Has anyone experienced sleep paralysis?

I have experienced this many times. There are two scientific explanations for this phenomenon. One is called hypnopompic, which occurs shortly upon waking. The other is called hypnagogic, which happens after one falls asleep. There is a little controversy regarding why this occurs. Some people believe that during these occasions, the "soul" separates from the body. Science would dispute this, claiming that these instances occur to protect one from hurting himself during sleep (via movement.) However, if that is the case, how is sleepwalking explained?

Fascinating just how common this is. On a physical side of it, I find that it happens more often if I haven't eaten much over a couple of days, which I believe somehow relates to a lack of vitamin intake and serum-vitamin gradients, or just not eating well and undergoing stress of some sort; and thus direct to this is the question of what is denuding the body of these nutrients.

On the subtle side, that can be true, that is, being out of the body, but that is an altogether different paralysis.

I do as Mikey G's grandfather above says, accept I try to jerk the upper part of my body into movement, which at first may not work the first or second time. It seems to have a will of its own. 'Because the body will have already awakened. Then I relax to quell the anxiety and fear, and I suppose this is using the law of reverse effort; and so I then jerk myself again -- determining to pull out of it -- and then somehow I come out of it. And it always indeed feels like a major hurdle to have pulled out of it and a great relief.

It is daunting, as if imprisoned.

It seems to settle right where I have a crick or anixiety in the left side between my neck and shoulder, that is where it seems to center, which again is why I believe it is associated with some deficiency of nutrients. I wonder if it is not to do with some peculiar truncation of the brain stem in some way.

At one time I could not open my eyes while under it and now I can and have somehow conditioned my brain-mind to respond, though I will still be undergoing the paralysis; and my eyes will not be 'seeing' as much as taking in light because my sight is not then connecting to any thought but determined to pull out of the paralysis.

I believe that someone merely nudging me could pull me out of it, but strange it is...it can be frightening, because just who would know that I am so locked when I am so locked?

I remember when I had Sleep paralysis, I was pregnant, with my Last Child I think I was in my eight Mos. of pregnancy, when I suddenly woke up at two a.m. and I saw a man sitting on my Husband's side of the bed, and was looking down at his Face, it scared me a lot, then I found out that I could not move or talk, I felt so helpless because I thought that man was going to kill my Husband, with every ounce of strength I had I moved my Arm, and as I moved I saw the man disappear, from my view, and I started to cry and my Husband woke up and I told him what I saw and to this day he does not believe, me. I have tried to come to an understanding as to why I saw this man there in our bedroom, but after that I blot it out of my mind.

Yes, ever since I was a little kid. It happens several times throughout the year, and every time, I hope it will be the last. Every time I am convinced that this will be the time that whatever the thing in the room lurking around is is going to get me. actually just had an episode the other night. My Grandfather experiences it too. He told me you can bring yourself out of it by focusing on one part of your body and moving it around, like a finger or toe. It is really scary while it is happening. I understand the part about how your body is shut down, but your brain is awake, but why does it feel like something very bad is lurking around, ready to get you? That's the part that's toughest to deal with.

The human body has a chemical that sort of paralysizes it so it can sleep and not walk around eating or driving the car. But, you can get up if you have to pee or answer the phone. Just think, if you were dreaming about being a bull fighter and you didn't have this 'system' and your girlfriend was there......you might have some splanin to do bout what you doin standin up in da bed.

Yeah... thats a pretty scary experience as a child. When you get older, its just frustrating! It hasn't happend to me in a while though. Thank God.

yeah it happened to my last night

we studied it in psychology

its when your in a twilight state of sleep and you wake up part of your brain is asleep and part is awake

so your still dreaming but your awake

thats why its so frightening

yeah its one of the worst experiences ive ever had!

I used to get it everynight and to avoid it you have to twitch your finger or move your tongue while your getting to sleep!

The last one i had I was in my partners bed and he was at work, i could hear someone slam the door open and breathe really heavily, I couldnt move and it felt like someone was pushing down on me.

I could see and it was my boyfriend, he stomped down the steps really aggresively and he had a knife in his hand, he tried to hide it with clothes and then slowly walked towards me. and I was trying to shout but I couldnt move or talk.

See a docter about it it could be stress related, also if your not getting enough sleep it really effects your mind.

yeah it was really scary, it felt like someone was holding me down... not a good time!