I've experienced this on a reasonably regular basis since I was about 12 years old. Used to happen a lot more in my teen years, maybe once every month or so. Still happens on occassion now.
There was one episode that I wish I could have again though. I had fallen asleep on the couch and started feeling it, and decided.... no bugger it, I am gonna ride this out and see where I go. The buzzing got so intense I felt I HAD to get out of myself......... and wrestled myself free of my body, with a lot of effort. Once I was "out", my movements were fluid and easy. I was able to look back at my sleeping self as I moved away....... very strange feeling indeed. I started heading towards the front door, through it, and down our driveway towards the forest I lived across the road from at the time. I got about half way down the driveway and had this vague thought in my head " what if I cant get back?".......... immediately I thought that, I was right back in my body, in an instant. I've never been able to achieve this since, but I wish I could.
You know the moment you had that 'vague thought'? That thought is the act of 'coming to a realization', that is how you were able to wake up. You had a clear mind. You did not get lost in your situation. Like most do, but rather you were able to question your situation.
the first and third time i was. Second time i was on my side, why?
It tends to happen most/often when people are sleeping on their backs, the best position to sleep? Right side of the body. It's the best position for health of the body and mind.
So when you rest at night, try to keep your body angled to the right as much as you can.
I prefer sleeping on my back than on my side. One reason is for me it's more comfortable. The other is if i sleep on my side i usually tend to drool :oops:
8/28/98- Camden, NJ
10/31/09- Philly
5/21/10- NYC
9/2/12- Philly, PA
7/19/13- Wrigley
10/19/13- Brooklyn, NY
10/21/13- Philly, PA
10/22/13- Philly, PA
10/27/13- Baltimore, MD
Tres Mts.- 3/23/11- Philly
Eddie Vedder- 6/25/11- Philly
Ive had it happen several times and it is terrifying. However, in my case I think that I am awake and someone is in the room or coming up the stairs after me. One time I could have sworn there was a figure in the door looking at me. And I couldn't move or scream or anything. Then all of a sudden I can move, but I am still scared because it seemed to happen when I was awake. In other words I don't feel like I had been asleep. It has been a while since one, and I hope I never have such an episode again.
I've had the "person in the room" AND the "person coming up the stairs" situation. Ugh.
I've had this happen to me too..It's scary..but the majority of the time I know I'm dreaming..so I actually "scream" to myself in my dream to "wake up"...but since I'm in rem, i don't wake up right away and "person coming up the stairs" continues to get closer..one time in my dream they were just inches from my bed and then I finally woke up..
But I've gotten pretty good at controlling my dreams so sometimes I just "fix" the situation instead of waking myself up. Crazy stuff...but true.
It has been quite a while since I've had one. But yes, I know what you mean by controlling your dreams/thoughts. But the times I've had the sleep paralysis I was in a panic - as much as you can be in a panic when you're paralyzed. : )
The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way it treats its animals. Ghandi
I used to have similar feelings/dreams as a kid but it hasn't happened since then. Although I still remember the dreams and feelings I had at the time very vividly. How I felt in the dream, the sensations, what was going on and how scared it made me. People always told me/tell me that they were night terrors. This adds a different perspective though.
On a side note, as a marijuana smoker I rarely have dreams. Ever. I know this because when I stop smoking for even a day I dream again and they are typically very vivid and bizarre. When smoking, I don't typically remember them at all or the memory fades very quickly after waking. I'm wondering if this might help people who deal with this a lot. I also sleep on my stomach.
I used to have similar feelings/dreams as a kid but it hasn't happened since then. Although I still remember the dreams and feelings I had at the time very vividly. How I felt in the dream, the sensations, what was going on and how scared it made me. People always told me/tell me that they were night terrors. This adds a different perspective though.
On a side note, as a marijuana smoker I rarely have dreams. Ever. I know this because when I stop smoking for even a day I dream again and they are typically very vivid and bizarre. When smoking, I don't typically remember them at all or the memory fades very quickly after waking. I'm wondering if this might help people who deal with this a lot. I also sleep on my stomach.
