Sleep Paralysis; What it is and How it feels...

photo not mine

Have you ever fallen asleep, felt something restraining your body then, you feel you are awake but you cannot speak or move your body? You have probably experienced what is called sleep paralysis.

I have personally experienced this phenomenon multiple times. It happened again yesterday while I was having my afternoon nap that is why I thought of writing about it. Trust me it is NOT the best feeling waking up from sleep paralysis. But you would feel thankful to even wake up from it.

My travel buddy @kyanzieuno had witnessed some of my sleep paralysis episodes while we were travelling. There was this one time that I tagged along with her family for a Holy Week trip to Surigao. After a very long trip, we were so tired that we opted to get some rest at the inn we were staying at. She and I shared a room while her parents and sister stayed in the other room. I fell asleep and then I felt a heavy weight on my body. I opened my eyes and tried to move but I couldn’t. I could see @kyanzieuno sitting on the other bed with her back facing me. I tried calling out her name but no word came out of my mouth. I was struggling to move and talk and after a few desperate tries, I finally woke up and move my body. I asked her if she heard me calling her or even mumble words but she told me she didn’t hear me. That’s when I realized I had another sleep paralysis.

photo not mine

According to WebMD, sleep paralysis is a feeling of being conscious but unable to move. It occurs when a person passes between stages of wakefulness and sleep. During these transitions, you may be unable to move or speak for a few seconds up to a few minutes. Some people may also feel pressure or a sense of choking. Some sleep researchers conclude that it is simply a sign that your body is not moving smoothly through the stages of sleep. Episodes generally last less than a couple of minutes and it does not harm your body or overall health.

Up to as many as four out of every 10 people may have sleep paralysis. This common condition is often first noticed in the teenage years. But men and women of any age can have it. Sleep paralysis can also be genetic. Other factors that may be connected to sleep paralysis include the following:

photo from google image

What do I do after waking up from sleep paralysis? I do a variety of things to prevent sleep paralysis from happening again the moment I fall asleep. The following are just some of them:

• I pray. Experiencing this phenomenon sometimes generates fear. The feeling of being restrained scares me. And so, to ease my anxiety, I pray before going back to sleep.
• I change my sleeping position. According to research, sleeping on your back increases the probability of having sleep paralysis. So I try to turn to my side and get a comfortable position.
• I listen to music. Music calms and relaxes me and helps me get better sleep.
• I divert my attention and tire myself out before going back to sleep. There are times that I find it hard to go back to sleep after an episode of sleep paralysis. If I force myself back to sleep, I get reminded of thoughts of being paralyzed in my sleep. So what I do is read web novels or watch TV until I finally get sleepy and eventually fall asleep.

photo from google image

photo from google image

If you also have sleep paralysis, you can try these steps to address your experience and somehow control the disorder. Getting enough sleep can also help prevent this from occurring. If it gets worse and affects your daily living, be sure to seek professional help.

I hope this blog somehow helped those who share the same experience with me.

Until next time lovely Steemians!

Lovelots,
jveronica