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jawad_babar · Feb 20, 2007, 12:29 AM

Hi guys,
I need your opinion on a problem which me and my wife are facing in the recent days...
Often when I or my wife lay on the bed to sleep something happens and we cannot move our body at all... we cannot move hand, feet, head etc... we feel that we are alive and we feel that we are breathing but we cannot move... With full strength we try to move ourselves and afer a couple of minutes we achieve it and our body movement returns to normal... this is happening to my wife quite often now... I remember that this was happened to me last month... and before that I think once in 2 years etc... I still remember for the first time this was happened to me when I was in college (approx 14-15 years ago).
What is this actually?
This happens only when one of us is alone. When we are together, this never happened.

I talked to my Dad about it and he gave me some verses from Quran to read and also to dissolve it in water and to water all the house slightly. We have done this and its been a month now and nothing has happened to me or my wife... we are feeling very light and easy. Before that my wife had a permanent headache and could'nt sleep alone.
But I need to know what was it actually.
Thanks,
Jawad.

Lord_Darkclaw · Feb 20, 2007, 04:51 PM

Sleep paralysis.
It's perfectly normal and natural, although it can be alarming sometimes.

If you want to "wake up" more quickly, try breathing deeply.
I've forgotten the name of the chemical involved (I'm sure someone on this site could tell you) but it is a chemical released in your body that relaxes your muscles, allowing you to sleep comfortably. Sometimes people will partially wake up while the chemical is still having a strong affect in their body, leaving the person in a state that is between sleeping and waking.

JoeCanada76 · Feb 20, 2007, 05:29 PM

Lord darkclaw,

The problem here, what are the chanches of it happening to both of them. It is happening to both him and his wife. Would you not say that maybe there is something else going on here.

Joe

Lord_Darkclaw · Feb 21, 2007, 02:24 AM

I agree that it is an unusual coincidence, but it does happen.
It could have been brought on by something Mr or Mrs Babar had to eat or drink during the evening - some foods are well known for affecting sleep.

jawad_babar · Feb 23, 2007, 03:57 AM

Lord Darkclaw,
Good day. This thing happened today morning to me again... I was sleeping with wife and suddenly I heard somebody else walking outside my room (we are the only 2 living at home)... then I saw a man wearing black clowk and a mask (I couldn't see his face) stepped inside the room and was coming towards me... I wanted to come out of the bed... but suddenly I felt that I can't move at all... and I started breathing loudly and my wife woke me up after hearing my loud breathing... and as soon as I woke up... there was nothing...
I don't know what is it actually... will really appreciate comments on this.
As I told earlier, same things happen with my wife as well...
Thanks,
Jawad.

Capuchin · Feb 23, 2007, 04:13 AM

Please read these wikipedia articles on Sleep Paralysis and Hypnagogia. I believe that both are relevant to what you are experiencing.

Of special interest to you may be the "possible causes" section in the sleep paralysis article. Do any of these apply to you?

Originally Posted by Wikipedia: "Sleep paralysis"

* Sleeping in a supine position (facing upwards)
* Irregular sleeping schedules; naps, sleeping in, sleep deprivation
* Increased stress
* Sudden environmental/lifestyle changes
* A lucid dream that immediately precedes the episode. Also conscious induction of sleep paralysis is a common technique to enter a state of lucid dreams, also known as WILD.
* Artificial sleeping aids, ADD medications and/or antihistamines

If some of these do apply to you, and the hypnagogia along with paralysis is disturbing enough to you, you may want to consider changing the thing that you see might be the cause, to see if you can stop the experiences.

theevilbeing · Feb 23, 2007, 05:45 AM

You shouldn't have told the chap it was physical, if he believed that the quran would help then this may have been a significant psychological comforter; enough to counteract the stress/anxiety that could be causing the condition. This man seeks reassurance spiritually as well as medicaly, or he would not have trusted the quran. Sometimes paranormal and science can walk hand in hand. Speak to the person, become in control of your own head, and speak to the man. Taz

Capuchin · Feb 23, 2007, 05:49 AM

I don't believe that religion is a good substitute for scientific reasoning, especially in medical issues. I think that the OP realises this, otherwise he would have accepted that it was the verses that solved it.

theevilbeing · Feb 23, 2007, 06:02 AM

Personally I look at the science of religion. Its all psychological, and so can have a profound effect on behaviours/cognitive happenings. Taz

Capuchin · Feb 23, 2007, 06:03 AM

The point is that the OP wasn't convinced by the religious explanation, and so came here searching for maybe a more tangible reason, which there is, and it was given.

jawad_babar · Feb 23, 2007, 07:09 AM

In fact, due to this problem I started taking religion more seriously and now that I know there is a scientific reason also available... I have now become a good muslim as well... infact if you see, our prophet Muhammad (PBUH) advised to sleep side ways (right side preferably) and maybe this was also to prevent such situation...
Thanks,
Jawad.

Capuchin · Feb 23, 2007, 07:11 AM

That's fantastic Jawad. :)

I hope you find the cause of your problems. Sleeping on your side would definitely help if you presently sleep on your back.

Here is a quote from another wikipedia page, that shows that you are not alone and the things you experienced last night have been experienced in many cultures throughout history. This describes it as an old hag pressing down on your chest, you described a male figure, but I'm sure they are linked.

Originally Posted by Wikipedia: Hag

The expression Old Hag Attack refers to a hypnagogic state in which paralysis is present and, quite often, it is accompanied by terrifying hallucinations. When excessively recurrent, some consider them to be a disorder, however many populations treat them as simply part of their culture and mythological world-view, rather than any form of disease or pathology.

theevilbeing · Feb 23, 2007, 08:54 AM

Oooh that's interesting about the sleeping on the side =) makes sense for this to be in a religiour book, after all they are supposed to provide a guideline for life. But it's a guideline for your own interpretation: not rules. Hmmm taz

ROBERT15 · Mar 9, 2007, 02:30 PM

Happens to me 2 Its Just A Normal Sleep Cycle Called (sleep Paralysis) Don't Get Freaked Out. It Happens 2 Everyone

leemia · Aug 29, 2007, 04:21 PM

Hi this leemia to jawad-babar, I had that happened to when to me also when I lived in a haunted house their was a bad sipirt there I think you should get a paranomal person to go to the house and find out what's in that house. It always use to happen to me and I had someone come to the house and their was a very bad sipirt before I moved in the house they use to practies vodoo in the closet in my rm, one time I even felt the sipirt take off the blankit from my face I scearm before the blankit went under my eyes and it disapried.