Sleep paralysis is the terrifying feeling of being held down after just waking up or going to sleep. You can’t move or scream, and sometimes this paralysis is accompanied with the certainty that someone –or something — is in the room.
Quite simply, sleep paralysis is one of the most horrifying experiences in life, because we feel awake but can’t believe what is happening to us.
The truth is, sleep paralysis is a biological event and there is nothing to be worried about. You’re not dying. It’s a hiccup in the brain’s chemical soup as we transition from sleep to wakefulness.
Recurrent sleep paralysis can often be prevented by attending to lifestyle choices, but making new habits can take time.
So how do you wake up from sleep paralysis tonight?
Here I compiled 9 ways to get out now.
Note: Because this is such a personal thing, some of these tactics will work for you, and others won’t. Choose the ones that make the most sense to you intuitively. Think of these strategies as tools in a toolbox to bring out when the conditions are right. Make a plan and resolve to remember it for the next time you wake up in sleep paralysis.
1. Don’t Fight
If you feel like you are being held down and you can’t move, do not fight back. This actually will intensify the experience. Not only is fighting back likely to increase the feelings of being held down (so much that it may seem like you are being crushed), but fighting back will also increase the fear, thus triggering the emotional centers of the brain and strengthening this lucid nightmare. Controlling fear is the most important skill during these moments.
2. Surrender and Go with the Flow
Instead, try to relax when you notice SP starting to happen. Prepare an affirmation like “This is SP and I am okay.” If you feel pressure on your chest, see if you can “go with” the pressure rather than against it. It’s like winning a fight by having no resistance. For example, for me, I often feel like I’m being pushed into the mattress when I have SP. I let myself go, and mentally “pull” in the direction I am being pushed. What happens is I then “pop” into a full-on dream, or I can wake up directly.
3. Wiggle your Toe
Another excellent tactic that works for many people is to try to move an extremity, such as a finger or a toe. Most of the feelings of paralysis are in the belly, chest, and throat. So focus all you attention on the toe and try to move it back and forth. In many cases, this will break the paralysis.
4. Clench your Fist
This is a variation of the toe wiggle method. Clench and unclench your fist.
5. Focus on your Breath
An easy way to stop these nightmares is to do some controlled breathing. Controlled breathing does several things at once. For starters, it lessens the feelings of chest pain that sometimes accompany SP. Breathing is autonomic like the heart’s beating or digestion, so it’s not paralyzed like the big muscles in our arms, chest and legs. But breath can be controlled with attention or be affected by severe fear, which may be why SP sufferers “forget” to breathe when under attack. If you can control your breath, you can control your fear. Simply draw your breath in at a normal rate, and exhale fully, using all of your lung capacity. Notice that you can breathe fully without obstruction. This technique will keep you calm as the SP runs its course and then you will wake up without any trouble. A few moments of focused breathing with a strong intention to wake up is effective.
6. Lean into Love to Find Courage
Now is also the time to lean into unconditional love. For many, the surest path is in religious or spiritual beliefs. Regardless, focus on a figure that you admire and love. Think of someone who calms you down—someone who you associate with peace, love and safety. This could be Jesus, the Dali Lama, or someone you know personally. In my first SP nightmare when I was fourteen years old, I thought about the love and respect I had for a girl in my class. Embarrassing but true! It worked: the feelings of oppression and evil dissipated immediately. In this case, true love really does conquer all.
7. Getting Help from your Sleep Partner
If someone shares your bed, you can tell them about your SP attacks and what to look for when you are having a nightmare. For example, my wife used to shake me awake whenever I began to breath heavily and irregularly in my sleep. As it turns out, she was waking me up each and every time from an intense SP nightmare. Now when this happens, I tell her not to wake me up, because I actually use SP to go into a lucid dream.
You could also have your partner respond to a verbal request. This only works some of the time, because some people cannot speak in paralysis. But some can. Choose a short word that is easy to say. “Help” is a good choice. When you’re in paralysis, focus your attention on your throat and say “Help.” Don’t try to say it as loud as you can; what may happen is that your imagination will take over and you will only say the word in your dream. Instead, say it forcefully but without screaming.
8. Coughing for Help
A variation of using your voice is to try to cough into wakefulness. Like breathing, coughing can be autonomic or consciously regulated. By coughing on purpose, you can jar yourself awake.
9. Write out the Plan
The suggestions above all have helped hundreds of people get out of SP and get some sleep. Not every tactic will work with you. But having too many tactics in your mind can actually be counterproductive. So it is important to make a plan, almost like the fire escape plan you may have for evacuating your family home in case of emergency. Write it out; this will cement the plan in your mind and make it easier to remember when the paralysis comes on strong.
10. The Ultimate Method I know — I said 9 ways, but this is the single best way to wake up from sleep paralysis and it’s really in a class of it’s own. When you realize you are in SP, scrunch up your face. In other words, make a face like you just smelled something bad. Snarl and squint. Do this two or three times in a row and the paralysis will break IMMEDIATELY. I’m not sure why it is so effective, but unlike the pinky wiggle, this method is foolproof.
After you wake up, get out of bed immediately and turn on a light. Wash your face with cold water. If you just stay in bed, the chance of sliding right back into sleep paralysis is pretty high.
Want to break the spell of sleep paralysis? Download my free Sleep Paralysis Report below!
