Probably everyone has heard stories about what sometimes happens to people in their sleep or after waking up. The state in which, before falling asleep or after waking up, a person cannot move, cannot utter a sound, is called sleep paralysis.
Sleep paralysis or sleep stupor can last from a few seconds to several minutes. Naturally, to a person who is in such a state, this time seems like an eternity.
It is not for nothing that in many cultures there are legends about demons and other terrible creatures that supposedly came to some people after a dream for some reason.
Why does sleep paralysis happen? Causes of paralysis
In order to understand the cause of paralysis, it is important to understand the mechanism and phases of sleep. Every night a person is really paralyzed for some time, and this is a normal state. When you fall asleep, your body goes into REM sleep. In this phase, a person experiences quite vivid dreams, which can call him to action.
So the brain sends signals to the muscles to relax. This is a kind of protective reaction of the body, so that a person in a dream does not abruptly collapse from the bed. If these mechanisms are violated, somnabulism develops.
That is, when the body goes into sleep paralysis , the phase of REM sleep begins, and a person normally should not feel this, because the process of falling asleep occurs before the onset of sleep paralysis. That is why a person cannot catch the moment of transition to sleep. That is, a violation of the change in sleep phases is the cause of paralysis.
Sleep paralysis may be accompanied by:
- The presence of noise in the ears when a "ringing" is heard. Such sounds a person usually hears in a state of wakefulness in complete silence.
- Increased sensitivity to various sounds.
- Partial or full awareness of one's body, in which a person knows and feels that he can move, but the transition from thoughts to action can take a very long time.
Everyone can experience sleep paralysis once in a lifetime.
How does sleep paralysis manifest itself? Sleep paralysis symptoms
Feeling sleep paralyzed when falling asleep is quite rare and is often a symptom of narcolepsy. Usually sleep paralysis as a symptom of narcolepsy appears after 30 years. Before this age, sleep paralysis may be associated with sleep disturbance, panic disorders.
Sleep paralysis upon waking is often accompanied by the following symptoms:
- Feeling of suffocation and lack of air.
- An overwhelming fear of death.
- False awakenings.
- Disorientation in space.
- Illusions of movements – it seems to a person that he is moving parts of the body, but in fact he is lying.
- The feeling of being around someone evil and hostile.
- Rapid heartbeat.
In general, sleep paralysis – this is a very vivid experience that leads to panic fear. But it is absolutely harmless to human health, if not associated with other diseases.
What can I do to get rid of sleep paralysis?
To prevent sleep paralysis episodes, it is important to adhere to the requirements of good sleep:
- Sleep should last at least 8 hours a day.
- Adjust to a strict sleep schedule – go to bed and get up at the same time.
- Avoid stressful situations.
- Exercise shortly before bedtime, walk outside before bed.
In order to fall asleep quickly and soundly, the human body involuntarily makes "sipping" movements, which speeds up the process of falling asleep.
If you already had an episode of sleep paralysis and you remember the position, then you need to fall asleep in a different position. Most often, sleep paralysis occurs when lying on your back due to pressure on the chest. Also, the position of the body - lying on the back with arms thrown up - is a common posture for paralysis. Lying on your side reduces your chances of developing sleep paralysis.
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