I’ve had disorder since I was a child (I am now 50). In 40-something years of dealing with this, I have found a method that has all but completely eliminated my sleep paralysis. After I was able to wrap my mind around what was happening, I learned to remain calm during the paralysis cycle, and I began to take note of consistencies within the experience. For instance, I noticed that the onset of this paralysis would often occur while napping and light dozing during daylight hours. When the sleep paralysis occurred during the night or in a semi-darkened room, I would remember details about my surroundings, or things I could see clearly. It occurred to me that familiar fixtures and permanent objects such as furniture served to heighten the hallucinatory aspects by making the surroundings seem more realistic, which they were. On the flipside, if I was sleeping on my stomach and unable to view the surroundings, the effects were mostly auditory.

So, I decided to try an experiment wherein I would darken the room using blackout shades and eliminate all other light sources such as LEDS and displays. What I’ve discovered is that the Sleep Paralysis, or REM Intrusion all but ceased to occur, and when it did happen, it was short-lived and more of an auditory experience. Without a light source, to illuminate the surroundings of the room, the stage could not be set for the hallucinations to take place and I would quickly fall back into a deeper sleep and circumvent the paralysis experience. So, now, I sleep in a room that is as dark as it can be, and I find that I sleep much better, because I am waking less in the middle of the night, and I hardly ever experience sleep paralysis when using this method.

I’ve had sleep paralysis since I was a kid. i didn’t know what it was till I was 20 in college and met someone who had it and knew the name for it. I also have always been interested in meditation and yoga.

I always force myself to pull out of it as it’s so terrifying. I find it very difficult to pull out of it though- I can’t wiggle my body and eventually it seems after 5 minutes or 10 minutes I can open my eyes but my heart is racing. My friend said that she knows a few people with sleep paralysis and they too always pull out of it and no one wants to sink back into sleep- it feels like it will be death. Maybe it isn’t though! The worst thing is when you pull yourself out of it and then 2 seconds later it happens all over again!!

I have found that having tryptophane often makes it occur- ie if i take tryptophane in pills or have it via bananas or turkey breast before sleep. I know it is for sleep but maybe it increases the paralysis part. Also, this may seem odd but I am an air sign and many of those who have it that I’ve met are air signs too.

Deb