysis. It seems that in "Moby Dick", the protagonist, Ishmael, by all measures known today, does indeed experience an episode of sleep paralysis. The reason it is of import in this study is that it represents a medical condition being described in literature prior to its being diagnostically recognized in medicine. The study equally attempts to shed light on sleep paralysis, and references previous research done on the topic. But there appears to be some good news and some bad news. The good news is that the study says that "sleep paralysis is a frightening but harmless condition that can mimic myocardial infarction, epileptic seizure, or anesthetic accident." The bad news is that it is viewed in the medical profession as almost having psychological origins including some weird stuff that I’ll have to pass on describing for now. The study does say that there is "general agreement on several predisposing factors, among them stress, arguments, frightening films, emotional upset, fatigue, irregular life pattern, sleep deprivation, and improper food." In a sense, there is almost a discrepency (actually objectivity) in-that some of these predisposing factors are physiologically-based (i.e. sleep deprivation), and yet the study does indeed imply almost Freudian psychological origins. This study would be a good place for anyone ambitious to start researching sleep paralysis. The journal "Sleep" can be found at a local university medical library, or even in a local hospital library. Since I do not know to what degree sleep paralysis is found in narcolepsy, or whether it is universally regarded as a corollary symptom of narcolepsy, I cannot therefore adjudge whether the apparent omission of narcolepsy in this study was appropriate, or an oversight. Doug
Response:
In article <3517ad4d.4772…@news.inovion.com>, dr…@inovion.com (Doug Ruth) writes: >Since I do not know to what degree sleep paralysis is found in >narcolepsy, or whether it is universally regarded as a corollary >symptom of narcolepsy,
Just a bit of info ( I have not yet read the article in Sleep that you referred to): The four cardinal symptoms of narcolepsy: Excessive sleepiness Cataplexy Hypnagogic hallucinations Sleep paralysis You do not have to have all four symptoms to get a diagnosis of narcolepsy – and now-a-days, narcolepsy is seldom diagnosed without an NPSG and MSLT. And having one (or more) of the symptoms does not automatically mean narcolepsy (as our friends with sleep apnea or other sleep disorders can attest). And, otherwise normal sleepers *can* have one or more symptoms upon occasion (sleep paralysis has frequently been reported by shift workers). Sometimes, narcolepsy is diagnosed based just on history, but that can be tricky. How to know whether the sleepiness is caused by apnea, PLMS, or another disturber of sleep without an overnight study? Some definitions (to be skipped if you want to) Excessive sleepiness – often defined as falling asleep inappropriately, as well as feeling sleepy "all the time". Cataplexy – sudden loss of muscle tone, often associated with strong emotion (anger, laughter, etc). It can range from dropping something, or feeling weak in the knees, to full-blown total loss of skeletal muscle tone (dropping to the floor). Hypnagogic hallucinations – described as dreaming with the eyes open. This is the symptom that is the hardest for people with narcolepsy to talk about. Some have even been diagnosed with schizophrenia because they hear voices and see things not there. Sleep paralysis – being unable to move at the onset or offset of sleep (falling asleep or waking up). NPSG – nocturnal polysomnogram – overnight sleep study MSLT – Multiple Sleep Latency Test – a daytime study consisting of 4-6 nap opportunities, with enforced wakefulness between the opportunities. PLMS – Periodic Limb Movements in Sleep (sometimes called PMS – Periodic Movements in Sleep, but some men are justifiably averse to receiving a diagnosis of PMS <grin>) HTH! Nita, an RPSGT ————————————————————————– ————- Dreams are real while they last. Can we say more of life? – Havelock Ellis
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I have narcolepsy and Cylert is the med that I use. Kent Taylor g…@wizard.com <nos…@wizard.com> wrote in article <iH9g2.71$4_4….@wormhole.dimensional.com>… | I haven’t had a sleep paralysis episode for years. I take cylert for ADD, | and it seems to have "cured" my sleep paralysis as well as my falling | asleep at the most inappropriate times. I think I have narcolepsy (sp), | and the cylert is treating it as well as the ADD. Sleep paralysis is | included in the narcolepsy diagnosis. Cylert is a stimulant not listed as | a treatment for narcolepsy, but I believe ritilan is. <snip earlier posts>
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I suggest you research sleep apnea yourself rather than depending on readers to educate you. If you’re only interested in personal experiences that’s find, but you can’t apply what they say to others. Nofatuns sounds like a commercial outfit…not someone I’d look to for help. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Nofatuns <nofat…@aol.com> wrote: > Hello, I might be able to help you. If you could please explain what exactally > what sleep apnea might be? I am a nutritional consultant and help many people > with sleeping disorders. my Email Address is Nofat…@aol.com please feel free > to email me and if I can’t help you I may be able to direct you to someone who > might.
