It happened to me this year.

I woke up and I couldn't move and I coudn't talk.

I was also convinced that someone was in my room with me.

After a few minutes I was able to move but it felt like hours

One of the most terrifying experiences in my life.

that sound freaky!!!!!

r u sure u weren't still dreaming????

it's happened to me when i am certain i am experiencing something whilst awake only to wake up from a dream.....

i have the weirdest dreams!!!!!!!!!

THis happened to me quite a few times when I was a teenager, and less so since.

I remember, learning to meditate and let my mind know what was going on

when it was happening seemed to be very affective. You're awake enough to

want to rise up, but asleep enough to not be in control of your movements.

Additionally, you're asleep enough to 'imagine' some pretty horrible things.

I think they used to call it the 'old hag' syndrome because many of the folks

who experienced it remembered seeing a horrid looking wrinkled old

lady beside them or a troll or something like that.

It doesn't bother anymore. I had one last year I believe, and I just

calmed myself down and went back deeper into sleep.

Funny you said that about the old woman.

When my twin had it he said he saw an old woman leaning over him and she was screaming at him.

Talking to my dad about it and he said when he gets it he hears squealing,he doesnt see anyone but he is aware of someone else being there.

My ghostly experiences I think I can put down to Sleep Paralysis as I have seen figures in my room before but I dont believe in ghosts.

I was trying to explain it to my friends and they'd no idea what I was on about lol.

I think i'd be prepared the next time it happens though

On a barely related note, this (very slightly NSFW video) shows 2 victims who will probably get sleep paralysis.

muirdo said:

It happened to me this year.

I woke up and I couldn't move and I coudn't talk.

I was also convinced that someone was in my room with me.

After a few minutes I was able to move but it felt like hours

One of the most terrifying experiences in my life.

This happens to me now and then. This is precisely why I don't sleep with the TV on or put it on mute while i'm sleeping. There's nothing more scarier than hearing the TV on in real time but not being able to move. URGH!! I hate those sleep paralysis dreams. You feel so helpless and wake up

I got this occasionally through, say, age 25ish. Nothing since.

I'd wake up ostensibly conscious, but unable to move for a short while. I never saw any scary figures, but I distinctively recall an intense fear everytime that someone or something harmful would presently enter the room -- and I'd be entirely vulnerable.

The paralysis and fear would gradually wear off.

muirdo said:

It happened to me this year.

I woke up and I couldn't move and I coudn't talk.

I was also convinced that someone was in my room with me.

After a few minutes I was able to move but it felt like hours

One of the most terrifying experiences in my life.

It used to happen to me when I was a kid. Scared the shit out of me. I didn t tell anyone about it either.

Happened to me once, I thought I was dead I was unable to move, then this tingling sensation came over my entire body and it slowly wore off until I was able to move, very scary!

I researched this topic recently because a friend of mine was experiencing it. Apparently, sleep paralysis happens to everyone while in a deep sleep to keep us from trying to act out our dreams and potentially causing harm to ourselves. Sometimes we awake before the affect has worn off entirely. It's only happened to me once or twice in my lifetime. It's quite horrifying.

Now, can anybody explain what happens when you're drifting off to sleep and then all of a sudden your whole body jerks and then you're wide awake?

xpertluva said:

I researched this topic recently because a friend of mine was experiencing it. Apparently, sleep paralysis happens to everyone while in a deep sleep to keep us from trying to act out our dreams and potentially causing harm to ourselves. Sometimes we awake before the affect has worn off entirely. It's only happened to me once or twice in my lifetime. It's quite horrifying.

Now, can anybody explain what happens when you're drifting off to sleep and then all of a sudden your whole body jerks and then you're wide awake?

That happens to me too! And I have sleep apnea...no bueno. That sleep paralysis is SCARY. But I did read up on what it is. I just fall back to sleep then I'm fine when I wake up.