People…its an honor to give my input on this. I’ve been studying this phenomenon ever since it happened to me the 1st time wen I was just a child. I came to realize that its a spiritual thing. Its evil beings that are able to channel into your surroundings or personal space when you are vulnerable, meaning.. when you are giving off dark or negative energy. This happens when you are Godless or when your heart and soul are not given to our Lord Jesus Christ. The correct term for SP is actually ‘Bewitch’ or some people like scientists would refer to it as ‘Alien abduction’. The Loud noises and bell ringing sounds are the energy being forced upon u by these entities. Their aim is to get a hold of your soul so they can control you. This is why you get serial killers , rapists , illuminists , occults , false prophets , suicides and many more paranormal cases u can think of. When this is experienced again, I can assure u that by calling out the name and authority of Jesus Christ , u will be released by these demonic rituals. I know u are all scared but u need to trust me on this. Give your hearts to the Lord and pray to him intensely before going to sleep. Ask for his angels to watch over you and to guide you through the night. We are entering 2013 my fellow brothers and sisters. Its the age of Aquarius, the age of Deceit. Only God , Jesus Christ and the Holy spirit can save us…and don’t ever forget this, The truth will set you free!!
That is rediculas. It has scientific proof of what is is. I personally thing getting SP now and then is weird and cool. A feeling that you could never feel any other way. In no way do I feel trapped by SP.
I agree with the demonic thing, but i don’t agree with what you said about “your not saved”, cause I’m of God, and it happens to me. If your not of God,the demons already have you, they don’t have to wait for you too go to sleep to attack, but of your of God, the devil trys to attack you in your sleep, because your at your weakest
It has happened to me too and im also of God.
I’m with sweetie because it happened to me all the time and I am gods child I pray every night the Lord’s Prayer and I still have those dreams
I can’t believe creatures like u still exist, devils, demons? Do you understand what your saying? How are you allowed to have a brain? For you to have a brain is dangerous!
I agree with sweetie , I call on the name Jehovah since the demons disperse at hearing it.
Thats no problem, for you it isnt difficult, You can think its cool… i have these too, And I am a folower of Jesus Christ, And I agree with shane, Demonic activity trying to hinder my walk with GOD, But ima tell you something, If this doesnt happen to you that means you are not a threat, Why would demons mess with you if you are not a follower of christ, think about it makes alot of sense…These happen to people who believe in Christ and love him dearly…..
That exactly happened to me I couldn’t move my body and bell was ringing. Somebody was laughing in my ear. I need help
wow… that EXACT same thing happened to me.. it terrified me forever. she laughed and said my name.
i literally just woke up from a solid loop of sleep paralysis for who knows how long, and I am on here looking for some comfort and help too!
you are not alone, I wish there was something I could do but my doctor just smiled and brushed it off.
Thats soo true this happensnto me alot but I would never turn awqy from god
I have had this problem since I was a child. I figured one way to break of it, just try to arch your back. Something with the spinal cord I guess. And you will snap right out of it. So if you are experiencing this while sitting, try to arch your back to break out of it. It’s as simple as that. I have experienced all the scary visions and feelings. And this arching of the back works.
Thats the most ridiculous thing I ever heard. Its a sleep disorder often triggered by prescription drugs. It’s not an alien abduction or a possession. That is the nuttiest thing I ever heard.
Its scary but its not caused by drugs. Im a boxer and im fantastic shap and dont smoke or on drugs and i get good sleep
Sheryl,
I’m completely against taking medication and with that being said, am not on any prescription meds and this has happened to me several times. There have been times when I have had it so bad and woke up gasping for air that i thought for sure I would have died!
Its not nutty, Maybe you should read up on it more,
Or maybe you should accept christ into your life..If you dont believe in demons, they will def mess up your life….Once you are open to the thought of demons, They will manifest in your life, Hopefully you will accept Christ as your lord and savior, If you dont or dont want to, YOU WILL BE LOST>>>
Thanks for this! I’m 32 it has been happening to me since I was 13/14 years old! It completely freaks me out! It used to only happen in the day and was extremely frequent when I was younger it stopped for years and now it has come back with a vengeance! My partner has to shake me out of it! I can’t help the urge to fight I feel like am sinking and I will not be able to get up/out of it! I can just move my toes and clench my jaw, I try to pray my partner says he can hear me repeating the words usually No as am fighting it! I’m petrified I hate it even with all the explanations it still completely freaks me out!! My mum had the house blessed when I was a child! I sleep with a Bible under my pillow but it us only when I hold it to my chest that it seems to not reoccur for a while…..i say I’m a child of God you can have my soul but it still happens! Nothing seems to stop it and it seems to happen more and more often!!
Hi, I’m new to all these things that are happening to me and yes, I agree with you 100% that the only way is through the Lord Jesus. I just had my first experience through a dream that involved my son. I woke up with a feeling that someone or something was holding me down I lost control of my voice and couldn’t yell for help, I even tried to pray out loud the Our Father and couldn’t. I immediately began to pray to the Lord in my head and I was able to come out.
I dnt believe this because this has happened to me several times and I’m saved, sanctified, holyghost filled and fire baptized and I got Jesus.
Its now 4:30 am and Im still terrified to lay back down. To me it feels like a strong magnet is pulling me from under the bed. Sometimes the pull is immediate and continuous and at times it comes in waves as I try to fight it. I will try the techniques listed. Thank You for your help!
People,its an honor to give my input on this. I’ve been studying this phenomenon ever since it happened to me the 1st time wen I was just a child. I came to realize that its a spiritual thing. Its evil beings that are able to channel into your surroundings or personal space when you are vulnerable, meaning.. when you are giving off dark or negative energy. This happens when you are Godless or when your heart and soul are not given to our Lord Jesus Christ. The correct term for SP is actually ‘Bewitch’ or some people like scientists would refer to it as ‘Alien abduction’. The Loud noises and bell ringing sounds are the energy being forced upon u by these entities. Their aim is to get a hold of your soul so they can control you. This is why you get serial killers , rapists , illuminists , occults , false prophets , suicides and many more paranormal cases u can think of. When this is experienced again, I can assure u that by calling out the name and authority of Jesus Christ , u will be released by these demonic rituals. I know u are all scared but u need to trust me on this. Give your hearts to the Lord and pray to him intensely before going to sleep. Ask for his angels to watch over you and to guide you through the night. We are entering 2013 my fellow brothers and sisters. Its the age of Aquarius, the age of Deceit. Only God , Jesus Christ and the Holy spirit can save us…and don’t ever forget this, The truth will set you free!!!