Sleeping on your stomach is really not good for you. On a related note, neither is habitually smoking smeeze.
What's funny is I get (got?) sleep paralysis the most when I fell asleep on my stomach. The worst was when I was about 16 and I just was dead tired - fell asleep face down, woke up, was aware of my surroundings but could not budge an inch. Next thing it felt like something was in the room, then on the bed, and then sat on my back. As the terror ramped up, I tried my best to push myself off the bed (of course not moving but screaming in my head and thrashing like crazy). The next thing was the weight on my back felt like claws and then BOOM they were gripped into my back. I pushed and pushed and pushed till I "woke up" - it was like I was underwater and was coming up for air when I finally was able to push myself off the bed. Crazy shit.
I used to have similar feelings/dreams as a kid but it hasn't happened since then. Although I still remember the dreams and feelings I had at the time very vividly. How I felt in the dream, the sensations, what was going on and how scared it made me. People always told me/tell me that they were night terrors. This adds a different perspective though.
On a side note, as a marijuana smoker I rarely have dreams. Ever. I know this because when I stop smoking for even a day I dream again and they are typically very vivid and bizarre. When smoking, I don't typically remember them at all or the memory fades very quickly after waking. I'm wondering if this might help people who deal with this a lot. I also sleep on my stomach.
Sleeping on your stomach is really not good for you. On a related note, neither is habitually smoking smeeze.
What's funny is I get (got?) sleep paralysis the most when I fell asleep on my stomach. The worst was when I was about 16 and I just was dead tired - fell asleep face down, woke up, was aware of my surroundings but could not budge an inch. Next thing it felt like something was in the room, then on the bed, and then sat on my back. As the terror ramped up, I tried my best to push myself off the bed (of course not moving but screaming in my head and thrashing like crazy). The next thing was the weight on my back felt like claws and then BOOM they were gripped into my back. I pushed and pushed and pushed till I "woke up" - it was like I was underwater and was coming up for air when I finally was able to push myself off the bed. Crazy shit.
Oh fuck no. In gonna have nightmares now. I'd have to be committed for life if that ever happened to me. I dunno how you guys stay sane after that.
It's gotta be a different plane though right? Like if it's so common to have the same thing with the "intruders" approaching? I mean to me it sounds like it petty much has to be a different dimension or something.
Oh fuck no. In gonna have nightmares now. I'd have to be committed for life if that ever happened to me. I dunno how you guys stay sane after that.
It's gotta be a different plane though right? Like if it's so common to have the same thing with the "intruders" approaching? I mean to me it sounds like it petty much has to be a different dimension or something.
I don't know where to start..I guess a thank you to the OP for having the courage to share their experience..I was literally blown away when I stumbled upon this thread and hope that others can find some peace in knowing they are not alone. I say this because I also experienced this shit..a lot..when I was younger. It's absolutely horrible and it can be hard for people to talk about and for others to relate to...brings back a lot of not so good memories. Fortunately, with the information world we live in now,there are places people can find commonality..like here..I know it would have helped me immensely..It's a terrible experience for a young person to go through,especially if it is reoccurring. It took me years to find someone else who could relate. I'm not going to revisit my experiences, just want to help. PM me if you need someone to listen. I apologize for sounding so serious but i don't take this lightly..it can be a real battle for some. Just know this..you have others to lean on,and it will pass. Peace Dino
that's cool. don't have either of those. Did you watch it? I'll wait til it comes out on Netflix or something.
We just watched it last night. It was...alright? I mean it was cool to see these 8 people interviewed and have the director put a visualization to their recounted stories, but it would've been better if it delved into every aspect of it - medical, the individuals' backgrounds (which is very barely alluded to).
I get the director was going more for the goal of freaking the viewer out, and by the reviews that seems to only be the goal. And that's fine. Just wanted more scientific/medical people interviewed instead of, "I now believe in ghosts and the paranormal oooooohhhhhh."
Oh, man. This better not suck. I can relate to too much of this.
it came out earlier this year, independently and got favorable reviews. I couldn't find it playing near me though.
