Sleep Paralysis, Lucid Dreaming & Hallucinations.
 

I believe I have been experiencing both of the aforementioned occurrences for the past year or so. The latter happening is quite awesome and I'm glad it takes place. The former is slightly annoying and sometimes very scary.

A few experiences with sleep paralysis:

As a poker player without any schedule to follow, my sleep cycle occurs within very irregular hours. I'll frequently stay up for 18-24 hours in order to fix it for the time being, or to quickly slide into a fitting time slot when I actually do need to do something.

I bring this up because it is a common symptom for sleep paralysis.

Frequently, shortly after falling asleep, I will wake back up, but cannot move. I am totally conscious and aware that I am trying to move. This was very scary at first, but it has happened so many times that I'm pretty comfortable in dealing with the situation.

I think I can wiggle my toes during my struggle to move the rest of my body, but this might be something I am imagining (my mind plays several tricks on me as I will explain below). I have no clue as to how long I lay and struggle to move the rest of my body. After wiggling my toes for a while, my body will wake and I can sit up. On a few occasions I have went back to sleep immediately, only to repeat the entire process again and again throughout the night.

To my knowledge, this does not always occur while I am lucid dreaming. The last occurrence, however, did, and ended with an actual physical hallucination.

To save time, I won't go into great detail as to what happened in my dream, but I'll give a brief summary:

-The earliest I can remember controlling the dream, I was at a party, much like the party I was at the day before. When I started controlling the dream, I began stumbling around and couldn't walk properly. I felt very disoriented.

-I left and was running after someone. I stepped in some dirt while running and it went into my shoe in the dream. I remember the physical feeling of the dirt in my shoe. This is the first time I have actually physically felt something from my dream. I remember being blown away by this in my dream.

-I ended up coming to a school yard and throwing a ball around with a bunch of children at recess.

-I felt something in my mouth and realized I was chewing on something. I am pretty sure I started chewing in real life (and I felt whatever it was I was chewing on and believed it was occurring). My heart started beating incredibly fast. This has happened before and I always tried waking up at this time, but I decided to try and go through it because I wasn't scared about anything.

-I don't recall what happened in between (if anything) but I realized my bedroom light was on and I could hear a very distinct sound. It was the sound when Mario hits a box and receives a coin. I was talking about SNES with my friend the day before and deduced that he had come over and was playing it. This is obviously absurd as my friend wouldn't break into my house (only way to get in) and sit on my bed, playing video games while I'm asleep. But this is exactly what I heard and noticed with my eyes shut. I began wiggling my toes, desperately trying to move or say something, so I could let my friend know I was awake.

-I finally get up and notice that it is pitch black and nobody is in my room.

-I look straight ahead and something is hovering in front of me. It looks exactly like a Dorito bag. I get very scared. It lasts for about 3-4 seconds and fades away. I then realize all of it was another episode of my sleep paralysis and lucid dreaming. I turn on my light to make sure nothing is really there (was still in a weird state).

This was the most intense combination of sleep paralysis, lucid dreaming and hallucination that I have had. I've imagined people in my room before. I thought a friend was in my room, so I began trying to fight out of my sleep and get up to greet him. I then thought he left. After I finally broke out of my paralysis, I hopped out of bed and called his name and checked my living room. It was so real that I didn't even ask myself "Wait, I live in an apartment complex and my front door is locked and dead bolted. How did my friend get in here? Oh, and why is he coming into my house when I am sleeping?"

Another instance, the scariest, occurred in the same way that the Mario sequence did. I was trying to wake up, but couldn't and it happened before I could open my eyes and confirm/deny the occurrence. A very rapid and bright white light was pulsating right in front of my door. My heart began beating out of control and I tried waking up as soon as I could. When I did, I looked at my door and obviously found nothing. This doesn't sound scary at all, but I was terrified.

These are just a few experiences I've had and am curious as to how many others are experiencing this? It happens to me much more frequently when I've stayed up for long period of time. Please share any stories you have regarding the aforementioned topics. Sorry for the length.

Re: Sleep Paralysis, Lucid Dreaming & Hallucinations.
 

I suffer from Night Tremors.... My step-dad more so than me...

I often see people in my room and will wake up girls etc when sharing beds as I often see creatures people in my room...

I can't imagine there is a cure....