Hi Shane,
I completely agree with you. I often get the SP but, last night was the worst, it was dark, felt like someone was choking me and I dreamt that I was telling my husband that someone what to take over my body. I don’t watch any scary movie, I never liked it. I feel that I don’t pray enough to GOD and I do believed in him. Thank you so much for our input.
No! It is called Bewitch/witching hour/alien abduction because no one ever studied it at that time. Until they discovered that it was all happening because of your brain and the factors affecting it(it is even written in the article on this page! which is the whole point of this page). But now, it is scientifically called Sleep Paralysis because it is now proven and understood. Evil beings?, yes can be, but not literally, maybe bad experiences/too stressed/too tired/had a fight of the day before sleeping (people, just dont read the word EVIL BEINGS literally!). And also Negative Energy?, maybe we can just call it pissed off/annoyed/angry before sleeping rather than negative energy. DONT USE those terms again, the negative energy and evil beings. It will be more understandable if you use terms that will explain things literally… =.=
well Shane I believe in what u say but see when this happens to me I do pray I say that Jesus is my lord and savor and u will never have me and than it gets worse for the past few days this has happened to me and it was hitting me on my back like bad it hurt I dont feel anything evil it really doesn’t scare me because I do believe in God and Jesus and I know that nothing in can have me unless I let it and I wont let it but my kids and husband are starting to see shadows in the house and my kids wont sleep in their rooms should I have someone come bless the house what do I do????
Sofia, Do you have the Hoy Ghost, Do you know someone who do? If you or someone who is filled with the Holy Ghost pray over the house and let the spirit guid you, It will cast that demon out of your house and life for good.. Trust me i know
I’m 14 I remember this. It happened when I was 6 and when I was 12 one night I woke up from it and slipped back into sp about 7 times that night and it is terrifying most especially as a kid myself. The way I solve this problem now is night your tounge. It is hard to lift your mouth and it may be shaky but it works. It send a message to your brain that something is hurting u wake up so u can stop it! That is the method that works for me I hope it helps some of u too.
thank you for this i been struggling with this ever since i was 12 im only 16 now but it helps to know im not th3e only one going threw this
Yeah, SP always happens to me, just a month ago, it happened every other day! and to tell you the truth, I got accustomed to it(LOL). What I always do is likely number 3 & 4. And I always see a human shadow in the room during SP, but after many experiences, when SP starts, I just tell to myself OH COME ON, HERE WE GO AGAIN hahahaha. Also, I can control my body and think calmly now bec of my experiences, I even tried to imagine a ghost during SP and yes, the effect intensified, lol. Anyway, there are no ghosts!! if you are alone in your room, you are alone! It really is on our human brains! dont worry too much, just make it out like it was just a joke. Dont be scared, a dog is much more scarier.
I’ve had sp since I was about 15. It just happened today hasn’t in a long time. I use to think it was aliens I did some research and read that aliens are demonic I found Christ and calling out for Jesus wakes me up. I also learned to somewhat controle sp. Fly in space play instruments jam out to songs I’ve never heard. And I also heard scripture that I never head.
Im 16 yo and I had SP today for the first time .. I went to sleep lately , at about 4:30 am. I had experience like hearing my thoughts or some voices , when I was falling a sleep, but it never ended with SP till today. I tryed to ignore the ”voices” but suddenly I fall into a SP I had a strange feeling like my ears were under water and my hole body was spinning … I read before about SP or lucid dreaming and I knew I was paralysed.. I bettre didnt open my eyes because I read before that you may see some horrible things .. I was trying to shout and move but it didnt work.. after a while my SP ended
Yeah, I’ve had sleep paralysis a couple of times the first time I remember was when I was about 10-12 years old and I remember not being able to move and I also remember trying to scream out my brothers name (he’s bedroom is right next to mine) but as I was trying to scream his name out nothing came out it felt as if I was mute I couldn’t speak, when the sleep paralysis finished I didn’t know what it was so I just ignored it I thought it was just a dream.
After that I never had sleep paralysis until recently I’m 14 now turning 15 soon and last year I had a sleep paralysis almost every night once I remember seeing a shadow of a little girl then I reasearched it and found out it was called sleep paralysis. I still have it from time to time still but I always know when I have it now so when I have it I think in my head “nooo not sleep paralysis!!” But yeah I just go with the flow and it eventually stops.. Usually it happens when I wake up at night or really early in the morning and try to go back to sleep. I’m used to it now but at the start I must admit it was frightening but my tip would be always keep your eyes shut and try to move your fingers or your toes. Thanks good luck
So weird!!… I’m also a Christian. I saw many ppl that are posting on here having the same kind of dream are also Christian.. I’ve been having dreams like these since I was 8 yrs old .. Didn’t become a Christian til age 13 so as i continued to have dreams like that i started calling on Jesus name and it does work. It frees You from whatever, chains, or some kind of evil force or whatever that’s happening in the dream. It’s like a spiritual battle.
I’ve also been having these same things happen to myself for about 6yrs on and off and when i tell a friend or my sibblings they think im joking,but i have noticed that these things seem to happen when im stressed or if there are issues in my relationship. I still cant say that im anywhere close to being used to this:(
I found this site after suffering SP last night. It hasn’t happened for a couple of years but it is a frightening experience. I woke up earlier in the night after a lucid dream about an alien being (i only recall a bright white figure which i identified as alien in origin) the dream required that i push towards this entity to break free of my surroundings. Scary stuff i can tell you however, i do not believe for a minute that there was any entity or evil holding me down later that night.