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Hello, I might be able to help you. If you could please explain what exactally what sleep apnea might be? I am a nutritional consultant and help many people with sleeping disorders. my Email Address is Nofat…@aol.com please feel free to email me and if I can’t help you I may be able to direct you to someone who might.
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John notes with shocked amazement: Nofatuns wrote: > Hello, I might be able to help you. If you could please > explain what exactally what sleep apnea might be? I > am a nutritional consultant and help many people with > sleeping disorders. my Email Address is > Nofat…@aol.com please feel free to email me and if > I can’t help you I may be able to direct you to someone > who might.
If Nofatuns knows so much about sleep disorders, it would seem that one of the most common sleep disorders would be well understood by Nofatuns. This is a joke, right? Regards, =jbf= John B. Fisher
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I haven’t had a sleep paralysis episode for years. I take cylert for ADD, and it seems to have "cured" my sleep paralysis as well as my falling asleep at the most inappropriate times. I think I have narcolepsy (sp), and the cylert is treating it as well as the ADD. Sleep paralysis is included in the narcolepsy diagnosis. Cylert is a stimulant not listed as a treatment for narcolepsy, but I believe ritilan is. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -simply_the_b…@my-dejanews.com wrote: > In article <01be29eb$7b9d1ca0$c660b6cd@kane>, > "laura meseroll" <soph…@netexp.net> wrote: >> hi all–i am new to his, so bear with me–thanks to the internet i have >> found that what i have is sleep paralysis (i really have thought that i was >> possessed for years!), so i am looking for somewhere to go for help and >> support. i am in the central ohio area–i think i may have the begginnings >> of sleep apnea, which may sound odd, but i am doing something different >> during sleep and it is frightening but not mind-blowing terrifying like the >> paralysis. any help would be appreciated–thanks > Hi Laura: > I’ve lived with sleep paralysis for since I was a very young child. I’m not > sure what you are looking for in terms of support, but I’ll be glad to do > what I can. > As you’ve already discovered, the biggest relief is *finally* being able to > identify what is wrong. As there are almost no effective treatments or > therapies for sleep paralysis, knowledge is power in terms of learning to > cope with this condition. In my case, I spent years thinking I was seriously > going crazy, getting drugged out of my mind by psychiatrists who didn’t have > the first clue what they doing, spent months and months in psychiatric > hospitals — I was even wrongly labelled a "paranoid schizophrenic" by > totally incompetent so-called "doctors." I can personally attest to the > devastating effects of putting someone who isn’t psychotic on anti-psychotic > medications … (Yep, my opinion of the medical community is pretty much in > the toilet.) > Current estimates are that 65% of all people will experience at least one > episode of sleep paralysis in their lifetimes. > At it’s most positive, some can learn to control and direct sleep paralysis > into lucid dreaming which can be a tremendous tool for personal and spiritual > growth. Others even learn how to enjoy the experience. If you allow it to, it > will control and terrify you until you are a dysfunctional, blithering idiot. > I can apply all those descriptions to myself at various stages of dealing > with sleep paralysis and other related sleep disorders. I’ve never quite > managed to use it as a tool of enlightenment — and don’t really have any > desire to. > I wish the medical community was a lot better informed about sleep paralysis. > It probably would have saved us both a lot of grief. The real tragedy > continues to be people experiencing sleep paralysis who don’t understand > what’s happening to them who really do wind up going off the deep end in one > way or another. > L > ———–== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==———- > http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Discuss, or Start Your Own