Man, that's totally how it is! My only experience was indeed the devil or something like that... with that huge overwhelming booming noise of the devil or death or whatever the fucked pounding up stairs coming for me... If anyone's read Stephen King's The Stand, it was like having Randall Flagg coming for me, lol, and all I could do was lie there staring at my bedroom door waiting for it to burst in and kill me. It took hours for me to get over it!
Post edited by PJ_Soul on
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
almost happened to me again lat night, but kinda forced myself awake before it happened. Was dreaming i was getting a haircut. The barber put me in the chair and put something around my head and waist. I could feel my stomach getting tighter and tighter. I tried to tell him that it was too tight but couldn't. Eventually forced myself awake. and started to shiver and could move.
8/28/98- Camden, NJ
10/31/09- Philly
5/21/10- NYC
9/2/12- Philly, PA
7/19/13- Wrigley
10/19/13- Brooklyn, NY
10/21/13- Philly, PA
10/22/13- Philly, PA
10/27/13- Baltimore, MD
Tres Mts.- 3/23/11- Philly
Eddie Vedder- 6/25/11- Philly
I have SP episodes about twice a month on average, but they are clustered, so it's usually more like 3 times in 2 weeks and then none for more than a month. It used to be pretty traumatic but it gets less and less so when you have so many episodes. I went through a period with 10-12 a week, 3 or more on some nights, for a few months and that put me through the fire. Once I laid down and fell immediately into SP, I mean like, immediately. The old saying of falling asleep the second your head hits the pillow? Yeah, you don't want that lol We hadn't even turned the bedside lamp out, I laid backwards and fell straight into the "sinking place" and my wife saw me go slack and woke me and asked "wtf just happened"? I had 3 more that night, but none was nearly as bad as that falling into a hole, felt like death.
Through all that I discovered that you still typically have control of your breathing, but not vocalisation. So, while you can't speak, you can make a gasping, gurgling, sputter that will wake your sleeping companion to rouse you. The only downside is that if your sleeping companion doesn't wake, you are hyperventilating yourself lol
The dread and the person in the room, or outside the window usually for me, is still there, but now it is incorporated into a dream more than half the time. I also have developed the ability to vocalise now, so I don't know if it is still true SP. It is now more like a typical nightmare, but with enough lucidity to recognise that it's a dream and I can't move my body. Episodes only last a few seconds now because I sound the alarm immediately and my wife wakes me.
Monkey Driven, Call this Living?
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F Me In The Brain
this knows everybody from other commets Posts: 30,651
edited October 2017
Had not seen this thread before...I can relate to portions of this. Much more so as a kid but I learned to wake myself up, as someone described in a post earlier in the thread. Odd that just last week or the week before I had a dream during which I could move side to side (imagine moving side to side) as I was deep in my dream...and I had a sense that something was super wrong. Like, my family was going to get butchered, wrong. I was doing everything I could to wake myself up...I knew I was in the dream but I just also knew that if I didnt wake up and do something that something awful was going to happen. it seemed to last for 15-20 minutes, but it probably was not that long. Writhing around, thrashing, and screaming for my wife to wake up & to wake me up. I tried to reach her but no matter what I did, I could not. Of course, when I finally was able to wake myself up, I sat up & was completely alert. Hit the ground at a (quiet) run to make sure the kids were OK and the house was empty/locked up. Took me an hour+ to get back to sleep. If this happened all of the time it would really be bothersome -- and certainly take a toll on your sleep. Feeling someone else in the room and being unable to even move? Wow, that would freak me out, indeed. As was share above....the brain is a messed up thing, at times.
RGambs, reading your piece about falling in the black hole made me remember that a similar thing happened two times to me last night. Exhausted after a long weekend and Monday night where we didnt get bed from attending the Monday Night Football game until about 1:45AM...and then having the 3 year old wake us up at 5...I was seriously tired last night. Went to bed after the World Series Game, it was something like 11:08 when I racked out - as usual I set my alarm and looked at the clock. I had some sort of wild-assed, crazy dream and I wanted to wake up, so I did. When I looked at the clock it was 11:11. Happened again and when I awoke it was 11:14. How in the hell you can experience that 2x almost directly after laying down is another indication of how your (my!) brain needs rest and the ways it can mess with you without rest.