I think the anxiety from the lucid dream forced me into another lucid dream which resulted in SP. I tried to call out to my girlfriend during the experience but struggled to speak. I eventually calmed down enough for this to pass. My girlfriend mentioned this morning that i had been muttering in my sleep and calling her name. I advised what had happened and told her to acknowledge my calls next time.
Thought i’d share this as it is so fresh 🙂
That’s so weird, I had it recently while I had an extremely lucid dream about aliens, and when I had SP the first time that night (that night, not ever) I saw a bright white alien figure, I think he was filming me, and I tried to scream but only a whimper came out. It happened later when he was by my bedside staring at me and filming me again, and he started to scream continuously at me. Some people relate these creatures to negative beings in the astral plane, so research that if it keeps happening, it may sound crazy but a lot of coincidences seem to keep popping up for me between the two things.
I think tip no 5 which is related to breathing very powerful and have been experienced. If you have the practice of stop breathing or hold for a minutes then body would get shivering and you can become the conscious for this body and physical world.
I had this kind of experience in which you have not the power to move your body but the ghost or evil force looks playing drama with u with surroundings.
But it is mingling phase of conscious and unconscious.which requires the awakening which is possible through holding breath during the attacking period.
I would like to say to Shane that it is appalling to say people havin SP are falling into some kind of evil trap. I’ve been having SP for almost 20 years now. I am not evil or even remotely mean. I am very loving and generous person. When I first started having SP I used to feel it was evil now I know that it is a chemical released into my body that allows me to stay put while asleep so I won’t act out my dreams. However I just happen to be conscience and now I’m stuck between sleeping and awaking! I’m grateful to Ryan for putting out these tips, I will try some next time I’m trying to get out of SP. I have been debating on going with it and trying the lucid dreaming. I’m not really scared as I used to be and know when I am about to have an experience. All demonic looking creatures that used to be there have left because I know that they are not real and I am having a CHEMICAL REACTION! Knowing this can really help you cope with what is going on! Good Luck, everyone and sweet dreams!
It has just happened 2 me im not a bad person never done anything wrong but it has sceared the life out of me as it happened twice in a hour and i often getringing in my ear due 2 medical problems but this time it realy hurt
I am 39 and have had lucid dreams and SP my whole life. I enjoy them and have learned that I can induce them during afternoon naps. My SP often has something trying to pull me from bed. I have found the best way to remove the fear is to go with it. I taunt ‘it’ and laugh at it and encourage it to pull harder. I once popped out of my body and flew around the room, seeing myself lying on the bed. I flew near to the floor and saw little bits of paper and socks close up. When I woke I looked at the floor and those socks and paper pieces were really there. I would not have been able to see them from where I was lying. Either I had the memory of seeing these items in my subconscious from earlier or I was truly out of my body. Fascinating stuff. If you approach SP with beliefs of aliens or demons I think you are more likely to feel fear. If you approach them with an open, curious mind that wants to learn, I think you will more peace when they happen next time.
I agree with you Ape, SP has been a part of my life since I was a young boy and I’m 26 now I’ve been through that same out-of-body experience that you talk about but I saw myself lying in bed while I was standing at the door and another time where I saw myself against the ceiling I have tried all the available methods but to me it is useless because everytime SP comes to me I will wake up at 03:00am no matter what time it comes over me or what I try. I think everyone that gets SP must try and relax so that you can go with the flow.
Im 13 years old and im having SP almost everytime wake up, i har it a few times when i was younger but now it gets worse! What Should i do?
It has been happening to me for 20 some years now. I can describe the feeling like being buried alive, cannot move, but I can scream but I have hard time focusing on breathing so I feel like I’m suffocating. My wife usually wakes me up, it is very painful to wake myself up, it took I think several minutes last night, I screamed but my mouth was getting dry and and throat closing up. Sometimes I feel like I am dying.
Here’s the thing: It’s only happened to me four times, but it’s not something I enjoy or ever will. I don’t want to leave my body in my sleep. I just want to go to sleep and wake up. So telling me to relax and go with it won’t help because it won’t happen. It freaks me out! Altough learning that there are specified actions you can take to get out and that there’s nothing evil going on does definitely help, is there nothing that can be done to STOP these occurances? Because although my experiences are similar to those I’ve read here, they are… different, and not in a pleasant way.
I wanted to reply to you because i think you experience the same thing i do. i now believe it to be an out of body experience. (which i have never tried to make happen, and do not want to leave my body) idk why this happens, but i do not like it either, and i fight my way out of it every time, waking up with my heart pounding. if i dont get up immediately, i will fall right back into it. i have had this happen for as long as i can remember, but lately it has been every night at least 3 times each night this week. i also have had about 4 experiences where i feel like something is laying on me crushing me and could not move. i can remember when i was about 20 years old, it was the worst one ever, and i couldnt remember how to pray. i started saying the lords prayer in my head and it jumped off of me. back then i also saw a lot of tall dark shadows, and one small one that actually bit me on the back. sounds crazy but promise its true. i would not come on here and make a fool of myself except to help someone else. I KNOW how terrifying it is!!!
well, i guess i am not the only one who ever felt it. it started when i was 17, when i entered my college. For the first time i thought it was an evil things, in my country it has lot of name about it lol, but now i believe it occurs only when you feel stress, tired and thirsty (dehydrate). Now i am already 25 years old and it’s more than enough for me to be called as an expert for this thing, i always know when and how it starts and how to prevent it.
1. Pray before sleep
2. Take a good sleep position, make yourself more comfortable
3. When you feel like awareness right after you close your eyes and feel your heart beats quickly, that’s the omen how PS starts, i always change my sleep position, or maybe you can use this trick, well it kinda silly, try to move a little bit from your current position (let’s just say “there is someone wants to sleep on that position”) it’s so ridiculous indeed, but trust me it works well on me 😀
How to wake up from PS?
