Key Points

• Sleep paralysis is a condition where you temporarily lose control of your muscles right before or right after you fall asleep.
• People who experience sleep paralysis often have hallucinations or feelings of suffocation.
• It is linked to sleep problems and some mental health conditions, but no one knows for sure what causes Sleep paralysis.
• People whose sleep-wake cycles are disturbed by changes in work shifts, travel schedules, or stress may be more likely to get sleep paralysis.
• Sleep paralysis can be managed with few lifestyle changes, although a medical professional should be consulted.

Sleep paralysis is a short-term loss of the ability to move or speak right after you fall asleep or wake up. Most of the time, the difference between being asleep and awake is clear. But conditions like sleep paralysis can make these lines less apparent. During episodes, people are still aware, but they often have disturbing hallucinations and a feeling of suffocation.

We still don't know much about sleep paralysis, but learning about the different types, their signs, causes, effects, and treatments can help us understand it better and find ways to avoid getting it.

What exactly is Sleep Paralysis?

Sleep paralysis is a common condition wherein a person loses control of their muscles for a short time, called muscle atonia, right before or right after they fall asleep. As a result, during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, you regain awareness but can't move.

In normal REM sleep, you have vivid dreams and can't move, which stops you from playing out your dreams. During episodes of sleep paralysis, people often have hallucinations along with atonia.

Atonia usually stops when a person wakes up, so they are generally unaware that they had any such episode.

Most research suggests that sleep paralysis is a state of awareness that is a concoction of being awake and in REM sleep. With repeated episodes, the effects of muscle atonia during REM sleep can last even when the person is awake and aware.

Different Types of Sleep Paralysis

Most Sleep paralysis cases can be divided into two groups:

• Isolated sleep paralysis: As the name suggests, it includes people with one-time episodes of sleep paralysis and is not linked to any severe neurological disorder like Narcolepsy.
• Recurrent sleep paralysis: People with this condition have more than one episode of sleep paralysis over time and can form neurological disorders like Narcolepsy. This neurological disease makes it hard for the brain to control wakefulness properly, which can cause sleep paralysis.

Sometimes, these two types are combined to depict a predicament called recurrent isolated sleep paralysis (RISP), wherein a person does not have Narcolepsy but can still undergo sleep paralysis over and over again.

How does it feel to be in Sleep Paralysis?

The primary sign of Sleep paralysis is being unable to move or speak. During sleep paralysis episodes, people also complain of having troubled breathing, chest pain, and upsetting feelings of fear or helplessness.

A majority of people who experience sleep paralysis also experience hallucinations about things that are not there, just when they are about to fall asleep or when they are awake.

The hallucinations can be -

• Visual - involving vivid images;
• Auditory - strange sounds;
• Sensual - feeling sensations on the body, floating feeling;
• Intruder - feeling the presence of someone dangerous;
• Incubus - sensation involving pressure on the chest and difficulty breathing, etc.

It's normal to feel very sleepy or tired the next day after having Sleep paralysis.

How long do episodes of Sleep Paralysis last?

Sleep paralysis episodes can be as short as a few seconds or as long as twenty minutes, but most are around five to six minutes long.

Most of the time, these episodes end on their own, but sometimes, they are interrupted by someone touching or talking to you or your body's effort to move, breaking the state.

What are the Symptoms of Sleep Paralysis?

The following are the significant symptoms of Sleep paralysis;

• Temporary loss of movement in your limbs when sleeping.
• Not being able to talk.
• Feeling like you're suffocating.
• Pressure on your throat and chest.
• Fear
• Panic attacks
• Hallucination
• A feeling of being helpless.
• Sleepy during the day.

What causes Sleep Paralysis to occur?

Although the exact reason for Sleep Paralysis is not known, different studies have suggested mixed conclusions. Based on these results, experts think that sleep paralysis is caused by more than one thing.

Problems with Sleep due to Sleep Disorders

There are strong links found between sleep paralysis and sleep disorders. People who have sleep apnea, a condition in which breathing stops and starts repeatedly, are more likely to report sleep paralysis.

