Paralyzed while sleeping

[Mandy4183]

Since I was a child, and until now (27years old) about once every three months or maybe more, I will have a frightening experience while sleeping.  Once I'm asleep, sometimes it feels like my head will get really heavy and there will be a deep low humming sound in my head or maybe a train sound that seems to paralyze my entire body, however once this feeling of heaviness occurs, I wake up internally, but my eyes are not open and I can hear everything going on around me.  At that point I seem to be conscious but unable to open my eyes or even move.  I then have to force myself fully awake by jerking my entire body.  And then, if I happen to fall right back to sleep, I will go into the exact same state again and jerk myself awake once again.  It is quite starling and frightning.  It kinda reminds me of what being in a coma might feel like.  Can anyone tell me what this is and is it possible not to be able to wake up from it, what ever "it" is?

Thanks,

Mandy4183

[dgs75057]

I have had this happen for years. After going thru ENT for dizziness I was sent to a neurologist. After a normal MRI, I was sent for sleep study and Latent sleep study. I was diagnosed with Narcholepsy.

The jolts in and out of sleep were due to REM episodes. I was experiencing REM right at the onset/outset of sleep. I would have freaky/frightening colorful dreams/spasms that would cause me to fight to wake up from.

The paralysis is one of the symptoms. The mind is still in a state of sleep where physical movements are prevented so one doesn't act out dreams and cause injury while sleeping.

I currently take Provigil (daytime) and Celexa (nightime). I also have trouble staying awake w/o Provigil. For years my sleepiness, irritability, etc. were blamed on depression. It has been a valid diagnosis as far as I can tell. I can function fairly well now. I am a 48 yr. old male. Hope this helps. I would seek out some studies via a neurologist.

[HELLOFAHYNA]

IT ALL STARTED WITH ME, WHEN I WAS 18 YEAR'S OLD.
MY FAMILY AND I WERE LIVING IN THIS HAUNTED HOUSE AT THE TIME.
AND I SEEN A SPIRIT ABLOUT THREE HOUR'S PRIOR TO TAKING MY NAP.
AS I WAS SLEEPING I RECALL OPINNING MY EYES AND BEING PARALIZED, I ALSO FELT AS IF SOMETHING WAS HOLDING ME DOWN. I WAS SO SO AFRAID.
BUT I ALSO SEEN TWO ANGEL'S THAT WERE LIKE A LILAC PEARL COLOR STANDING ON THE LEFT SIDE OF ME.
IT STILL HAPPEN'S SO ME FROM TIME TO TIME. BUT ONE TIME, ME AND MY HUSBAND WERE SLEEPING WHEN I WAS 21, I'M 23 NOW. IT HAPPENED TO ME AGAIN.
BUT THIS TIME IT WAS A DIFFERENT HOUSE, HE WAS ALREADY SLEEPING AND I REMEMBER SEEIND LIKE SOME GREYISH BLACK SMOKE FLOATING BY HIS SIDE OF THE CLOSET, THEN IT WENT OVER TWARDS ME AND TRIED TO FLOAT IN THROUGH MY NASTRAL'S AND IT WAS TALKING TO ME IN SOME STRANGE LANGUAGE. I TRIED TO MOVE BUT ONCE AGAIN I WAS PARALIZED, I TRIED TO SCREAM BUT COULD NOT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THEN I  KEPT JUST SAYING "....JESUS, JESUS ,JESUS" IN MY HEAD.............THEN IT DISAPEERED ,AND I COULD FINALLY MOVE AND I GRABBED MY HUBBY AND I WAS SCREEMING AND CRYING. EVER SINCE I WAS A LITTLE GIRL I HAD A SIXTH SENSE. I FEEL LIKE SOMETHING IS ALWAYS AROUND ME, AND ALL KIND'S OF THING'S HAPPEN TO ME.
THEY SAY THAT AQUARIUS AND LIBRA'S HAVE A SIXTH SENSE AND THAT IT WAS MY HUBBY IS A LIBRA AND I AM AQUARIUS. AND CRAZY THING'S ALWAYS HAPPEN TO US.
AT LEAST I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT THIS HAPPEN'S TO.
I NOW SUFFER FROM ANXIATY, AND IT IS HARD FOR ME  TO CATCH MY BREATHE AND I THINK THAT IT IS BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT I DON'T HARDLY SLEEP BECAUSE I AM TOO AFRAID TO.