Call for the Big J, when the PS occurs I believe you will see around you like normally, or maybe you will feel it’s so damn heavy or oh my god my head, or even get choke, but honestly you are in your dream, you need to wake up, how to do it? call for help, it sounds futile since you can’t even make any noise, and it doesn’t make sense? Yes it is, since we are in our dream.
Note: I am not a British or US, i am Asian and for god sake, don’t tell me to fix my grammar lol 😀
I’m not sure I have SP. I have to fight to wake up. I can hear myself crying out for help. It seem like hours have passed, most of the time it has only been minutes. When I do come out of it, my heart is racing and I’m shaking. Sometimes I just think I have died. It’s a very scary feeling.
I was searching for SP and came up in your blog. im 27 and doing job in UAE. it just happen to me Again today and im so tense because this is second time in a month. before when i was little i remember it happen to me in my back home now im staying alone n doing job. last night around 5:30 am i start feeling im SP. but i feel someone is sitting my backside (not on me) i can sense it. i was on my left side. i feel someone pull my arms up (As my both hands were under my chin) to see me and laugh (I can hear it i dont know how) and then my lips shrink like my cheeks inside u know we use to make this face when we were little. Even i know im SP and i told myself before if it happen i will not panicked and all but it doesnt work. i hear when this things leaving me saying “Pagal” (Urdu world my native language as Fool in english). i was taking breath very fast and i was under blanket. when i wake up i was so scared and then i start reciting from Quran i take out blanket from my face and nothing was there thanks God. but after that i was afraid of going back to sleep. i dont want this happen to me again. im not so religious may be thats why…. i dont know what to do.
I just experienced SP! Yeah.. Just few mins ago. I used to have this frequent times before yet i just ignored it because i’ve learned how to wake up from sp. But now it bothers me because I had sp yesterday and repeated again today. So i searched about it and luckily i found this site. Thank you2 very much. Great help!
This helps soo much, I thought I was the only one. I usually get frighten really bad towards I wanna cry & get out of it. When Im done having my sp attacks I immediately run into my sisters room haha yes Im 16 & sleep next to her when this happens. I was about 14 when it started. I was always scared to fall asleep & find myself in a sp. I heard if u sleep on your side it will help it to stop preventing from sp is this true?
Stop preventing, lol. Anyways Let me tell u guys something, this thing is real. It’s no scientific nonsense My mum suffered it, and me and my brothers do now too, I’ve suffered it for over 20 years now, and know it is not scientific, I’ve experienced many different forms of it from being strangled to my teeth. And gums aching with excruciating pain. me and my brothers experience this in periods, sometimes 4 days in a row, sometimes every other day etc. Then we all might not experience nothing for a couple of weeks or so. during these nights we would nearly all suffer from it . This can explain that it is evil spirits which torments us. It seems as though the spirits which tormented my mum are also tormenting us for some unknown reason. It uses the things u fear or believe to create a terrifying scenario to terrify u.
Thank you so much for the helpful tips of how to get out of SP. It happens to me at least once a week when I wake up and it truly is frighting. It happened to me for the first time when I was about 8 (and now I’m 15) and yes I have spoken to my mom about it. But she didn’t know what I was talking about, and didn’t know what it was. She said it was just a small phase (like something that happens when you start to grow) buts its been happening alot! And no one have been able to help because they didn’t know what I was talking about. They all thought that it was probably just me, and I also thought that too for awhile until I just today decided to look it up. I’m glad to know I’m not the only one because it is indeed very horrifying have the felling that something is forcing you down and you can’t get up. I remember the first time it happened I was asleep on my belly with my head in my pillow. I was clearly awake but couldn’t move a muscle. I’m not sure why but I couldn’t even move a pinky or leg. I tried calling for my mom for help but I couldn’t even speak as well. it just felt like I was being trapped down. To make it even more scary, I couldn’t move my head. (remember my head was stuffed into my pillow at the time) so I had some trouble breathing. It was probably a mistake that I tried fighting it. Yes I realize that now. I honestly though I was dying. But at least now I know how to get out of it. I find tips 10, 5 and 6 to be the most helpful for me. And it truly is nice to no I’m not the only person with SP.
I had SP last night and it scared me soo bad I have been having this for years I want it to get away I need some help I don’t kno how to make it go away. When it happens it’s like I can’t wake up, I can’t move I can’t do anything it’s scary
I don’t know if this is sp or what. I keep looking for answers and i find hardly none. I was asleep on the couch. I could see myself sleep, but the funny thing was I saw my grandparents walk through and they were talking about me, then I fell into darkness. I heard the phone ring and I saw and felt myself sit up and answer the phone for someone named Edwin….(who is that??)….then I finally woke up when I heard the answering machine beep (lol my Grandparents are old fashioned). I opened my eyes literally and saw my mom was the one who called, but I closed my eyes and there was darkness. I kept trying to get up, but it was hard, it felt like I was drowning. I took a big gasp of air and I woke up and fell back asleep, I did it one last time and I finally woke up. I don’t know what that was but this has got to be the weirdest thing I’ve ever been through! Any suggestions or answers?