I am sorry for people that go through these sorts of things frequently. It is a very strange thing, and to be stuck feeling paralyzed while you think something bad is happening? Freaky!
Had not seen this thread before...I can relate to portions of this. Much more so as a kid but I learned to wake myself up, as someone described in a post earlier in the thread. Odd that just last week or the week before I had a dream during which I could move side to side (imagine moving side to side) as I was deep in my dream...and I had a sense that something was super wrong. Like, my family was going to get butchered, wrong. I was doing everything I could to wake myself up...I knew I was in the dream but I just also knew that if I didnt wake up and do something that something awful was going to happen. it seemed to last for 15-20 minutes, but it probably was not that long. Writhing around, thrashing, and screaming for my wife to wake up & to wake me up. I tried to reach her but no matter what I did, I could not. Of course, when I finally was able to wake myself up, I sat up & was completely alert. Hit the ground at a (quiet) run to make sure the kids were OK and the house was empty/locked up. Took me an hour+ to get back to sleep. If this happened all of the time it would really be bothersome -- and certainly take a toll on your sleep. Feeling someone else in the room and being unable to even move? Wow, that would freak me out, indeed. As was share above....the brain is a messed up thing, at times.
RGambs, reading your piece about falling in the black hole made me remember that a similar thing happened two times to me last night. Exhausted after a long weekend and Monday night where we didnt get bed from attending the Monday Night Football game until about 1:45AM...and then having the 3 year old wake us up at 5...I was seriously tired last night. Went to bed after the World Series Game, it was something like 11:08 when I racked out - as usual I set my alarm and looked at the clock. I had some sort of wild-assed, crazy dream and I wanted to wake up, so I did. When I looked at the clock it was 11:11. Happened again and when I awoke it was 11:14. How in the hell you can experience that 2x almost directly after laying down is another indication of how your (my!) brain needs rest and the ways it can mess with you without rest.
I am sorry for people that go through these sorts of things frequently. It is a very strange thing, and to be stuck feeling paralyzed while you think something bad is happening? Freaky!
Somehow, I think that your more recent experiences may be related to your Vodka love.
I SAW PEARL JAM
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F Me In The Brain
this knows everybody from other commets Posts: 30,651
Had not seen this thread before...I can relate to portions of this. Much more so as a kid but I learned to wake myself up, as someone described in a post earlier in the thread. Odd that just last week or the week before I had a dream during which I could move side to side (imagine moving side to side) as I was deep in my dream...and I had a sense that something was super wrong. Like, my family was going to get butchered, wrong. I was doing everything I could to wake myself up...I knew I was in the dream but I just also knew that if I didnt wake up and do something that something awful was going to happen. it seemed to last for 15-20 minutes, but it probably was not that long. Writhing around, thrashing, and screaming for my wife to wake up & to wake me up. I tried to reach her but no matter what I did, I could not. Of course, when I finally was able to wake myself up, I sat up & was completely alert. Hit the ground at a (quiet) run to make sure the kids were OK and the house was empty/locked up. Took me an hour+ to get back to sleep. If this happened all of the time it would really be bothersome -- and certainly take a toll on your sleep. Feeling someone else in the room and being unable to even move? Wow, that would freak me out, indeed. As was share above....the brain is a messed up thing, at times.
RGambs, reading your piece about falling in the black hole made me remember that a similar thing happened two times to me last night. Exhausted after a long weekend and Monday night where we didnt get bed from attending the Monday Night Football game until about 1:45AM...and then having the 3 year old wake us up at 5...I was seriously tired last night. Went to bed after the World Series Game, it was something like 11:08 when I racked out - as usual I set my alarm and looked at the clock. I had some sort of wild-assed, crazy dream and I wanted to wake up, so I did. When I looked at the clock it was 11:11. Happened again and when I awoke it was 11:14. How in the hell you can experience that 2x almost directly after laying down is another indication of how your (my!) brain needs rest and the ways it can mess with you without rest.
