what exactly is sleep paralysis? I've read two definitions but they arent exactly the same. In one defintion you are stuck on your bed and you can't move, its a dream like world and the old hag visits you. In the other its your body shutting down so that you do not move while dreaming.

I wasn't sleepy last night, which is nothing new, these days I've been tossing and turning for hours which really annoys me becuase I'd like to try a WILD again...but since I wasn't sleepy I thought a HILD could help relax my mind. Hypnosis is a powerful too. If only I had that sort of belief in a belief, which I seem to lack . I didnt quite do the HILD right, and to be honest I couldnt even remember all the steps. *why are there so many...I cant remember them all late at night!*

And as much as I tried to believe my legs were being tied down, nothing happened. But after some time, and probably becuase I kept as still as possible - my legs went numb. I felt slight vibrations and my stomach was knots as my heart beat rose. The numbness traveled up and to my face, and then to my ears. My hearing died. I couldnt hear the fan or the highway outside. Which was kinda nice on its own. And my vision was black, where as before I could still sense the light coming from the kitchen. I was hoping for some HIs after that, but nothing did happen. Like I said. I just wasn't sleepy.

I moved after a while and suffering tickling tingling sensations, which we all know and love so much when our legs fall asleep. I felt relaxed afterwards and my mind was free from thoughts that disturb my sleep. But I still wasn't sleepy, and I felt wide awake. SAVE ME FROM MY INSOMNIA!

Was I falling into a sleep paralysis? I've been visited by the hag lots of time, but this is a new kind of paralysis for me. In my other sleep paralysis I actually did fall asleep and I was in a dream. What would have happened if I didnt move? Would my body literally fall asleep so much that it would not move even if I tried? And would that bring on hallucinations so classic to the sleep paralysis or would nothing happen to my mind since I was awake?

can a sleep paralysis help trigger falling asleep? or is a sleep paralysis without the mind actually falling asleep, useless?