How to stop sleep paralysis?
In the early morning hours, you wake up abruptly from sleep, awed by a sense of fear. You’re sure that there’s an intrusion in your bedroom, and you spot a frightening creature at the foot of your mattress.
But you are unable to move your muscles — or even shout. This may seem like something from the world of horror films however; this condition is known as sleep paralysis. Although it’s harmless, the condition can be extremely frightening and the anxiety of experiencing an episode could disrupt getting a good night’s rest.
What actually sleep paralysis is?
Sleep paralysis that is recurrent and isolated is a form of parasomnia. Parasomnia is characterized by unintentional events that occur when you are falling asleep, in sleep, or while you awake.
REM parasomnia mainly occurs when you are about the transition in or not of REM sleep. Moreover sleep paralysis belongs to this REM parasomnia.
It results in you being incapable of moving your body during either of the following two time periods:
- In the event of falling in bed (hypnagogic form, also known as predormital)
- After waking from sleep (hypnopompic and postdormital type)
Your brain is the primary source of information that can cause the muscles in your body to relax and to be asleep. This is to prevent you from performing your fantasies. Sleep paralysis happens when REM sleep, known as REM atonia, is observed during sleep or awakening.
A paralysis episode could result in you being incapable of speaking. Also, it can make you incapable of moving your legs and arms as well as your head, body and. It is still possible to breathe normally. You’re also fully aware of the situation. The length of an episode may be minutes or seconds. The show usually ends by itself.
It can end when someone touches you or talks to you. A grueling effort to move could also trigger the episode. Sleep paralysis could occur just once in your lifetime or could happen multiple times within a year.
Signs of Sleep Paralysis
Sleep paralysis sufferers could:
They will be unable to move their legs and arms or body in the event of falling asleep or awakening.
Are there episodes that last minutes to just a couple of minutes
It is also essential to find out if there’s another factor that could be the cause of your sleep issues. The following may be among those sleep issues:
- Another sleep disorder is Narcolepsy
- A medical issue
- Usage of medication
- Mental health disorder
Causes of Sleep Paralysis
Sleep paralysis is fairly widespread: Studies have discovered that 40% of people have suffered from the issue at one point in their lives.
In reality, nearly every culture has a different kind of explanation or story for the situation, ranging from the vengeful spirits of the past to alien abductors. Other factors also may increase the chances of getting affected by sleep paralysis.
One of the main reasons for sleep-related paralysis are sleep deprivation or lack of sleep. The changing schedule of your sleep or lying on one’s back for too long, usage of certain drugs or stress and various sleep-related disorders, like the narcolepsy condition, could also be the cause.
Risk factors that cause sleep paralysis
Sleep paralysis is a problem that affects men as well as women of any age. The age at which it begins to manifest is between 14 and 17 years old. It’s a very regular sleep issue. Estimates of how many suffer from it range between 5% and 40 percent. It’s possible to be affected if your family members also have it.
Lack of sleep may cause you to be afflicted with problem. It’s also more likely when you have a sleep routine that changes frequently. Stress from your mind can be a contributing reason. It appears to happen more frequently when you sleep lying on the back. Sleep paralysis may be linked to below given reasons:
- Bipolar disorder
- Certain medications can be used
- Leg cramps from sleep
How can I treat sleep paralysis?
For treating sleep paralysis, treatment should be targeted at the main cause of the problem. This may be triggered due to sleep deprivation. In this situation it is recommended to try to get between at least 7 or 9 hours rest every night, on a regular basis.
Patients with psychiatric issues might suffer from sleep paralysis. One example would be one who suffers from bipolar disorder.
The person will require ongoing treatment using medication such as Waklert 150 mg. The supervision would be provided by a psychiatrist or a doctor. It is possible to notice sleep paralysis that is accompanied by leg cramps. It could also occur after changes in your medicine (Artvigil 150). Talk about these concerns with your physician.
Narcolepsy sufferers often experience sleep paralysis. If you’ve been diagnosed with narcolepsy, your sleep physician will assist you to develop an appropriate treatment plan for Narcolepsy.
If sleep paralysis isn’t related to other conditions, there aren’t many treatment options. Most of the cases of sleep paralysis did not require treatment. A consistent sleep schedule could help in keeping good sleeping habits. CBT to combat stress and anxiety can be helpful.