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Perhaps the most startling of all dream states is that of sleep paralysis. It occurs on the very edge of consciousness, however, the dreamer is still asleep, but totally paralyzed. Some people are not at all bothered by sleep paralysis, and can even regard it as an interesting episode. However, often, these experiences can be extremely frightening, and vary considerably in nature.

Sleep paralysis has been known as 'Night nurses' paralysis'. Persons in an occupation where vigilance is required, yet fall asleep, are prone to this condition. The unconscious knows that sleep is inappropriate at that time, so an expectation of being discovered results in a dream of someone approaching. It appears that cortical arousal occurs, so that the person becomes conscious, but bodily the individual is constrained.

Invariably, the individual is absolutely convinced that he or she is wide awake. Full long and short-term memory and identity are restored. Everything in the bedroom or work-place is a vivid, exact replica of the real surroundings. Some people imagine that they are dying, having a stroke, in a cataleptic trance, or the victim of some malevolent force. In reality, these are dreaming experiences.

"I thought I'd died. I tried to signal to my husband to wake me up. I tried to nudge him but I couldn't move. All I wanted to do was to wake up. I tried to make a noise. I thought I did, but he said he didn't hear anything. It really worried me."

If you have experienced sleep paralysis, please spend a minute completing the form below. 

Thank you for your valuable time.



At what times does sleep paralysis usually occur?

When nodding off?

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Just before waking in the
morning? Please state

At other times?

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Age & sex

Frequency and duration of sleep paralysis?


E-mail address (If you wish)

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