Necrotic Obsession

So, I've posted here before about me having this problem and it's happened a few times again after the first time but then it hasn't occured for a very long time until last night.

Last night I was in a hotel room sleeping and once again it was the same thing I saw the room I was in where I was sleeping but then the ceiling above me started cracking... and then the whole room just started shaking. I thought I was having a seizure or dying or something. It really scared me this time.

Does anyone know why people get sleep paralysis?

As far as I'm aware, no one yet knows the cause of sleep paralysis but I could be wrong.

I get fairly regular sleep paralysis myself and I've always wondered what made it happen. The only theory I've ever read is that as the brain goes up and down its sleep cycle it can get close to waking up or sometimes even wake. But there is a time lag and the spinal chord stays inactive while the brain acts as it would in REM sleep (REM sleep being where strange dreams about abnormal stuff tend to happen, whereas non-REM dreams are where more normal things like a dream about eating breakfast or something tend to happen). So the brain enters a state of being awake while also chreating emotionally charged fantasy images while the rest of the body is paralysed.

It has been found that certain antidepressants reduce the chance of sleep paralysis because they can inhibit REM sleep, but I don't know which ones, nor would I want to try antidepressants as a means of stopping it.

I often get the feeling of having someone stood over me and sometimes go through some weird alien abduction experience. Occasionally I just see strange characters walking round the room and after a brief panic from seeing them I go back to sleep.

Woah, the noobie knows something useful, aint that somethin.

Oops, I posted that, forgot to log in what with being such a noob and everything.

Yeah, I did read up on that actually! When it was happening more often my mother wanted me to go somewhere so they could study my sleeping patterns or something, but it's been quite awhile.

okay, so I posted this thread SO long ago but I'll update because this has happened to me many times since then. But I had an experience just yesterday.

I was feeling sick so I went to bed in my room and I dreamed I was walking through my friends door of their house and fell on my front then I rolled over on my back and automatically couldn't move when I opened my eyes I saw my room and I thought I saw a black figure walking towards me from the light coming from my window but it was from the corner of my eye. I flipped out and tried to move but I couldn't and the worst part was BECAUSE I was sick my nose was horribly stuffed up and I couldn't breathe out of it and I couldn't open my mouth to breathe so I was trying to breathe out of my nose because it was the only thing I had control of and I completely paniced. This has been happening to me for years but I have never freaked out so bad I woke up gasping. Usually even when I see things after having them for so long I can calmly sit through it until I find a way to wake myself but its kind of difficult when you can't breathe.

Yeah, so there is my update.

It sounds like it could be wonky REM patterns. I have "waking nightmares" on occasion, where I am kind of half asleep, half awake and can see my surroundings, but with the addition of dream/nightmare elements.

For example, I've been in bed and was able to see my room from the position I was in, but could hear a scary, rasping breathing and growling sound coming from beside me, and sensed that there was something or someone there next to me.
I couldn't move and was terrified.
I've had other experiences like that, and mentioned it to my doctor. She said that it sounds like my Effexor (antidepressant medication) is messing with my REM sleep patterns and that it is a rare but possible side effect of that medication.

If you are taking any medication that can effect your sleep patterns, that could be the culprit, or it could be a sleep disorder that you'll need to see a sleep specialist about.

My mom has told me that she'd take me to a sleep specialist but its weird because it will happen several times in a row, stop. Then start up again. I've thought about going but I dont really know if its important enough to really go in and get help for. I've been having them for years but I'm not on any medication at all, but thats exactly what happens to me.

It's not unusual that it's only happening off and on...

One of the reasons you might want to see a sleep specialist, well, besides reducing scary experiences like that, is that when you have a sleep disorder, it often prevents you from feeling rested the next day. You might end up feeling better during your waking hours if you have a treatable sleep disorder.

I used to have this happen to me sometimes when I was a child though it's not happened in recent years...

The only specific times I remember it happening is suddenly waking up feeling like I'd just been dropped on my bed and one time I was looking out my window with the curtains shut and a street light seemed to be illuminating some ducks looking like they were talking to each other outside my window.

It confused the hell out of me when I was young...

totally sick.. I have that quite often. well paralysis. I'll be dreaming that something is coming towards my bed - NOT REAL LIFE like a spirit. and I"ll try and try to move and i'll try to scream but nothing comes out IM STUCK like i cant move or breath ... AND THEN I wake up with a hellashious jerk.

it happens quite often Im awake and can see everything but i feel like Im falling then when i try to move I'm actually paralyzed. cant move cant yell just have to sit through it. it don't sound that bad but is scary as hell!!!!!