Sleep Paralysis: Causes, Types, Symptoms, and Treatment

Sleep paralysis is scary and confusing. A person cannot move or speak after waking up or before falling asleep. Sleep paralysis can last seconds to minutes and be accompanied by vivid hallucinations. This page discusses sleep paralysis symptoms, causes, forms, and treatments.

Sleep paralysis?

During sleep paralysis, a person cannot move or speak. Parasomnia is a sleep condition that causes strange behaviours, movements, feelings, perceptions, and dreams. During sleep paralysis, a person feels awake but cannot move or talk. Visual, auditory, or tactile hallucinations may occur.

Sleep paralysis signs

Sleep paralysis causes incapacitation. Other symptoms:

Chest pressure

Suffocation or choking

Hallucinations

Fast heartbeat

Sweating

Trembling

Impending doom

Sleep-paralysis causes

Sleep paralysis is thought to be caused by the REM stage of sleep. This sleep stage paralyses the body to avoid dreaming. Paralysis may persist after awakening. Causes of sleep paralysis include:

Sleep loss

Sleep disturbances

Narcolepsy

Stress, anxiety

Abusing drugs

Some drugs

Sleep paralysis types

Isolated and recurrent sleep paralysis exist. Recurrent sleep paralysis occurs multiple times a week, while isolated sleep paralysis occurs just once or twice.

Sleep paralysis risks

Sleep paralysis can affect anyone, however some risk factors include:

Teens and young adults have more sleep paralysis.

Sleep paralysis may be genetic.

Sleep disorders: Narcolepsy and other sleep disorders may increase sleep paralysis risk.

Sleep paralysis may occur in people with anxiety, depression, or bipolar disorder.

Sleep paralysis diagnosis

Symptoms and medical history commonly diagnose sleep paralysis. Sleep studies can rule out other sleep disorders.

Sleep paralysis treatment

Sleep paralysis has no cure, however lifestyle adjustments may minimise bouts. Examples include:

Enough sleep

Regular sleep schedules

Stress management

Avoiding caffeine, alcohol, and drugs before bed.

Sleep hygiene

sleep paralysis

Managing sleep paralysis symptoms includes: