What Is Sleep Paralysis and How Is It Treated?

An estimated 7.6% of the general population experiences sleep paralysis. This is a condition where you temporarily lose the ability to move or speak shortly after falling asleep or waking up. Sleep paralysis is often connected to other sleep and psychiatric disorders, but people with good mental health can develop this condition as well.

This can be a terrifying experience and can sometimes even come with hallucinations. If you experience this, talk to your doctor. Researching health-related topics from reputable sources, along with talking to medical professionals, can help you get the care you need. Here's what you need to know about this condition.

What Is Sleep Paralysis?

Most people experience distinct boundaries between being asleep and being awake; however, sleep paralysis is a blurred experience between the two.

Mentally, you might be awake, but your body still feels like it is asleep, which is why you are unable to move or speak. Alternatively, your brain might not be able to recognize whether you are awake or asleep. This is why some people with this condition experience hallucinations. Part of their brain is still in a deep REM sleep.

Sleep paralysis could be an isolated incident that occurs every once in a while. It can also become a reoccurring condition that is associated with other sleep or mental health disorders.

Sleep Paralysis Symptoms

The best way to describe this condition is that you know you are awake but cannot control your body. Here are a few common symptoms that describe the experience of sleep paralysis:

• Shortly after waking up, you are unable to move your arms, legs, or body.
• You have an inability to speak or scream.
• You are fully aware of everything that is happening around you, including these inabilities.
• You may hallucinate at this time.

Symptoms could last a few seconds or a few minutes depending on the person. They usually end when the brain recognizes that you are fully awake. At this time, you will regain control of your ability to move and speak.

What Does Sleep Paralysis Look Like?

In most cases, you might not notice that your partner or loved one is experiencing an episode of sleep paralysis. Because these episodes only last a few seconds or minutes, they are hard to catch. The experience might be terrifying for the person who has this condition, but they should recover after they wake up.

Someone who has sleep paralysis will likely have their eyes open and they might even be moving around. The person going through this episode could be breathing heavily or rapidly. This reflects their emotional distress and potential hallucinations.

It is okay to gently nudge your partner or loved one awake, especially if it seems like they're having a bad dream. You will then be able to calm them down after the episode.

What Is False Awakening?

People who experience sleep paralysis are more likely to experience false awakenings. This occurs when you have vivid dreams about waking up and starting your day. You might dream that you are climbing out of bed, getting ready for work, and making breakfast before you really wake up. A false awakening is a normal experience and harmless, though it can be disconcerting in the moment.

Hypnopompic Hallucinations vs. Hypnagogic Hallucinations

There are two types of hallucinations you may experience when you have sleep paralysis: hypnopompic, which happens when you are waking up, and hypnagogic, which occurs when you are falling asleep.

Hallucinations can last for a few minutes but will end when you wake up. These hallucinations can be scary or pleasant because they are part of your dream state. When you stop having these episodes, the hallucinations should also go away.

What Causes Sleep Paralysis?

Sleep paralysis is often the result of mental strain, psychological distress, or poor sleep habits. The brain is not getting the sleep it needs, which causes mixed signals about whether you are asleep or awake. Here are a few factors that can contribute to this condition.

• Narcolepsy: This condition creates unstable sleep and wakefulness patterns.
• Shift work: Working nights can throw off your circadian rhythms and unpredictable shifts can make it hard for your body to develop healthy sleep patterns.
• Poor sleep quality: Stress and anxiety, a bad mattress, and other lifestyle factors can prevent you from getting a good night's sleep. This can increase your chances of an episode.
• Substance abuse: Drug use and alcohol consumption can affect your quality of sleep. Even if alcohol causes you to fall asleep for several hours, you might not get the REM sleep that leaves you feeling rejuvenated.
• Sleep aids: Medications that help you fall asleep can potentially cause sleep paralysis as a side effect.

Multiple causes can contribute to your sleep paralysis episodes. For example, your shift work schedule might lead you to use sleep aids. Both factors together could increase your chances of experiencing this condition.

Sleep Paralysis Treatment Options

There are no proven therapies for addressing sleep paralysis. However, you may be able to work with your doctor to reduce your chances of having these episodes. Here are a few things they might recommend.

• Improve your sleep habits: Focus on your sleep hygiene so you get enough sleep and high-quality sleep.
• Make small body movements during an episode: When you experience sleep paralysis, challenge yourself to move your pinky finger or wiggle your toes. Some people believe this helps them wake up faster.
• Check into a sleep clinic: Experts can track how you sleep and identify potential problems that could be causing sleep paralysis.

The severity of your sleep paralysis will determine how you seek treatment. If you only occasionally experience this, you might write it off as a bad dream. However, if you regularly go through these episodes, you might want to seek medical help.

Is Sleep Paralysis Dangerous?

Sleep paralysis is not considered dangerous and you are unlikely to harm yourself physically when you experience the sensation. However, sleep paralysis can take a psychological toll. You may feel stressed about falling asleep or shaken after an episode.

Sleep paralysis can also be connected to other physical or mental disorders. It could be a sign that you have sleep apnea or narcolepsy. These conditions can be dangerous and you should seek treatment for them.

How To Stop Sleep Paralysis in the Moment

While sleep paralysis only lasts a few seconds or minutes, the episodes can feel like they last much longer. here are a few ways to break out of this experience.

• Recognize that you have sleep paralysis. Identifying the condition when it is happening can help you wake up.
• **Stay calm and think about your breathing. **This will give you something to think about and can potentially prevent hallucinations.
• Focus on moving your body in small ways. Try wiggling your fingers or twitching your nose.
• Try to make small noises. Instead of speaking or screaming, think about whispers or squeaks.

Different actions work for different people. You can develop your own techniques for breaking out of sleep paralysis in the moment.

How To Avoid Sleep Paralysis

While you might not be able to eliminate sleep paralysis from your life, you can take steps to reduce the regularity of these experiences.

• Develop healthy sleep habits where you go to bed at the same hour and avoid screen time 30 minutes before you turn out the light.
• Try sleeping on your side, as more people experience paralysis when they sleep on their backs.
• Identify when stress in your life could affect the quality of your sleep.
• Seek treatment for medical conditions like apnea or narcolepsy and take steps to treat your psychological health.
• Avoid drug and alcohol abuse.

If you make changes to improve the quality of your sleep and develop healthy habits but the episodes continue, talk to your doctor.

For most people, sleep paralysis is a rare occurrence that is harmless. However, if you experience this condition frequently, talk to your doctor. There may be underlying conditions that are causing it.

Disclaimer:

The information provided on this website is for general informational purposes only. It is not intended as medical advice and should not be used as a substitute for professional consultation, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or emergency services immediately.