I am not quite sure this belongs in "Paranormal" but it sure feels like it.
How many of you experience odd unusual things when you sleep?
I'm starting this topic because I had another "attack" last night and it's
still very fresh in my memory.
Last night at 4:26am I woke up feeling paralyzed - like some things were
squishing me up into this little ball. I wasn't fully awake, but not
asleep either. In the background I could still hear my fan blowing in my
room. Something was running it's (hands) through my hair at the scalp.
Every time I experience this weird sleep disturbance, it is always the
same, that weird sensation of my head. Sometimes it's actually IN my head
not just the scalp. Not only that, a sound accompanies all this too. It
is so hard to describe. It's like a computer connecting to the internet
sound but all distorted. That's the closest I can come to describing it.
It goes away after I fight it for a bit. Last night it ended when I could
open my eyes.
Other nights, I wake up paralyzed on my stomach and something heavy jumps
up on my bed, like an enormous cat or dog. It walks over to me and starts
to rub it's paws on my back. I swear, it is very creepy. (My only pet is
a bird).
And still other nights, I hear a weird knocking sound and think should I
say, "come in?"... But then I scare myself at the same time and don't want
to invite anything in.
Does this sound familiar to anyone?
[Edited on 27/12/2004 by Raina]
[Edited on 27/12/2004 by Raina]
[Edited on 28/12/2004 by Raina]
MystryssRavynDarque
Extreme Fanatic
Posts: 648 Registered: 24/9/2002 Status: Offline
posted on 26/12/2004 at 09:35 PM
I have panic attacks in the night too. The first time I was saying in my
sleep that I was going to die and I was crying. It felt like a ton of
weight on my chest and wrists. My brain imagines things to go with the
pain like that one was a bunch of concrete blocks crushing me. Another one
I had recently felt like boats trying to go down my throat. I swear, my
brain comes up with funky stuff sometimes, but that seriously is what it
felt like. I am starting to get better with them because I know what they
are and that nothing is really wrong. I think you need to start thinking
like that when you get them. Yes, they still keep me awake for a while so
I write in my LJ or private journal about them after getting a glass of
water and catching my breath. Some deep breathing can really help. I
recently started trying to meditate and that could be something to help you
too. That first one though scared the begeeezus out of me. Devin had to
calm me down because I really thought I was going to die. They still scare
me and I wish they wouldn't happen, but I suppose it is just something I am
going to have to get used to having once in a while. Clear your mind and
relax before bed too. Don't worry about anything, just try and get to
sleep and if you can't sleep don't fret, just do whatever you need to do to
let yourself sleep. Sometimes I cannot sleep right away because I am
thinking about what needs to be done the next day or what I didn't finsih
that day, but things can always get done, there is time.
*HUGS* I know they suck, but you are okay. More than likely there is
nobody there to hurt you , but if you think there is something spooky going
on, burn some sage and do some cleansing of your home. Catch your breath,
do some deep breathing, get a drink of water, go to the bathroom, whatever
you need to do to feel better.
Take care of yourself.
____________________ "People always say what we are looking for is a meaning for life…I don't
think that's what we're looking for. I think what we're looking for is the
experience of being alive." -Joseph Campbell
gothicmorman
Fanatic
Posts: 233 Registered: 11/7/2002 Status: Offline
posted on 27/12/2004 at 03:00 AM
you may have sleep paralysis. this can make you stiff like that for merely
seconds or 7 or 8 minutes even. it is rare to hallucinate during these
periods though it is entirely possible, not as common, also since it
happens in stage1 NREM that explains why you were still vaugely aware of
the room around you. a lot of cultures used to (or still) think of it as
visions or ghosts so it suits the paranormal category in some way or
another.