[deneca]

Uhh yeah, caps are annoying.  Anyway, I get sleep paralysis too.  I don't believe in that whole spiritual idea, though.  This usually happens to me when I am sleeping in class.  Suddenly I'll start hearing the teacher again, but i wont be able to move my body.  It seems like when i relax, the condition stays, though.  When I get worked up and scared I usually try to joult myself awake and wake up sooner.  I haven't tryed relaxing often though, because it's a pretty scary feeling.  Finally I lift my head up, but it usually feels like its about to collapse back down, immediately.  By now I am fully awake, though.  It's pretty scary.

Also if I've had a nap that day, and try to go to bed before I get tired, this almost always happens.  

[Hypo_CON_MAN]

When I was around the age of 9 or so, i had a similar issue.  While sleeping I would go to sleep in my dreams.  It sounds wierd, but my dreams are very vivid and I am always aware.  I found that waking up required me to wake up from each level of dream causing symptoms described earlier.  Usually after waking up once, I would be nearly conscious but unable to open my eyes.  I would have to force my eyes open.  In my mind I was using my hands to open my eyes, but in reality I wouldn't move at all.  This is pretty scary for a pre-adolescent.  I found the more times I went to sleep in my dreams, the more levels I had to wake up from.  One time, I had to force eyes open, to find that I still wasn't awake.  I was still dreaming and had to force my eyes open a second time to be truly awake.  The experience is very similar to the ones stated above.  Because of my cognition, I never worried about it.  It hasn't happened much as an adult, but it does occur.

[Riisa]

WOW! ..i would never get on medication for this.. it happens to me  alot.. i can actually hear it coming on  like mandy's *above* humming noise in my head. the more u panic the stronger it gets .i can not scream ,move  but my eyes wide open ..it really feels like a evil pressence on top of me ..i used to go to my moms bed as child and sleep with her and then i would get mad because she did not wake me when i was going thru this .. she had no clue ..what i have learned  that takes it away and gives me a peaceful sleep after it happens ... even though i cant speak  i pray very loud in my HEAD and just say JESUS JESUS JESUS .. i keep saying his name  and it goes away sooooo fast ...my pastor said it was like spiritual battle that i go thru in my sleep .. i can hear the devil laughing @ me saying * Jesus cant help u*  i even laugh back @ him and rebuke him in the name of JESUS .. The name JESUS  is the most powerful name u can ever say to defeat SATAN..i just encourage  anyone of you  to try the power of prayer .. u dont have to verbally speak when u go thru this.. and can be all in ur head  WHEN you call on the LORD AND BELEIVE AND HE WILL BE THERE FOR YOU ..HE WILL!!!!! ...he is the most powerful medication you will ever need ..
Thanks for reading me .
Risa 34 F Houston .

[lchp]

Yes Riisa!!! I had a bad experience last night & all I could do was say over & over in my head was Jesus. It stopped thank the Lord.

[ailam]

OK I found this forum because I think I am suffering from what you all are suffering while you sleep.  This does not happen to me every night but maybe a few times through out the month.  I would go to sleep  and of course like everyone else dream and than when I want to awake I I feel like I can't move and my eyes can't open.  I scream in terror WAKE ME UP hoping my husband can hear me but obviously not it's just in my mind that I am actually screaming.   Than before I knew it I my eyes open and I sat up on my bed.  I panic of course and my heart beating rapidly.  I can't go back to sleep right away but after so long I snooze off.  Now that I think of it I do suffer from anxiety for more than a year now and when I sleep and dream I wonder if certain dreams that I dream triggers me to want to wake up and fleet from the situation.  Making me so afraid that I need to get out of it.  I don't know but I pray and hope that I'll get through this and everyone here get through too.  Bless you all....Malia 25 Waianae Hawaii