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Stuck In Sleep Paralysis

by Charlotte
(Bolton )

I'm 18 years old and for a few years I have been experiencing sleep paralysis, however I don't have visions. I feel as though I am awake and no matter how hard I try to open my eyes or move to wake myself up I can't. Every time I try to scream for help but nothing comes out. I find it terrifying.


It lasts for about 10 minutes every time. Does everyone have visions or is it normal to be aware of what is happening like me? In my head I am totally aware and know if I can get myself to move then I will wake up, but it is really hard to open my eyes. I feel like some one has hold of them and isn't letting me open them.

Once I finally get out of it I feel breathless and scared. Usually when I go back to sleep it happens again. For instance last night I woke myself up from sleep paralysis about 5 times.



Hi Charlotte,

Thanks for sharing your story with us. To answer your question, it is completely normal not to have hallucinations along with episodes of sleep paralysis. In fact it is estimated that only about 1 in 5 instances of sleep paralysis are!

Hallucinations or not though, sleep paralysis, as you know well, can be terrifying. There is a great book that could potentially be very helpful for you in taking control of your episodes. It's sleep researcher Ryan Hurd's "Sleep Paralysis: A Dreamers Guide." Hurd has battled sleep paralysis himself for 20 years, so his book is full of his own insight.

You can check out the review on our site and if it seems like a helpful tool, the book is download-able.

Please let us know if you have any questions or new insights on your sleep paralysis.


Warmly,

Jordan

EYSD Editor

Comments for Stuck In Sleep Paralysis

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Apr 04, 2012
 It must be the name! NEW
by: Charlotte

Hi Charlotte, my name is also Charlotte. Your paralysis sounds exactly like mine. I keep trying to open my eyes, sometimes I am begging someone to help me. In my dream or whatever I even try to open them with my hands and can't.
Apr 26, 2012
 just had the same thing happen three times to me. NEW
by: 41 m

i often think im moveing my arms or legs trying to get my wife to wake me up yet i realise i havent moved at all, i can feel them comeing on unable to stop them,
May 20, 2014
 AHALF ASLEEP, AHALF AWAKE, AHALF DEAD. NEW
by: lyz

Have always had this sleep paralysis since my primary six,its now like seven years.Didn't know what it was till no.It used to come once in a while but no it has become so frequent
Have read other peoples SP but mine is a bit different.During my SP;- i can see everything in-front of my face in real world,i can hear every sound even if its a conversation btn 2 people, and the worst part is that i can feel my self moving even turning around (due to the struggle and panic to wake myself up.)BUT just to realize that my body is still in the same position.I think in this state its my soul moving and i fear that it might depart from my body forever if continue making the movements,so i stay still until i get out of it.
Aug 05, 2014
 bhoot NEW
by: Anonymous

even i have the same problem from last few years i feel like someone someone has caught me trying to get inside mecallcall i cannoti cannot call out cannot reach for health i wake upand get scared is there any me to avoid this
Nov 29, 2014
 infinite loop NEW
by: Anonymous

Hell me I keep on waking up but still be in a dream over and over till I actually wake up its hard cause half the time I think I be woke. Other times I have a hard time moving its like I have to fight to get out of bed then I would try and fall to wake my self up. one time I tried to pinch myself and it felt real I also can feel what happens to my real body as well its a pain in the ass
Nov 06, 2015
 hey guys is this anything like your feeling NEW
by: tina

I'm 15 & I been getting stuck in my sleep for a while now . what happens is I cant move or talk but in my head I know what's happening .always when I try to go to like when I'm a bout to fall alseep so when it happens I have to kick my leg up to get out of it . but I feel better knowing that I'm not the only one with this omg but I pray & it I hope god will take it all away from me & every one suffering from this it's terrifying
Nov 06, 2015
 this is my second post NEW
by: tina

It kinda feels like my brain is Rebooting & my ears will close until I try to move my self out of it
Jul 19, 2017
 Someone is sleeping in my bed NEW
by: Anonymous

I have had sleep paralysis and it is horror but I have learned that the cause of this ischildhood sex abuse what do I do?

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Sleep Paralysis: A Dreamer's Guide

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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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