"HSPs are usually a vision of a small creature that sits on the victims
chest. The creature then either compresses the chest or attempts to
strangulate the victim. Almost all attacks have been reported by people
sleeping on their backs."
you may find this quote interesting since it describes quite similarily
what you described.
at first i thought maybe you had night terrors and i searched for that
because i couldnt quite remember everything from my psyche book but you
dont fit the profile for night terrors. here is the site if you want to
take a better look.
http://www.nightterrors.org/paralysis.html
Raina
Coward
Posts: 2 Registered: 15/11/2002 Status: Offline
posted on 28/12/2004 at 06:35 AM
Thanks for the feedback. I also have read up on it and agree that they are
not night terrors. Never had it checked out by a dr. But hallucinations
does seem like the right word. My mom has them too, except hers are so bad
that she is convinced that she leaves her body during sleep and travels to
a dark dimension full of monsters.
MRD, I love you! I am so sorry you had panic attacks - I had no idea.
Thank you for your input. *hugs*
I was wondering though what other type of sleep problems people had. I
shared mine - now share yours!
[Edited on 28/12/2004 by Raina]
MystryssRavynDarque
Extreme Fanatic
Posts: 648 Registered: 24/9/2002 Status: Offline
posted on 28/12/2004 at 09:12 AM
I have a bit of difficulty getting to sleep sometimes. I'll lay there and
try to sleep but I'll get an itch, so I'll scratch, then another, and I'll
scratch, so forth and so on. I think because I am actually laying still
and my body and mind are not too preoccupied I start to notice all of the
normal things that are constantly going on with my body.
Also, I have to sleep on my side facing the left, I rarely sleep facing the
right. If I do, it is a good night because I can snuggle up on whoever I
am sleeping with, or else they have to wrap around me or just not snuggle
me. I love snuggling to sleep, but my body just refuses sometimes.
I also haven't been having good dreams for a while. I am kind of getting
used to it, but it still sucks. I had two nightmares last night. Well,
the second was kind of a spin off of the first. I"ll get good bits in them
sometimes, but my dreams are rarely perfect and full of fun. I also rarely
have smutty dreams. I sure wouldn't mind some though. Because they are so
rare to me, they are so precious to me. Be very happy you have smutty
dreams if you do, for some of us cannot seem to have them. You are very
lucky people.
____________________ "People always say what we are looking for is a meaning for life…I don't
think that's what we're looking for. I think what we're looking for is
the
experience of being alive." -Joseph Campbell
gothicmorman
Fanatic
Posts: 233 Registered: 11/7/2002 Status: Offline
posted on 28/12/2004 at 10:25 PM
i don't really have any serious sleep problems but i don't sleep very much,
not during the week anyway. i don't sleep very well most of the time
either. i just have long periods of sleeping little and doing lots then i
crash and sleep lots and lots. i just can't sleep at night though, i don't
like it. and there are things going on in the day so i can't sleep to much
then. nothing interesting really though.
Raina those aren't panic attacks, as panic attacks don't cause paralysis.
Chest pain, difficulty breathing, uncontrollable emotions, headaches, sense
of panic or uncontrollable fear, yes. Paralysis, no. Panic attacks are a
chemical imbalance, and it's effects are triggered by external situations
and stimulation, like being around too many people, NOT being around
anyone, open spaces or closed spaces, silence or too much noise. They can
occur in the night, but you're fully mobile....you're just freaking out
because your brain says so.
it's most likely sleep paralysis like what I have, and they MAY be small
epileptic seizures (I haven't been checked for that, I hate doctors and it
hasn't happened when I'm awake so..eh). Epileptic seizures usually onset
with the sufferer hearing chimes, ringing in their ears, buzzing, other
loud sounds or unusual smells. They could also be waking dreams, which are
less severe but just as frightening as night terrors, where you are
conscious but your brain is still running in dream mode.
I personally don't deal well with change in any way shape or form, and have
sleep paralysis and sleep walking most frequently when I move to a new
home, change jobs, when I moved in with my boyfriend, and then it happened
WAY worse when I married him (it stopped after the first 6 months, but was
TERRIBLE in the months leading up to the wedding, I was waking up paralysed
every other night and sleep walking the rest) or when things are chaotic or
stressful at work or home. Start checking out what is going on in your
life when it happens, and what's going on when it starts to happen more
frequently. You may find that it's your brain's way of responding to
stress or discomfort.
or i could be spooks. call a preist.
