As I briefly explained sleep paralysis in a previous post, I’d like go into further detail about what an episode of sleep paralysis typically feels like and some of the associated phenomena.
First, a video from YouTube user Viper93000 recreating an episode of sleep paralysis he experienced.
Thus far, this is the most accurate portrayal of an episode of sleep paralysis I have found. Although this video clip does not show the fear experienced while one is paralyzed (well, maybe a little bit), it does allude to the psychedelic and possibly spiritual experiences SP can have.
Here are some of the symptoms of sleep paralysis I have experienced:
- Inability to move
- Tingling
- Pressure
- Levitation/falling
- Hypnagogic/hypnopompic hallucinations
- Panic / Sense of impending doom
- Strange odors
- Noises
- Tastes
Let’s go into a bit of detail about each of those symptoms.
Inability to move
Just like it sounds. You literally are paralyzed, thus have no control of your body. However, the eyes still retain their ability to move. I believe this to be the link to what REM (rapid eye movement) sleep consists of, or rather why we move our eyes while asleep.
In Lucid Dreaming by Stephen LaBerge, he goes into detail regarding the sleep research he did at Stanford University. One section talks about the correlation between eye movement and where the dreamer is looking in the dream, mainly that his studies found the two to be linked (i.e. the direction the dreamer looks corresponds to the direction his eyes are moving).
You also have no control of your vocal cords while in sleep paralysis. You can try to scream, but no sounds will come out. Maybe you’ll be able to get out a squeak (or at least imagine you are).
Trying to regain control takes a lot of focus. I find it’s easiest to focus on one finger or to try to cough; that usually helps if you want to break free.
Tingling
Right before your body becomes fully paralyzed, you may experience a series of tingling vibrations, beginning from my toes and going up unto the top of the head. Others have reported a heat sensation that starts from the toes and goes up to the head.
I think this symptom actually feels pretty good but is mildly awkward. If you let yourself go, you may find that this tingling sensation feels somewhat like an orgasm (probably why I like it).
Pressure
It may feel like there is an immense pressure on your body (especially the chest) while experiencing sleep paralysis.
I’ve felt as if a ton of bricks were on my back (when sleeping in the prone position). I’ve also experienced the sensation of being underwater (such as ears popping and an overall pressure on my body). These were uncomfortable positions but not painful, at least not for me.
Levitation/Falling
This one actually feels pretty cool. It’s like your bed vanishes and you just start falling into a pit (well actually it can be quite scary in that case). Or you may find yourself levitating above your bed.
I’ve had pretty fun experiences once I got acclimated to the strange feeling of suddenly falling or levitating.
Visual hallucinations
This is the fun/scary stuff.
While experiencing sleep paralysis you may hallucinate. What you see while hallucinating is entirely up to you. Your personality and experience with SP will determine what the apparitions can be.
The first few experiences I had with sleep paralysis were terrifying, mainly because they happened unintentionally.
Once I “got stuck” and after about 5 seconds concluded that Death had condemned me. I saw a small, doll-like Grim Reaper fly through my wall and into my room. It was hovering around my bed until I closed my eyes. Suddenly, it was inches from my face staring at me with a blank white skeletal face. Oh the terror!
But on the flip side, I’ve also had many positive experiences with sleep paralysis.
Another time, after getting the tingling sensations and hissing noises, I focused my mind on positive thoughts, namely a girl very dear to me. I watched as my room transformed into a wooden villa situated on a pristine beach, staring at said girl. A feeling of ecstasy engulfed me. How could this be? She was right in front of my eyes! Every last detail perfectly represented. I spoke with her as I caressed her hair. After about 2 minutes the scene started to fade and I had to focus very intently to keep it from vanishing. This bought me some time but eventually I lost control and woke up.
Basically, I’ve realized that once in sleep paralysis, your mind can wander and your superstitions and fears can haunt you. If you are scared of aliens then you’ll probably imagine that you’re being abducted. If you believe in ghosts then a ghost will come and haunt you. This probably explains all the people who have claimed to have been abducted by aliens or have seen and been attacked by ghosts or other creatures of folklore (just a thought since I don’t necessarily subscribe to paranormal stuff).
