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

[kellly28]

This type of thing has been happening to me for a few years now. I went through a stage about a year ago when I was getting them every night just as I went to sleep. They started as a feeling of paralysis where I couldn't move or fully open my eyes, and there would always be some kind of presence in my bedroom, usually at the bottom of my bed. I could never see what it was, but I knew I was in my bed and could sense it there. Over time they got worse and worse, where I would be dragged to the bottom of my bed and go on for what seemed like ages. I was totally terrified every time I got them, but I'd eventually wake up and be in the same position as I went to sleep in. They got so bad that I actually was swung round and round my bedroom by my feet, and the more I fought it the worse it got. I'd scream but no sound came out at all. I even felt like I'd stopped breathing sometimes. I never saw who or what was doing this to me.

I stopped getting them as much after a few weeks when I realised if I tried not to think about them before I went to sleep, they didn't happen. And they didn't seem to happen if I sleeping next to my boyfriend. So basically now I get them on and off every month or so, if I've been scared or worried about something before going to sleep.

The reason why I've only posted this just now is because the strangest thing has just happened to me. I'm really tired today because I've had a really busy few days and not much sleep. I've just sat down about an hour ago to write a couple of essays and ended up falling to sleep. I got the same paralysis thing, where I couldn't move, see or speak, but I could hear it raining outside. I then heard my little sister in the house even though she's gone out shopping today, and then heard her talking right behind me, all the time desperately trying to move and speak. I felt her tap me on the back and then woke up to find that she's still out of the house. Really strange as I've never had one that has involved a family member before.

Sorry if this is a really long and boring comment, but I think that these are really scary and I'd love to find out what causes them. I'm a medical student and very sceptical towards ghosts and all things like that, and I do believe it is a totally psychological process. I think it happens most when people have stress, are worried about something or are tired. So the best advice I'd have for anyone who suffers with this is try to get enough sleep so you're not overly tired, try to cope with or minimise any stress you may have and try to relax your mind before going to sleep!

[unsure1988]

i have had the experience of being paralyzed at night and usually when i get released from the paralysis it is a triple digit time like 111 am, 222 am or 333 am.  And i have pointed this out to my husband and he looks at the time when i get up at night and it never fails.

[archangelmichael]

Hi it happened to me 2 years ago. Then I turn myself to our Lord Jesus Christ and ask his forgiveness of all my sins...so after that I learn to pray 3x Our Father, 3x Hail Mary and 3x Glory be to the father......before went to bed also n the morning....Guys when it happen to you again just relax and call our Lord Jesus trust me then the devil will gone away and you will be ok again....We have to trust him with all our heart, he hears and he knows everything......I really do believe is all the bad spirits who is trying to destroy us....Guys sorry if my english is so bad :(....I wish I could explain this more better....May God Bless you all! Josephine

[angielou187]

I have has SP for years. I think it I may have had an episode when I was about 5 but first time it started happening frequently was when I was a teenager. I have tried everything to get it to stop and the only thing that helps is sleeping on my stomach. Ive only gotten it a couple times on my side but its really bad on my back. I never feel like I can't breathe. I have only once seen my covers move. My experience is almost always a feeling that something is hovering above me, next to me. I have also had experience with feeling like I am being pulled off my bed. I have been lifted to the ceiling. I had a boyfriend once who was very into spiritual life. He told me that it was an energy that I needed to except or try and overpower it and mentally squish it with your hands. I tried this. I had a ball of light in my hands and when I woke up I really did have my hands together. I have had a lot of peace with it since one experience in particular. While laying on my back on the side of the bed that my boyfriend normally sleeps on I felt a presence sit down next to me. I consciously knew I was having SP. I started to panic (like I always have done) and I can never explain it right but I heard a voice. It wasn't out loud it was in my thoughts almost. It said, "Why are you so scared of me?" and I immediately knew it was Jesus, or my imaginary Jesus. Either way, I had a short conversation with him about how I shouldn't be scared and if I had faith than I wouldn't be scared anymore. I felt a sense of relief and it was so real feeling, my physical body was still laying but he pulled me up and gave me a hug and layed me back into my body. And then he was gone. I woke up with a feeling of happiness yet sadness because I wanted him to come back. I hoped every night after that that it would happen again so that it could be more real but it never did. Since then when I get SP I just relax and I feel like Im being lifted away and then Im into my real sleep.
In the end with all my experiences I think that the best thing you can do if you don't like SP is to let yourself just fall asleep. I think fighting it is what makes it so real.  

[sirtucker]

This "thing" has plagued me since I was 16. Doctors say its a pinched nerve. For the longest time I thought it was the paranormal. One time I was in a hotel and was discussing this problem with my girlfriends mother (who was traveling with us) That night it happened to her. She told me the following morning, it had never happened to her and she was scared to death... hadn't happened for a year after that. Now i moved 1,500 miles from home and its picking up again.

This is what I have gathered so far...

-There is a presence and it weighs me down so that I cannot do so much as raise a finger or yell out for someone to help
-Generally happens  less then 1hour after I drift into sleep
-Does no occur when I sleep toward the door
-I can feel it coming (ears) pressure builds and sounds like a building collapsing only its like i'm only hearing the force of the build collapse not the actual sound.
-Does not matter which side I sleep on
-Can occur multiple times in one night
-Never occurs when I leave a light on and face that light
-Does not matter where I am or who I'm with.
-Cats for some reason or another seem to stop this from happening (if in the same room)

Tonight was the first time I heard a voice, I couldn't tell you what she was saying, but i heard her and understood her at the time. I awoke laying face to face with my girlfriend. I asked, she did not say anything. In this instance I felt it coming and begun tapping her very hard and within 4-5 attempts to wake her i lost all control and was paralyzed. Then the pressure hit, usually its meek then hits all at once. This is the scariest part for me. the pressure does not build but pulses. I fell like someone is standing over me behind me. A dark figure. Then after who knows how long it stops abruptly seconds later i regain control and am thoroughly freaked out. Doesn't matter how many times I've been through this (35 and counting) It's the same. With the exemption of the voice i heard tonight. First time on this forum. Glad now to know it exists

[danomite7733]

Yeah im tired of this pinned down feeling too!! sometimes from being really exhausted, sometimes just out of the no where.. regardless the felling it *****, sometimes it feels medical sometimes spirtuial, i dont have the answer to this problem, almost three years now i still cant sleep with the lights off!! The crazy thing is when i do yell out in my mind the blood of jesus christ a couple of times the felling of being pinned down goes away, im to the point of not even being scared just really tired of it. i GUESS SOMETIMES ITS HARD TO NO IF ITS SCIENCE OR RELIGON.. keep positive and try get the negative stuff out of your life.. stress.. envy.. etc.. etc..