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hi all–i am new to this, so bear with me–thanks to the internet i have found that what i have is sleep paralysis (i really have thought that i was possessed for years!), so i am looking for somewhere to go for help and support. i am in the central ohio area–i think i may have the begginnings of sleep apnea, which may sound odd, but i am doing something different during sleep and it is frightening but not mind-blowing terrifying like the paralysis. any help would be appreciated–thanks
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On 17 Dec 1998 18:38:18 GMT, "laura meseroll" <soph…@netexp.net> wrote: >i am in the central ohio area–i think i may have the begginnings >of sleep apnea, which may sound odd, but i am doing something different >during sleep and it is frightening but not mind-blowing terrifying like the >paralysis. any help would be appreciated–thanks
For some sleep disorder centers, look at: http://www.asda.org/
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In article <01be29eb$7b9d1ca0$c660b6cd@kane>, "laura meseroll" <soph…@netexp.net> wrote: > hi all–i am new to this, so bear with me–thanks to the internet i have > found that what i have is sleep paralysis (i really have thought that i was > possessed for years!), so i am looking for somewhere to go for help and > support. i am in the central ohio area–i think i may have the begginnings > of sleep apnea, which may sound odd, but i am doing something different > during sleep and it is frightening but not mind-blowing terrifying like the > paralysis. any help would be appreciated–thanks
Hi Laura: I’ve lived with sleep paralysis for since I was a very young child. I’m not sure what you are looking for in terms of support, but I’ll be glad to do what I can. As you’ve already discovered, the biggest relief is *finally* being able to identify what is wrong. As there are almost no effective treatments or therapies for sleep paralysis, knowledge is power in terms of learning to cope with this condition. In my case, I spent years thinking I was seriously going crazy, getting drugged out of my mind by psychiatrists who didn’t have the first clue what they doing, spent months and months in psychiatric hospitals — I was even wrongly labelled a "paranoid schizophrenic" by totally incompetent so-called "doctors." I can personally attest to the devastating effects of putting someone who isn’t psychotic on anti-psychotic medications … (Yep, my opinion of the medical community is pretty much in the toilet.) Current estimates are that 65% of all people will experience at least one episode of sleep paralysis in their lifetimes. At it’s most positive, some can learn to control and direct sleep paralysis into lucid dreaming which can be a tremendous tool for personal and spiritual growth. Others even learn how to enjoy the experience. If you allow it to, it will control and terrify you until you are a dysfunctional, blithering idiot. I can apply all those descriptions to myself at various stages of dealing with sleep paralysis and other related sleep disorders. I’ve never quite managed to use it as a tool of enlightenment — and don’t really have any desire to. I wish the medical community was a lot better informed about sleep paralysis. It probably would have saved us both a lot of grief. The real tragedy continues to be people experiencing sleep paralysis who don’t understand what’s happening to them who really do wind up going off the deep end in one way or another. L ———–== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==———- http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Discuss, or Start Your Own
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It is called sleep paralysis. It happens when REM paralysis intrudes into waking. It is a symptom of narcolepsy, but happens to people (like myself) who do not have narcolepsy. It is sometimes accompanied by weird dreams called hypnapompic hallucinations — you are dreaming awake while in the paralysis and it is as though there are people right in the room talking (or nearby). They are quite strange. (They’re called hypnagogic hallucinations if they occur when you are going to sleep vs. waking up.)
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is there a name for a disorder which causes temporary paralysis upon waking up? The victim is awake, but is unable to move his/her body for a while. Any info would be appreciated. juliana duffy
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I am wondering about the psysiological occurences in sleep paralysis, in other words what happens in the body when this sets in, if anyone can give me any info on this, I would really hella super appreciate it, thanks!
