Sleeping Disorders . . .

[Yoda]

I'm currently at the college library and I decide to read a book that I am fairly behind in. I'm able to get in a whole chapter till I realize that I am too tired to continue with anymore reading. So I go to a private booth where no one is around and decide to take a nap. Before I know it, I am trying to escape out of this nap! I know that I am just dreaming, but hell, I want to get out of it. I struggle to get out, such movements include making sure that I am moving my legs as to assure that I am conscious and breathing very hard to keep the adrenaline at a pace where perhaps someone can deliver me out of this temporary reverie.

 

What happens to be my savior is my discharged phone. The instant it beeped I was me again!

 

Sleep Paralysis

 

 

What is sleep paralysis?

 

Sleep paralysis consists of a period of inability to perform voluntary movements either at sleep onset (called hypnogogic or predormital form) or upon awakening (called hypnopompic or postdormtal form).

Sleep paralysis may also be referred to as isolated sleep paralysis, familial sleep paralysis, hynogogic or hypnopompic paralysis, predormital or postdormital paralysis

 

What are the symptoms?

 

 

• A complaint of inability to move the trunk or limbs at sleep onset or upon awakening
• Presence of brief episodes of partial or complete skeletal muscle paralysis
• Episodes can be associated with hypnagogic hallucinations or dream-like mentation (act or use of the brain)

 

Please tell me I'm not the only one who experiences this . . . frequently.

[shipps]

Damn Yoda that would freak me out.You need to see a doctor about that and do a sleep study just to make sure thats not a symptom of maybe something else that is going on.

[G&T]

I've had sleep paralysis, although I seemed to have a couple of episodes and then it never happened again. If you're worried, then see a doctor. I have no clue what he can do.

[FlaSoxxJim]

Please tell me I'm not the only one who experiences this . . . frequently.

 

You are a freak of nature and I'm frightened.

 

 

 

I'm actually jealous of everybody who has cool, vivid dreams. except for the zombies, mine tend to be rather mundane.

 

[Yoda]

Damn Yoda that would freak me out. You need to see a doctor about that and do a sleep study just to make sure that's not a symptom of maybe something else that is going on.

 

The thing that worries me is that this may grow to be a chronic disease. It may have to do with my diet (high cholesterol) or hypertension (sleep apnea). Since I have been napping more frequently than usual and my body is trying to take in stress, I could be encountering an issue that is perhaps taken lightly by a lot of people. If this happens to be an everyday thing then I'll be looking to get like a polysomnogram.

 

You are a freak of nature and I'm frightened.

 

 

 

I'm actually jealous of everybody who has cool, vivid dreams. except for the zombies, mine tend to be rather mundane.

 

Mine are far from being cool. If trying to jump out of a car with the brake's not working seems exotic and different, than I'll take your ordinary dreams any day!

[clyons]

I recall having similar "weird dreams" when I was in school and would fall asleep trying to study, too. I never thought that it might be some kind of "syndrome." I figured it just manifested some kind of tug of war between my physcial self that needed rest, and the mental self that felt guilty about sleeping and knew I needed to be studying instead.

 

I wouldn't worry about it. I didn't, and I never experienced it again after finishing school almost 20 years ago. Ironically, however, that's when I started having recurring dreams about having to take an exam during finals week that I hadn't studied for or had forgotten all about. Somebody told me once that that's a fairly common dream among people after leaving school, but one rarely had by students. I think if you're fairly serious about your studies, it can impact your subconscious, but not necessarily in a detrimental way.

 

I'm not a doctor or a shrink, but I'm sure its nothing. Try not to go all "Peter Brady" over it just because you read something about it that may not even apply. Of course, if it continues to bother you over time and in different contexts, then by all means have it checked out.

[Yoda]

I recall having similar "weird dreams" when I was in school and would fall asleep trying to study, too. I never thought that it might be some kind of "syndrome." I figured it just manifested some kind of tug of war between my physcial self that needed rest, and the mental self that felt guilty about sleeping and knew I needed to be studying instead.

 

I wouldn't worry about it. I didn't, and I never experienced it again after finishing school almost 20 years ago. Ironically, however, that's when I started having recurring dreams about having to take an exam during finals week that I hadn't studied for or had forgotten all about. Somebody told me once that that's a fairly common dream among people after leaving school, but one rarely had by students. I think if you're fairly serious about your studies, it can impact your subconscious, but not necessarily in a detrimental way.

 

I'm not a doctor or a shrink, but I'm sure its nothing. Try not to go all "Peter Brady" over it just because you read something about it that may not even apply. Of course, if it continues to bother you over time and in different contexts, then by all means have it checked out.

 

Thank you. This is what I wanted to hear. Someone who has been through this dexterity.

 

Perhaps I've been trying do a little too much in the past three months or so. The truth is that I don't have one day that I can honestly just sit back and try to take it easy. I only have 24hrs to work with and I try to force the issue to a stretch where it's been effecting my rest. After all, the human body should utilize a third of a day to sleep. That just hasn't been able to fit in my weekly timetable.

[Steve9347]

Get more sleep.

Edited November 6, 2008 by Steve9347

[SleepyWhiteSox]

It used to happen to me before. I would feel like I'm awake but unable to move at all. Happened much more frequently when I was younger as I cannot recall it happening in the past few years. I remember starting off slowly by trying to move just a finger. There were very few times where I would be able to get out of it and finally move and get up and go to the bathroom or something, and there were mostly times where I would just eventually fall back asleep.

 

The very scary part is just how helpless one feels. I think part of it was my poor sleeping habits.

 

Also, in Mexican and other cultures, it's said that it is a ghost or spirit holding you down. Definitely not a completely uncommon occurrence.

[LosMediasBlancas]

It used to happen to me before. I would feel like I'm awake but unable to move at all. Happened much more frequently when I was younger as I cannot recall it happening in the past few years. I remember starting off slowly by trying to move just a finger. There were very few times where I would be able to get out of it and finally move and get up and go to the bathroom or something, and there were mostly times where I would just eventually fall back asleep.

 

The very scary part is just how helpless one feels. I think part of it was my poor sleeping habits.

 

Also, in Mexican and other cultures, it's said that it is a ghost or spirit holding you down. Definitely not a completely uncommon occurrence.

 

I think you're talking about something different. Some people describe feeling a 'weight' on top of them that makes it impossible for them to move. Then suddenly, the weight (ghost) is lifted off of them and they are able to move around freely.