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Sleep paralysis is a disorder that occurs right after waking up or when trying to fall asleep and that prevents the body from moving, even when the mind is awake. Thus, the person wakes up but cannot move, causing anguish, fear and terror.
This is because during sleep the brain relaxes all the muscles in the body and keeps them immobile so that energy can be conserved and prevent sudden movements during dreams.However, when a communication problem between the brain and the body occurs during sleep, the brain may take time to return movement to the body, causing an episode of sleep paralysis.
During each episode, it is possible for hallucinations to appear, such as seeing or feeling someone next to the bed or hearing strange noises, but this is only due to excessive anxiety and fear caused by the lack of control of the body itself. In addition, the sounds heard can also be justified by the movement of the muscles of the ear, which continue to happen even when all the other muscles of the body are paralyzed during sleep.
Although sleep paralysis can happen at any age, it is more frequent in adolescents and young adults aged between 20 and 30 years old, being related to less constant sleep habits and excessive stress.
What to do to get out of sleep paralysis
Sleep paralysis is a little-known problem that goes away on its own after a few seconds or minutes. However, it is possible to get out of this state of paralysis more quickly when someone touches the person who is having the episode or when the person can think logically at the moment and focuses all his energy to try to move his muscles.
How to prevent sleep paralysis
Sleep paralysis has been more frequent in people with poor sleep habits and, therefore, to prevent episodes from happening it is recommended to improve the quality of sleep, through strategies such as:
- Sleep between 6 to 8 hours a night;
- Always go to bed at the same time;
- Waking up every day at the same time;
- Avoid energy drinks before bed, such as coffee or soft drinks.
In most cases, sleep paralysis occurs only once or twice in a lifetime. But, when it happens more than once a month, for example, it is advisable to consult a neurologist or a doctor who specializes in sleep disorders, which may include the use of antidepressant medication, such as Clomipramine.
See also other tips that help improve sleep and that can decrease the chances of having sleep paralysis: Ten tips for a good night's sleep.
Symptoms of sleep paralysis
The symptoms of sleep paralysis, which can help to identify this problem are:
- Not being able to move the body despite being supposedly awake;
- Feeling of shortness of breath;
- Feeling of anguish and fear;
- Feeling of falling or floating over the body;
- Auditory hallucinations such as hearing voices and sounds not characteristic of the place;
- Drowning sensation.
Although worrying symptoms may arise, such as shortness of breath or a feeling of floating, sleep paralysis is not dangerous, nor is it life-threatening. During episodes, the breathing muscles and all vital organs continue to function normally.