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I too Suffered with Sleep Paralysis as well as Sleep Apnea. With sleep paralysis your mind wakes up but you cannot move your body. You seem to be screaming at the top of your voice for someone to push you just to get you moving your body, in fact all your partner hears is just a mumbling sound. Sometimes with great effort you can get yourself to move, though this is extremely hard to do. My wife has learnt what to look & listen for and she pushes me extremely hard, even if it means out of the bed. Once the body wakes up everything is fine. This is an extremely frightening experience for any person who suffer with Sleep Paralysis. Now that I have used a CPAP for2 1/2 years, I have not had any incidences of sleep paralysis since the time I was told I required to sleep with a CPAP every night. I hope this is the answer you required to you post? If not please contact me either by post or email. Regards, Colin John Morrison – Western Australia. "scorpius_hermit" <nr7…@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:J2Tn6.113908$446.5254805@typhoon.kc.rr.com… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I am wondering about the psysiological occurences in sleep paralysis, in > other words what happens in the body when this sets in, if anyone can give > me any info on this, I would really hella super appreciate it, thanks!
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Hey guys, My doctor just prescribed Provigil (Modafinil) for me today. I also have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. While reading the pamphlet that comes in the RX, it listed sleep paralysis as something that Provigil can help. Just thought it might help you! At least consider talking to your Dr. about it! Cheryl in Pittsburgh "Colin John Morrison" <cjmorri…@elink.net.au> wrote in message news:983836030.64653@defiant… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I too Suffered with Sleep Paralysis as well as Sleep Apnea. > With sleep paralysis your mind wakes up but you cannot move your body. You > seem to be screaming at the top of your voice for someone to push you just > to get you moving your body, in fact all your partner hears is just a > mumbling sound. Sometimes with great effort you can get yourself to move, > though this is extremely hard to do. > My wife has learnt what to look & listen for and she pushes me extremely > hard, even if it means out of the bed. Once the body wakes up everything is > fine. > This is an extremely frightening experience for any person who suffer with > Sleep Paralysis. Now that I have used a CPAP for2 1/2 years, I have not had > any incidences of sleep paralysis since the time I was told I required to > sleep with a CPAP every night. > I hope this is the answer you required to you post? If not please contact me > either by post or email. > Regards, > Colin John Morrison – Western Australia. > "scorpius_hermit" <nr7…@yahoo.com> wrote in message > news:J2Tn6.113908$446.5254805@typhoon.kc.rr.com… > > I am wondering about the psysiological occurences in sleep paralysis, in > > other words what happens in the body when this sets in, if anyone can give > > me any info on this, I would really hella super appreciate it, thanks!
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I have been thinking of getting tested for sleep apnea, but to me, the state of paralysis is nothing to be scared of, in fact to me its just another state of consciousness to explore, I can’t say I want it to stop, unless I find out I’m like scrambling my brain or something 
"Is adult entertainment killing our children, or is killing our children entertaining adults?"-Marilyn Manson — none "Colin John Morrison" <cjmorri…@elink.net.au> wrote in message news:983836030.64653@defiant… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I too Suffered with Sleep Paralysis as well as Sleep Apnea. > With sleep paralysis your mind wakes up but you cannot move your body. You > seem to be screaming at the top of your voice for someone to push you just > to get you moving your body, in fact all your partner hears is just a > mumbling sound. Sometimes with great effort you can get yourself to move, > though this is extremely hard to do. > My wife has learnt what to look & listen for and she pushes me extremely > hard, even if it means out of the bed. Once the body wakes up everything is > fine. > This is an extremely frightening experience for any person who suffer with > Sleep Paralysis. Now that I have used a CPAP for2 1/2 years, I have not had > any incidences of sleep paralysis since the time I was told I required to > sleep with a CPAP every night. > I hope this is the answer you required to you post? If not please contact me > either by post or email. > Regards, > Colin John Morrison – Western Australia. > "scorpius_hermit" <nr7…@yahoo.com> wrote in message > news:J2Tn6.113908$446.5254805@typhoon.kc.rr.com… > > I am wondering about the psysiological occurences in sleep paralysis, in > > other words what happens in the body when this sets in, if anyone can give > > me any info on this, I would really hella super appreciate it, thanks!