Its normally a lot worse if I have been drinking shots....but it happens more when I'm sober


Vava

Re: Sleep Paralysis, Lucid Dreaming & Hallucinations.
 

i have been known to sleep with my eyes half-open. i frequently 'see' somebody in my room then awaken to find it was actually my guitar or chair. i'm sure these two are connected.

as for lucid dreaming, i had my most intense experiences when i was just absolutely exhausted and just lay down in bed, closed my eyes and got into a very light half-sleep.

Re: Sleep Paralysis, Lucid Dreaming & Hallucinations.
 

That [censored] sounds scary as hell.

Re: Sleep Paralysis, Lucid Dreaming & Hallucinations.
 

[ QUOTE ]
i have been known to sleep with my eyes half-open. i frequently 'see' somebody in my room then awaken to find it was actually my guitar or chair. i'm sure these two are connected.

[/ QUOTE ]

I have done this as well, but I sleep with both eyes closed. I'll wake up and think I am staring at something, get scared, turn on the light and realize it's just an object in my room. I attribute this to just being tired and am sure it has happened to everyone.

And yes, I agree that sleep deprivation really fuels these experiences. This is the first time I've had the physical feeling of what I was experiencing in my dream, though. The dirt in my shoe was pretty damn crazy.

Vava,

That sounds extremely intense and scary. That sucks.

Re: Sleep Paralysis, Lucid Dreaming & Hallucinations.
 

I have experienced what you're calling "sleep paralysis" as well. It's very not cool. My dad had it occasionally. It's only happened to me 4 or 5 times in my life. Quite an unpleasant experience, because it's usually initiated by something mildly scary while you're sleeping. For example, you hear some noise you think is coming from your window. You wake up, at first in a sort of dream state imagining all sorts of things that noise could have been. Then you're awake, unable to open your eyes, unable to speak or move, yet convinced (for example) that someone is trying to get in that window. (Note that you're not imagining something weird like a dragon trying to get you. You are imagining something completely plausible, like someone breaking into your house.)

Very disconcerting and unpleasant.

Re: Sleep Paralysis, Lucid Dreaming & Hallucinations.
 

Phresh,

Yeah I kinda explained that badly. I will see stuff in my dreams, and then slowly wake up and realise what was in my dreams was basically what is in my line of sight in my bedroom.

Re: Sleep Paralysis, Lucid Dreaming & Hallucinations.
 

[ QUOTE ]
That [censored] sounds scary as hell.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've had lucid dreams before, but never sleep paralysis or any type of visual hallucination.

Re: Sleep Paralysis, Lucid Dreaming & Hallucinations.
 

This has only happened to me once or twice, but it scared the hell out of me.

Re: Sleep Paralysis, Lucid Dreaming & Hallucinations.
 

I've had 3 experiences of sleep paralysis:

- the first two, I "woke up" and started hearing someone play the piano downstairs in my parent's house. I have no idea how my brain made up that music. I had to ask if my brother was playing but he wasn't.

- the third one I was in my bed, looking at the ceiling, there was a dog sitting on me, I couldn't move and had some weight on my chest. I had a bottle of water in my hand and my plan was to throw the water at the dog but I couldn't move. I probably had my eyes open because I could see the surroundings of my room (the closet, the ceiling)

Re: Sleep Paralysis, Lucid Dreaming & Hallucinations.
 

[ QUOTE ]

Frequently, shortly after falling asleep, I will wake back up, but cannot move. I am totally conscious and aware that I am trying to move. This was very scary at first, but it has happened so many times that I'm pretty comfortable in dealing with the situation.

I think I can wiggle my toes during my struggle to move the rest of my body, but this might be something I am imagining (my mind plays several tricks on me as I will explain below). I have no clue as to how long I lay and struggle to move the rest of my body. After wiggling my toes for a while, my body will wake and I can sit up. On a few occasions I have went back to sleep immediately, only to repeat the entire process again and again throughout the night.

[/ QUOTE ]

There was a really good thread about sleep paralysis in either SMP or psych a while back. I get sleep paralysis too, and it's scary as hell the first couple of times.

Re: Sleep Paralysis, Lucid Dreaming & Hallucinations.
 

Every once in a while I will get sleep paralysis. Unfortunately, I can't seem to calm down and I get really panicky. I always try my hardest to move, or wake up (because most times I know I am sleeping), and this causes me to get extremely anxious. It's such an uncomfortable feeling.

