Evie Summers
Sleep paralysis is a parasomnia that can cause a temporary inability to move or speak. It occurs when a person's mind and body are out of sync at the point of falling asleep or waking up. During an episode, a person may experience audio, visual and sensory hallucinations. Sleep paralysis can be scary and overwhelming, but it will pass with time. If you regularly experience sleep paralysis, it can be beneficial to share this with someone, such as your bed partner, and ask them to help wake you up if they see you having an episode.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Temporary | Sleep paralysis will pass in a few seconds |
| Frightening | Sleep paralysis can be scary and overwhelming |
| Cognitive | During sleep paralysis, a person is awake and cognitive |
| Hallucinations | A person may experience audio, visual and sensory hallucinations |
| Unable to move | A person cannot move their body |
| Unable to speak | A person may be unable to speak |
| Pressure on chest | A person may feel pressure on their chest |
| Awareness | A person's senses and awareness are active and awake |
| Eyes open | Some people can open their eyes during an episode but can't talk |
| Waking up | A person will wake up from sleep paralysis naturally |
| Treatment | There is no treatment for sleep paralysis |
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What You'll Learn
How to wake up from sleep paralysis
Sleep paralysis occurs when a person is conscious but unable to move their body. It can be a frightening experience, but it will pass with time. While there is no way to force the body to move out of this state, there are some things you can do to help wake yourself up.
If you experience sleep paralysis, try to stay calm and remember that the episode is temporary and will usually pass in a few seconds. You can try to move your fingers and toes or force a sudden, intense movement to help wake yourself up. If you regularly experience sleep paralysis, it may be helpful to tell someone, such as your bed partner, about it. You can explain what it looks like for you and ask them to gently touch you or help you sit up to wake your body up. After waking up from sleep paralysis, it is beneficial to get up and move around to prevent falling back asleep and experiencing another episode.
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What sleep paralysis looks like
Sleep paralysis occurs when a person is conscious, but their body is still in a sleep state. During an episode, a person may be able to open their eyes but be unable to speak or move their body. They may also experience audio and visual hallucinations, which can be distressing. Sleep paralysis can be a symptom of other medical problems, such as insomnia and poor sleep habits. It can also be caused by the body and mind being out of sync during the process of falling asleep or waking up.
If you regularly experience sleep paralysis, it may be beneficial to share this with someone, such as your bed partner. You could explain to them what sleep paralysis looks like for you and ask them to help wake you up if they see you having an episode. For example, they could gently touch you or help you sit up to force your body to wake up.
It is important to remember that sleep paralysis is temporary and will typically pass in a few seconds. You can also try to wake yourself up by moving your fingers and toes or forcing a sudden, intense movement. After waking up from sleep paralysis, it is recommended to get up and move around to prevent falling back asleep and experiencing another episode.
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How to help someone with sleep paralysis
Sleep paralysis occurs when a person is conscious but their body is still in a sleep state. During an episode, a person may be unable to speak and may feel pressure on their chest. They may also experience audio, visual and sensory hallucinations. Sleep paralysis is temporary and will pass in a few seconds.
If you know someone who experiences sleep paralysis, there are a few things you can do to help them:
- If they are comfortable with it, ask them to explain what sleep paralysis looks like for them. For example, some people can open their eyes during an episode but can't talk.
- If you are with them when they are experiencing an episode, you can help wake them up by touching them gently or helping them to sit up.
- After they have woken up, encourage them to get up and move around to prevent them from falling back asleep and experiencing another episode.
- If they experience sleep paralysis regularly, suggest they seek help from a healthcare professional. Cognitive behavioural therapy may help them to establish coping mechanisms and address any underlying causes, such as insomnia or poor sleep habits.
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Sleep paralysis as a symptom of other medical problems
Sleep paralysis is a parasomnia that can cause a temporary inability to move or speak. It occurs when a person's consciousness is awake, but their body is still in a sleep state. While sleep paralysis is not dangerous, it can be a symptom of other medical problems.
Sleep paralysis can be a symptom of narcolepsy, a rare brain disorder that causes a person to fall asleep or lose muscle control at unexpected or inappropriate times. It is also more common in people with chronic insomnia, circadian rhythm dysregulation, and nighttime leg cramps. Sleep paralysis has also been found to be more common in people with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a sleep disorder marked by repeated lapses in breathing.
Sleep paralysis may also be a symptom of a more serious physical or mental health condition requiring medical treatment, such as panic disorder. For about 10% of people, sleep paralysis is a recurring event that creates bedtime anxiety and can lead to daytime fatigue and other health problems. If you experience sleep paralysis that is causing anxiety or impacting your quality of life, it is recommended that you seek medical assistance. A doctor will assess your symptoms and full medical history and may recommend a sleep study to determine if your sleep paralysis is due to another medical problem.
While there is no way to force your body to move out of a paralysis state, there are some strategies that may help you wake up from sleep paralysis. These include moving your fingers and toes or forcing a sudden and intense movement. You can also ask a bed partner to help wake you up by gently touching you or helping you sit up. It can be beneficial to get up and move around after waking up from sleep paralysis to prevent falling back asleep and experiencing another episode.
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How to lessen the risk of sleep paralysis
Sleep paralysis occurs when a person is conscious but their body is still in a sleep state. While it can be frightening, it will pass with time. There is no way to force the body to move out of paralysis, but there are ways to lessen the risk of experiencing it.
If you regularly experience sleep paralysis, it may be beneficial to share this with someone close to you, such as your bed partner. You can explain what sleep paralysis looks like for you, and ask them to help wake you up if they see you having an episode. For example, they could gently touch you or help you sit up. After waking up, it is a good idea to get up and move around to avoid falling back asleep and experiencing another episode.
You can also try to wake yourself up by moving your fingers and toes or forcing a sudden and intense movement. It is important to remember that sleep paralysis is temporary and will typically pass in a few seconds. Cognitive behavioural therapy may help establish coping mechanisms for sleep paralysis and address underlying causes, such as insomnia and poor sleep habits.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, someone can wake you up from sleep paralysis. You can ask your bed partner to help wake you up if they see you having an episode. They could touch you gently or help you sit up and force your body to wake up.
You can wake yourself up from sleep paralysis by moving your fingers and toes or forcing a sudden and intense movement.
Sleep paralysis occurs when a person's consciousness is awake, but their body is still in a paralysed sleep state. During sleep paralysis, a person's senses and awareness are active and awake, but their body cannot move.
After you wake up from sleep paralysis, it can be beneficial to get up and move around. This can help ensure that you don't immediately fall back asleep and experience another episode.