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I have this problem…. I can’t sleep on my back or on my sides without going into this state (sleep paralysis). Also, when I fall into this state, I feel like I am choking. Like I can’t swallow, and my saliva feels like it’s going down into my throat, and I start panicing. It really scares me to sleep anymore, because sometimes, I fall into this state in the only position I can comfortably sleep… on my stomach. I realize that, it’s just my body falling asleep without my concsious. It’s like, if I could control my panicing, it would be ok. I would have no problem being concsious while my body rests. Soemtimes, when I can’t wake myself up from this, my concsious normally follows it routine and kinda fades away into (i guess you would say) the dream state. I am somehow able to wake my body up when I start panicing (not everytime), but sometimes. I suppose, maybe the reason for this state, is that my brain is too active at the momment to go to sleep, so body body follows it normal routine, while my brain stays in awareness because of too many things being on my mind at the time. Anyone have any advice??? plezzz send it this way. Thanx a lot
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Hi, i’ve been experiencing sleep paralysis for quite sometime now. Im twenty five yrs of age now. Usually, when i am asleep, i keep the fan going in my room. This usually help’s. If not, i usually just ride it out. The key is to just have fun with it because you know that it will be over soon.
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Does anyone have any suggestions for sleep paralysis (besides having someone wake-up you up?) Also, does anyone notice a correlation between episodes of sleep paralysis and consumption of products with NutraSweet?
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While I cannot say that "aspartame" caused "narcolepsy-like" symptoms, I can say it has a "bad-effect" on me. When drinking a lot of sodas "sweatened" by it — I had effects that made me dub it "stupid drug". Similar effects to "Excessive Daytime Sleepiness". At the time, I was not diagnosed as narcoleptic… I cut out aspartame from my diet years ago because I didn’t like its effect on me… could its effect have worsened the narcolepsy and I didn’t know it? I am not sure. Now, I am diagnosed as narcoleptic and I watch my diet closely — and don’t drink or eat anything "sweatened" with aspartame. Yes, I think it causes "bad effects" in narcoleptics. No, I don’t think we are going to see a "scientific study" to prove anything — its just not economically feasible today. My personal recommendation is to stay away from the stuff… but that is without any scientific or medical justification. Dana Groff ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dana A. Groff Transarc Corporation, Gulf Tower, Pittsburgh PA 15219 gro…@transarc.com VOICE: 412-338-4428 FAX: 412-338-4404 http://www.transarc.com/~groff/Home.html #include <std.disclaimer> [WANTED: experienced software professionals for Encina(TP), DCE, DFS, AFS development, consulting, and support. Contact me for more info.]
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In article <0l6w5auSMUZj0NG…@transarc.com>, Dana_Gr…@transarc.com wrote:
: :While I cannot say that "aspartame" caused "narcolepsy-like" symptoms, :I can say it has a "bad-effect" on me. When drinking a lot of sodas :"sweatened" by it — I had effects that made me dub it "stupid drug". :Similar effects to "Excessive Daytime Sleepiness". At the time, I was :not diagnosed as narcoleptic… I cut out aspartame from my diet years :ago because I didn’t like its effect on me… could its effect have :worsened the narcolepsy and I didn’t know it? I am not sure. Now, I :am diagnosed as narcoleptic and I watch my diet closely — and don’t :drink or eat anything "sweatened" with aspartame. : :Yes, I think it causes "bad effects" in narcoleptics. No, I don’t :think we are going to see a "scientific study" to prove anything — :its just not economically feasible today. My personal recommendation :is to stay away from the stuff… but that is without any scientific 
r medical justification. : 
ana Groff There are a number of people on the net, who sound like they are very well informed on this subject, who think that aspartame (nutrasweet(tm)), the sweetener in many diet drinks is a significant threat to the health of those who consume it. I have a collection of usenet articles that were posted on this subject some time ago on my home page. Have a look at <URL:http://www.infobear.com/nutraswt.html> if you want the details. For balance you can read the other side of the story at <URL:http://www.nutrasweet.com/>. Of course on that page they do not defend themselves against these claims as they do not mention that these claims even exist. The claims of the camp that considers aspartame to basically be a toxin sound credible enough and severe enough that I would refrain from consuming aspartame if I thought even a small fraction of those claims were true. And I do. — Jim Fowler InfoB…@infobear.com http://www.infobear.com/
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LWhit60310 wrote in message
<19990601183009.14546.00008…@ng-co1.aol.com>… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Book to read "Soul Traveler" by Albert Taylor. >Little hokey, but since I have experienced several altered states through deep >breathing and music, I can relate somewhat. >It is my understanding that sleep paralysis can take you further into the next >level of consciousness. >And I am envious you have been able to shut out our everyday earth systems and >go so easily into that next level, which is called astral plane. >Go forward into the other levels without fear.