First let me say that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior. I have suffered from SP all of my life and up until today it has always mostly occurred when I’m alone, BUT today after an exhausting fight with my 16 year old (Shane there is some validity to some of what you said about negative, angry energy). I took my one year old upstairs with me in order to calm down. I feel asleep and into SP. I could her my baby crying and moving about and I could not get to her. It scares me think to of what could have happened her had I not asked the Lord to help me. It comforts me to know that I am not alone, I will pray for those who are in distress with this SP. I stopped asking a long time ago why does this happened to me. I have accepted what God has allowed and yet I try to proactive. I try not to go to bed angry or stress and I always ask God to bless me and others with peaceful slumber. I asked God to send his angels to encamp around my bedside and watch over my family and me. I will not discredit the demonic attacks because anytime someone grows spiritually and desires a closer relationship with God, satan will do whatever he can to stop it. I haven’t had an episode of SP since before the birth of my baby. This week my pastor is running a revival that I have been attending it has been making a different in my life; is this a coincidence maybe, maybe not but in all this Jesus is my help.
Well, I don’t know about you guys, but I had this the other night and came across this by chance. I am 15 btw. So I was laying on my bed with my laptop and I became sleepy. I don’t know how it happened, but I was dreaming everything went black then normal again. I felt I was being dragged off my bed! I could not scream for help and I thought I was being abducted by aliens. My method though was to fight it. I felt that if I show courage I can beat them. I was facing my wall so I could not see anything. As soon as I was pulled off my bed I was ready and fought to move thus waking me up. The nightmare was over and I found these methods helpful so I know what to do next time. Thanks!
i have them so much..
when i want to get out of a SP.. i shake my head back and forth very fast. even when i want out of regular dreams. ive did that ever since i can remember. hope that helps!
I first had sleep paralysis 5 years ago when I was in grade 7 and I’ve had it a few times since then. I can’t breathe whenever I have it and well it’s difficult for me to relax because I think I’m going to die. However, I have noticed that it only happens when I’m sleeping on my back so I sleep sideways now and it doesn’t happen that often. It kind of works for me, don’t know if it’ll help you guys too.
Its 12.44 AM and i have just woken up from sp. what i do is pray and then slowly it goes away. just glad to know that im not the only one who goes through this. Godbless you all!
I have had sp almost once a week for the past five years i think the worst feeling is when my blankets are covering my face while having a sp episode because not only can i not breeth but i cant move and it feels like iam dying and spiritual dark demons or whatever they are called are just waiting to take my soul i feel them and when i open my eyes on sp i see them. Really scary and annoying. Ive seen a demon who looked like a pig with red eyes and old people walking in my apartment dead just laughing oh and bugs crawling all over me all while on sp. But i pray and eventually i wake up and just try to forget.
I’m 18 years old and this happened to me for the first time the other night, I felt like there was a force above me and I could not move at all. I tried to say something, but my mouth would not open. Then I felt like I was being choked and it’s like that certain force was pushing my bed down. It felt so real and I’m scared that it might happen again—and hopefully, it doesn’t come back.
I found this site trying to find some kind of explanation as to what happened to me and what can I do about it. This site was really helpful, thank you.
I’ve read a lot of the comments here but i was just wondering if anyone has been attacked sexually by these forces while on sp. I also get sp but sometimes when i try to wake up they try to keep me down by seducing me sexually and its really hypnotizing it feels good but at the same time it laughs and if i look at its face i see a very scary image. Sometimes know when iam being attacked by a demon or a bad pirit. Because of my severe sp i havent sleeped with the light off in 5 years and most of the time i have to ask my grandma to sleep next to me when i feel iam have one. I need help but no one believes me.
I have had this experience be both sexual and non sexual. It is always invasive and, up until last night, it was also very frightening. I have been having these experiences since I was a teen. I am 48 now and last night was the first in years that I have felt this happen. Last night differed from all the other times because I was awake when I felt whatever/whoever it was lay down and press me into my bed. I always awoke while this was happening.
Last night I stayed calm and resisted any fear. I was able to mentally push back and get it away from me.
I learned a protective meditation from a trusted friend and have been visualizing it today.
Maybe it will help you, too.
Picture, in your heart, a rose colored rose in full bloom. In the center of this rose is a pool of clear water. Emanating from this water is a beautiful blue glowing light. It emanates in every direction and creates a bubble around you and you have the power to make it as big or as small as you like. At the outer edge of this blue light is a violet membrane or skin and only you have control over what passes through it. Nothing can get through unless you want to let it.
I don’t know if this is something you can use but I felt compelled to tell you about it.
I believe that we can be very powerful and can learn to deal with these strange experiences and control them as opposed to them controlling us.
Take care.
I just woke up from SP. This blog is of great help. I was planning on changing room, thinking there is evil existence in my room.Well now I don’t have too. 🙂
glad to help!
Im 17 and i started havng SP at age 14-16 i remember one night getting home from a long trip i fell asleep then i started SP except this one wasnt like every other night ive experienced it. This time was more frightning i couldnt move couldnt speak. All of a sudden i started hearing all kinds of aliens just talking just like in the movie “the fourth kind” once i woke up the first.thing that crossed my mind was being ubducted. Idk hopefully i was.trippin. SP used to happen every night its really messed up but i know for a fact “God”. Jesus Christ is our lord and savior. I had a concussion at age 13 i just found out i had it age 17. I wonder if my concussion had anything to do with this?
I m havin dis fukin problem since 2 years almost every night . But now i m able to control it . I just make scary facial xpression nd the demonic thing rans away feared of me . LoL 😉
Hi there , lately I’ve been having issues with SP I know that I’m not the only one with this problem but this really hasn’t happened to me in awhile it berly started coming back around the first couple of times it wasn’t that bad but lately my SP kinda feels like there’s a story to it the first time I noticed it getting bad was when I felt like I was being levitated off of my bed and I started spinning in circles it might sound stupid but it happened! Then the 2nd Time I was calling for my mom but since I couldnt talk I threw myself on the floor & started dragging myself to my door whenever. Tried opening it my hand kept slipping off of the knob , then the 3rd time I was trying to clench my fist together to fight the feeling off then I tried standing up but I felt like I got thrown back into my bed in the same position so I threw myself on the floor once again to get to my door but before I could even get to it the door opened by itself and I heard a voice and footsteps getting closer to me and I was just on the floor ready to surrender but then I woke up, these aren’t the only ones that I had but these are the Main ones that scarred my mind and really made me think a lot I just really hope that I can overcome this sleeping phase cuz it really scares the crap out of me my chest twitches and shakes so bad my hearts beating so fast that I feel like I’m a get a heart attack or die idk I might just sound crazy but that’s just how I really feel I’m really concerned about this
I recommend doing a breathing exercise — firs tin waking life so you get the hang of it — and then next time SP occurs. if you can control your breath, you control your fear.
