Sleep Paralysis? Anyone?

[Mike Cruz]

Stress is most likely factor causing your issue, but you already know that...

Here's an idea, drink yourself into a drunken stooper...ya know, til ya pass out. You'll sleep like a log...probably til noon!

Disclaimer: Consult your physician. If one dose does not "do the trick", repeat process. Do not repeat process for more than directed by your physician. Long term side effects may include, but are not limited to dry mouth, headaches, nausea, vomiting, bloodshot eyes, memory loss, frequent urination, sudden gold ring on third finger on left hand, snoring, loss of job, loss of house, loss of everything... Enjoy!

[David Weaver]

Interesting David. I have multi-level dreams as well but never thought of them as that. All of these things must components of a larger sleep disorder. I've always blamed the hypnic jerks on things that happened in childhood (don't we all) and being afraid to let myself fall asleep. Can you think yourself into a dream? For instance, if you are imagining yourself on a sandy beach do you dream of that when you fall asleep?

As I said before, this must all be related to stress, compounded by lack of sleep - sort of a vicious cycle. When I am getting adequate sleep I rarely have the sleep paralysis unless I take a nap on the sofa.

Not sure about the thinking into a dream. I'm sure there were lots of things I wanted to dream of as a teenage boy but didn't dream about.

My multi-level dreams usually involve getting shot at or falling off of something or stepping into something, waking up into another dream thinking "phew, that was only a dream", to have someone shooting at me again or whatever else. I don't know what my record is for layers, but it's probably at least a half dozen. By the time I wake up for real, i'm pretty wound up and in a semi-stupid state where I think every noise in the house is a reason to pull the covers farther over my head.

I realize I called the sleep paralysis dreams "monster" dreams, poor choice of words - meant wake up with monster on my chest or on my feet, and no ability to move or yell.

[paul cottingham]

Ever been checked for sleep apnea? This all sounds familiar to me.
Of course this is worth what you paid for it....

[Belinda Barfield]

Stress is most likely factor causing your issue, but you already know that...

Here's an idea, drink yourself into a drunken stooper...ya know, til ya pass out. You'll sleep like a log...probably til noon!

Disclaimer: Consult your physician. If one dose does not "do the trick", repeat process. Do not repeat process for more than directed by your physician. Long term side effects may include, but are not limited to dry mouth, headaches, nausea, vomiting, bloodshot eyes, memory loss, frequent urination, sudden gold ring on third finger on left hand, snoring, loss of job, loss of house, loss of everything... Enjoy!

You mean like this? This is NOT me BTW. She did sleep like a log as I recall.

Ya Ya Passed out in her peanuts.jpg

[Mike Cruz]

Yeah, that pretty much covers it! What a friend, always there with a camera to document the most important moments of life... Not a TRUE friend though, cause remember...

A good friend will bail you out of jail, a true friend will be right next to you saying, "Damn, that was fun!".

[Belinda Barfield]

Yeah, that pretty much covers it! What a friend, always there with a camera to document the most important moments of life... Not a TRUE friend though, cause remember...

A good friend will bail you out of jail, a true friend will be right next to you saying, "Damn, that was fun!".

I never have a camera with me. I'm standing behind her in the photo. The true friend, my best friend, will be the one sitting on the other side of me taking photos of us in jail!

Thanks all for your input and advice.

[David G Baker]

When I was much younger and going through the stress of a divorce from my first wife I experimented with self hypnosis. It really helped me with the lack of sleep issue and the stress. I still use it when I am experience a medical procedure that I find very uncomfortable or painful, works for me.

[Curt Harms]

Belinda, I can sympathize with you. I did "back of the clock" work for a while (Start at midnight, finish around 8 a.m.). It SUCKED!!!. Feel like you're hung over and haven't had a drink in a month or more. Would it be worthwhile to talk to these folks?

http://www.savannahsleep.com/home.html

[Belinda Barfield]

Thanks Curt! I didn't even think of checking out a center locally. I just finished their free online questionnaire.

[Charlie Reals]

Belinda, I can sympathize with you. I did "back of the clock" work for a while (Start at midnight, finish around 8 a.m.). It SUCKED!!!. Feel like you're hung over and haven't had a drink in a month or more. Would it be worthwhile to talk to these folks?

http://www.savannahsleep.com/home.html

I spent 3 years working rotating shifts, 8-4;30,4-12,12-8 change over every two weeks. Then I did 18 years 4-12 and most nights OT took us till 3 or 4 am. The rotating sucked, the 4-12 was great since all the bosses went home at 5.

[Carlos Alden]

Belinda:
I second the idea of visiting a sleep specialist. It sounds like you are doing all the right things already (good sleep hygiene - lowering caffeine intake, exercise, diet, etc.) but they might suggest something you haven't thought of yet.

I would also consider some short-term counseling to help understand and deal with the stressors, whatever they may be. Many times we think we have things under control but some aspects of life like to hide quite deep.

Good luck. I struggled with hypnagogic state issues when I was much younger. They can be quite scary and vivid and make one question their own sanity. For me it was all due to major life events that I was trying to minimize.

Carlos

[Stephen Tashiro]

I had episodes of sleep paralysis in my earlier years. A typical scenario in college would be that I would pull an "all nighter", drinking lots of coffee. There would be 3 hours left till class, so I would set the alarm and lie down to try to get 2 1/2 hours sleep.

I shrugged off sleep paralysis episodes as bad dreams. They did not cause me to doubt my sanity as much as my purchases of certain woodworking tools.

[Chris Padilla]

Yep, that sums it up. I also get hypnic jerks. When I'm falling asleep I have the sensation that I am falling and my whole body jerks and I wake. Yesterday morning I had sleep paralysis. When this happens everything seems very, very real. I could hear someone walking very quietly across the carpet. I knew someone was in the room and that I absolutely had to wake up. Then I heard this voice in my ear, literally it sounded like someone was talking inside my head, and I felt the sheet tightening around my legs, then my hips and moving upward. I tried to scream and couldn't and I couldn't move. I finally woke up, screaming. Of course there was no one in the room. No wonder no one ever invited me to a slumber party when I was growing up.

Interesting. I've suffered from episodes of this my whole life although it doesn't really affect my sleep but it is just bizarre waking up and not being able to move! IMO, those who think they've had close encounters of the 4th kind (abduction) are experiencing sleep paralysis. A show I saw on Discovery many years ago about sleep finally gave me the answers I'd be wondering about regarding this bizarre behavior I had regarding sleep. I was so relieved to have it explained. Ever since then, my episodes have decreased significantly: if I don't think about it, it doesn't happen. I have never been able to tie to anything in particular (other than thinking about it) but on the now rare occasion when it hits me and it continues, I simply turn a light on in my room and somehow that works for me.

One thing I noticed growing up: it NEVER happened anywhere but in my own bed at home so slumber parties were great!!

How are your legs in bed? (ok, that could be taken wrong! LOL) Do you ever fidget from restless legs...like they kind of ache or you cannot find a comfortable position with them? I get that off and on: restless leg syndrome they call it. That keeps me awake when it happens...I just gotta get up and pace about for it to go away.

[Jon Grider]

I'm not saying this is the solution for everyone, and it may not address the root cause of your sleep disorder, but it sure works for me. Take a generic benadryl, the diphenhydramine pills for allergy relief about half hour before bedtime. You'll sleep like a baby. You may feel a little drowsy in the morning, but nothing a cup of joe won't cure.

[Leigh Betsch]

Buy a dog. A big one. Sleep with him. He'll keep the boogyman away.