Panic / Sense of impending doom
You may believe you actually died or that your death is approaching rapidly.
I believe the initial panic leads to the frightening hallucinations. The key is to stay calm when sleep paralysis presents itself, unless of course, you get a thrill out of being eaten alive by zombies.
Strange odors
You may smell phantom smells.
This hasn’t happened to me many times but a few times I smelled strange stuff; can’t really explain what I smelled so all I can say is they were strange. I believe if I were to focus on the sense of smell while in SP, I could possibly smell whatever I wanted (the same way you see things you think about).
Noises
During sleep paralysis you may hear buzzing, static or even high pitched frequencies (or anything for that matter).
I’ve heard voices before while in SP. I often realize I’m experiencing SP when I hear a phantom person say something to me then try to look but can’t move. It’s usually stuff I’m thinking about in my head and it suddenly makes the transition into being said aloud (but not by me).
More often I experience a series of buzzing and high pitched frequency noises.
This YouTube user, AKMetal666, posted a clip of the noises he heard during an episode of sleep paralysis (remember, this is one person’s representation of the noises heard).
Pretty intense stuff.
Tastes
Some people report tasting odd things while in sleep paralysis.
I normally don’t have a sense of taste while in SP (or at least I don’t taste anything strange). However, I’ve done a bit of experimenting and have found that it is possible to taste anything while in SP. I once just thought of sushi and instantly had the taste of salmon sashimi. I decided to push it one step forward and experience the sensation of eating wasabi, only to discover I could replicate it faithfully. I haven’t done too much more experimentation besides that but I’d imagine you can taste anything you desire while in SP.
These are the most common symptoms of sleep paralysis. If I missed anything please drop me a comment and I’ll be sure to include it.
I just went to sleep around 5:07 am because I couldn’t sleep I think I woke up I’m not sure if I was awake or not but I felt numb I couldn’t feel my body I couldn’t move I was haring voices and knocking on the front door and I felt like I was being suffocating I’m so so so scared I thought my life was over and now I’m scared to sleep this has never happened to me before
I was coming out of a dream of viewing possessed people and I started to shake all over and couldn’t move (reminded me of a seizure). There was also a LOUD high frequency noise in my ears that almost sounded like screams too. It lasted for about 5 seconds and then I was okay. Does this count of an episode of sleep paralysis? It’s the first time it’s ever happened to me and I was laying on my side.
Thanks.
So iv had sp a good handfull of times before its always when falling asleep for me but i had to do some research after this experience, so let me tell you how an episode normally goes, ill be laying down ready to sleep. Usualy tired as xan bee and start to feel a tingling sensation almost like pins and needles but over my entire body it feels like everything is shaking or maby i am, and it intensifys the longer i let it go, or maby its the longer it continues but i normally get myself out of it fast, and find myself to be very paranoid after wards almost afraid to fall asleep, yet slightly curious to find the sensation again, this time was the worst however. I was laying down thinking deeply about life. About an ex to be honest and my thoughts were just me being depressed. And then the sensation overcame me and i decided to let it ride so to speak now im facing the wall of a couch, iv always slept on couches so i couldnt see anything but i heard a voice and it sounded like death, theres no other way to say it maby alien? Inhuman and it just stated there you go, im kinda flusterd and cant remember clearly everything that was said and i almost think im forgetting or missplacing a word at this point true fear like iv never felt set in. And trust me sp is normaly scary for me as it is, but this was chilling iv never heard a voice like this. And this is were it really freaks me out because normaly i can clear my head somewhat and snap out of it so to speak but this was like being dragged deeper every time i tried, if youv ever been drugged under water by the current it was like that, it felt like that, needless to say i dont think im going to be getting much sleep tonight.
Hi
I didn’t read everyone’s stories but the few I read, I could find something in common with. I only experienced this four times before that I can remember, though I thought it was some kind of anxiety or panic attack. My first time I was freaked out and scared; I can’t remember what I was dreaming about since it was 3 to 4 years ago, my eyes was closed when I became aware of warmth covering my body (as if sinking in a lukewarm pool) as the pressure in my chest followed I woke up panicked, I wanted to scream for my parents but my mouth wouldn’t move. I didn’t have any hallucinations but I could see every detail in room. It was probably for less than 10 seconds before pulled myself out of it completely but felt forever, afterwards I fell asleep (even though I didn’t want to) and woke up with my muscles sore, I thought it was nothing and didn’t tell my parents.