Gee! and I thought that sleep paralysis was just neural activities producing generalized muscle atonia in REM sleep originating mainly in dorsolateral portions of the pontine reticular formation, descending through the medulla and spinal cord, and inhibiting the motoneurons in the brainstem and spinal cord, bringing about postural atonia. Silly me! 
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Book to read "Soul Traveler" by Albert Taylor. Little hokey, but since I have experienced several altered states through deep breathing and music, I can relate somewhat. It is my understanding that sleep paralysis can take you further into the next level of consciousness. And I am envious you have been able to shut out our everyday earth systems and go so easily into that next level, which is called astral plane. Go forward into the other levels without fear. Lee
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Hello, I’ve only recently discovered that what I’m experiencing is not the norm. I have episodes of sleep paralysis. Is anyone here familiar with this? It goes beyond dreaming and lucid dreaming. I am fully awake during these occurrences, yet unable to move. Sometimes during these episodes I have full blown hallucinations, seeing and hearing things that I know cannot be occurring in the waking world, but are real and tangible to my awareness. This has occurred for as long as I can remember, yet only recently have I begun to delve into the nature of SP (sleep paralysis) This happens quiet regularly, sometimes as often as twice a week. I’ve experienced what seems like realistic out of body experiences, although I’m not sure if it is a hallucination induced by the paralysis. The only other explanation is that it is a different state of mind and awareness, meaning that the things I experience are really happening at some level. I’m not sure if I’m ready to contemplate that this may be so. Here is a link that may be of interest http://watarts.uwaterloo.ca/~acheyne/S_P.html These episodes (for lack of a better word) are occasionally upsetting and somewhat frightening, but mostly they are exhilerating. I’ve experienced the full range of descriptions that you will find on the above mentioned site. Anything from what is called the ‘old hag’ phenomenon to full blown perception of out of body experience (which occurrs mucy more frequently and I readily embrace as it is quite enjoyable, even if it is only a hallucination) Any input would be most appreciated. Red Dreamer
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Red Dreamer <RedDrea…@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:7it2gb$1ps6@drn.newsguy.com… > Hello, > I’ve only recently discovered that what I’m experiencing is not the norm. I have > episodes of sleep paralysis. Is anyone here familiar with this? It goes beyond > dreaming and lucid dreaming. I am fully awake during these occurrences, yet > unable to move. Sometimes during these episodes I have full blown > hallucinations, seeing and hearing things that I know cannot be occurring in the > waking world, but are real and tangible to my awareness.
I dont know much about this so dont take this as advice but it sure sounds a lot like you are actually slipping into a meditative state. I found myself really refreshed after coming out of the two I experienced. I found I could hear things I couldnt possibly otherwise hear and I knew where my wife was and when she arrived next to me coming up the road from her work (I was asleep in the car). I couldnt know these things normally but in that state I did. If you get it checked out and you are otherwise OK, why not try and see how far this will take you? If you ARE actually accidentally in that meditative state, you have NO idea how many people would like to get there that easy, too! ;-} — Remove the anti-spammer stuff