This happens to me, still but it's usually combined with the inability to breathe

i work night shifts all the time in a hospital. ive suffered from sleep paralysis on many occassions when im asleep on my break! ive woke up unable to move it felt like something heavy sitting on my chest. very frightening!

i've had both the sudden falling asleep waking with a physical jerk as though i've fallen onto the bed after slightly hovering over it.

the thing where i'm awake and aware but too thick and heavy to move has been happening to me since i was a teensy kid. when i was little i used to call it the big cotton ball. it used to scare me but then i learned to ride it out. it went away but occasionally as an adult i'll feel it again and a sensation as though the room is humming/throbbing.

does anyone else ever get those sudden pressure shifts/changes in your inner ear sometimes???

^ apoligies for laughing at a genetic malfunction. which is really a handicap, so there you go. i'm laughing at handicapped animals

[Edited 4/19/11 18:29pm]

muirdo said:

It happened to me this year.

I woke up and I couldn't move and I coudn't talk.

I was also convinced that someone was in my room with me.

After a few minutes I was able to move but it felt like hours

One of the most terrifying experiences in my life.

It happens to just about everyone. Though not usually conscious.

I've experienced it a few times, but knowing why, it didn't scare me.

I just go back to sleep.

ZombieKitten said:

xpertluva said:

I researched this topic recently because a friend of mine was experiencing it. Apparently, sleep paralysis happens to everyone while in a deep sleep to keep us from trying to act out our dreams and potentially causing harm to ourselves. Sometimes we awake before the affect has worn off entirely. It's only happened to me once or twice in my lifetime. It's quite horrifying.

Now, can anybody explain what happens when you're drifting off to sleep and then all of a sudden your whole body jerks and then you're wide awake?

STFU!

I thought that only happened to me!!!!!!!!

ZombieKitten said:

I always wake up with a jerk except for when he's not home

:drumroll:

i kinda want it to happen to see whats it like

sounds awesome and scary

SUPRMAN said:

xpertluva said:

I researched this topic recently because a friend of mine was experiencing it. Apparently, sleep paralysis happens to everyone while in a deep sleep to keep us from trying to act out our dreams and potentially causing harm to ourselves. Sometimes we awake before the affect has worn off entirely. It's only happened to me once or twice in my lifetime. It's quite horrifying.

Now, can anybody explain what happens when you're drifting off to sleep and then all of a sudden your whole body jerks and then you're wide awake?

STFU!

I thought that only happened to me!!!!!!!!

Happens to me too... in boring classes... and in church Kind of a tough thing to play off.

[Edited 4/19/11 20:03pm]

Someone was in the room with you.. I hate those... I'll leave it as that. They are called night terrors. .. yeah I never believed it either, until it happened to me!

[Edited 4/19/11 22:19pm]

Yes I have, although I don't believe I was fully awake at the time. The best way I could describe it was that I could hear what was around me but couldn't move my eyes, yell or force myself awake. I don't remember how long it lasted but it was scary.

this kind of happens to me, but really what happens is I become aware during my dreams and I somehow sense the disconnect between moving in dreams and actually moving, so the imaginary control that moves your body in your dreams does not move your actual body, and I feel paralyzed for a while

it's not a fun feeling

This is the common explanation for a lot of supposed accounts of ghosts or alien abduction experiences.

Often actually...but usually the beings hovering around me are people I know,

and they scare the beejeebees outta me; but I don't know why really. They're

not doing anything but standing by my bed, and they're not menacing or anything.

Maybe it's because I can't talk or move, which makes me feel out of control.

Then again maybe I'm afraid of their "next" move, even though there's never been one

The times that I stopped fighting it, are the times I wake up sooner.

Lammastide said:

SUPRMAN said:

STFU!

I thought that only happened to me!!!!!!!!

Happens to me too... in boring classes... and in church Kind of a tough thing to play off.

[Edited 4/19/11 20:03pm]

In church???!!!

Sleep paralysis has never happened to me and, frankly, I am petrified at what you guys are describing. That reminds me of that Metallica video for "one".

I don't understand how it's just so ho-hum in this thread. If I woke up and couldn't move, I would be fucking mortified that I was crippled.