Poll: Sleep Paralysis

[RufusMcLaser]

The first time I experienced SP, when I was just short of 18, was a dream that I was drowning. I woke up and it bothered me- I had probably dreamed of drowning before, but never with the feeling that I was physically unable to breathe. I wrote it off.
Then it happened again. This time there was no dream about suffocation- I woke up, or at any rate was aware that I was in bed- and couldn't breathe or move for what seemed like ages. Eventually I managed to wiggle a finger or toe slightly, and it ended. This was enough to freak me out.
I mentioned it to a friend a few days later and she knew exactly what had happened- and so did I, once she said "Oh, you had a night terror!"
Of course! I remembered reading about them, and the phenomenon of "the old hag" and it all fell into place.
Since then I've experienced SP at least twenty times, but never again in conjunction with a dream or hallucination- I've always been aware that I was in bed, and that I couldn't breathe, and for some reason I always come to the conclusion that if I can just wiggle a toe or finger, I'll be alright.
So far so good.
Neat thread, guys. I'd forgotten about "Shadow People," which I'd like to hear more about from those of you that've seen them.

 

[John Galt]

I got a case of SP once. At first it felt like a vivid dream, but then the dream faded back into my room, at which point I hallucinated myself a spooktacular boogeyman(I remember thinking he was a Palestinian for some reason) and tried to move my head away but couldn't. Once I regained mobility I blundered about my house turning on lights until passing out on the couch.

Oddly enough, I had just finished the first segment of The King In Yellow.

GRIMDARK books + forcing myself to try and sleep outside my normal schedule = FUUUUUUUUUUUUUU...

 

[PsykoDragon]

...Or hallucinate one of my guiltier pleasures

Yeah, if I ever wake up and find myself in that situation I hope I hallucinate not being able to move because there's a hot naked girl straddling me. There, I said it.

Thank you.

Have you ever had one say anything to you? It's odd when they do, at least for me. It's usually some sort of faint chorus of whispers.

Ummm... it's hard to tell whether I'm refabricating my memories or just vaguely remembering things, but yeah, I think I remember hearing certain sounds while I was in SP. I don't recall hearing anything in the void-man's presence though. Perhaps I was too freaked out to notice.

So no, I don't recall a void-creature ever talking to me, but I do remember one time... This one didn't approach me, it just stood at the other end of the room staring at me... & I could FEEL it SMILE at me. Not a friendly smile either. One of those maniacal grins that serial killers get. It was like, I could see the smile on his face, but can't at the same time.

 

[Ursus Astrorum]

...Or hallucinate one of my guiltier pleasures

Yeah, if I ever wake up and find myself in that situation I hope I hallucinate not being able to move because there's a hot naked girl straddling me. There, I said it.

Thank you.

Have you ever had one say anything to you? It's odd when they do, at least for me. It's usually some sort of faint chorus of whispers.

Ummm... it's hard to tell whether I'm refabricating my memories or just vaguely remembering things, but yeah, I think I remember hearing certain sounds while I was in SP. I don't recall hearing anything in the void-man's presence though. Perhaps I was too freaked out to notice.

So no, I don't recall a void-creature ever talking to me, but I do remember one time... This one didn't approach me, it just stood at the other end of the room staring at me... & I could FEEL it SMILE at me. Not a friendly smile either. One of those maniacal grins that serial killers get. It was like, I could see the smile on his face, but can't at the same time.

Huh. You must have some bad vibes around you. Most of the ones I run into are rather nonchalant and even helpful.

But yeah, you've got to watch out for the malignant ones. They usually just mess with your head, but they've done some serious damage to folks in the past. You should be fine, but I suggest trying to focus your mind into creating a defense of some sort, just in case.

.... In case you haven't noticed, I'm big into the paranormal. Feel free to call me a loon and walk away.

 

[Clashero]

Well, I'm off to bed, will probably have SP now that I've discussed it and seen it discussed so thoroughly. Will update you in the morning, people. Go get that void-man.

 

[PsykoDragon]

Huh. You must have some bad vibes around you. Most of the ones I run into are rather nonchalant and even helpful.

But yeah, you've got to watch out for the malignant ones. They usually just mess with your head, but they've done some serious damage to folks in the past. You should be fine, but I suggest trying to focus your mind into creating a defense of some sort, just in case.

.... In case you haven't noticed, I'm big into the paranormal. Feel free to call me a loon and walk away.

I kinda just noticed with this post ^^ I'm into the paranormal somewhat, except it's more that I wish it truly exists rather than just believe it exists.

But yeah, My dad's grandfather supposedly had a djinn tagging along around him & the family, & we joke about how it's prolly hanging around us even now. Sometimes a door closes on its own without any wind, & I wonder...

As for the part about harming me, I think the worst void-man can do is mentally scar me, but I've learned already, & the next time void-man show up, I'll re-imagine him into a steak dinner & eat him up. But if you were talking about, say, causing bad luck or somesuch, I'd say the void-man succeeded long ago. I haven't seen him in around a year, same amount of time I haven't had SP, but now I'm looking forward to it.