This was similar from mine. I started having dreams where I felt paralysed and couldnt speak. they started when I was about 16, I am now 18
Thank you so much for this list! I have SP episodes that are not scary at all, but they last forever (it seems). I needed a “trick” to wake myself up and now I have a few in my inventory. If they work, I’ll let you know. Thanks again!
very welcome! glad it helps.
It makes me smile to realize how many persons experience this SP thing. Perhaps when I was younger I would of been terrified during those episodes. Now I would find it annoying to the point where I dont even fight it. I just would drift back to the dream world. But when I want to get out during other times, I would start from my fingers moving them, then my wrist then by time I get to my elbow, I am free. There were occasions that this didn’t work though and I spend a few minutes trying to break free. When this happens I may experience a sense of dread with some dole grave spirit covering me. I don’t panic but like I said before, I is be annoyed because I know whats happening.
I just woke up from one of these.this is the second time this happened. The first i seen a hooded figure in all black.. And this time all i could here was somebody whispering for me to come with them!
I’ve only had this experience once and this was last year. I was sleeping and I woke up for some stupid reason, I didn’t want to wake up because I had school the next day. So anyways when I woke up I felt there was something wrong. I felt no presence it was just me alone in my somewhat of a room. I don’t know how but I had a bad feeling. I tried to move, but i couldn’t I literally couldn’t feel anything. I tried moving my legs, feet, and arms, but I felt numb and couldn’t move. My breathing was fine. I didn’t panic or anything I was rather calm and collected, so I close my eyes and go back to sleep; i knew i wouldn’t be like that in the morning. So a couple minutes later i had complete control over my body.
Overall my experience with sleep paralysis was a strange experience. Throughout my whole experience with this strange feeling I was calm and collected. I didn’t panic because I knew it was sleep paralysis, though it was my first time experiencing it. I knew it would be a temporary feeling so I was calm about it and knew not to panic. Never in this experience did i have the feeling of a presence. Like I said It was just sleep paralysis and nothing out of the normal, meaning not seeing strange things in the corner out of my eye. So it was just that feeling you get when you wake up in the middle of the night, and immediately fall asleep.
I’m not sure if this may work for you, but it worked for me. Just stay calm and try and go back to sleep. Don’t panic it will make it worse. Then again it’s just me. I’m a calm and collected person.
My SP started a couple years ago after i started using heroin on a daily basis – so i appreciate the drug and chemical reasons behind it. Now i am nowhere close to christian or anything but keeping a bible close by most definitely has a strong effect on keeping IT away. Sometimes it is pleasant to induce it- almost an electrical charge arcing through me- and ive been experimenting more with it and its uses for exploring and energy in daylight hours or with someone else in the room. Science might have the answers to this SP phoenomenon- but the spirit asks the questions. I will however say its much less fun @ 5am when i start hear something outside my window in the woods whistling a tune when im sleeping alone. Have to try some of these tips!
I was Atheist for probably 6 years or so. We had some weird things happen in our apartment and I have began slowly believing in something spiritual. I’ve had a handfull of Sleep Paralysis experiences lately. All of them have been really scary until today.
I fell asleep on my couch in the living room while studying for a test. There was no evil presence in this dream. I was yelling for my roommate ashley to come wake me up because I thought she was home. I thought her old friend Jared was over too. I had told her about my SP experiences and I was trying to get their attention to come wake me up. I could hear the sink going on and off, but didn’t see anyone standing there (later I found out that one of my roommates was really awake cooking food).
Then some male presence who I could not see was with me. He was behind me as I laid on the couch. I asked him if he was good or bad. He kind of laughed and said “I’d like to think that i’m good.” I actually trusted him, but still continued to try to yell my roommate ashley’s name. At one point when saying her name, it sounded really manly out of my own mouth. The nice doctor guy opened something up in my head. It was like he was opening my spiritual head up in 3 rectangular places. I also feel like he stuck two pins below my left ear. I asked what he was doing and he told me “You’re going to feel….. when you wake up.” I can’t remember what he said.
Throughout his ‘operation’ or whatever it was, I remember trying to move my arms and legs. my spiritual arm/legs WOULD move, but my physical body would stay laying on my couch in my living room. I was trying as hard as i could to just keep my limbs in my physical body because of something scary I had read online about SP.
I could not see the spirit ‘doctor’, but I could talk to him as he was working on me. I’m not sure what the doctor guy did to me. I’m not sure if he fixed something that was wrong with me or if he put something inside of me. I feel like he was nice though. Does anyone have any idea of what just happened to me? This is the only positive SP experience that I’ve had.
A similar thing happened to me in one of my SP experiences! I started having SP dreams about a year ago, shortly after I had a very awesome beautiful lucid dream meeting my spirit guides. The first few SP experiences after that we’re super terrifying, such as being raped, levitated, and in this case, being ‘operated on’.
In this certain experience, I fell asleep laying on my side facing towards the wall away from the edge of my bed. I ‘woke up’ felt a presence behind me that I imagined to be some sort of alien. (I’ve always had a fear/fascination of aliens since I was a child.) Anyway, I started hearing little drill/mechanical sounds super vivid and clear, and I feeling the back of the bottom of my head where it meets the neck being taken apart. I felt like they probably rewired me or implanted something. It didn’t hurt, but it just felt funny. I couldn’t move, talk, or do anything so I just had to sit there and take it. I feel like they probably said something to me, but I can’t remember. I woke up shortly after they were done and had left in the same position.
