Mix between sleep paralysis and hypnotic jerks?

[ScarAstrid]

Hello, everyone!

Something has been concerning me lately and to be honest, I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask (because I'm not even sure if this is considered "paranormal") but I'll go ahead anyways.

What exactly is my sleeping condition called? It's sleep paralysis but not completely, it's hypnotic jerks but not completely. I've tried to look it up on the internet but there's something not quite right.

When I feel extremely tired (plus, if there's no one sleeping beside me or the lights are off), I experience this. As I fall asleep, I would suddenly feel like falling and then pricks would run over my entire body. My mind would wake up from the sensation but my body would remain motionless. What's weird though, is that I can see everything, even though my eyes were closed: what's in front of me, what's behind my back, as if I've grown eyes all over my body. I would be aware of what's happening, of the people around me but I couldn't move a single muscle. I'd try to move, scream, anything but still, my body wouldn't budge. I'd panic and eventually it gets harder to breathe. My mind would sense this panic and I would somehow be able to take deep breaths (the only thing I could control, really) but if feels as if the oxygen's just not getting in. Then, for some reason, I'd wake up completely, as if nothing had happened. Eventually, though, I'd be pulled back to sleep involuntarily and the whole thing repeats: falling sensation, awareness, motionless, difficulty in breathing, wake up. My mom would then get in the bed beside me and I'd be able to fall asleep normally (most of the time, not always though).

There was even one time when it was like an inception. I'd experience this condition within a dream and I'd try to scream for anyone (of course, my mouth won't open) then I'd wake up only to end up in another dream where the experience would get worse until I wake up in reality.

I'd really appreciate anyone's thoughts on this. If anyone asks, no, I don't see fearsome entities (thankfully).

Thank you in advance!

 

[7Critter]

Hi ScarAstrid. Thanks for sharing and welcome to the ParaNormalForun (PNF). I would certainly label your experiences as paranormal. We have some members who have experienced similar sleep paralysis and will most likely weigh in as they read your post. Just know, ScarAstrid, that you are not alone with these events.

 

[Charleh]

Welcome to the forum! Hope you can find some answers here! I don’t see why this wouldn’t be sleep paralysis. Contrary to popular belief, sleep paralysis is not just being unable to move and having the worst hallucinations of your life. Sometimes you just have a uniquely horrifying experience. For some, that’s a monster or demon. Others it’s the fear of drowning, suffocation or simply being unable to move. Serotonin is what floods the central nervous system when you sleep to paralyze you so don’t act out your dreams. The caveat is it’s the worst hallucinogen when it’s in the CNS and you’re awake. And with serotonin, it’s never a good “trip”. That’s the science part of SP.

Btw I’m a frequent flyer on SP hell airlines

So could you explain what hypnotic jerks are?

 

[Charleh]

My advice, is if you drink, don’t. I used to take a couple shots before bed to stop the SP episodes from happening. It worked, but you always have to take just enough to be tipsy and your tolerance goes up pretty quick. So that’s a slippery slip you want to avoid.

2, sleep on your side, not on your back. preferably facing a wall, back rest on a couch or whatever is closer to your face. I say this because half the problem with your brain during SP is that if you’re looking in your room, your brain WILL interpret any shadow, shape or pattern as something morbidly terrifying. So it’s best to take that stimuli out of the picture.

3. Get a weighted blanket and put on some music or a podcast if you sleep alone. I don’t know if you have a partner but I find when my wife is out of the house for a night, for some reason SP or hallucinations before bed are a given. The weighted blanket and the constant sound will be something you can use to ground yourself to reality if you find yourself paralyzed. It can also prevent sleep paralysis altogether sometimes.

I really hope this helps. I know how terrifying the whole experience is.

 

[ScarAstrid]

My advice, is if you drink, don’t. I used to take a couple shots before bed to stop the SP episodes from happening. It worked, but you always have to take just enough to be tipsy and your tolerance goes up pretty quick. So that’s a slippery slip you want to avoid.

2, sleep on your side, not on your back. preferably facing a wall, back rest on a couch or whatever is closer to your face. I say this because half the problem with your brain during SP is that if you’re looking in your room, your brain WILL interpret any shadow, shape or pattern as something morbidly terrifying. So it’s best to take that stimuli out of the picture.

3. Get a weighted blanket and put on some music or a podcast if you sleep alone. I don’t know if you have a partner but I find when my wife is out of the house for a night, for some reason SP or hallucinations before bed are a given. The weighted blanket and the constant sound will be something you can use to ground yourself to reality if you find yourself paralyzed. It can also prevent sleep paralysis altogether sometimes.

I really hope this helps. I know how terrifying the whole experience is.

Thank you so much for the advice! Hypnotic jerks are when you feel a falling sensation just before you fall completely asleep. From what I read, most people wake up immediately after a hypnotic jerk. I, however, do not which is why I'm concerned. I don't drink and I always sleep on my side, so I don't know why I still keep getting sleep paralysis. I'll be taking your third advice, it looks like it could really help!

 

[Charleh]

Thank you so much for the advice! Hypnotic jerks are when you feel a falling sensation just before you fall completely asleep. From what I read, most people wake up immediately after a hypnotic jerk. I, however, do not which is why I'm concerned. I don't drink and I always sleep on my side, so I don't know why I still keep getting sleep paralysis. I'll be taking your third advice, it looks like it could really help!

Maybe it’s something else. Normally when you jerk yourself awake after feeling a falling sensation is because your brain is trying to wake you up when your heart rate drops too rapidly.

But the falling feeling and the pinpricks can also be your body falling asleep before your mind does. Which can open the door to the possibility of lucid dreaming of astral projection. Which is likely why after a moment your field of vision increases substantially.

 

[Lynne]

Hi and welcome Astrid. Charleh has given great advice. It is also possible you are going out of your body. You mentioned you could see through closed eyes. It may be a hallucination but it could be your astral body. There is a lot of information on astral travel and out of body expierences. Your mind may be coming conscious of your exit or reentey to your body. Just something to think about. You also may want to get checked out by a medical doctor to eliminate any health problems.

 

[Rafal]

By youre story i can tell it was some oobe episode i had also the same but by my bed i noticed 3 shadow figures and they pushed me back in body

 

[ScarAstrid]

Thank you all for your insights! I'll continue reading more about astral projection and OOBE experiences so that I could, someday, be able to control these events.