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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.
Sleep Paralysis And Needing To Go To The Toilet!
by APPLEBLOSSOM
(UK)
I have had severe ME for 20 years and during this time I have experienced sleep paralysis numerous times, both during the morning when waking from sleep and also when lying down for a sleep in the daytime.
Without fail, every single time I have experienced sleep paralysis I am also wanting, needing desperately to go to the toilet to urinate. At no time during my numerous episodes of sleep paralysis have I urinated whilst in the state of paralysis. It is only when the paralysis recedes completely and I try and get up quickly to rush to the toilet do I frequently end up wetting myself before I arrive at the toilet.
This particular aspect of sleep paralysis is I think interesting and I'm sure many would be curious to know why this is so.
At no time during any of my numerous episodes of sleep paralysis experiences have I felt the need to defecate, only urinate. Why is that?
What are other peoples experiences of this rather private aspect of sleep paralysis?
As an aside I cope with sleep paralysis by praying to God for help. The prayer usually goes like this, " God help me I need to go to the toilet!! I also sing in my mind little songs of praise to God. To reduce panic I also repeat to myself 'God knows I'm paralyzed and will help me'. I also focus on the cross, a symbol of hope and specifically on the wounds of Jesus on His hands or feet. This is my way of coping, you will have yours.
Whenever I have to get up in the morning to go somewhere I never sleep. This is because I worry that if I wake up paralyzed and I don't know how long it will last I will be late for the important appointment. This is less to do with the fear of sleep paralysis than the practicalities of the effect of it.
As part of my disability state claim I mention the sleep paralysis and wetting myself as a result of being unable to get to the toilet. Because I cannot get to the toilet in time to urinate because of being paralyzed it comes under the heading 'incontinence'. The fact that I have enormous difficulty controlling my bladder after the paralysis is also interesting. The problem is I still after many years of experiencing SP I still do not know how long each episode last as I cannot move my head to look at the clock. Indeed, I can barely open my eyes. It feels like 40-50 minutes.
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Sleep Paralysis: A Dreamer's Guide
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.
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