Waking up and unable to move: what happens during sleep paralysis and how to avoid it?
You wake up in the middle of the night, fully aware of your surroundings, but unable to move your body. Sometimes you also feel like someone is in the room. So what is actually happening to us during sleep paralysis?
You wake up in the middle of the night, fully aware of your surroundings, but unable to move your body. Sometimes you also feel like someone is in the room. So what is actually happening to us during sleep paralysis?
Sleep paralysis usually occurs during the transition between sleep and wakefulness. To understand it, one must know about REM sleep – a stage where the brain produces many dreams. At this stage, the brain reduces the activity of most voluntary muscles. This prevents the body from performing the movements we experience in a dream.
In sleep paralysis, the brain regains consciousness before it regains full control of the muscles. Therefore, you know you are awake, but you still cannot move or speak. This gap between the brain and the body also explains some of the strange experiences that accompany the phenomenon.
The brain is still in the process of transitioning from dreaming to wakefulness. Therefore, it can continue to produce images, sounds, and sensations that resemble a dream. As a result, some people see figures or shadows, hear voices, or feel the presence of a person in the room. These experiences can feel completely real.
Why does it happen?
There is no single factor that explains all cases of sleep paralysis. However, studies have found a link between the phenomenon and sleep deprivation, irregular sleep hours, and stress. Significant changes in sleep routine can also increase the chance of the phenomenon. For some people, sleep paralysis occurs only once, while others may experience it again and again.
Do not sleep on your back
It is impossible to prevent sleep paralysis completely, but it is possible to reduce the risk of its occurrence. Maintaining regular sleep hours, ensuring sufficient sleep, and reducing stress may help. In addition, it is recommended to create a calm evening routine and avoid extreme changes in sleep times.
Sleeping position may also have an effect. Studies have found a link between sleeping on the back and a higher risk of sleep paralysis for some people. Therefore, those who experience the phenomenon frequently can try sleeping on their side and check if the frequency changes.
Sleep paralysis can feel like a mysterious and frightening experience for those who go through it. A few moments of loss of control can feel particularly long and confusing. Familiarity with the phenomenon can make the next experience, if it comes, a little less mysterious.