I am sorry for people that go through these sorts of things frequently. It is a very strange thing, and to be stuck feeling paralyzed while you think something bad is happening? Freaky!
Somehow, I think that your more recent experiences may be related to your Vodka love.
I can appreciate that. No drinking on either of those nights....when I embrace vodka I tend not to wake up until morning.
Had not seen this thread before...I can relate to portions of this. Much more so as a kid but I learned to wake myself up, as someone described in a post earlier in the thread. Odd that just last week or the week before I had a dream during which I could move side to side (imagine moving side to side) as I was deep in my dream...and I had a sense that something was super wrong. Like, my family was going to get butchered, wrong. I was doing everything I could to wake myself up...I knew I was in the dream but I just also knew that if I didnt wake up and do something that something awful was going to happen. it seemed to last for 15-20 minutes, but it probably was not that long. Writhing around, thrashing, and screaming for my wife to wake up & to wake me up. I tried to reach her but no matter what I did, I could not. Of course, when I finally was able to wake myself up, I sat up & was completely alert. Hit the ground at a (quiet) run to make sure the kids were OK and the house was empty/locked up. Took me an hour+ to get back to sleep. If this happened all of the time it would really be bothersome -- and certainly take a toll on your sleep. Feeling someone else in the room and being unable to even move? Wow, that would freak me out, indeed. As was share above....the brain is a messed up thing, at times.
RGambs, reading your piece about falling in the black hole made me remember that a similar thing happened two times to me last night. Exhausted after a long weekend and Monday night where we didnt get bed from attending the Monday Night Football game until about 1:45AM...and then having the 3 year old wake us up at 5...I was seriously tired last night. Went to bed after the World Series Game, it was something like 11:08 when I racked out - as usual I set my alarm and looked at the clock. I had some sort of wild-assed, crazy dream and I wanted to wake up, so I did. When I looked at the clock it was 11:11. Happened again and when I awoke it was 11:14. How in the hell you can experience that 2x almost directly after laying down is another indication of how your (my!) brain needs rest and the ways it can mess with you without rest.
I am sorry for people that go through these sorts of things frequently. It is a very strange thing, and to be stuck feeling paralyzed while you think something bad is happening? Freaky!
Somehow, I think that your more recent experiences may be related to your Vodka love.
I can appreciate that. No drinking on either of those nights....when I embrace vodka I tend not to wake up until morning.
That’s good. A lot of studies say that alcohol causes sleep issues. But that might be for people who already have difficulty sleeping.
I SAW PEARL JAM
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Options
F Me In The Brain
this knows everybody from other commets Posts: 30,651
Had not seen this thread before...I can relate to portions of this. Much more so as a kid but I learned to wake myself up, as someone described in a post earlier in the thread. Odd that just last week or the week before I had a dream during which I could move side to side (imagine moving side to side) as I was deep in my dream...and I had a sense that something was super wrong. Like, my family was going to get butchered, wrong. I was doing everything I could to wake myself up...I knew I was in the dream but I just also knew that if I didnt wake up and do something that something awful was going to happen. it seemed to last for 15-20 minutes, but it probably was not that long. Writhing around, thrashing, and screaming for my wife to wake up & to wake me up. I tried to reach her but no matter what I did, I could not. Of course, when I finally was able to wake myself up, I sat up & was completely alert. Hit the ground at a (quiet) run to make sure the kids were OK and the house was empty/locked up. Took me an hour+ to get back to sleep. If this happened all of the time it would really be bothersome -- and certainly take a toll on your sleep. Feeling someone else in the room and being unable to even move? Wow, that would freak me out, indeed. As was share above....the brain is a messed up thing, at times.
RGambs, reading your piece about falling in the black hole made me remember that a similar thing happened two times to me last night. Exhausted after a long weekend and Monday night where we didnt get bed from attending the Monday Night Football game until about 1:45AM...and then having the 3 year old wake us up at 5...I was seriously tired last night. Went to bed after the World Series Game, it was something like 11:08 when I racked out - as usual I set my alarm and looked at the clock. I had some sort of wild-assed, crazy dream and I wanted to wake up, so I did. When I looked at the clock it was 11:11. Happened again and when I awoke it was 11:14. How in the hell you can experience that 2x almost directly after laying down is another indication of how your (my!) brain needs rest and the ways it can mess with you without rest.
