what it is and why it occurs

For centuries symptoms of sleep paralysis associated with the presence of invisible night owls demonswitches or kidnappers in the bedroom, which seem to prevent you from moving and getting out of the creepy state.

The sleep researchers have arrived conclusionthat in most cases, sleep paralysis is simply a sign that your body can’t transition smoothly sleep stages.

UP She described life why sleep paralysis occurs, how long does it last attack, what are the signs of the condition and whether it exists treatmentusing sources: National Health Service, National Library of Medicine, WebMD, Cleveland Clinic, Harvard Health Publishing, MedicalNewsToday and American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

What is sleep paralysis??

Sleep paralysis is sensations that occur when a person is conscious but unable to move for several seconds to several minutes.

It occurs between the stages of wakefulness and sleep. Some people feel chest pressure or suffocation during this. There is sleep paralysis parasomnia – an undesirable event associated with sleep.

It often begins in adolescence and may become more frequent in the 20s and 30s. From him suffer approximately 7.6% of people.

When does sleep paralysis occur?

Sleep paralysis usually occurs while falling asleep or waking up from sleep.

Sleep paralysis is considered a parasomnia – abnormal activity that occurs during sleep. It is associated with the REM sleep stage (rapid eye movement phase).

During REM sleep, the eyes move quickly and appear bright a dream, but the body muscles are relaxed to reduce mobility. This muscle relaxation is controlled by the brain and is called rapid phase atonia. The purpose of atonia is to reduce a person’s mobility to prevent the realization of actions that are dreamed.

However, during sleep paralysis, you suddenly wake up during the fast phase, regaining consciousness even though your muscles are still relaxed, in a state of atonia. Therefore, the condition is felt as a temporary paralysis. In addition to atonia, vivid images from REM sleep persist even when you are already conscious.

Reasons and factors that influence sleep paralysis attacks

Research discovered factors that have a certain connection with the occurrence of sleep paralysis. These include:

• anxiety disorders;
• poor sleep quality;
• irregular sleep pattern (for example, due to changing time zones or shift work);
• alcohol consumption;
• impact of traumatic events;
• family history of sleep paralysis.

In addition, sleep paralysis can be a symptom of such diseases:

Narcolepsy is an irresistible need for sleep, caused by a violation of sleep regulation by the brain. With narcolepsy, a person can fall into sudden episodes of deep sleep at any time.

Many people only experience sleep paralysis once or twice in a lifetime. However, people with narcolepsy and other sleep disorders have higher risk experience sleep paralysis.

What are the types of sleep paralysis?

Exist two types sleep paralysis:

• Rare or isolated sleep paralysis most often occurs once against the background of lack of sleep associated with a change in the sleep schedule (for example, in students or people who work in shifts). Such paralysis appears without any other signs of narcolepsy or other sleep disorders.

• Recurrent sleep paralysis (one that repeats) can be a symptom of sleep disorders like narcolepsy. This condition involves multiple episodes of sleep paralysis over a period of time.

Sometimes both types of sleep paralysis occur together. In this case, a person has recurrent isolated sleep paralysis. At the same time, there is no connection with sleep disorders (narcolepsy), but the attacks are repeated.

Signs and symptoms of sleep paralysis

An episode of sleep paralysis lasts from a few seconds to a few minutes.

Mainly a symptom sleep paralysis there is an inability to move the body when falling asleep or waking up. However, at the same time, a person realizes his surroundings and can move his eyes and breathe.

During the attack can also be other symptoms:

• inability to speak;
• feeling of pressure in the chest;
• difficulty breathing;
• sweating; headaches and muscle pains;
• people may hear or see things that are not there (hallucinations).

Hallucinations can be scary and cause anxiety. They are divided into three categories:

• the feeling of the presence in the room of another person with evil intentions;
• a feeling of pressure on the chest, which is often accompanied by an imaginary strangulation or suffocation;
• a sense of movement, such as flying or being out of body.

Can you die from sleep paralysis?

Sleep paralysis is not life-threatening, but it can cause worry and anxiety. It can feel like a really scary phenomenon and cause emotional disturbances in some people.

Usually, sleep paralysis does not occur often enough to cause significant health consequences and is not a serious medical risk in itself.

People who experience recurrent or fearful episodes may avoid sleep, leading to insomnia. This negatively affects health in general.

Treatment of sleep paralysis

Most people only experience sleep paralysis once or twice in life. However, if a person experiences recurring attacks that cause anxiety, stress, or affect their quality of life, they may seek medical attention for symptom relief.

Until there is no straight line strategies for treating sleep paralysis during an active episode. There have been attempts to manage the psychological and physical factors that trigger episodes of sleep paralysis, but currently there are no treatments that can interrupt the attack.

A person wakes up from sleep paralysis naturally. Although the phenomenon can be frightening, it will pass over time. It is impossible to force your body out of a state of paralysis.

Because there is a close relationship between sleep paralysis and other sleep problems, improving sleep hygiene is a general direction to prevent sleep paralysis.

Sleep hygiene is a person’s daily habits and routine that affect sleep quality. Example:

• providing 6-8 hours of sleep per day;
• fixed sleep schedule (time of waking up and falling asleep), including weekends;
• maintaining darkness and moderate temperature in the bedroom;
• comfortable mattress and pillow;
• daily physical exercises, but no later than 2 hours before bedtime;
• avoiding watching TV in the bedroom;
• reducing caffeine and alcohol consumption, especially in the evening;
• refusal of a heavy evening meal;
• avoiding electronic devices, including cell phones, at least half an hour before bedtime.

Constant stress and disruption of the sleep cycle can have serious negative consequences for the body. Healthy sleep habits are essential not only for the treatment of sleep paralysis, but also for general health.

If a person experiences sleep paralysis due to narcolepsy or other sleep disorders, a doctor may recommend drug treatment or psychotherapy to manage these conditions.