Sleep paralysis is a temporary inability to move or speak when you're waking up or falling asleep. It's not harmful and should pass quickly, but can be frightening. It can affect anyone but is most common in young adults. See your GP if you experience sleep paralysis regularly.
Symptomsof sleep paralysis
The main symptom of sleep paralysis is being completely aware of your surroundings but temporarily being unable to move or talk. This usually occurs as you're waking up, but can happen when falling asleep.
During an episode of sleep paralysis you may:
- find it difficult to take deep breaths,asif yourchest is being crushed or restricted
- be able to move your eyes– some people can also open their eyes but others find they can't
- havea sensation that there's someone or something in the room with you (hallucination)– many peoplefeel thispresence wishes to harm them
- feel very frightened
The length of an episode can vary from afew seconds to several minutes. Many people have sleep paralysis once or twice in their life, while others experience it a few times a month or more regularly.
You'll be able to move and speak as normal afterwards, although you may feel unsettled and anxious about going to sleep again.
Whento see your GP
In many cases, sleep paralysis is a one-off and won't happen again. It's not harmful and isn't usually a sign of an underlying problem.
But it's a good idea to see your GP if:
- you experience sleep paralysis regularly
- you feel very anxious about going to sleep or you're struggling to get enough sleep
- you feelvery sleepy during the day,orhave episodes where youfall asleep suddenly or lose muscle control– these are symptoms of a related sleep disorder callednarcolepsy
Your GPcansuggest ways to improve your sleep. If your symptoms are severe,theymay refer you to a sleep specialist.
Causesof sleep paralysis
Sleep paralysis happens when parts of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep occur while you're awake.
REM is a stage of sleep whenthe brain is very active and dreams often occur. The body is unable to move, apart from the eyes and muscles used in breathing, possibly to stop you acting out your dreams and hurting yourself.
It's not clear why REM sleep can sometimes occur while you're awake, but it has beenassociated with:
- not getting enough sleep (sleep deprivation orinsomnia)
- irregular sleeping patterns– for example, because of shift work orjet lag
- narcolepsy–a long-term condition that causes a person to suddenly fall asleep at inappropriate times
- a family history of sleep paralysis
- sleeping on your back
In many cases, sleep paralysis is a one-off or veryoccasional event that occurs in someone who ishealthy in other respects.
Treatmentsfor sleep paralysis
Sleep paralysis often gets better over time, but improving your sleeping habits and sleeping environment may help.
It can help to:
- get a good night's sleep–most adults needsix to eighthours of good quality sleepa night
- go to bed at roughly the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning
- create a sleeping environment that's comfortable, quiet, dark and not too hot or cold
- avoid eating big meals, smoking, ordrinking alcohol or caffeineshortly before going to bed
- get regular exercise (but not within four hours of going to bed)
- Read more abouthow to improve your sleep habits.
If your sleep paralysis is particularly severe, a specialist doctor may suggest taking a course ofantidepressant medication, such as clomipramine.
These work by altering REM sleep and are typically prescribed at lower doses than when used fordepression.
More useful links
The information on this page has been adapted from original content from the NHS website.
For further information seeterms and conditions.