Not only do I get sleep paralysis, but there are two major recurring things that happen in my dreams. The first is that I always move or act sluggishly in my dreams, especially during times when I need to react quickly. For instance, in dreams where I have to run away from something/someone, I end up running away extremely slowly, as if I'm slightly paralyzed. This also happens in dreams where I am in a fight, where my punches are extremely slow, and again, I feel like there is something wrong with me because I am moving so slowly.

Another thing that happens in my dreams, although not so often, is that I imagine myself shrinking (or everything else growing). But it's not a "cool" feeling, or nice sensation. Instead, I get a feeling of extreme anxiety, as if I am really confused about what's going on. It's as if I try to understand why everything is not normal sized, but trying to understand it eventually starts to scare me.

When most of these things happen to me in my dreams, I can usually deduce that I am actually dreaming, but can't get myself to wake up. Sometimes I'll try weird stuff in my dreams to get myself to wake up, but instead, it leads to more trippy things that I don't expect.

Re: Sleep Paralysis, Lucid Dreaming & Hallucinations.
 

I had always wondered what the phenomenon I experienced was and recently figured out it was sleep paralysis when I read an article about it on cnn.com.

For me, right as I am about to fall asleep - think of someone sitting and the head finally tilts down and their eyes close - right as that happens it's like I jar myslef and half wake back up, now unable to move. I can see around my room for the most part, for instance in college I could make out my roommate at his desk. This is always acompanied by sort of hallucinations where I am being attacked by shadows or dark figures that are rushing at me or flying at me. Ocassionally I will feel like I am floating or moving around. I think that I generally wake up pretty quickly, although I guess I can't be sure, but that's how it seems.

This started for me when I was 16, Im 24 now. It used to happen most nights but now it is pretty infrequent. It is definetely trigered by sleeping weird hours, being tired, and maybe drinking/partying. In general if it happens it will be on a Sunday, as I have been up late going out Friday and Saturday night and disrupted by regular work week sleep schedule.

It was rather terrifying at first but I actually got pretty used to it. As stupid as this sounds, I would find my self talking [censored] to the shadows, if you will, once I realized that they couldn't hurt me. I will say that it is amazing how sometimes I felt like I could actually experience a physical sensation from these things though. One time it was even somewhat pleasurable. But in general they just rush at me and I wake up.

I don't really have any advice for you. Just my experience. One thing the article did say was that if you sleep on your back it is 5 times as likely to happen. Link below:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/LIVING/perso...per/index.html

Re: Sleep Paralysis, Lucid Dreaming & Hallucinations.
 

Wow, this is a freaky thread... I sleep with my eyes halfway open in general, although it doesn't seem to affect my dreams very much. People just tell me I look dead when I'm sleeping [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

One weird recurring theme in my dreams is that one of my legs is often debilitatingly shorter than the other, and I end up being more or less paralyzed. It's an incredibly unpleasant feeling and I wake up from these dreams feeling really anxious. In real life my right leg is like half an inch shorter than the left (not a big deal but I was a competitive soccer player in high school and it gave me some hip problems, etc.), so I guess I think about it more than I thought...

Re: Sleep Paralysis, Lucid Dreaming & Hallucinations.
 

do you guy experience sleep paralysis with your eyes open and aware of your surroundings?

I think I get it from time to time, but I'm never fully conscious. I'm aware that I'm lying in bed half asleep, I'm aware that I can't move my body, but I'm not really awake...if that makes sense.

Re: Sleep Paralysis, Lucid Dreaming & Hallucinations.
 

That's what it's like for me. I am half awake. I can make out things in my room, but it's not like it looks as clear as if I was standing there and my eyes are fully open.

Re: Sleep Paralysis, Lucid Dreaming & Hallucinations.
 

Had a lucid dream a few days ago. Been a couple of years since I had one so I made an effort to have one. Slept for around 8 hours then I woke up. I dreamed I was running around a building under construction then into a huge mostly empty mall. For some reason large restrooms keep popping up in my dreams. Eventually I made my way to some kind of cafeteria-like restaurant with an Asian flair. Thats the most I can remember from my first dream. I woke up and tried to remember if I had dreamed. The dream slowly surfaced and I came to realize it wasn't lucid. I was a little disappointed. I went back to sleep with the intent to have a lucid dream.

