Sleep paralysis

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Shaquille O’Neal sleeping on a Minecraft bed.

Cause of sleep paralysis

When you’re coming out of or going into Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, your brain relaxes your muscles to stay still so you don’t act out your dreams and hurt yourself. Sleep paralysis happens when your brain wakes up from REM sleep while your body is still temporarily paralyzed. This mostly happens due to stress, fatigue, medication and sleeping patterns. 

Once you’re experiencing sleep paralysis, you will be unable to move and talk. You will most likely panic, feel fear and helplessness. Each episode normally lasts a couple of seconds or minutes but it can be as long as 20 minutes. One out of four people will experience one or some of the different types of hallucinations during sleep paralysis:

Sleep paralysis and hallucinations aren’t dangerous, however, it can cause emotional distress and can affect how you function during the day.  

Can it happen to anyone?   

According to The Cleveland Clinic, “An estimated 30% of people around the world experience at least one sleep paralysis episode within their lifetimes.” Sleep paralysis can also be more common with those who have a varying sleep schedule, experience high levels of stress, and to those who don’t sleep well. It is also common to happen more frequently when you’re in your 20s-30s.

Taking medications that prevent you from reaching the REM sleep stage can help if you experience sleep paralysis frequently, however, you should consult a healthcare provider before doing so. You can also take medication that treats mental health such as antidepressants and/or medication that treats sleep disorders. Improving your sleeping habits will help you avoid sleep paralysis and talking to a healthcare provider when being under a lot of stress can also help reduce the amount of episodes you experience.