I am sorry for people that go through these sorts of things frequently. It is a very strange thing, and to be stuck feeling paralyzed while you think something bad is happening? Freaky!
Somehow, I think that your more recent experiences may be related to your Vodka love.
I can appreciate that. No drinking on either of those nights....when I embrace vodka I tend not to wake up until morning.
That’s good. A lot of studies say that alcohol causes sleep issues. But that might be for people who already have difficulty sleeping.
I have SP episodes about twice a month on average, but they are clustered, so it's usually more like 3 times in 2 weeks and then none for more than a month. It used to be pretty traumatic but it gets less and less so when you have so many episodes. I went through a period with 10-12 a week, 3 or more on some nights, for a few months and that put me through the fire. Once I laid down and fell immediately into SP, I mean like, immediately. The old saying of falling asleep the second your head hits the pillow? Yeah, you don't want that lol We hadn't even turned the bedside lamp out, I laid backwards and fell straight into the "sinking place" and my wife saw me go slack and woke me and asked "wtf just happened"? I had 3 more that night, but none was nearly as bad as that falling into a hole, felt like death.
Through all that I discovered that you still typically have control of your breathing, but not vocalisation. So, while you can't speak, you can make a gasping, gurgling, sputter that will wake your sleeping companion to rouse you. The only downside is that if your sleeping companion doesn't wake, you are hyperventilating yourself lol
The dread and the person in the room, or outside the window usually for me, is still there, but now it is incorporated into a dream more than half the time. I also have developed the ability to vocalise now, so I don't know if it is still true SP. It is now more like a typical nightmare, but with enough lucidity to recognise that it's a dream and I can't move my body. Episodes only last a few seconds now because I sound the alarm immediately and my wife wakes me.
damn dude!
8/28/98- Camden, NJ
10/31/09- Philly
5/21/10- NYC
9/2/12- Philly, PA
7/19/13- Wrigley
10/19/13- Brooklyn, NY
10/21/13- Philly, PA
10/22/13- Philly, PA
10/27/13- Baltimore, MD
Tres Mts.- 3/23/11- Philly
Eddie Vedder- 6/25/11- Philly
I definitely have fucked up sleep patterns. I may be mildly narcoleptic or have a similar issue. My sleep states cycle rapidly and as a result, I remember a high number of dreams, which sometimes occur constantly throughout the night with an awakening every half hour or so. The old wife lady remembers a dream upon waking like once a month, and I average 2.5 per night. I can get "stuck in a loop" and have the same dream continuously for hours. The sucky part is that it's usually just a fragment of a dream or even just a thought. All night long just walking a single flight of steps, wondering how to get somewhere, or even just thinking blue, blue, blue, forever. Sometimes even getting out of bed for a half hour isn't enough to break the cycle! I have lucid dreams every week, but I'm not able to control the direction, only able to recognise it for a dream. I've experienced somnambulism a few times, but nothing freaky.
I have had three "out of body" experiences connected to paralysis events, each time I slid off the bed feet first and layed on the floor wondering how I would get up since I can't move, only to wake up in the bed and confused about being there.
Someday I need a sleep study. Really though, I don't have insomnia and I'm thankful for that. I am a hardy fellow who can get by on 5 hours of sleep every night, even with wakings at least every hour.
One perk, I've almost never overslept more than about 15-20 minutes and I don't use an alarm clock. I always know about what time it is.