A one-story (probably) house that's been lived in. Painted wooden exterior (don't know which color), dimly lit kitchen with messy counter tops, not too much space to move around. Somehow I realized I was dreaming. I looked at my hands because I read somewhere that they would usually be distorted in some way. I only had four fingers. All my fingers seemed to be shorter and my hands were reversed. It could've been my thumbs that were missing. My next thought was to look at myself in the mirror and lo and behold there was a mirror on the wall. Didn't see it there before. The mirror or the wall. It was difficult at first trying to see myself in the mirror. My angle of viewing kept changing and all I saw were glimpse. I finally succeeded and saw myself in the mirror. I had a smile that stretched almost from ear to ear. My pupils were dark and covered most of my eyes. My hair was longer stopping about half an inch above my eyes. Now that I've used a mirror it was time to test gravity. I went out to the grassy backyard. The sun was cool and dim. An small old dead tree stood in the yard just like the one at my old house. I jumped pretty high. Not high enough to get onto the roof of the house, but pretty high compared to the real world. I spent a few moments jumping around until my dream started getting fuzzy as I got too far from the house. Maybe my mind can't create a large environment when I'm lucid dreaming. I went back to the house and there was 4 or 5 cakes in a row on a rectangular table. I don't what kind, I think it was chocolate. I'm lactose intolerant so I better eat all this dream cake and I did. Turns out you don't get full when you're dream eating. Then I went into the kitchen and there was a pizza with loads of melty cheese on top. I ate it messily with my fingers. That's as much as I can remember from that dream.

Re: Sleep Paralysis, Lucid Dreaming & Hallucinations.
 

Wow, this is a thread I've been looking for. Interesting topic so thanks OP for making this thread.

I've never experience lucid dreaming that I always hear people talk about but I used to get sleep paralysis a LOT. I'm curious though for the people who is getting this sleep paralysis, were any of you doing any drugs at the time? I never had it happen to me at any time during my life but then between the ages of 18 to about 25 I was doing quite a bit of drugs. This also included going to a lot of after hours parties throughout the week so my sleep schedule was all messed up.

After a time I started getting this sleep paralysis NIGHTLY during this phase in my life. I'm serious, there were very few nights where I woke up and didn't experience this. When it did happen it was the scariest thing I have ever experienced.

I still remembered the first time it happened to me. I woke up one night and I was fully awake. I could hear everything going around me, I just couldn't move at all. I was fully conscious and I couldn't get my eyelids to open. I couldn't move my fingers or wiggle my toes. My heart was beating a million beats per minute as I was seriously panicking as I really didn't know what was happening to me. I really thought I was paralyzed. After what seemed like an eternity I finally was able to open up my eyelids and move. Needless to say I was freaking out.

This went on for a while and I soon started hearing about sleep paralysis. Now either my sleep schedule is back to normal or that I've remained sober for a while now I don't get it anymore. I think it happened to me once last year after a while now but I've gotten so used to it that it doesn't bother me anymore. I haven't got it since. Definately a very unpleasant experience.

Re: Sleep Paralysis, Lucid Dreaming & Hallucinations.
 

Completely serious question here,

would a wet dream be considered a lucid dream?

I've experienced a number of near death experiences during dreams as well. The strangest variation I've had is not actually seeing me die or going through it, but having a lengthy dream visualizing everyone in my life and their reaction to my death. Crazy stuff.

Re: Sleep Paralysis, Lucid Dreaming & Hallucinations.
 

I would suggest reading Fire in the Brain. It is about Hallucinations and attempts to explain the groundwork for why they occur. The author describes a visit from a succubus.

I simply do not have normal dreams. I only have nightmares. This has happened ever since I was a child. I have always floated between insomnia and hypersomnia. I have a very hard time falling asleep and waking up. I am not a morning person: it can take me four or more hours to "wake up." I remember in school, that the first four to six hours of my morning was a blank, and my grades displayed this.

Your OP sent chills down my spine. I can relate to all of it, except the sleep paralysis. I still wake up at times to find my arm stuck in my blanket when I find myself defenseless in my dream, or I wake up talking, or I wake up with a jump, or a scream in my throat.

I have died several times in my sleep. I have woken up to put my hand to my head and felt blood that was not there.

I don't think that what we are experiencing is normal if it happens constantly.

Re: Sleep Paralysis, Lucid Dreaming & Hallucinations.
 

[ QUOTE ]
For instance, in dreams where I have to run away from something/someone, I end up running away extremely slowly, as if I'm slightly paralyzed. This also happens in dreams where I am in a fight, where my punches are extremely slow, and again, I feel like there is something wrong with me because I am moving so slowly.

[/ QUOTE ]

This has happened to me all throughout my life. I think it's very common.