Sleep paralysis is also more common in people who have irregular circadian rhythms or who get leg cramps at night.

Stress

Sleep paralysis can occur due to excessive stress. People who have had experience of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or who have been through physical and mental stress have shown some of the strongest links.

People who already have an anxiety problem, like panic disorder, also seem to be more likely to get the condition.

Irregular medicines

A sudden increase in certain medicines or their stoppage can cause a REM rebound, which can also cause sleep paralysis.

People with a family history of sleep paralysis are more likely to get it, but no specific genetic cause has been discovered.

Patterns in Dreams

Some studies have shown that people who are creative and don't pay attention to their surroundings are more likely to have sleep paralysis.

There may also be a link between sleep paralysis and daydreaming, though it requires further studies.

How often does Sleep Paralysis occur?

Sleep paralysis can happen to anyone, and if you go by the experts, a fifth of the population will experience it at some point in their lives.

Sleep paralysis can affect anyone and any age, but the first signs usually appear in kids, teens, or adults. After starting in a person's teens, episodes may happen more often in their 20s and 30s.

People of all ages can have rare or isolated sleep paralysis. And it happens more often when you don't get enough sleep or when your sleep routine changes, like when you are a student or a person working in shifts.

Recurrent sleep paralysis can be worrisome since it is a sign of Narcolepsy, a disease where the boundaries between sleep and wakefulness aren't stable.

How to treat Sleep Paralysis?

Consulting a doctor is the first thing to identify and prevent the problem. If you have sleep apnea, getting medical help is necessary, as what is required should be done to treat sleep paralysis.

The priority should be finding and fixing the underlying issues that make the episodes more frequent or worse.

Many people don't know how common the condition is, making them feel bad after episodes. So, having their symptoms recognized and put in a regular context by a doctor can help.

Sometimes, improving your sleeping conditions, like changing your mattress to make your bed more comfortable, having a better ambience, etc., can help.

How can I prevent episodes of Sleep Paralysis from happening again?

Sleep paralysis is something that cannot be avoided entirely. But there are things you can do to make it less troublesome.

Since sleep paralysis is directly associated with people's sleeping problems, those who want to avoid it should improve their sleep habits.

Practise sleep hygiene, which involves several habits that help you sleep better every night. You can focus on the following areas;

• Follow a relaxing routine before bed to help you get comfortable and calm.
• Cut down on caffeine, such as coffee and drinks, especially in the evening.
• Set a sleep routine with a definitive time to sleep and wake up, even on weekends.
• Improve the bed where you sleep. Get the best mattress and pillow for your needs and put them on your bed.
• Get rid of distractions - Put away all electronics at least an hour before sleep. Phones, tablets, e-readers, and laptops should be restricted before bed.
• Ensure that noise and light don't distract your sleep. Setting up a dark, quiet, and comfortable place to sleep can help a lot.
• Calm down, take a bath, read, or listen to soothing music before bed.

Getting better sleep is one of the best ways to avoid sleep paralysis.

What should I do to take care of myself after a Sleep Paralysis attack?

After getting over sleep paralysis, it's normal to feel tired, sad, and scared, and for good reason. Sleep paralysis is a scary experience that can happen to anyone. You can do the following things;

• Take care of yourself by getting extra rest if you need it.
• Talk to a friend or family member to feel better.
• Be gentle and rest in a relaxed position.
• Try to think about positive things that make you happy.
• Indulge in a peaceful activity like listening to soothing music.
• You can also visit your doctor if you're worried about the regular occurrence of these episodes.

Is suffering from Sleep Paralysis at night dangerous?

Not many people get sleep paralysis, and to most people, sleep paralysis is not dangerous. You might experience strange feelings that others might not believe.

Even though it might make you feel miserable, it is not life-threatening and doesn't occur often to leave any significant impact on your health.

However, many people get scared after having an episode. Frequent episodes of sleep paralysis can be challenging to deal with. Because of this, many people feel bad about going to bed, some even cutting down their sleep time.

Too little sleep can make a person sleepy during the day and negatively affect their health. Therefore, improving the symptoms by working on your sleeping habits can help overcome them permanently.