The second time it happened wasn’t even a month or 2 later. The same thing happened and I googled it, mostly with what relates to my anxiety. I thought it was I was too stressed out – you know.
I can’t remember the third time but it was less than a year later that it happened again and I couldn’t move for a longer period of time, then the tingling started and I could move again. Told my mother this time.
Of course, it wasn’t over yet for me. This year was very bizarre. I was slowly waking up but feeling a little warm (although not drowning) and with no pressure on my chest, and I was sleeping in the living room on the couch, when I opened my eyes I could see our maid standing there, she said ‘hello’ like she always does and I said hello back. I can hear what was on TV and I knew where my mother was in the kitchen, could partially see her. She walked to the fridge passing behind our maid that was going to the kitchen or dinning room. So I just closed my eyes ’cause I thought nothing amiss but everything that was a little hazy.
Around an hour or so later I woke up, went to my room, to kitchen then the living room again. While eating my cereal I asked my mother where our maid was, she looked at me strangely and said that she wasn’t here. That’s when I remembered what day it was and our maid won’t be here for another 3 days still. I told my mother what happened and my brother heard it all. Mother was worried, and my brother just thought it weird.
I haven’t had many in all four years but not any a couple of months now. I’m worried that it would get worse. And wouldn’t call it an awesome experience either. To hear voices when there are none or see things that can’t be there.
Thanks for listening
I have these dreams on and off and quiet regular sometimes I dream I’m possessed by ghosts / demons and I do bad things I have no control over my body and sometimes I harm people close to me like my children I experience SP my body fills with pins and needles and when I try talk all I can do is “roar” like a demon. The other dream is when a bad soul enters my body and my soul fights to get the other soul out I saw my mom in my dream trying to pull the soul out of my body but the soul is resistant but I can see it comes half way out then goes back into my body! These dreams are scary but through them I ferl Sp. What does this all mean??
I just had the feeling hot, hearing voices experience like 30 minutes ago, it’s so scary I’m still scared. I was laying on my side when this happened why do we get them? and how do we get rid of them? this is my third time and I don’t like them at all they are the worst feeling ever. I wake up turn my tv on And light and try to not think about it.
When i had the sleep paralysis i came from a dream where i fell out of a air plane and died then i woke up and i had lots of weight on my chest it felt like and a tingling throughout my body then I suddenly realized i wasnt breathing like my brain forgot to trll myself to breath i really started freaking out so i had a pretty bad experience
I just had Tia experience for the second time. I was lying on the clutch watching tv and my son building legos and fell asleep. I felt the extreme tingling through my entire body and the squelching from my ears. I thought I woke up 3 times before I actually did. I could see the TV and my son and started to fall, I stopped breathing and tried screaming for help to my wife but couldn’t get anything out and my son wouldn’t look at me. Then I remembered beginning to God not to come take me. It was a scary moment, kind you I suffer from tinius but this was much stronger then I have ever experienced in my life. I was wondering if anyone has recorded themselves to see what’s going on like do you really stop breathing or did I wake up and fall? It sounds like I should enjoy this but not sure I can it was really scary
My SP is so goddamn scary. Vibrations..tingling..voices.. I am always trying to wake up and move but I can’t.. I have feelings that someone is behind me but I cannot move .. SP is so horrible. A woman voice said: A life is a murder. And when she said that I woke up. When SP happens to me I am thinking about it for days after. This is really a nightmare.
I want to know more about the heat sensation people feel when entering SP, because last night I was trying to sleep but woke paralyzed and I had a burning sensation on my legs.