Comments
You know the moment you had that 'vague thought'? That thought is the act of 'coming to a realization', that is how you were able to wake up. You had a clear mind. You did not get lost in your situation. Like most do, but rather you were able to question your situation.
i've actually been free of this problem for the past few months. its kind of nice. so weird when it happens though
I prefer sleeping on my back than on my side. One reason is for me it's more comfortable. The other is if i sleep on my side i usually tend to drool :oops:
8/28/98- Camden, NJ
10/31/09- Philly
5/21/10- NYC
9/2/12- Philly, PA
7/19/13- Wrigley
10/19/13- Brooklyn, NY
10/21/13- Philly, PA
10/22/13- Philly, PA
10/27/13- Baltimore, MD
Tres Mts.- 3/23/11- Philly
Eddie Vedder- 6/25/11- Philly
I've had this happen to me too..It's scary..but the majority of the time I know I'm dreaming..so I actually "scream" to myself in my dream to "wake up"...but since I'm in rem, i don't wake up right away and "person coming up the stairs" continues to get closer..one time in my dream they were just inches from my bed and then I finally woke up..
But I've gotten pretty good at controlling my dreams so sometimes I just "fix" the situation instead of waking myself up. Crazy stuff...but true.
8/28/98- Camden, NJ
10/31/09- Philly
5/21/10- NYC
9/2/12- Philly, PA
7/19/13- Wrigley
10/19/13- Brooklyn, NY
10/21/13- Philly, PA
10/22/13- Philly, PA
10/27/13- Baltimore, MD
Tres Mts.- 3/23/11- Philly
Eddie Vedder- 6/25/11- Philly
On a side note, as a marijuana smoker I rarely have dreams. Ever. I know this because when I stop smoking for even a day I dream again and they are typically very vivid and bizarre. When smoking, I don't typically remember them at all or the memory fades very quickly after waking. I'm wondering if this might help people who deal with this a lot. I also sleep on my stomach.
05/24/06, 06/28/08, 06/30/08, 05/17/10, 09/07/11, 09/11/11, 09/12/11, 09/14/11, 09/15/11, 10/15/13, 10/16/13, 10/21/13, 10/22/13, 10/25/13, 10/27/13, 05/05/16, 05/08/16, 08/07/16, 09/02/18
ev: 06/15/11
What's funny is I get (got?) sleep paralysis the most when I fell asleep on my stomach. The worst was when I was about 16 and I just was dead tired - fell asleep face down, woke up, was aware of my surroundings but could not budge an inch. Next thing it felt like something was in the room, then on the bed, and then sat on my back. As the terror ramped up, I tried my best to push myself off the bed (of course not moving but screaming in my head and thrashing like crazy). The next thing was the weight on my back felt like claws and then BOOM they were gripped into my back. I pushed and pushed and pushed till I "woke up" - it was like I was underwater and was coming up for air when I finally was able to push myself off the bed. Crazy shit.
It's gotta be a different plane though right? Like if it's so common to have the same thing with the "intruders" approaching? I mean to me it sounds like it petty much has to be a different dimension or something.
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8/28/98- Camden, NJ
10/31/09- Philly
5/21/10- NYC
9/2/12- Philly, PA
7/19/13- Wrigley
10/19/13- Brooklyn, NY
10/21/13- Philly, PA
10/22/13- Philly, PA
10/27/13- Baltimore, MD
Tres Mts.- 3/23/11- Philly
Eddie Vedder- 6/25/11- Philly
Peace
Dino
8/28/98- Camden, NJ
10/31/09- Philly
5/21/10- NYC
9/2/12- Philly, PA
7/19/13- Wrigley
10/19/13- Brooklyn, NY
10/21/13- Philly, PA
10/22/13- Philly, PA
10/27/13- Baltimore, MD
Tres Mts.- 3/23/11- Philly
Eddie Vedder- 6/25/11- Philly
I get the director was going more for the goal of freaking the viewer out, and by the reviews that seems to only be the goal. And that's fine. Just wanted more scientific/medical people interviewed instead of, "I now believe in ghosts and the paranormal oooooohhhhhh."
8/28/98- Camden, NJ
10/31/09- Philly
5/21/10- NYC
9/2/12- Philly, PA
7/19/13- Wrigley
10/19/13- Brooklyn, NY
10/21/13- Philly, PA
10/22/13- Philly, PA
10/27/13- Baltimore, MD
Tres Mts.- 3/23/11- Philly
Eddie Vedder- 6/25/11- Philly
It used to be pretty traumatic but it gets less and less so when you have so many episodes. I went through a period with 10-12 a week, 3 or more on some nights, for a few months and that put me through the fire.
