Have you ever awakened to find that you are unable to move or speak yet you are fully conscious and aware of your surroundings? The next time it happened, you woke up immobilised on the floor alongside your bed and there was something in the room opposite your bed, and you were also moving forward in time and then backward. If so, you might be benefiting from having sleep paralysis. This at times bizarre or terrifying phenomenon can leave people confused, helpless — and sometimes even panicked. So what is sleep paralysis, and how is it related to anxiety?
Sleep paralysis is a short-term inability to move or speak that occurs when you wake up or are falling asleep. It occurs when your body is moving from one state of wakefulness to another. At these junctures, you could wake up, but be trapped in an unmovable body.
The duration of this phase can range from a few seconds to a few minutes. Though it’s not harmful or life-threatening, it can be a very disturbing experience, particularly when paired with hallucinations or a sensation of heavy pressure on the chest.
The paralysis is secondary to the rapid eye movement (REM) stage of sleep. During REM, your brain is extremely active, and, to keep you from doing something truly crazy, your body moves into temporary paralysis to keep you from acting out dreams.
Common triggers for sleep paralysis include:
So how is anxiety involved? Individuals with high level of stress or anxiety are more likely to suffer from sleep disturbances. Such interferences may in turn heighten the likelihood of snap back into REM sleep, thus leading to episodes of sleep paralysis.
Plus anxiety generally results in racing thoughts, sleep disturbances, and shabby sleep. When your brain is on overdrive, it’s more susceptible to bizarre experiences, such as hallucinations or momentary paralysis during the transitions between wakefulness and sleep.
Chronic anxiety can worsen the psychological effects of sleep paralysis and make it a recurring problem.
The classic symptoms of sleep paralysis are:
Although scary, it’s good to keep in mind that these sensations are gay and brief.
The good news is, many of the things that help anxiety can be equally helpful for treating sleep paralysis. Here are some tactics to consider:
If these lifestyle adjustments don’t bring relief, it could be time to see a pro. If you are looking for a Sleep disorder psychiatrist near me, you may be able to find professionals who work in treating how mental health correlates with the patterns of sleep. These experts can offer a customized therapy to suit your condition.
Sleep paralysis itself isn’t harmful, but having it can be very scary and uncomfortable and even cause anxiety. If your symptoms are impacting your daily life, or are a reflection of ongoing anxiety, professional help can make a big difference.
A specialist in Anxiety medicating near me, can help you explore what's causing your stress, provide you with stress management tools, and if necessary, suggest therapy or medication. Treating anxiety can help not only with sleep paralysis, but all aspects of your life.
Sleep paralysis can be scary, but there’s usually something deeper issue at play, whether that’s anxiety, sleep disturbances or having to use substances to sleep, Dr. Lichten says. So recognizing the link between the two is the first step towards relief. With the right help, good sleep and peace of mind are well within reach.