[ QUOTE ]
This is always acompanied by sort of hallucinations where I am being attacked by shadows or dark figures that are rushing at me or flying at me.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't believe I had my eyes open (although I could see exactly what was in my room, I just thought I was imagining it) but the first incident where I thought my friend was in my room (not the Mario one) I just saw a shadow on my wall walk off and assumed it was a friend.


[ QUOTE ]
do you guy experience sleep paralysis with your eyes open and aware of your surroundings?

[/ QUOTE ]

I am very sure my eyes are still shut, but I can almost always tell exactly what is around me. Obviously I know what's around me because it's my room, but it really appears that I am just looking at it. Still, I think I always have my eyes shut during this.


[ QUOTE ]
I looked at my hands because I read somewhere that they would usually be distorted in some way. I only had four fingers.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm obviously no expert, but it sounds like you could've influenced this easily. Although that's still a lucid dream, I think.


[ QUOTE ]
I still remembered the first time it happened to me. I woke up one night and I was fully awake. I could hear everything going around me, I just couldn't move at all. I was fully conscious and I couldn't get my eyelids to open. I couldn't move my fingers or wiggle my toes. My heart was beating a million beats per minute as I was seriously panicking as I really didn't know what was happening to me. I really thought I was paralyzed. After what seemed like an eternity I finally was able to open up my eyelids and move. Needless to say I was freaking out.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, this is how it was for me for a long time. I mean I still feel slightly scared when it happens, but then I realize I just need to ride it out. Back before I knew wtf was happening I would say to myself, "Alright man, on 3, we're going to explode out of this.. 1-2-3 *nothing*" and then I'd start getting a bit more scared, heh.

Dave T,

I will check out that book. I have woke up laughing on a number of occasions. I've been falling asleep and whatever was playing on the TV at the time would somehow become a part of my dream (I think this is standard).

I don't think I've ever died in my dreams. I've been in situations where I was sure I was about to die, but that's about it. Your dreams really sound like they suck. You seen a doctor about any of this?

Re: Sleep Paralysis, Lucid Dreaming & Hallucinations.
 

I'm surpised noone has mentioned OBE (Out of Body Experience) or Astral Projection yet, Astral Projection being the more newageish term of the two. I would imagine both of these are connected to sleep paralysis.
Almost always people (including me) who gets this starts off with saying they experience 'being awake' in their dream. Then they hoover out of their body or just walk out of it thinking they are awake. Some people report seeing their body in bed and freak out and wake up because of it. That never happened to me though. Most of the time I freak out anyway, when having a dream like this.
Hearing your mom and dad speak to you is apparently common. As is hearing music. I often hear electronic music or what I would call battlefield metal. Stuff in my room often turn into what looks like characters in my dreams, which someone else mentioned. I definately think this is because your eyes are halfopen and doing that REMthing when dreaming.

To take this further try and get out of the room you are in and you are in for a big surprise. Also try and fly if you do manage to 'get out of your body'. It can be a lot of fun and the sensations in your body definately feel real, even if they are not.

When I wake up after a dream like this I feel completely exhausted most of the time. Then after 15mins or so the exhaustion fades away and I feel normal again.

As an important sidenote, I first remember experiencing this in a haschpsychosis and it was the most horrifying experience ever. This was 7 years ago and since then it happens regularly twice a month or so. Sometimes it's good and sometimes it's bad. But it all started with that psychosis.

I am also convinced these dreams occur when our brain produces a little bit more DMT (dimethyltryptamine, the stuff that you can really, really trip on) in our sleep than usual. Anyone else got thoughts on this?

Nice topic btw, and the dorrito bag hallucination was hilarious!

Peace

J

Re: Sleep Paralysis, Lucid Dreaming & Hallucinations.
 

OP,

I think Vava hit the nail on the head; it sounds like you get night terrors. I've been getting them for years. There is no real "cure", but I find if I stick to a routine, it makes it a little better. Also, try not to move things around in your room too much. The more familiar the room, the less likely you are to freak out at something you see, or think you see.

Good luck pal.

Re: Sleep Paralysis, Lucid Dreaming & Hallucinations.
 

I'm not sure if it can be described as Lucid Dreaming, but most of the time I'm very aware when I'm dreaming. It is not scary in any way normally, like with you Phresh. I also don't have anything like the sleep paralysis you describe.

There is just a point in the dream where you realise it is too absurd to be true. This is the point where you can wake up, but after a while you can also 'dream on', which is quite fun and move around in the fantasy land of your dream.

