Sleep paralysis

Sleep paralysis (or false awakening) is a condition characterized by paralysis of the body shortly after waking (known as hypnopompic paralysis), or less frequently, shortly before falling asleep (known as hypnagogic paralysis).

Sleep paralysis can also be referred to as isolated sleep paralysis, familial sleep paralysis, hypnopompic or hypnagogic paralysis, predormital or posthorbital paralysis.

Physiologically, it is closely related to the normal paralysis that occurs during REM sleep.

Normal sleep paralysis is thought to be due to mechanisms in the brain stem, particularly the vestibular, reticular, and oculomotor neurons, that prevent body movements, block sensory input, and provide the anterior brain with the internally generated activity that characterizes brain activity during REM sleep.

This is believed to be necessary to prevent the body from making movements caused by dreams. However, the eyes are not paralyzed by this system. Sleep paralysis is a frightening form of paralysis that occurs when a person suddenly finds himself or herself unable to move for a few minutes, most often after falling asleep or waking up.

Sleep paralysis is due to an inopportune disconnection between the brain and the body. Sleep paralysis occurs when the brain wakes from a REM state to a normal fully awake state, but with body paralysis occurring.

This makes the person conscious, but unable to move. In addition, this state is often accompanied by certain specific types of hallucinations. This state usually lasts no more than two minutes before a person is able to fully exit REM sleep or become fully awake.

The characteristics of these hallucinations usually vary from person to person, but some are more common to the experience than others. There are two main types of sleep paralysis: common (typical) also known as CSP and hallucinatory (hypnagogic) sleep paralysis known as HSP.

Why does sleep paralysis occur?

During sleep, we go through different stages of sleep. The rapid eye movement (REM) stage, which is the stage where sleep occurs. At this stage, a mechanism is created that protects us from the action of our dreams, which is called "muscular atony".

Muscle atony basically means that all muscle activity in our body will be suppressed during REM sleep (except the diaphragm and eye muscles). This sluggishness comes to an end when you move on to another stage of sleep or when you wake up.

But sometimes something goes wrong, the person wakes up during REM sleep, and this protective mechanism of "atony" does not end. This creates an inability to move (paralysis), and as the brain was dreaming, this can lead to terrible hallucinations.

The differences between common sleep paralysis and hallucinatory (hypnagogic) sleep paralysis

• Common sleep paralysis is only disconcerting to sleep, but hallucinatory sleep paralysis is accompanied by a nightmare like hallucination.

• Common sleep paralysis is relatively short in duration, but in hallucinatory sleep paralysis it can last up to seven or eight minutes.

• Common sleep paralysis is common and universal, hallucinatory sleep paralysis is rare and appears to be geographically episodic.

One of the most important differences between night terrors and common sleep paralysis is that common sleep paralysis occurs in the first stage of sleep and night terrors occur in the fourth stage.

Symptoms Can sleep paralysis cause death?

Sleep paralysis is most often related to narcolepsy, a neurological disorder in which the person has uncontrollable naps. Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder characterized by irresistible and uncontrollable sleep attacks. However, many people suffer from sleep paralysis without signs of narcolepsy.

Sometimes it runs in families. It is not harmful, although most people report feeling very scared because they do not know what is happening, and in a few minutes, slowly or quickly they are able to move again, the event often ends with a sound or a prick in the body. All patients with sleep paralysis and narcolepsy need medical attention and treatment.

In some cases, when hypnagogic hallucinations are present, people feel that someone is in the room with them, some experience the feeling that something or someone is sitting on their chest and feel an impending death and suffocation. This has been called "Phenomena of Sorcery" and has been happening to people over the centuries. This makes people feel a lot of anxiety and fear, but there is no physical harm. Patients should know that this disease is benign and not life-threatening at all.

Causes of sleep paralysis

The causes of sleep paralysis can be divided into different types of sleep paralysis.

Common causes of sleep paralysis

Common sleep paralysis for most people happens during the REM sleep state, when the body releases hormones that paralyze the body to keep it from moving during sleep, reducing the chances of physical damage during sleep.

These hormones usually go away before sleep ends and the person wakes up with full use of all body functions. For someone with sleep paralysis, the body's hormones continue to actively restrict the body's motor functions and muscle groups.

So the person waking up finds that he/she is temporarily paralyzed and does not know why. Common sleep paralysis usually lasts only a few seconds to a minute or two in total, although it can sometimes go a little longer.

