What is Sleep Paralysis?

Sleep paralysis is the inability to move or speak when waking up or about to enter into sleep. The experience lasts for a few seconds, minutes or, in some rare cases, hours. Symptoms can include eerie hallucinations, a range of sounds and uncomfortable sensations throughout the body. Those who suffer from sleep paralysis often identify feelings of fear and distress. Unfortunately, this causes significant anxiety in some individuals.

Many people experience sleep paralysis for several reasons, including when sleep-deprived or when an individual’s normal sleeping routine has changed. It’s more common in those who are living with mental illnesses, like depression or anxiety. It can also manifest as a side effect of a sleeping disorder like narcolepsy, which involves constant feelings of sleepiness and drowsiness during the day.  

What causes sleep paralysis?

The body goes through various stages in the sleep cycle. Sleep paralysis is caused by irregularity in this cycle, specifically, in an individual’s REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. REM sleep is where one dreams most intensely. Unlike the NREM (non-rapid eye movement) stages of the sleep cycle, the muscles are temporarily paralyzed so that you cannot move. The purpose of this is to prevent you from physically acting out your dreams.

Sleep paralysis occurs before fully completing the REM stage when your mind has become fully alert before the cycle ends. This creates an inconsistency between your active mind and your body that is still in the REM stage of sleep.

Are there remedies?

Sleep paralysis is not a life-threatening condition; however, it has caused many individuals a lack of sleep and anxiety. This ultimately hinders their ability to prevent the phenomenon. Because of its negative impacts, it’s important to try to attend to the issue and minimise its effect. Sleep paralysis can be helped by ensuring you get enough rest and by maintaining a consistent sleep schedule. Sleeping in another position other than laying on your back can also aid in prevention. Natural remedies like chamomile tea can promote relaxation which can also reduce the frequency and severity of sleep paralysis.

If you believe you are suffering from sleep paralysis or any other sleeping disorder, we recommend that you consult a healthcare professional.