____________________ Trapped in time. Surrounded by evil. Low on gas.
gothicmorman
Fanatic
Posts: 233 Registered: 11/7/2002 Status: Offline
posted on 29/12/2004 at 06:11 PM
uh, yeah, thats what we said before... check third post down.
Schizo
Extreme Fanatic
Posts: 897 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
posted on 30/12/2004 at 06:07 AM
Yes, but not so completely, so there's no need to be snooty.
____________________ "You can tell by the scars on my arms and the cracks in my hips and the
dents in my car and the blisters on my lips that I'm not the carefullest of
girls." - Dresden Dolls, "Girl Anachronism"
Sailor_Sadist
Coward
Posts: 10 Registered: 10/10/2004 Status: Offline
posted on 30/12/2004 at 07:45 PM
I have very realistic dreams that leave me really confused in the morning.
I'll be angry at people thinking they did something, when in reality, it
was in a dream I had. I won't really remember that until later on in the
day, and then I'll feel horrible.
Night terrors are something that my doctor THOUGHT I had. I'm still not
sure if I had them. I had a long period of time (5 or 6 months) where I'd
wake up in the middle of the night in complete and utter fear. I'd either
be crying or screaming like the worst things in the world were happening to
me, and I'd usually be in the weird half-dream-like state where you see
things that really aren't there, or I'd still be fully asleep, but getting
up and fighting imaginary things. Could that of been night terrors?
____________________ - The post count is slowly rising!
Sailor Moon still rocks.
Well GM, some people say things, and some people elaborate. Sometimes
things NEED to be elaborated apon, and some things NEED to be said, so with
that in mind pull the yardstick out of yer butt. And while we're crossing
t's and dotting i's, check also fourth post down to where raina asked other
people to share their various sleeping problems, which I did because I too
have had sleep paralysis...but oh wait that's been said. By me. Check 7th
post down. ANd lastly, I didn't see anyone else mention the possibility of
mild epilepsy, so your theoretical "we" did NOT mention that before.
[Edited on 12/31/2004 by bettie_x]
____________________ Trapped in time. Surrounded by evil. Low on gas.
Sailor I don't know the exact symptoms of night terrors, but those sound
like likely symptoms to me. Check the link for night terrors and see what
you find.
____________________ Trapped in time. Surrounded by evil. Low on gas.
Sardonic-Pain
Fanatic
Posts: 248 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
posted on 3/1/2005 at 06:29 PM
I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) which sucks big time.... Its
difficult for me to fall asleep and I am always tired no matter if I sleep
for 12 hours, my muscles always feel heavy as if i have croncrete bricks
tied to me limbs...CFS is commonly linked to Fibromylasia which thankfully
I have not been diagnosed with as of yet. I started off with Mild insomnia
cause I can stay up for days at a time not able to sleep but I could sleep
for days at a time and it sucks being tired all the friggn time.......
____________________ My Life is like a porno-Without the sex-Just the weird music
My sleep pattern is hellish too. I'll spend weeks sleeping around the
clock and feel like a sodden clump of mud all day, or I won't be able to
sleep for beans for a month, talking 3 hrs a night, and be jittery crazy
like I'm a goddamned tweaker. I have a normal sleep cycle that is about
12-1am to 8-10am, but it only lasts for a couple of weeks or best a couple
of months and then whammo! back to no sleep or too much. I've learned to
regulate it with a night cap, or making sure that bills are paid, checkbook
balanced, dog is inside, and whatever else is out there that could make my
head spin and chatter in the dark when it should be rebooting. I feel for
ya, I do.
____________________ Trapped in time. Surrounded by evil. Low on gas.
MystryssRavynDarque
Extreme Fanatic
Posts: 648 Registered: 24/9/2002 Status: Offline
posted on 7/1/2005 at 01:42 PM
I'm trying herbal teas right now, like Celestial Seasonings Sleepy Time Tea
but I could check out this "nightcap" thing Bettie is talking about. Does
it have a puff ball on the end, a cork, or a twist top?