Cause of hallucinatory (hypnagogic) sleep paralysis

Hallucinatory sleep paralysis is experienced when "hypnagogic" hallucinations (inability to perform voluntary movements during sleep) are present. During this time, a person feels as if someone is in the room with them, usually a terrible or malignant presence (hypnagogic hallucinations).

Some go further and feel as if someone or something is really sitting on them and they feel like they are drowning or going to die. Experiencing this can make a person feel a lot of anxiety and fear, but it does not cause physical harm.

Hallucinatory sleep paralysis is different from common sleep paralysis because it can last up to 8 minutes. People who tend to sleep on their backs may also experience sleep paralysis.

Cure for sleep paralysis

The cure for sleep paralysis is to reduce stress and get enough sleep.

People with isolated sleep paralysis need to be sure that they do not have a mental illness or serious medical illness.

Medications can also be given as a cure for severe sleep paralysis, and simple routines can sometimes minimize the effects of sleep paralysis.

Treatment for sleep paralysis

Irregular sleep schedules or frequent naps can increase the occurrence of sleep paralysis, as well as for most sleep disorders, a regular sleep schedule is important.

Lack of sleep can cause sleep paralysis. People with psychiatric problems may suffer from sleep paralysis. These people need ongoing treatment with medication.

This will be supervised by a doctor or psychiatrist. You may notice leg cramps with sleep paralysis. It can also occur after a change in your medications. Discuss these problems with your doctor.

People with narcolepsy often have sleep paralysis. They usually need an antidepressant to decrease or eliminate dreaming while they sleep. This will help relieve sleep paralysis. Taking an antidepressant doesn't mean you're depressed. It is simply a method to help you decrease sleep paralysis.

Sleep paralysis is a very frightening experience and the victim feels helpless about how to prevent it from happening again. The best treatment is knowledge. By knowing the causes of this disorder, we can reduce our fear.

During episodes of paralysis, patients may be advised to try to move the muscles of the face and eyes by moving them back and forth.

This may speed up the termination of the attack. In severe cases, where seizures occur at least once a week, medication may be used. Stress and sleep disorders are known to increase episodes of sleep paralysis.

Therefore, to minimize the number of episodes, patients are advised to do the following:

• Get enough sleep.

• Reduce stress.

• Exercise regularly, but not before bedtime.

• Sleeping on a regular schedule.

• Do not drink or eat caffeinated products before bedtime.

• Taking a hot bath before bedtime is relaxing.

How to avoid sleep paralysis?

Sleep paralysis is a common condition where people become paralyzed at the start of sleep or upon awakening, often with terrifying hallucinations.

You may be able to avoid episodes by following the tips below:

• Sleep patterns can have a serious effect on sleep paralysis. To avoid the events of sleep paralysis, maintain a regular healthy sleep pattern and get enough sleep.
  Sleep paralysis can be caused by a variety of conditions. The most common cause is the position in which you fall asleep, usually when you are lying on your back.

• Try to keep a record of the conditions of your paralysis incident. Keep track of the details of the experience, your sleep pattern, how long it lasts (if you can), your sleeping position, your mental and emotional state before and after being paralyzed, and whether you become paralyzed before going to sleep or when you wake up. All this can be useful information, especially if you decide to see a doctor about your illness.

• Identify triggers and work to reduce the chances of sleep paralysis. If you experience sleep paralysis every time you fall asleep on your back, try sleeping on your side or on your stomach.
  Try to avoid overtime if your sleep paralysis happens every time you work overtime. It is very simple and effective in preventing sleep paralysis.

• When accompanied by a hallucination, sleep paralysis can be frightening, but some people only experience the feeling of being paralyzed. When this happens, 30 seconds seems like five minutes, but it won't hurt. If you focus on movement, you can get out of it quickly.

• In addition to paralysis, most people find that they are unable to speak or shout for help. The only thing you can do is open your eyes and make a little noise by moaning quietly. Make sure your bed partner identifies this and calmly wakes you up from paralysis. Don't grieve if they don't recognize that you are experiencing sleep paralysis. It is like trying to determine if someone is having a bad dream, you have to focus on it to know its success.

• Sleep paralysis usually begins at an early age and becomes more common during adolescence. Paralysis should become less and less common as you age, and often by the time you reach age 30, symptoms may disappear completely.

• Maintain a regular sleep schedule.

• Reduces stress.

• Get enough sleep.

• Exercise regularly (but not too close to bedtime).