Once I laid down and fell immediately into SP, I mean like, immediately. The old saying of falling asleep the second your head hits the pillow? Yeah, you don't want that lol
We hadn't even turned the bedside lamp out, I laid backwards and fell straight into the "sinking place" and my wife saw me go slack and woke me and asked "wtf just happened"? I had 3 more that night, but none was nearly as bad as that falling into a hole, felt like death.
Through all that I discovered that you still typically have control of your breathing, but not vocalisation. So, while you can't speak, you can make a gasping, gurgling, sputter that will wake your sleeping companion to rouse you.
The only downside is that if your sleeping companion doesn't wake, you are hyperventilating yourself lol
The dread and the person in the room, or outside the window usually for me, is still there, but now it is incorporated into a dream more than half the time.
I also have developed the ability to vocalise now, so I don't know if it is still true SP. It is now more like a typical nightmare, but with enough lucidity to recognise that it's a dream and I can't move my body. Episodes only last a few seconds now because I sound the alarm immediately and my wife wakes me.
Of course, when I finally was able to wake myself up, I sat up & was completely alert. Hit the ground at a (quiet) run to make sure the kids were OK and the house was empty/locked up. Took me an hour+ to get back to sleep.
If this happened all of the time it would really be bothersome -- and certainly take a toll on your sleep.
Feeling someone else in the room and being unable to even move? Wow, that would freak me out, indeed. As was share above....the brain is a messed up thing, at times.
RGambs, reading your piece about falling in the black hole made me remember that a similar thing happened two times to me last night. Exhausted after a long weekend and Monday night where we didnt get bed from attending the Monday Night Football game until about 1:45AM...and then having the 3 year old wake us up at 5...I was seriously tired last night.
Went to bed after the World Series Game, it was something like 11:08 when I racked out - as usual I set my alarm and looked at the clock.
I had some sort of wild-assed, crazy dream and I wanted to wake up, so I did. When I looked at the clock it was 11:11.
Happened again and when I awoke it was 11:14.
How in the hell you can experience that 2x almost directly after laying down is another indication of how your (my!) brain needs rest and the ways it can mess with you without rest.
I am sorry for people that go through these sorts of things frequently. It is a very strange thing, and to be stuck feeling paralyzed while you think something bad is happening? Freaky!
I can appreciate that. No drinking on either of those nights....when I embrace vodka I tend not to wake up until morning.
8/28/98- Camden, NJ
10/31/09- Philly
5/21/10- NYC
9/2/12- Philly, PA
7/19/13- Wrigley
10/19/13- Brooklyn, NY
10/21/13- Philly, PA
10/22/13- Philly, PA
10/27/13- Baltimore, MD
Tres Mts.- 3/23/11- Philly
Eddie Vedder- 6/25/11- Philly
My sleep states cycle rapidly and as a result, I remember a high number of dreams, which sometimes occur constantly throughout the night with an awakening every half hour or so. The old wife lady remembers a dream upon waking like once a month, and I average 2.5 per night.
I can get "stuck in a loop" and have the same dream continuously for hours. The sucky part is that it's usually just a fragment of a dream or even just a thought.
All night long just walking a single flight of steps, wondering how to get somewhere, or even just thinking blue, blue, blue, forever. Sometimes even getting out of bed for a half hour isn't enough to break the cycle!
I have lucid dreams every week, but I'm not able to control the direction, only able to recognise it for a dream.
I've experienced somnambulism a few times, but nothing freaky.
I have had three "out of body" experiences connected to paralysis events, each time I slid off the bed feet first and layed on the floor wondering how I would get up since I can't move, only to wake up in the bed and confused about being there.
Someday I need a sleep study.
Really though, I don't have insomnia and I'm thankful for that.
I am a hardy fellow who can get by on 5 hours of sleep every night, even with wakings at least every hour.
One perk, I've almost never overslept more than about 15-20 minutes and I don't use an alarm clock. I always know about what time it is.