Sometimes I choose to wake up, because its no fun anymore. For instance, I choose to wake up when I'm making a big fall. I just tell myself: its a dream, wake up now. And the next moment I'm awake.

Re: Sleep Paralysis, Lucid Dreaming & Hallucinations.
 

jellesi,

I've read a bit about OOBE, but am pretty sure I've never done it.


[ QUOTE ]
There is just a point in the dream where you realise it is too absurd to be true. This is the point where you can wake up, but after a while you can also 'dream on', which is quite fun and move around in the fantasy land of your dream.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah. I've noticed that I can keep my eyes shut and go back to sleep and dream some more. This is very fun.

Re: Sleep Paralysis, Lucid Dreaming & Hallucinations.
 

[ QUOTE ]
OP,

I think Vava hit the nail on the head; it sounds like you get night terrors. I've been getting them for years. There is no real "cure", but I find if I stick to a routine, it makes it a little better. Also, try not to move things around in your room too much. The more familiar the room, the less likely you are to freak out at something you see, or think you see.

Good luck pal.

[/ QUOTE ]

"Night terrors" is a specific condition which generally occurs in children. The child wakes up screaming and is inconsolable. Once the event ends, the child falls back asleep with no recollection of the event.

If you remember it, it isn't a night terror.

Re: Sleep Paralysis, Lucid Dreaming & Hallucinations.
 

Then you should try it.
Just concentrate on it happening throughout the day and then try as hard as you can to stand up when you get into sleep paralysis mode. It will work eventually. And whether it's just your mind playing tricks on you (which I am a firm believer in) or some other dimension you enter doesn't really matter. The experience is real anyway!

Let us know if you manage [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Re: Sleep Paralysis, Lucid Dreaming & Hallucinations.
 

The subconscious is pretty fascinating.

Phresh, just curious do you take any daily medication that could trigger this, or use any kind of drugs?

Re: Sleep Paralysis, Lucid Dreaming & Hallucinations.
 

jellesi,

I will try and do this during my next episode.

Kip,

I take no medication. I've done shrooms once, many months ago, and a few other drugs since then. I was having these episodes before any of them, though.

Re: Sleep Paralysis, Lucid Dreaming & Hallucinations.
 

That is some scary stuff. I'm pretty lucky in that I remember probably <1% of my dreams. The only way I remember my dreams is if I am startled awake. Interestingly enough, Thomas Edison suffered from the same "condition". He realized that a lot of his best ideas for inventions came in his dreams, so he started sleeping in a chair with two spoons in his hands held over a pot, so when he started to doze off, the spoons would fall and wake him up.

Unfortunately for me most of my dreams revolve around pussy, and nightmares, so I don't torture myself like Edison. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Re: Sleep Paralysis, Lucid Dreaming & Hallucinations.
 

[ QUOTE ]


Dave T,

I will check out that book. I have woke up laughing on a number of occasions. I've been falling asleep and whatever was playing on the TV at the time would somehow become a part of my dream (I think this is standard).

I don't think I've ever died in my dreams. I've been in situations where I was sure I was about to die, but that's about it. Your dreams really sound like they suck. You seen a doctor about any of this?

[/ QUOTE ]

So you know, that this book attempts to analyze why we hallucinate, but most of it is drug-induced.

The TV thing is probably standard. I don't watch too much TV, but I spend a lot of time in front of my computer, and there have been nights where the entire sleep is re-living my day in front of the computer.

No, I never seen a doctor for these dreams, but I have seen psychologists. To be honest, I don't think they know about or care about why this sort of thing happens.

Re: Sleep Paralysis, Lucid Dreaming & Hallucinations.
 

I get lucid dreams all the time. They are completely random and nonsensical with story lines jumping all over the place and people always popping up that I haven't seen or thought about in many years. They're pretty damn cool I think and almost always happen after a night of drinking after I wake up and then go back to sleep again.

Re: Sleep Paralysis, Lucid Dreaming & Hallucinations.
 

These experiences gave me a strong flashback, once as a kid i had a strong fever (103-104), I remember laying on my back and just sensing evil forces converging on me. it felt like I was about to be crushed by some unimaginably heavy force/object. People who believe there is no such thing as pure evil are definitly wrong even though it may exist only in our minds. Sorry for rambling, too many bong rips.

Re: Sleep Paralysis, Lucid Dreaming & Hallucinations.
 

