You wake up in the middle of the night and find you cannot move your hand to your dresser to check the time.
You then sense the presence of menacing evil in your bedroom and realize you cannot call for help!
Stunned you wonder if you are really alive, dead or just dreaming.
Sleep Paralysis Symptoms
The symptoms you have just experienced are those of sleep paralysis.
Sleep paralysis is a condition in which a person wakes up and finds that they are unable to talk or move their hands or legs. These symptoms may also be associated with the Hag Phenomenon which is characterized by hallucinations, sensing an evil presence and feelings of breathlessness or impending death.
The Sleep Cycle
When a person is sleeping, their body moves through phases of NREM (non-rapid eye movement) sleep and REM (rapid eye movement) sleep which last for 90 minutes.
During NREM sleep the body repairs and regenerates itself while during REM sleep, the person dreams, their muscles relax and their eyes move rapidly.
Causes of Sleep Paralysis
Sleep paralysis occurs when a person becomes mentally aware during the REM phase of their sleep cycle. In this phase the muscles are normally too relaxed to move and thus the person perceives them as “paralyzed”. This type of paralysis develops when they are waking up and is known as hypnopompic or postdormital sleep paralysis.
The other more common type is known as hypnagogic or predormital sleep paralysis and it occurs when they become mentally aware of their surroundings as they fall asleep.
Sleep Paralysis Risk Factors
Sleep paralysis affects both men and women and seems to run in some families. Though it can affect all age groups, teenagers and young adults are the most commonly affected.
Other factors associated with its development include lack of adequate sleep and irregular sleep patterns.
Emotional stress, panic attacks and bipolar disorder are other conditions linked to sleep paralysis.
Emergency Sleep Paralysis Treatment
When you wake up and find that you cannot move or speak, the first thing you should do is to focus on moving your eyes around the room. Doing this will give you some measure of comfort and control since you will realize that you can at least do something.
The second thing you should do is focus on your breathing especially if you are feeling breathless or panicky. Take deep breaths until you feel your abdomen rising, hold them for a few moments and then exhale completely. This deep breathing, which is also known as abdominal breathing, is one of the fastest way of countering the body’s stress response and it will help you feel more calm.
If you sense an evil presence in the room begin praying. As you pray, use Scriptures since the Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. (Ephesians 6:17) Scriptures that you can use to pray include:
1. Father God, I ask you in the name of Jesus to help me to sleep and sustain me until I wake up in the morning. (Adapted Psalm 3:5)
2. Father God, I ask you in the name of Jesus to help me to sleep in peace because You alone, O Lord enable me to live in safety. (Adapted Psalm 4:8)\
In addition, Meditate within your heart on your bed and be still. (Psalm 4:4) Scriptures that you can meditate on include:
1. I shall not be afraid of the terror by night … because I have made the Lord God my refuge. Therefore, no evil shall befall me and no harm shall come near my dwelling place because He shall give His angles charge over me to keep me in all my ways. (Adapted Psalm 91)
Meditate on these awesome Bible verses and refuse to think about your symptoms or feel powerless. As you meditate, believe that God gives His beloved people sleep and sends angels to protect them since believing Him and His Word is how you hold up your shield of faith which is the Christian spiritual weapon that is able to neutralize all the fiery darts from the enemy. (Ephesians 6:16)
In addition plead the blood of Jesus over yourself by saying, “I plead the Blood of Jesus over myself. Satan the Blood of Jesus is against you and I command you in the Name of Jesus to leave me alone.” Even if you are not able to articulate the words, say them in your mind.
To learn more Christian Techniques read Sleep Paralysis Treatment.
Conventional Medicine Treatment of Sleep Paralysis
Once you are fully awake and able to move and speak, get a piece of paper or notebook and write down your experience.
Label this your Sleep Diary and record the date and time of the paralysis, the symptoms you experienced, what you felt before and after you were paralyzed and whether the paralysis occurred when you were falling asleep or trying to wake up.
Keeping a diary will come in handy when and if you decide to consult a doctor since it help them make the diagnosis.
Once the diagnosis of sleep paralysis has been made, do not expect a prescription since most patients do not require treatment. This is due to the fact many people experience just one or two attacks in their lifetime though some can experience them for several months and even several times during one night.
Persons who develop anxiety as a result of their nighttime experiences are some of those who are given treatment. Other groups that are treated include those who are left physically exhausted during the day. Those with narcolepsy and other associated disorders are also treated.
Antidepressants like clomipramine are some of the medications that are prescribed to treat severe sleep paralysis since they can regulate the sleep cycle.
Sleep Hygiene Tips
Improving sleep hygiene is a key element in the treatment of sleep paralysis. This can be done by scheduling 6 to 8 hours for sleeping each night and sticking to the schedule by going to bed at the same time on weekdays and weekends. This sleep regularity will help teach the mind when to fall asleep and when to wake up.
Creating a calming sleep environment by ensuring that your bedroom is dark and quiet is another vital element of sleep hygiene. If your bedroom lacks sleep-inducing characteristics, create them by hanging dark blinds and soundproofing the walls. You can also simply wear eye masks and ear plugs to bed.
Avoid taking coffee and other caffeine containing drinks like tea, cola and hot chocolate within 6 hours of your bedtime since it is a stimulant. When taking cold and flu medications as well as some pain relievers, read the labels to see if they contain caffeine since they may also keep you awake.
Developing a routine to help you relax before you enter your bed will also help you sleep well through the night. This routine can include taking a warm bath, watching a mind numbing movie, listening to soothing music or reading a boring book.