Sleep paralysis

Sleep paralysis is characterized by the sensation of being unable to move while awakening from sleep. Sleep paralysis is described as a transitional state that occurs when a person experiences a temporary inability to react, move, or speak while asleep, falling asleep, or on awakening from sleep.

What Happens in Sleep Paralysis

Episodes of sleep paralysis can last for seconds or minutes.

During an episode, you'll still be able to breathe normally, and you'll be aware of everything that is happening.

The following symptoms may occur:

✓Inability to talk

✓Inability to move your arms, legs, body, or head

✓Hallucinations that cause you to see, hear, or feel things that aren't really there

✓The episode may end on its own, when someone touches or speaks to you, or if you try very hard to move.

What causes sleep paralysis?

Your muscles normally become very relaxed and paralysed at certain times when you're asleep. Sleep paralysis occurs when the same mechanism to stop your muscles occurs when you've woken up or when you're falling asleep. Sleep paralysis occurs when some aspects of REM sleep happen when you are awake. This means that you remain temporarily paralysed but are fully conscious.

Sleep paralysis can sometimes be a symptom of narcolepsy. Narcolepsy is a long-term (chronic) problem that affects your sleep. You feel excessively tired during the daytime but have disturbed night-time sleep. You can also have sleep attacks where you fall asleep during the day without any warning.

How do you prevent sleep paralysis?

There are some simple things you can do. Sleeping on your side makes sleep paralysis less likely. Avoiding alcohol improves matters since alcohol interferes with sleep. Most importantly, getting regular, quality sleep is the best way to avoid sleep paralysis.