During an episode of sleep paralysis, people may feel like they can't breathe, but that's not actually the case — a person continues to breathe throughout the episode. Sleep paralysis can happen just once and never again. But, for a few people, it may be a regular occurrence.
Because rapid and irregular breathing occurs in REM sleep, people who experience sleep paralysis may struggle to breathe properly, which can feel like suffocation.
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.
The body remains paralyzed while the brain awakens. You are alert and conscious, but are unable to move voluntary muscles. This is often accompanied by a sensation of chest pressure; this is the reason why many people also wake up from sleep paralysis gasping for breath.
Causes of sleep paralysis
insomnia. disrupted sleeping patterns – for example, because of shift work or jet lag. narcolepsy – a long-term condition that causes a person to suddenly fall asleep. post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
This means that they can think, see, and breathe while they lie awake, but they are unable to move their body.
Sleep paralysis (SP) is a common condition that affects approximately 7.6% of the general population during their lifetime [1].
Sleep paralysis may include hallucinations, such as an intruding presence or dark figure in the room, suffocating or the individual feeling a sense of terror, accompanied by a feeling of pressure on one's chest and difficulty breathing.
How can I stop sleep paralysis? There are no proven therapies that can stop a sleep paralysis episode, but most people who experience it routinely report that focusing on making small body movements (such as moving one finger, then another) helps them to recover more quickly.
The voices may sound like whispers, screams, or laughter. Almost as often, people report hearing a loud buzzing or static noise. It sounds like a radio that's on but not tuned to a station. Some people hear breathing, footsteps, knocking, or a ringing sound.
Sleep paralysis can last from several seconds to several minutes; episodes of longer duration are typically disconcerting and may even provoke a panic response. The paralysis may be accompanied by rather vivid hallucinations, which most people will attribute to being parts of dreams.
During an episode of sleep paralysis you may: find it difficult to take deep breaths, as if your chest is being crushed or restricted. be able to move your eyes – some people can also open their eyes but others find they can't.
The sensory impact of sleep paralysis could even be sounds or smells, or physical sensations such as feeling like something is pressing you down, or that you are being watched or touched. All of this adds to the way this sleep-related PTSD symptom can be severely distressing.
But it can also happen when you wake up in the middle of the night. While it can happen to anyone at any age, it's common for sleep paralysis to occur for the first time in teenagers. You could have one episode of sleep paralysis and never have another one, or it could happen multiple times.
Sleep paralysis occurs when a person's consciousness is awake, but their body is still in a paralyzed sleep state. A person may be unable to speak and feel pressure on their chest, among other symptoms. During sleep paralysis, a person's senses and awareness are active and awake, but their body cannot move.
These instances – sleep paralysis and sleep hallucinations (also referred to as “sleep demons”) – can be incredibly scary things to experience. And, yet, aside from the fright, they're harmless. They're simply the results of disrupted sleep. Still, that doesn't help quell the fear when they happen.
Key facts about sleep paralysis
It's a brief sensation and at most it will last for a few minutes. Despite the scary name, it's not harmful. While it might feel bizarre, it's completely normal. Lack of sleep can trigger an episode.
Episodes of sleep paralysis last from a few seconds to 1 or 2 minutes. These spells end on their own or when you are touched or moved. In rare cases, you can have dream-like sensations or hallucinations, which may be scary.
It is a fairly common sleep problem. Estimates of how many people have it vary widely from 5% to 40%. You may be more likely to have it if a relative also has it. A lack of sleep can make you more likely to have sleep paralysis.
Opposite of sleep paralysis, atonia does not set in to keep the body from moving. This parasomnia is potentially dangerous for the sleeper and bed partner due to the active nature of it.
- No matter how much you try, even if you consciously know that you're undergoing a sleep paralysis—you can't wake your body up. A very miniscule amount of people can slightly move their fingers, wiggle their toes or facial muscles, which eventually helps them wake up the rest of their body.
Sleep paralysis lasts from a few seconds up to several minutes. During this time, you can breathe and open and close your eyes, but your body is still in REM mode, which can make you feel like you're paralyzed.