____________________ "People always say what we are looking for is a meaning for life…I
don't
/>
think that's what we're looking for. I think what we're looking for is
the
Just remember, every time you crack open a bottle, an angel gets it's
wings.
____________________ Trapped in time. Surrounded by evil. Low on gas.
MystryssRavynDarque
Extreme Fanatic
Posts: 648 Registered: 24/9/2002 Status: Offline
posted on 10/1/2005 at 04:33 PM
Pass the Framboise Lambic please, or something just as sweet.
____________________ "People always say what we are looking for is a meaning for life…I
don't
/>
think that's what we're looking for. I think what we're looking for
is
/>
the
experience of being alive." -Joseph Campbell
Jesi
Occasional Poster
Posts: 43 Registered: 30/3/2004 Status: Offline
posted on 4/2/2005 at 09:42 PM
Hey Raina...welcome to my life. I've had Hallucinatory Sleep Disorder (er,
paralysis) for over a year now. It was somewhat scary when it first
happened...but now, it's not too bad. I get them about twice a month. It's
usually brought on by stress and lack of sleep.
It's Fun shit.
No, really. It's fun not being able to move or scream while you hear/see
shit moving around in your room. No reason to panic. It isn't real. Rats.
It would have been sweet if it were.
I didn't read the other posts...but besides people believing (esp. in
Germany) that a hag would come and sit on your chest...which caused the
paralysis...others believe it to be alien abuductions.
Where's Mulder and Scully when you need them, eh?
[Edited on 5/2/2005 by Jesi]
____________________
abject_paradigm
Coward
Posts: 2 Registered: 9/2/2005 Status: Offline
posted on 9/2/2005 at 08:39 AM
I've had a ton of weird sleep problems. When I was 5 I was diagnosed with
Night Terrors Syndrome. My mom says I would wake up every night at exactly
11:30pm screaming, with my eyes open but still darting back and forth in
REM. I still have occasional outbursts like waking up with a shout or a
quick jump, but it's nothing like it was when I was a child.
I also used to sleep-walk all the time. My grandparents used to live
across the street from us, and it wasn't uncommon for me to sleep over
there. Well, one night I fell asleep at my house and woke up at my
grandparent's. My grandma said I didn't knock or anything, I just stood at
the door, she assumed my parents sent me over, let me in and I went to
sleep on the couch. Needless to say, it scared the shit out of my parents
when they woke up and I wasn't there. When I was kid, I would sometimes
wake up standing in my basement, everything pitch black, not knowing where
the hell I was. It was pretty freaky.
As for sleep paralysis. I've also heard it called Night Hag disorder.
Usually the paralysis is accompanied by a really intense vibration feeling
throughout my body, and auditory hallucinations. It's another thing that
I've dealt with since I was a child. I even looked into astral projection
because it references the vibratory state of mid-conciousness. I can't say
that I know for sure that I've travelled out of my body, but I have become
lucid the midst of sleeping and experienced what seemed like astral
travel.
Naturally from all of my weird sleep disorders, I've taken a heavy interest
in them. I would suggest anyone who experiences sleep paralysis to look
into astral projection for fun if nothing else.
[Edited on 9/2/2005 by abject_paradigm]
Maranda
Coward
Posts: 10 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
posted on 9/2/2005 at 07:00 PM
I have a biochemical sleep disorder. One thing I learned, confirmed by a
doctor who treated a relative's sleep apnea, is that if you are
sleep-deprived, your dreams are much more intense when you do actually
sleep. Because your brain has been deprived of REM-stage mental processing,
it quickly goes into that stage when you do fall asleep. This can cause
nightmares, further disrupting sleep.
This doesn't sound like what you have, but it's worth knowing anyway.
____________________ "For every false dream that dies, a true one is remembered." - Patricia
Monaghan