Ok so I literally just experienced Sleep paralysis but I mean mine felt super weird. So First I was dreaming that I was singing a dumb song in my head and I hear my mom and my sister talking so I stopped and I felt like darkness all around me then over me and that tingly felling started everywhere. I have never gotten sleep paralysis before so I though maybe my whole body fell asleep. But when I tried to move my body of course I couldn’t. But for me the weird thing is I felt more like I was in a shell of myself more than anything because I was able to open my eyes. I didnt hear, smell or see anything scary or creepy. And it literally lasted like 10 seconds. When I told myself to get up I woke up but now I feel like it was just a strange dream like I dont feel any different. If that makes sense. I feel the same way you feel when you wake up from a crazy dream and you just like wow that was crazy. Is that normal? Or did I even experience sleep paralysis or dream I did? Ive been a lucid dreamer all my life Im not sure if that adds to that experience
I’ve experinced SP three times, first of them was the scariest because before it happened I didn’t even know it existed and had no idea what was going on, so mind played a lot of tricks and I heard voices and when I tried opening my eyes, I could see hallucinations, but couldn’t move my body. I heard my roommate washing dishes in the kitchen and just moving around the apartment, felt the door to my room open and could feel somebody laying down next to me on my bed. When I opened my eyes I didn’t see anyone and once I closed them again it started over from the bottom of the bed, moving upwards closer to my face. That was very creepy, and when it became difficult to breathe, I could see an old woman with long white hair choking me. When I woke up, I told my roommate about it and she said she had been in her room the whole time and wasn’t walking around, so I looked into it and found out about sleep paralysis.
Next time when it happened I knew what was going on and when it became too creepy, I just concentrated on moving my toes and got out of it really quickly. Third time happened recently and that wasn’t scary at all, I was dreaming but felt awake and it was hard for me to understand whether it’s real or in a dream. Once I tried to sit up in my bed, I rolled over in my dream and my head started spinning really fast, vibrations spred through the whole body and I felt needles and pins all over, body really heavy. That was actually really cool and since I’ve been trying to have an OBE for a while, I got really excited that this might be it and woke myself up.
I guess it’s more in the mind, as the body sleeps but mind is awake, it starts to create “logical” explanations to why can’t you move and we start to imagine all sorts of scary stuff we’ve seen and heard about. Once you realize it’s not real and can stay calm, it can turn out a lifechanging experience. Or if you’d rather not deal with it, telling yourself to wake up and try to move at least a finger or toe can help come out of it quicker.
I get it pretty often, it can be a very scary experience the first times and still when you’re more experienced.
However, personally I see it as a magical experience, mind-opening and a divine feeling if you allow it, to let the feeling take over instead of fighting. I usually am aware straight after I realize I can barely move or if at all. When you panic you will end up making yourself panic even more until you have some high pitched screams / wind shouting in your ear or the being that might be occupying you will be offended and most likely react badly. You have to be calm, even if youre not fighting it but your heart is racing your surroundings will notice that. Its about letting go of judgement, and fears and paranoia. It will most likely mirror your feelings. So think of love, joy, anything you want.
One good tip, is to close your eyes focus on the tingles and numbness then think about floating away, and you may find that it works and youre carried off into a lucid dream which are always good. You can make it a bad experience or a good one, its up to you.
I used to encounter this many times while in high school. Like 13 times within the span of 3-5 months. To the point where I was terrified to sleep for the longest time. And cause of one, I’m terrified to go in my living room in the dark. Like they felt so real I could feel the warmth of the skin when I grabbed them.
One started out with my leaving my bedroom and then walking to my living room
And suddenly feeling this heavy weight on my chest and I was slammed to the ground and I tried to scream for help but I couldn’t make a sound. Then I was
Lifted up into the air and plastered against the wall like an invisible force held me there with great strength. And standing in front of me was a man in a brown trench coat and long brown hat his arm raised up muttering words about killing me. I don’t know how I woke up. But like I said, cause of such Im too terrified to go into my living room in the dark. Since I’m the dream the living room was pitch black
so I just experienced sp recently, looking through this comment made me feel somehow my experience same with others.
so I slept at 12:00 in the morning, at first there was this vision about a closing gold door then it was pitch black then 2nd was this orange window then it became pitch black again then lastly a kid who has blue and greenish eyes, everything was alright at first I thought I was dreaming, then later on, I was drowning in black water, everything was black and white, and I had never dreams that the color was black and white, few minutes I was drowning, I couldn’t swim up and I couldn’t move, then it stopped but my eyes were now open and I examined the room I couldn’t feel my body and I couldn’t move I tried shouting and I began to cry, I kept shaking my head yet I still couldn’t move, but after shaking my toe I was back to reality and I kept crying, what if I never awoke
im still 13 so im really scared
Lately it seems like it’s been happening a lot. Maybe 2-3 times a week. I usually don’t remember my dreams at all/not have any dreams. I fall asleep pretty much in the recovery position with pillow or without pillow but using my arm as a head rest. I am able to sleep on both sides. I noticed when I do experience SP I wake up in the prone position ether using a pillow/ right arm if I don’t, my left arm will be close/touching my side.