I’ve been wondering if it had anything to do with my past use of DMT. One time when I smoked it, my body physically got jolted all the way from the tip of my spine down to the bottom. It was paralyzing at that moment and I got really scared that I was going to be paralyzed forever. Right before that in the same ‘trip’, I saw aliens staring at me and I was in a box.
I can never tell if these experiences were bad or good, because I try not to judge them. Everything in my waking life is and has been really unbelievably awesome, so I’ve always reasoned that occasional traumatic dreams weighed out the good. 🙂 The last few SP dreams I’ve been having lately haven’t been terrifying, because I’ve been trying to not be afraid and just wake myself up with breathing. The last one I had though someone definitely whispered in my ear “astral projection” and it echoed for a while in blackness. It really stuck with me. I’m definitely going to try and use these techniques next time! I’m actually pretty excited. This is a gift if we can turn it into it!
As a child I have been through this, my grandmother used to call it “the witch is riding you” I am much older now and it still haunts me, I do know there are evil spirits in this beautiful world of our and needless to say there are some things that is out of our control, I truly believe that God is the answer to our problem if this demon wanted to harm us I believe it could, but God is the master of protection I having heard any cases where SP killed anyone if so please share your thoughts…..Thank U
Can SP be caused by stress or because you’re tired all day? this happened to me last night but I didn’t see or hear or have any visions… but when I read this .. I think I might if I will have the next attack, I’m so scared… have this anything to do with age?
I’m 14
Oh im so glad others out there knw this dreaming thing. Its has me so terrified i fight everynight to not go to sleep. Im scared to sleep, it is happening to me more and more lately. I can usually get the words wake me out or help. But sometimes my spouse hears and wakes me but i usually have to fight hard but snap out of it. I see images or flashes of them they are usually some face w red eyes or presence of evil. This is the most terrifying feeling i ever felt. I want it to stop happening to me. Im scared..
Just had one of these last night. I’ve had maybe 6-10 happen throughout my life. I’m 37. This was the only time I was not afraid, but very very royally angy about it. I’m more of an agnost and believe in an “other side”, but cannot prove anything of course. I was in the middle of doing something in a dream and was interupted by some demonic witch holding me down, grabbing my ankles at first, then straddling me, then grabbing the sides of my face and trying to kiss or suck the air/life/soul (what have you) out of me, but I wouldn’t let it, it totally pissed me off. I did what I call an “aural blast” (what has worked in the past – kind of like exploding your “aura” or “chi” at them) and swang my arms clawing at it. I got sooo angry, I think next time I’m going to try to suck their soul into the depths of my belly! Maybe if I start eatin’ these things I can fight fire with fire. It was sooo annoying. Don’t fear these things…they’re wimpy bullys. And if it’s a scientific medical brain thing…so be it. Then it’s a human design flaw. Sweet dreams folks!
i dreamed last nite that i felt someone feeling around my bed and then layed beside me, i ask then what they wanted and there reply was i just want to lay beside you, i could not move at all and then it was like i was awake and could here this person fluffing the pillow, when i was able i sat up in my bed and could still here him, as i layed back down he was still there but i could not see him , only felt him laying there and moving around!! help i need to know what this means, i was so scared, sharon
This just started happening to me recently. Had no idea there was a term for it or that it ever even existed. Very scary feeling like im able to move or breath. The last time it happened i did have the dark figure in the room feeling. Thaks for the tips on how to deal with this.
I’m of Go too! This has been going since I wasc13. Just awoke from one now.
ok so im so amazed at how many people suffer from this. the thing with feeling a darkness laying on you, crushing you, with ringing in the ears has happened about 4 times in my life. BUT, I have had a similar experience since childhood, that scares me so bad that when i finally come out of them, sometimes im crying, and my chest is beating out of my chest. lately i have had them every night at least 3 times every night. i have had one of my children sleep with once so i could be woken up if it happened. i fight my way every time just trying to call out for help. She said i yelled out- wake me up! and she did. this experience i can only discribe as floating out of my body, thinking my soul is passing on. i hear and am aware of everything around me, but cannot wake up, or move a muscle. i recently found out this same thing happens to all 4 of my children, so im wondering if it is hereditary.
Like many of you i am amazed at how many people are going through and experiencing the same exact thing that i’ve experienced for the majority of my life. I’m 37 years old and SP has terrified me since a child. I am of Christian faith and i do know that these are demons that are attacking me. I usually see 3 to 4 dark figures when this occurs. I’ve had it occur both when i’m sleeping alone, or next to someone. The most recent episode happened just a few nights ago. I was asleep with my girlfriend and all of a sudden i couldn’t move. I saw my legs rise as if someone were lifting them. At the same time, something grabbed my right hand. I could hear whispering chatter in my ear. I called out to Jesus the whole time this was happening. Once i was able to break free, i went on my balcony to say a prayer. Once i came back to the room my girlfriend asked me if we were alone. She felt a presence in the room with us. An evil presence. Other times i’ve been held down, while a dark figured paced back and forth at the foot of my bed pointing at me. Ive even had it to where the dark figure leaned over and was 3 inches from my face. I never see a face, just dark figures. For those who don’t believe in demons or evil spirits, just know that they are real. Science will always work opposite of religion, but if believing it’s a scientific explanation behind it helps you sleep at night, then so be it. For those of Christian faith, just know that God has something great in store for us and the devil will do whatever he can to have us deviate from God’s plan. For you young kids that are having this experience, don’t be afraid to talk to someone about it. I encourage you to pray.