can blood flow to the brain stop?
Question:
On Tue, 12 Aug 2003 08:11:43 -0700, DenoxiS wrote: >I have this sleeping problem since I was a kid. I can never sleep on my >back. Because the pillow, somehow, stops the blood flow in one of the vessel >at the back of my head. During the sleep when it happens, I feel like I >cannot move, I cannot talk, I cannot scream etc. Interestingly I can >identify the objects in the room at that time. Then finally I can fully wake >up.
It sounds like sleep paralysis (frightening but harmless), but "I AM NOT A DOCTOR."
Response:
Thanks for all the answers. Appearantly I have this sleep paralysis. Some sources point that the blood flow to the brain increases during this period because of the panic and fear. In this case I might misinterpret my experience about the blood vessel. It could be just a over-working vessel. On the other hand I still believe that there is a connection between sleeping on back and the sleep paralysis. Because I have had this experince almost everytime whenever I sleep on my back, and never ever when I sleep on my side/face. — – Deniz "DenoxiS" <news2…@deniznet.com> wrote in message
news:ss7_a.32355$ff.18287@fed1read01… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Hi, > I have this sleeping problem since I was a kid. I can never sleep on my > back. Because the pillow, somehow, stops the blood flow in one of the vessel > at the back of my head. During the sleep when it happens, I feel like I > cannot move, I cannot talk, I cannot scream etc. Interestingly I can > identify the objects in the room at that time. Then finally I can fully wake > up. I can feel the blocked vessel just unblocked and start working in my > half-numb head. I have tried different pillows, they haven’t been any > helpful. Does this thing happen anyone else? Is this a sleeping disorder or > a physical illness? > Thanks, > – Deniz
Response:
If my best friend described an experience like yours, I’d say she had "sleep paralysis," a condition that some people call "sleep terror" or "night terror." It’s common. It doesn’t mean that a blood vessel is blocked. (Blockage of blood to the brain is a STROKE and is a serious medical condition. If you really think a blood vessel is blocked, see your doctor immediately.) Supposedly, "sleep paralysis" happens to everyone during REM-stage sleep — it’s the body’s way of ensuring that you don’t act out your dreams. Most people stay in REM-stage sleep and never become aware of the "sleep paralysis." The problems (perception of paralysis, etc.) occur if the person becomes aware of being in the "sleep paralysis" state. Different people experience "sleep paralysis" in different ways. Many people experience it as a feeling that someone is sitting on their chest (or, with stomach sleepers, on their back) — they think that they’re trapped, they can’t move, they can’t breathe. If they’re scared of monsters or aliens or some other beastie, they might perceive that the pressure is caused by that. If this is a frequent concern, you may want to discuss it with your doctor. You may also want to do a newsgroup or Internet search for "sleep paralysis" and read all about it. Disclaimer: I am not a doctor; this message is not a diagnosis.
Response:
Hi, I have this sleeping problem since I was a kid. I can never sleep on my back. Because the pillow, somehow, stops the blood flow in one of the vessel at the back of my head. During the sleep when it happens, I feel like I cannot move, I cannot talk, I cannot scream etc. Interestingly I can identify the objects in the room at that time. Then finally I can fully wake up. I can feel the blocked vessel just unblocked and start working in my half-numb head. I have tried different pillows, they haven’t been any helpful. Does this thing happen anyone else? Is this a sleeping disorder or a physical illness? Thanks, – Deniz