I get the sleep paralysis thing 2 or 3 times a year, not too scary but I feel like absolute sh*t for the rest of the day.

Re: Sleep Paralysis, Lucid Dreaming & Hallucinations.
 

[ QUOTE ]
Every once in a while I will get sleep paralysis. Unfortunately, I can't seem to calm down and I get really panicky. I always try my hardest to move, or wake up (because most times I know I am sleeping), and this causes me to get extremely anxious. It's such an uncomfortable feeling.

Not only do I get sleep paralysis, but there are two major recurring things that happen in my dreams. The first is that I always move or act sluggishly in my dreams, especially during times when I need to react quickly. For instance, in dreams where I have to run away from something/someone, I end up running away extremely slowly, as if I'm slightly paralyzed. This also happens in dreams where I am in a fight, where my punches are extremely slow, and again, I feel like there is something wrong with me because I am moving so slowly.


[/ QUOTE ]

This basically completely describes me. Another type of sluggish motion thing in my dreams is Ive had many dreams where I have a gun and the trigger wont pull or it wont fire.

Re: Sleep Paralysis, Lucid Dreaming & Hallucinations.
 

wow i just had an episode of sleep paralysis earlier tonight -- my first (except possibly for childhood) -- and holy [censored] was it scary. i will avoid lying on my back for the near term.

here's some nightmare science: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/23/science/23angi.html

Re: Sleep Paralysis, Lucid Dreaming & Hallucinations.
 

I have sleep paralysis about twice a year. It started about ten years ago. The first few years it was extreamly scary. The best way I can describe it is a huge sensation of the sound of water just rushing through my entire body, my eyes water, everything is really loud. I try to move but feel like I weigh 10 tons. My eyes want to roll in the back of my head, I feel very dizzy, I try to speak but cannot even manage a whisper. Every single time this has happened I just eventually fall back asleep and wake up normal later on. A few years ago in passing I mentioned this to my doctor. He said what I was describing was sleep paralysis. It doesnt really bother me too much when it happens now.

Re: Sleep Paralysis, Lucid Dreaming & Hallucinations.
 

[ QUOTE ]
I believe I have been experiencing both of the aforementioned occurrences for the past year or so. The latter happening is quite awesome and I'm glad it takes place. The former is slightly annoying and sometimes very scary.

A few experiences with sleep paralysis:

As a poker player without any schedule to follow, my sleep cycle occurs within very irregular hours. I'll frequently stay up for 18-24 hours in order to fix it for the time being, or to quickly slide into a fitting time slot when I actually do need to do something.

I bring this up because it is a common symptom for sleep paralysis.

Frequently, shortly after falling asleep, I will wake back up, but cannot move. I am totally conscious and aware that I am trying to move. This was very scary at first, but it has happened so many times that I'm pretty comfortable in dealing with the situation.

I think I can wiggle my toes during my struggle to move the rest of my body, but this might be something I am imagining (my mind plays several tricks on me as I will explain below). I have no clue as to how long I lay and struggle to move the rest of my body. After wiggling my toes for a while, my body will wake and I can sit up. On a few occasions I have went back to sleep immediately, only to repeat the entire process again and again throughout the night.

I did my honors thesis on something relating to Dopamine and through my research did quite a bit of reading on this subject since it's so fascinating. The fact that you're a poker player plays more into this. When you're spending your day in an excited dopamine state, you definately increase your chances of this happening. I get them too, especially when I pull long sessions. I personally haven't really read documented "treatments", however, I find, that when I do experience one and want to go back to sleep, I will re-orient my head so that the front of my head is angled lower then the back of the head. Do you find that when you do experience the paralysis, your sleeping on the back of your head with your face to the ceiling? I just have a theory that it may be somewhat influenced by frontal lobe dopaminergic activation...for me anyway, when I do the mentioned "fix"...it works.

To my knowledge, this does not always occur while I am lucid dreaming. The last occurrence, however, did, and ended with an actual physical hallucination.

To save time, I won't go into great detail as to what happened in my dream, but I'll give a brief summary:

-The earliest I can remember controlling the dream, I was at a party, much like the party I was at the day before. When I started controlling the dream, I began stumbling around and couldn't walk properly. I felt very disoriented.

-I left and was running after someone. I stepped in some dirt while running and it went into my shoe in the dream. I remember the physical feeling of the dirt in my shoe. This is the first time I have actually physically felt something from my dream. I remember being blown away by this in my dream.

