Taking a Look at Sleep Paralysis

Why do we have sleep paralysis? Almost everyone has at least one episode in their lifetime. Sleep paralysis is one of the scariest, mysterious, things anyone can experience. It has you up the rest of the time wondering why it happened, or why you couldn’t do a thing at the moment you were having it. It is also known as rapid eye movement (REM). It is where you’re awake but your body is not. 5-60% of people have sleep paralysis.

Narcolepsy is a permanent sleep disorder that gets worse with age. It is estimated that about 40,000 to 135,000 people in the United States have narcolepsy. (Narcolepsy, 2002). Most people who have narcolepsy are often times misdiagnosed because the symptoms, especially if noticed at the beginning stages, are very similar to other sleep disorders. Some of the symptoms that go along with narcolepsy are excessive sleepiness, especially during the daytime or when sleep is inappropriate, cataplexy which is when a person suddenly looses control of their muscles, sleep paralysis which is when the person is unable to move for a short period of time after they wake up from sleep, and hypnagogic hallucinations which is very

Also known as night terrors, these episodes are often paired with other prarsomnias, such as sleepwalking. A Parasomnia is an undesired occurrence during sleep, such as sleep talking, sleep walking, and night terrors. During these sleep terror episodes, an individual might kick and thrash around while still unconscious, stare wide eyed, scream or shout, and so on. Night terrors are said to be able to occur for a period of up to 30 minutes, once about that much time has passed, the person will once again lye down and go to sleep. Once the next day comes around the corner, usually the child or adult will not have any recollection of the event, but they at times remember small fragments of the

Did you ever awaken and find yourself unable to move? Perhaps you sensed a presence in your room or a pressure on your chest. This is sleep paralysis. It is a common disorder that affects millions of people. Most believe it occurs as we are on the edge of REM sleep. The disorder has been connected with such hallucinogenic events such as alien abduction or an evil presence. Sleep paralysis is an inability to move or speak, occasionally accompanied by hallucinations, for up to several minutes upon awakening or just before falling asleep.

Narcolepsy is defined as a condition characterized by an extreme tendency to fall asleep whenever in relaxing surroundings. It is a brain disorder that causes poor control of sleep and wake cycles. People that have narcolepsy usually experience sudden sleep attacks. These sleep attacks can last from a few seconds to minutes. Narcolepsy is classified by extreme daytime sleepiness, cataplexy, hypnologic hallucinations, and sleep paralysis. In this paper the focus is on the physiological effects of Narcolepsy on an individual, as well as explains treatments and recent research studies being made today and in the future.

Night terrors, also known as sleep terrors, are episodes of screaming, intense fear and flailing while still asleep (Mayo Clinic, 2017). Sleep terrors are considered a parasomnia, a disorder characterized by abnormal behavior of the nervous system while sleeping, and are often paired with sleepwalking, which is also a parasomnia. They are characterized by frequent recurrent episodes of intense crying and fear during sleep (Web MD, 2017).

Sleep paralysis is most common in those who have narcolepsy. Some have sleep tests done, in order to find possible sleep disorders one may have, like sleep

Night terrors also known as sleep terrors can be defined as a “sleeping disorder characterized by high arousal and an appearance of being terrified” (Meyers, 2014). Night terrors most commonly occur with children. Many people in general not just parents get confused between a nightmare and a night terror. Nightmares occur during REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep which is a state of sleep where people are conscious. When a person wakes up from a nightmare they have a “vivid memory of a long movie like a dream” (nightterrors.org). Night terrors, on the other hand, occur “during NERM-3 sleep, within two or three hours of falling asleep, and are seldom remembered” (Meyers, 2014). Since the child is in such deep sleep he/she will not remember a night terror. Since the child cannot remember their dream it makes it hard for doctors and psychologist to figure out what the child is fearful of, and why it is occurring. Although it is difficult for professionals to diagnose, it is beneficial to the child not

Sleep terrors, also known as Night terror are episodes of screaming, intense fear and flailing while still asleep. It’s considered a parasomnia — an undesired occurrence during sleep. Sleep terrors can also be paired with sleep walking. Sleep terrors are episodes of screaming, intense fear and flailing while still asleep. It may affect as many as 6.5% of all children. It tends to begin when a child is 4 to 12 years old. Children with sleep terrors will often talk in their sleep and sleepwalk. In children, sleep terrors are more common in females. Children outgrow sleep terrors by their teenage years. In rare cases, it can begin in adulthood. Overall, only about 2.2% of adults have it. Very few people over the age of 65 have sleep terrors. Many adults who have sleep terrors are also likely to have a history of one of the following: Bipolar disorder, some depressive disorders, and Anxiety disorders. Adults may recall a dream fragment they had during the sleep terrors, while kids won’t.

