I've been having these weird sleep episodes for three nights this week and it has never happened to me before. I've never even heard of it till I "Googled" it finally this afternoon after having a terrible episode last night. The nickname for this experience is.. "Old Hag's Syndrome"? It has been very vivid and quite creepy to me to the point where if it happens again this weekend I'm going to the doctor! It feels like a blurry, noisy, suffocating, "crushing" heart attack that you are very aware of but cannot move. Once it stops you realize that you are completely fine and that you know that no one is in the room but... Wooaah! It is freaky me out!!! I know I'm a little qooky but I have not gone off the deep end yet. Has anyone ever experienced anything like this ever before??? Here is the definiton for this condition...Sleep paralysis is a condition characterized by temporary paralysis of the body shortly after waking up (known as hypnopompic paralysis) or, less often, shortly before falling asleep (known as hypnagogic paralysis).[1]
Physiologically, it is closely related to the paralysis that occurs as a natural part of REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, which is known as REM atonia. Sleep paralysis occurs when the brain awakes from a REM state, but the bodily paralysis persists. This leaves the person fully conscious, but unable to move. In addition, the state may be accompanied by terrifying hallucinations (hypnopompic or hypnagogic) which cause an acute sense of danger [2]. Sleep paralysis is particularly frightening to the individual due to the vividness of such hallucinations[3]. The hallucinatory element to sleep paralysis makes it even more likely that someone will interpret the experience as a dream, since completely fanciful, or dream-like, objects may appear in the room alongside one's normal vision. Some scientists have proposed this condition as a theory for alien abductions and ghostly encounters.[4]
The paralysis can last from several seconds to several minutes "after which the individual may experience panic symptoms and the realization that the distorted perceptions were false" [5]. When there is an absence of narcolepsy, sleep paralysis is referred to as isolated sleep paralysis (ISP)
7 comments:
Hey, Nathan.
I have never heard of this syndrome, but i know a couple of people who told me of such a post sleep experience. One was Pete. It was in the early 80's. Jim & I were traveling out west and Pete was dog/house sitting. He slept on the couch and said he woke 2 different nights and felt as if someone was pressing on his chest, trying to suffocate him. His eyes were open and he saw nothing. We lived in an old, creepy, 2-story house and thought it was either haunted (we had a couple of other weird, unexplained things) or it was Pete's drugs.
Another was a girl friend from HS and college. She & I were sharing a bed and she had the same weird thing happen, as if someone was pressing on her chest and trying to suffocate her.
Hopefully this will just be an unexplained phenomenon and will not happen to you again.
Very weird, Nathan! Maybe you are over tired this week, or something. I know strange things can happen to you when you are sleep deprived, as sleep is so very important. Drink a lot of beer tonight and try to get a good night's sleep. Maybe that will end these strange phenomenons.
It must be a really freaky feeling. From what I read about it, it seems to be a pretty common thing occurring to a lot of people. I think instead of the beer, you should switch to wine, French of course! I also recommend chocolate, it's very good for you, I swear! I hope you didn't have another episode last night. Relax this week-end!
~ Vickie ~
Hola Nathan.
I am new to this Blog, so i hope you don't mind me commenting.
Well guess what? it happens to me. maybe because we are artist and have a vivid imagination. I get them randomly, maybe once every two months.I have
Psychiatrist in my family. They talk a lot about REM. It is where you get most of your subconscious information. so try to remember them and hold on to them. It is a natural part of REM. That’s when it happens to me. Right before I wake up. just when the dream is getting good. another being steps in and ruins it all.But I agree with Kathryn. it can be form sleep diprivation.So, yeah the red wine will help.
Welcome to the blog Luz!
Yeah, Luz! So good to hear from you.
Nate! What?! I just hope it's ISP and not ESP...spooky.
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