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I Can't Move, And Sometimes I Worry I'll Stop Breathing

by Hannah
(Wisconsin)

My name's Hannah and I'm currently eighteen years old; my first episode of sleep paralysis happened about a year ago, and it's happened many times since that day. When it happens to me, I can't move, I feel like I'm going to suffocate (although I do keep breathing, I feel like I have absolutely no control of the breaths I'm taking), I can only make soft noises, and unlike many people I can't open my eyes or move them at all.


After my first occurrence of SP, I did some research online and learned that it was not an unusual phenomenon, however; many of the techniques advised to help me wake up (for example moving small body parts, taking deep breaths, etc.) did not work for me in later occurrences (mostly because I can't move even the smallest parts of my body or control my breathing). I, personally, have found that when I just relax and go back to sleep, I'll soon wake up without the SP symptoms.

It's a terrifying experience the first time, but after you learn the technique that's easiest for you to "wake up," it's manageable.

Comments for I Can't Move, And Sometimes I Worry I'll Stop Breathing

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Apr 13, 2012
 Cant move in sleep NEW
by: Eve

This has happened to me a couple of times im asleep then suddenly I cant move and i can open my eyes a little and i think im shouting someones name but im really not and then i worry ill stop breathing i can hear loud noises in my head and i try to make it stop but i cant

I then told my friends the next day and they have experienced the same thing then i prayed and i went to church and found out that a ghost was trying to hold me down and suffocate me in my sleep. This mainly happens to those who have high faith in God and the demon is trying to put you down, you must not let it get to you

I then started praying every night and it now dosent happen to me as much as it used to :)
Apr 23, 2014
 possible reason for your SP NEW
by: Kimmery

SP is one symptom of narcolepsy. Do any of you have excessive daytime sleepiness? Do you lose muscle control when you laugh or experience a strong emotion? Do you have very vivid dreams/hallucinations when going to sleep or when waking up?

PLEASE go to narcolepsynetwork.org or web MD and look up the symptoms of narcolepsy. Also Google "Epworth Sleepiness Scale" it has 8 or 9 quick questions about sleep.

I hope none of you have narcolepsy but it might explain the SP. Best of luck.
Apr 23, 2014
 Kimmery NEW
by: Chadwick

Hey, thanks for the reply!

Yes, it is nacrolepsy onset caused from the hours I was working at my previous job when this incident happened.

I had been working grave yard shifts and was the root cause of my sleep paralysis. It has been over a year since my last episode of sleep paralysis and I honestly cannot remember the episode.

Again, thanks for the reply!

Chad
Mar 04, 2015
 Sleeping disorder NEW
by: Anonymous

Well in my sleep I feel like i can't breath and move my body at all its freaks me out and in my sleep I even know after a while I can breath it just a dream my I have to struggle to wake up. One time I had two layers of dream where First I had this suffocation and while I was soffocating I had another dream that I woke up and try to open my roommate door but before I was going to open a door I knew there will be dark and empty as I open the door it was completely dark and empty and I came back to my room try to pick up phone and I knew that my phone probably will dead and I went to bed in sad mood but I was still dreaming once I fell asleep my soffocation starts and I try to raise my legs and hand but I couldn't and was realizing that I have to overcome with this and after long struggle I woke up.
Apr 02, 2016
 Its tiring NEW
by: Anonymous

The exact same thing happens to me but the only way i can stop is if i say a kind of prayer in my head then jerk myself out of the...hold? Like force a quick movement. And then i'm free...but tired. Its a struggle really...no wonder most people think it's demons. Its like fighting someone to get off you so you can breath.
Apr 30, 2016
 For no reason I stopped breathing NEW
by: P. Parson

I can relate to what everyone is saying, this has happened to me two times already in the last month. the last time it happened I could feel I could not breathe nor could I move at all.It was like my spirit was looking down at my body and in my subconscious mind, I saying to move my hands but I couldn't move any part of my body. I started to pray to God and told Him Lord if you don't move my body or wake me up so I can breathe I will die.As I started praying my body was able to move and I took a deep breath.I kind of wonder about when the reports come through for some people dying they say they died of natural causes because they don't know why they die and there's no reason for it. I hope this doesn't happen to me because I am very healthy and I don't know why this is happening to me
Apr 30, 2016
 For no reason I stopped breathing NEW
by: P. Parson

I can relate to what everyone is saying, this has happened to me two times already in the last month. the last time it happened I could feel I could not breathe nor could I move at all.It was like my spirit was looking down at my body and in my subconscious mind, I saying to move my hands but I couldn't move any part of my body. I started to pray to God and told Him Lord if you don't move my body or wake me up so I can breathe I will die.As I started praying my body was able to move and I took a deep breath.I kind of wonder about when the reports come through for some people dying they say they died of natural causes because they don't know why they die and there's no reason for it. I hope this doesn't happen to me because I am very healthy and I don't know why this is happening to me
Sep 01, 2016
 No NEW
by: Anonymous

No, it's not a ghost, it's a medical disorder. While in sleep paralysis, I scrunch my face up a few times and it Usaully wakes me up.

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