sleep paralysis It is a sensation of not being able to move, either at the beginning of sleep or when waking up. The person’s senses and consciousness are intact, but it feels like a pressure on top or a sensation of suffocation. In some rare cases, it may be accompanied by hallucinations and intense fear.
Although it has some very unique sensory qualities, sleep paralysis is not life-threatening, but it can cause anxiety and can occur along with other sleep disorders, such as narcolepsy. It often begins during adolescence and can become common in the 20s and 30s.
Sleep paralysis is most likely to occur during adolescence. Episodes last from a few seconds to several minutes. Stress, jet lag, sleep deprivation, and panic disorder can trigger it. The inability to move or speak is the fundamental feature, but it is not physically harmful and can be avoided.
Sleep paralysis is a parasomnia or an unwanted event that is related to the dream. The episodes are accompanied by hypnagogic experiences, which are hallucinations that can vary in being visual, auditory and sensory. Specialists classified it into three categories.
The intrusive sensation, where there are sounds of doorknobs being opened, slow footsteps, the shadow of a man or a feeling of a threatening presence in the room. the one of incubus, in which the person feels chest tightness, shortness of breath, and a sensation of being suffocated. Finally, vestibular modalitywhich consists of a sensation of spinning, falling, floating, flying, moving over one’s body.
The experience of sleep paralysis has been documented for centuries, even people from different cultures have similar experiences. This condition is more likely when a person is under stress. During sleep, the body relaxes and the voluntary muscles do not move. This prevents people from injuring themselves due to sleep activities.
Sleep paralysis involves a disruption or fragmentation of the sleep cycle of the rapid eye movement (REM) and the non-rapid eye movement (NREM). A REM-NREM cycle lasts about 90 minutes, and most of the time spent sleeping is in NREM. During NREM, the body relaxes. During REM, the eyes move rapidly, but the body relaxes. At this time dreams occur.
In sleep paralysis, the body’s transition to or from REM sleep is out of sync with the brain. The person’s consciousness is awake, but his body remains in a state of paralyzed sleep. Factors that have been linked to sleep paralysis include: narcolepsy, irregular sleep patterns, a family history of sleep paralysis, and even sleeping on your back.
In some cases, turning to the right specialist, sleep paralysis can be a symptom of more severe medical problems such as clinical depression disorders, migraines, obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension and anxiety Regular exercise, if possible exceeding two hours before sleep can help. Although a medical diagnosis is not normally needed, if the symptoms occur regularly, it is advisable to see a doctor.
Managing stress, maintaining a regular bedtime, and good sleep habits can reduce the chance of sleep paralysis. Strategies to improve rest include ensuring a comfortable sleeping environment, with a comfortable and clean bed and bedding, a dark and cool room. Maintain a timely habit and reduce exposure to light at night, do not work or study in the room, do not eat a heavy night meal, do not sleep with the lights or television on, and avoid sleeping on your back.
by RN
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