The following is a visitor-submitted question or story. For more, you can submit your own sleep story here, or browse the collection of experiences and questions other visitors have shared here.

I Don't Know Why I Can't Move!

by Michelle
(New jersey)

So this first happened last year. I was having trouble falling asleep. Then, out of nowhere, I start to hear this ringing in my ears. It gradually gets louder, and turns onto buzzing. My whole my body feels like its buzzing and I can't move.


I become very panicked because it has never happened before. Then it starts to go away, and I can move. My heart is beating rapidly, as if I've just awakened from a nightmare, only that I was almost positive I was awake.

I try to stay awake now because I'm scared it will happen again. However, I get really sleepy and try to fight it, and then it happens again. After I awake again, I finally fall asleep. At first I thought it was and alien abduction or something, because I watch way too much history channel, but I thought that was stupid lol.

So today it happened again. Again, I was having trouble falling asleep because I took a 5 hour nap before that. My sister puts on music to help her fall asleep, so then I started to feel a buzz going through my body.

The music was slowly fading away, but I knew I was still awake. I tried to move, but couldnt. I tried to open my eyes, but I started to see a dark figure, so I tried to keep my eyes closed. Then, I slowly started to hear the music again.

My heart was beating so fast after. Again, I started to feel sleepy, and it happened again. I snapped out of it again, and tried to fight to stay awake, but eventually fell asleep. So it always happens twice, but I never knew how to explain what happened. And it happens before I go to sleep, while I'm still awake though.

I feel really scared to fall asleep. Can somebody please explain what is going on because I have no idea and I'm so scared. I'm 16 by the way.

Comments for I Don't Know Why I Can't Move!

Click here to add your own comments

Sep 24, 2015
 It's Sleep Paralysis
by: Kevin

What you're experiencing is called sleep paralysis, and it has to do with a mechanism of your sleep called REM atonia that is supposed to paralyze your body while you dream, but can sometimes mistakenly paralyze your body when you're awake. You can read more about why sleep paralysis happens here.

You can also take comfort in the fact that it is actually very common. Many, many people experience it during their lives, and some experience it quite often.
Feb 13, 2016
 Helping u out NEW
by: Leo

I get the same dream to I know a trike that mate help u don't go to.sleep at day and sleep at night like 11or12 don't go to sleep at 3 am or 2am that's when the dream more often happens. of u can sleep a and a choch if u sleep in a choch the dream will not strikehappens hopes this helps cause I do this 2

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to Sleep Paralysis Stories.



Enjoy this page? Please help us pay it forward to others who would find it valuable by Liking, Sharing, Tweeting, Stumbling, and/or Voting below.

About This Site

Welcome! This site is continuously being created by students of Dr. William C. Dement's Sleep And Dreams course at Stanford University.

We made this site as a call to action for people all over the world to live healthier, happier, safer, and more productive lives by learning about their own sleep. We have faith that reading the information provided on this site will motivate you to be smart about your sleep deprivation and strategic about your alertness in order to live life to your fullest, most energetic potential.

In fact, we challenge you to do so! What do you say, are you up for the challenge?

A Note On Visitor-Submitted Questions:

Publishing sleep stories and questions from our visitors is meant to create a forum for open and proactive dialogue about an extremely important portion of our lives (one that occupies 1/3 of it and affects the other 2/3) that isn't talked about enough. It is not meant to substitute a trip to the doctor or the advice of a specialist. It's good to talk; it is not good to avoid consulting someone who's profession it is to help you with this kind of stuff.

If you are in any way concerned about your sleep health, don't wait for an answer on here, and don't necessarily rely on them. See a sleep specialist in your area as soon as possible.

More Questions:

Ask | Answer

The Stanford Sleep Book

Stanford Sleep Book Picture

Dr. Dement's pioneering textbook has been the core text for Sleep and Dreams since 1980, but it has just recently been made available to the wider public for the first time.

In it you'll find a more detailed account of the most important things you need to know about sleep, alertness, dreams, and sleep disorders. Studies, statistics, plus plenty of Dr. Dement's classic anecdotes painting the history of sleep medicine.

Preface | Intro | Contents | Get A Copy

More Sleep Resources

The Zeo

Track Your Own Sleep With Zeo

A revolution in personal sleep tracking, the Zeo is a wireless headband that transmits your brainwaves in realtime to a dock (pictured here) or your smartphone. The result? You can wake up and see exactly what stages of sleep you were in during the night! Unprecedented personalized sleep knowledge.

Sleep Paralysis: A Dreamer's Guide

Sleep Paralysis Treatment Book

Ever woken up paralyzed? A surprising number of us have, believe it or not. But few know the actual causes of this phenomenon, and fewer still how to exert control over it. Dream researcher and sleep paralysis expert Ryan Hurd shares breakthrough insights into how to do just that.

Important Disclaimer

Please Note:

The information found on this page and throughout this site is intended for general information purposes only. While it may prove useful and empowering, it is NOT intended as a substitute for the expertise and judgments of healthcare practitioners.

For more info, see our
Terms of Use.