Hmmm... just a random thought, but one time I was dreaming in my sleep that I was flying in the grey sky, & there were gargoyles closing in on me from all directions. That was when I created my own little joke of a defense: I blink, both with my eyes & soul, & in an instant they vanish. Whenever I'm getting the creeps I do that & it seems to help (if only psychologically), but I'd rather attract any paranormals, good or bad, so I oughta get rid of that habit -_-

Well, I'm off to bed, will probably have SP now that I've discussed it and seen it discussed so thoroughly. Will update you in the morning, people. Go get that void-man.

g'nite! I'm prolly gonna hit the sack as well. 6 am here <_<

 

[Ursus Astrorum]

Huh. You must have some bad vibes around you. Most of the ones I run into are rather nonchalant and even helpful.

But yeah, you've got to watch out for the malignant ones. They usually just mess with your head, but they've done some serious damage to folks in the past. You should be fine, but I suggest trying to focus your mind into creating a defense of some sort, just in case.

.... In case you haven't noticed, I'm big into the paranormal. Feel free to call me a loon and walk away.

I kinda just noticed with this post ^^ I'm into the paranormal somewhat, except it's more that I wish it truly exists rather than just believe it exists.

But yeah, My dad's grandfather supposedly had a djinn tagging along around him & the family, & we joke about how it's prolly hanging around us even now. Sometimes a door closes on its own without any wind, & I wonder...

As for the part about harming me, I think the worst void-man can do is mentally scar me, but I've learned already, & the next time void-man show up, I'll re-imagine him into a steak dinner & eat him up.

That's... Rather inventive. Odd, but inventive.

Most folks (myself included) usually use some sort of patronus-esque guardian, but hey, if it works.

 

[Bored Tomatoe]

There is a running history of it in my family, and I get scared it might happen when I go to sleep.

 

[neoman10]

had it, but i just couldn't move

freaky none the less

 

[Raddragon]

I was face down in bed and couldnt breath...while paralised.I had my eyes closed.It happened 2,3 times now. I dont even know how I survive. It feels like im going to die every time.

 

[Bored Tomatoe]

Nope, never had sleep paralysis. Hell I can't even remember one of my dreams! Thats weird that you all saw the same figure though. Maybe it was because you, or another friend, told them about the figure and it was planted in their subconscious mind and made them think about it whilst in sleep paralysis.

Actually, there are three common figures seen in sleep paralysis: A hideous old hag, the void man and a black horse...guess where the term Night Mare comes from?

 

[Vorpals]

Interesting topic; I've never had sleep paralysis, but in my dreams often I don't have control of what's going on. Sleep paralysis sounds awful though.

I've had instances where I feel like I'm tripping on something sideways and then wake up. Weird feeling.

Anyways, something I don't get: Why is it those three figures? (old hag, etc)

 

[LewsTherin]

Once, but I think I was just dreaming. Didn't see anything interesting, unfortunately.

 

[Lazzi]

I would say that there may be an explanation for this. There are several different stages of sleep, one of which is called REM sleep. Rapid Eye Movement sleep. This is the sleep in which you dream. For some reason, people in REM stages of sleep are unable to move their bodies as the muscles are held in place. If you've ever seen a dog twitch and yip but not in other ways move, they're in REM sleep. I'm not sure how this directly relates to the sensation you spoke of, only that it's the most logical conclusion to my knowledge.

If any thing i would call it an exagerated feeling of helplessness. He awake but entierly unable to move, and should he be in a half contious state his mind creates an image of restraint to explain it.

Think of it as you would the law of countinuity. The mind will futher fill in missing pieces of information so that it will be able to expalin some thing or simply countinue processing.

In this case the random inability to move is given a "tangible" and sentiant form. Becuase the shape is human and there for sentent and "autonamus" the mind is not in comtorl and there for not responcible for the situation. The void like apperence is a lack of deffinition and humanity, you can seem the fetures of its face and you cant seem were its eyes are looking, basicly "void man" has no tell on which to perdict his reaction".

As for the "screaming" issue, thats plain old drema logic, your jsut damn scared and you wake up.

now as for what happens to me, I just become hybersensitve to every single stimuly. End the end i jsut need to 'talk' my self into waking up, or falling back to sleep.

 

[Valiance]

I think it's best if I don't really talk about it much but suffice to say that I have experienced this and seen things.

 

[plastic_window]

I had Sleep Paralysis once and I dreamt I was underwater and I couldn't breath. It was the scariest thing I've ever been through - I just couldn't breath at all no matter how hard I tried, it was like I was watching myself drown.

 

[Zetona]

The body is paralyzed during REM sleep in order to prevent muscle damage. At least, that's what Wikipedia says.
Apparently, you're more likely to have SP if you've just had a lucid dream--one where you're aware that you're in the dream.

 

[Raddragon]

I had Sleep Paralysis once and I dreamt I was underwater and I couldn't breath. It was the scariest thing I've ever been through - I just couldn't breath at all no matter how hard I tried, it was like I was watching myself drown.

You were face down in bed or had a very thick blanket covering your face. Since you couldnt breath your mind assumed you were underwater, or at least I'm assuming, because that happens just too often to me

 

[Llewen Ebag]

Something weird that happened to me was when I saw a Shadow people relfected on one of the TVs that we own. Except that I was completely awake.
It was a dark, tall blob which was next to me. Stared at it for a long time, just to make sure it wasn't a illusion of some sorts. The worst part was when I looked where it was suppoused to be, and there was nothing.
I slowly got up, and ran my ass off that room.

 

[ffxfriek]

all the time i do