Anyone with Sleep Paralisys (cpap/not)

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
Ruinednose
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Anyone with Sleep Paralisys (cpap/not)

Post by Ruinednose » Fri Dec 20, 2013 1:55 pm

Just experienced it this morning... it was awefull. your awake and aware and you just cant shake out of it, your body is out of sync with the mind of when waking up.
its awefull its even with hallucinations.
im sure somone has experienced it i wonder why i experienced it.
Good thing i had my bipap on made breathing easier

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Ladyflower
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Re: Anyone with Sleep Paralisys (cpap/not)

Post by Ladyflower » Fri Dec 20, 2013 2:17 pm

I've had them periodically for years. I didn't know until my husband brought home his paperwork during his sleep apnea testing that they are related. I could go months without having a single one and then have 5 or more in a single night. (Obviously I wake a lot during the night sometimes!) Last night during my sleep titration study I had one. It's a scary feeling, even though I'm aware of what is going on. It's the paralysis more than anything else that scares me. The first one I ever had maybe 20 years ago I still remember vivedly to this day - it included sounds and halucinations.
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SleepyBobR
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Re: Anyone with Sleep Paralisys (cpap/not)

Post by SleepyBobR » Fri Dec 20, 2013 2:57 pm

Yes, I used to have that quite frequently but much less frequently since starting CPAP. Usually it happens in the morning when I'm sort of hovering in REM sleep before waking up. I think it's caused by the return of awareness before the REM state muscle paralysis is turned off. Best thing is to just go with it and not to struggle with it or get panicky. It passes quickly and is harmless. Weird though. Makes you realize that sleep state paralysis is very real and that your body is in a very much altered state when you are asleep.

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Bobshouse
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Re: Anyone with Sleep Paralisys (cpap/not)

Post by Bobshouse » Fri Dec 20, 2013 4:35 pm

I've had several, none pleasant. I always get the one with something behind me with a evil laugh and it likes shaking the bed. I am powerless to turn over or move. One night I was sleeping facing the alarm clock and the dresser, I could see what was behind me in the mirror, after that, I didn't want to fight it and turn over.

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jweeks
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Re: Anyone with Sleep Paralisys (cpap/not)

Post by jweeks » Fri Dec 20, 2013 8:25 pm

Hi,

I have had exactly one since I started on CPAP. It was the classic where I woke up with a grey space alien at the side of my bed. I knew it wasn't real. The alien got bored and faded out as the paralysis started to wear off. Since I enjoy reading about UFOs and have been a long time listener to the Art Bell show, I was fascinated to finally have this happen to me. I didn't find any implants or unexplained marks on my body, so I assume that this wasn't a real space alien.

-john-

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JointPain
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Re: Anyone with Sleep Paralisys (cpap/not)

Post by JointPain » Fri Dec 20, 2013 11:29 pm

I used to have very vivid dreams where I needed to run but couldn't. With all my imaginary efforts, I could barely get my dream legs to move at all let alone fast. Then I'd wake up with the classic apnea symptoms (racing heart, out of breath etc). At the time I never thought I was awake, but maybe. I was certainly scared before waking up. It's been a long while since I've had one of those. Can't remember exactly when.

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sleepwise
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Re: Anyone with Sleep Paralisys (cpap/not)

Post by sleepwise » Fri Dec 20, 2013 11:36 pm

I too have had them, and I too have listened to Coast to Coast Am for years, and I am aware of the metaphysical explanation and the old hag theory, or syndrome, in fact I was talking to the sleep tech about it and he had heard about it and something else about a tribal people, name escapes me now,who had similar experiences and as soon as they were put into a clinical setting they would die, I will have to do some research on this one, it reminded me of the Aborigines of Australia and their dream time, the scary think about Sleep Paralysis is that, you can't move a muscle and then when you can move your little finger you slowly start to gain control, very freaky indeed!

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sleepstar
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Re: Anyone with Sleep Paralisys (cpap/not)

Post by sleepstar » Fri Dec 20, 2013 11:52 pm

Ruinednose wrote:Just experienced it this morning... it was awefull. your awake and aware and you just cant shake out of it, your body is out of sync with the mind of when waking up.
its awefull its even with hallucinations.
im sure somone has experienced it i wonder why i experienced it.
Good thing i had my bipap on made breathing easier
It's scary, isn't it!
You were most likely in your dream sleep (REM sleep) and woke up. In REM sleep your muscles are basically paralysed (sounds scary, but if they weren't we all would be kicking our legs and waving our arms while acting out our dreams!)

I've had this happen before, and I'm sure many others on this forum will report it happening too.

If it does happen on a regular basis though, I'd definitely speak to your sleep physician.

pbriggs
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Re: Anyone with Sleep Paralisys (cpap/not)

Post by pbriggs » Sat Dec 21, 2013 6:03 am

sleep paralysis - http://www.periodicparalysis.org/english/view.asp?x=541

Sounds interesting to me - I have the opposite problem with REM sleep behavior disorder - this is when in REM sleep you are not always in paralysis so you actually act out your dreams. Not so scary for me, but it sure is for my wife...

Here is an interesting read on Isolated Sleep Paralysis - http://www.journalsleep.org/Articles/250113.pdf

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Bobshouse
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Re: Anyone with Sleep Paralisys (cpap/not)

Post by Bobshouse » Sat Dec 21, 2013 12:57 pm

This incident scared me more than anything. One night I was asleep and fell out of bed, not a "oh crap!!!" kinda fall, but one where your to near the edge and just kinda slip off the side. Laying there on the floor, almost to tired to get up, I managed to pull myself upright to get back into bed. I couldn't believe what I saw...me laying in bed asleep...I went into shock and woke up in bed under the covers.

To all those nay sayers, I know it happened, when I fell out of bed, I noticed my sons GI joe under the bed.

Read up on it and others have stated it was a "out of body experience"...

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