-I ended up coming to a school yard and throwing a ball around with a bunch of children at recess.

-I felt something in my mouth and realized I was chewing on something. I am pretty sure I started chewing in real life (and I felt whatever it was I was chewing on and believed it was occurring). My heart started beating incredibly fast. This has happened before and I always tried waking up at this time, but I decided to try and go through it because I wasn't scared about anything.

Did you wake up with a headache? Again, after especially more dopamine activated days like long poker sessions, teeth grinding during sleep is pretty common. You were probably grinding your teeth/biting down hard periodically.

-I don't recall what happened in between (if anything) but I realized my bedroom light was on and I could hear a very distinct sound. It was the sound when Mario hits a box and receives a coin. I was talking about SNES with my friend the day before and deduced that he had come over and was playing it. This is obviously absurd as my friend wouldn't break into my house (only way to get in) and sit on my bed, playing video games while I'm asleep. But this is exactly what I heard and noticed with my eyes shut. I began wiggling my toes, desperately trying to move or say something, so I could let my friend know I was awake.

-I finally get up and notice that it is pitch black and nobody is in my room.

-I look straight ahead and something is hovering in front of me. It looks exactly like a Dorito bag. I get very scared. It lasts for about 3-4 seconds and fades away. I then realize all of it was another episode of my sleep paralysis and lucid dreaming. I turn on my light to make sure nothing is really there (was still in a weird state).

This was the most intense combination of sleep paralysis, lucid dreaming and hallucination that I have had. I've imagined people in my room before. I thought a friend was in my room, so I began trying to fight out of my sleep and get up to greet him. I then thought he left. After I finally broke out of my paralysis, I hopped out of bed and called his name and checked my living room. It was so real that I didn't even ask myself "Wait, I live in an apartment complex and my front door is locked and dead bolted. How did my friend get in here? Oh, and why is he coming into my house when I am sleeping?"

Another instance, the scariest, occurred in the same way that the Mario sequence did. I was trying to wake up, but couldn't and it happened before I could open my eyes and confirm/deny the occurrence. A very rapid and bright white light was pulsating right in front of my door. My heart began beating out of control and I tried waking up as soon as I could. When I did, I looked at my door and obviously found nothing. This doesn't sound scary at all, but I was terrified.

These are just a few experiences I've had and am curious as to how many others are experiencing this? It happens to me much more frequently when I've stayed up for long period of time. Please share any stories you have regarding the aforementioned topics. Sorry for the length.

It would actually be pretty interesting to conduct a study about the dream sequences of poker players. It wouldn't surprise me at all if we had more frequent/more lucid dreams considering what is happening most of the day before we sleep, reward center overload much...As an aside, once, I "woke-up" in the middle of the night, I was actually still "half-sleeping", and saw a shadow move across my wall of a person, I spring up and obviously nothing's there...tricksy brain...



[/ QUOTE ]

Re: Sleep Paralysis, Lucid Dreaming & Hallucinations.
 

[ QUOTE ]
I have sleep paralysis about twice a year. It started about ten years ago. The first few years it was extreamly scary. The best way I can describe it is a huge sensation of the sound of water just rushing through my entire body, my eyes water, everything is really loud. I try to move but feel like I weigh 10 tons. My eyes want to roll in the back of my head, I feel very dizzy, I try to speak but cannot even manage a whisper. Every single time this has happened I just eventually fall back asleep and wake up normal later on. A few years ago in passing I mentioned this to my doctor. He said what I was describing was sleep paralysis. It doesnt really bother me too much when it happens now.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sounds like you're getting a seizure along with it, seems pretty common. I know when I try to get up from the paralysis I start kinda twitching as I'm trying to get the signal going but there probably just aren't enough transmitters for activation.

That sound of water seems really interesting though, and your eyes start to water too? What kind of water rushing sound, like you have a faucet or a more gargling/bubbly type?

Re: Sleep Paralysis, Lucid Dreaming & Hallucinations.
 

[ QUOTE ]

Sounds like you're getting a seizure along with it, seems pretty common. I know when I try to get up from the paralysis I start kinda twitching as I'm trying to get the signal going but there probably just aren't enough transmitters for activation.

That sound of water seems really interesting though, and your eyes start to water too? What kind of water rushing sound, like you have a faucet or a more gargling/bubbly type?

[/ QUOTE ]

I'd describe it as a feeling of sticking your head out an airplane window or having a powerful waterfall flowing through your entire body. Eyes watering may or may not be my imagination.