Thread: What Sleep Paralysis Is, and Why You Don't 'Need' It to WILD

Originally Posted by Thor

If you are in sleep paralysis, you cannot possibly know that you have it before you have tried to move and failed. If you don't report the symptom, you don't have the disorder. It would be analogous to saying "I had a horrible headache; I didn't feel any pain at all, but I just know I had it."

first off when you are asleep, that is SP. so, if you know you are dreaming, then do you know that you can't move? and do you figure this out without really trying to move? serious tho, i'm not sure what will make you feel SP (like a hag) or if you even have control over that, but there is more than just trying to move.

Originally Posted by sleepingdog

first off when you are asleep, that is SP. so, if you know you are dreaming, then do you know that you can't move? and do you figure this out without really trying to move? serious tho, i'm not sure what will make you feel SP (like a hag) or if you even have control over that, but there is more than just trying to move.

No, that is REM atonia. You are confusing the two.

Also, hallucinations =/= sleep paralysis.

Originally Posted by Shift

No, that is REM atonia. You are confusing the two.

Also, hallucinations =/= sleep paralysis.

But as noted, we're simply using the term in the way laberge does.

The exact precise scientific term may be REM atonia (though given recent evidence the REM part may be not be technically accurate either).
But that doesn't mean the simple term "sleep paralysis" is incorrect.

I realise this is a bug bear of yours (and mine) but really, whats in a name.

When I look at the sky I see clouds, not "A visible body of very fine water droplets or ice particles suspended in the atmosphere".

Its simply a case of semantics. REM atonia may be the strict technical medical description of the same.
But "Sleep paralysis" is a perfectly acceptable description for the same.

I think most DVers understand the difference between whats meant by Sleep paralysis as a normal biological function in Rem sleep and "Sleep paralysis" the condition. In which case telling every one who uses the term sleep paralysis that they're wrong
may simply add to confusion rather than clear things up.

I have to say, even if you, Thor and I all eventually agree on acceptable terminology (assuming we have the right),
the chances of encouraging the rest of the lucid community to adopt the same is remote at best.

I'm also not convinced there is truly a need to do so.

If it works for you and gets you lucid, do it.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/e...cle/000801.htm

Isolated sleep paralysis is a type of paralysis associated with a sleep disorder.

Sleep paralysis is the inability to perform voluntary muscle movements during sleep.

So "sleep paralysis" is simply the paralysis of the body.

"Isolated sleep paralysis" is the medical condition.