Dreams, one of the many dimensions in our mind, gives a lot of different information then we are use to having in the day. The subconscious mind that takes control when we sleep, takes care of our passive memories and holds the key to our lives. Dreams are what lead us to this key which unlocks the door to another type of wisdom. The farther we get

Less than 8 percent of the general population suffers from sleep paralysis, adding up to be approximately 25,898,400 people. Sleep Paralysis is when an individual is becomes fully conscious while falling asleep, experiencing the temporary inability to move or speak while falling asleep. Even though sleep paralysis sounds unnatural it is not classified as a psychological disorder, but as a phenomenon. While it might sound terrifying adding to the fact hallucinations are typically involved, it is surprisingly harmless to an individual 's mind and body. In some cases it even terrifies people to an extent, that makes them believe they are being haunted or have been cursed by a demon. However, in most scenarios this is not the case. It has been regarded that sleep paralysis is a symptom to psychological disorders such as narcolepsy. Furthermore, in recent studies psychologists, and scientists have not taken the time to do further study on sleep paralysis itself. Even when it is such a normal occurrence in the world of science today. Moreover, to find further research on the topic, judging whether this content should be further studied.

Sleep Paralysis is a sleep disorder that some people experience at least once in their life time. The article discuss sleep paralysis causes and effects on the individual as well as the hallucinations. According to the Daily Mail Online, “The terrifying symptoms of sleep paralysis”, Sleep Paralysis is an unusual condition where one wakes up in the night, unable to move, and often experiences a wide range of bizarre and terrifying hallucinations. Sleep paralysis episodes occur early in the night, as someone is falling asleep, or towards the end of the night, as someone is waking up (Denis, 2016). Sleep paralysis is consider a sleep disorder due to the fact that the sleep-wake cycle is disrupted. The disorder appears to be more common in individual with psychiatric conditions such as traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and panic disorder as well as people who have irregular sleep patterns. Sleep paralysis occurs during REM sleep when the muscles are paralyzed but the eyes are still moving, sometimes the person can awake while in the REM sleep cycle. As mentioned in the

I also realized that most of my friends who had traumatic experiences in the past, such as being involved in a car accident or knowing a loved one who passed away, tend to undergo more episodes of sleep paralysis in their lifetime. My mother, who’s also suffered from traumatic experiences, and some of my other friends, claimed that sleep paralysis has happened to them so frequently that they just go back to sleep without stressing over it like someone else would during their first or second episode of ISP; they’re used to the process, now knowing what to expect, and are aware that it is temporary and will pass by very shortly. Furthermore, I’ve also noticed that they all have similar hallucinations, which is somehow related to sensing an intruder

Parasomnia refers to a wide variety of disruptive, sleep-related events or, "disorders of arousal." These behaviors and experiences occur usually while sleeping, and most are often infrequent and mild. They may however happen often enough to become so bothersome that medical attention should be sought out. "Parasomnias are disorders characterized by abnormal behavior or physiological events occurring in association with sleep stages, or sleep-wake transitions."(DSM pg. 435)

Sleep disorders have always surrounded me through family and friends. though I never suffered with any sort of sleeping disorder, I was well aware of how unnerving it can be toothless who suffer from it. I did not know all of the different types there were, and was intrigued when reading chapter three of my psychology book. I had assumed that nigh terrors, which I used to think were the same as nightmares, were over exaggerations of a person’s scary dream. Sleepwalking also held interesting facts that I didn’t know prior. Having a best friend who occasionally sleepwalks, I was always interested in why she would seldom remember both walking and talking. I also appreciated learning about sleep apnea because my father used to struggle with it and would worry my mom about his breathing when he was asleep.