In the episode of SP it’s is when waking up. I guess you can saw my brain is functioning or fully functioning during it. I’m aware that I’m waking up. I hear someone screaming at me that it’s time to leave and then another person trying to call them down. My body has pins and needles when it can move and then I can feel anything and can’t move, can’t even open my eyes. I feel like my chest has a great deal of pressure and my heart beat is ether slowing down where I feel like I can’t get enough oxygen or my heart is racing and I can’t take deep enough breaths. At first I can’t tell that I’m in a SP episode but towards the end I’m screaming in my head to wake up. That I need to wake up. I eventually do wake up my chest feels heavy and my body takes a few moments to fully understand that I’m fine that I’m okay. That I’m able to move.
I feel like im flying around outside my body , last time I went down the hall way ,it felt like i was trying to get out but I also felt my body freaking out trying to come out of it so I basically had 2 conscious can any one exspain
My mum and my sister have all experienced sleep paralysis and I’ve always bee scared that it’d happen to me because of Theo bad experiences. I’m glad they told me their stories as it helped me a lot last night. It’s like I was dreaming about having sp but it actually happened. It only lasted a matter of seconds. My sister told me that she was aware that she was having sp when it happened and stayed calm which helped it to go away faster without a fright. Last night it happened to me, at around 3:55am. I opened my eyes and I saw someone that looked like my mum in front of me, I looked towards my door and my room was dark. I tried blinking and liftin myself up but I just couldn’t. It felt like there was so much pressure just holding me down. I felt tingling traveling up and down my body. I knew what was going on as I listened to my sisters and mum’s story. I kept saying to myself in my head ‘okay it’s just sleep paralysis, stay calm’ and then before I knew it my body started to loosen up. I finally managed to get up. I couldn’t fall back to sleep until are 5am. The next day (today) I remember everything but it just feels like it was a dream. But then it can’t be as I read the above and below story’s and they all mention tingling and only lasting a short while. My muscles around my back, bum and thighs ache. I didn’t think much of it, and thought it was just from walking but then again, reading these story’s it all seems to add up. Feelings aches the day after.
Ohhh oh so scary, I have witnessed some of these
03/05/18
It was yesterday that i woke up exactly at 3 am feeling a bit shaky (which happens a lot when I wake up especially from naps.) anyways i checked the time on my cell and it read 3 am i went back to sleep right after what felt like a few minutes later i had the sensation of falling twice so i opened my eyes and realized i couldn’t move. my whole body felt numb and tingle but i also felt a huge amount of pressure as if my body was being pushed more into the mattress. The only thing i could move was my eyes so i frantically looked around my room thinking and feeling that someone was there watching. In my mind i said a quick pray because i couldn’t speak and that sensation left but not completely it was a few seconds without the pressure my whole body felt fuzzy but i still couldn’t move and then the pressure returned. I then though “Am I dying?”by this time i was already screaming inside my mind. I was confused and scared at the same time so i stared calling out to my mom. no sound came out so i tried and tried until finally a whimper escaped from my mouth a quiet “mom” around this time i finally managed to lift up my arms but it felt as if my arms were weights themselves and it was so hard lift. And then after a while that sensation left immediately it didn’t take minutes for the pressure and the tingly feeling leave it was i an instant that those feelings disappeared. It felt as if i opened my eyes again even though i had them open. I sat up right away just sitting in the dark afraid to speak, having the feeling that if i spoke again no sound would come out. I sat for like a minute in the darkness then i turned on the light i checked the time. 3:30 am. I didn’t sleep until 6:00 in the morning that day with the lights on and even now i’m afraid to sleep.