Cause for Sleep Paralysis?

When I first started to research Lucid dreaming, I also researched sleep paralysis and "old hag" experience. I remember reading that sleep paralysis accompanied by a malevolent attacker only or mostly happens to people who sleep on their backs. This makes some sense because most people feel pressure on their chest, which would mean the "old hag" would be sitting on their chest.
I always sleep on my stomach, and the only time I experienced SP was when I experimented sleeping on my back to see what would happen. Has anyone ever had sleep paralysis or "old hag" when NOT sleeping on their back?

I've experienced sleep paralysis while laying on my right side ( http://www.dreamviews.com/forum/viewtopic....6&highlight=hag ).

I have experienced that many times, however mostly yes it was on my back.

At the risk of becoming no more than a proxy of knowledge, here's a quote from the article on sleep paraylsis on wikipedia:

Quote:

---

Little is known about the physiology of awareness during sleep paralysis. However, some have suggested that it may be linked to post synaptic inhibition of motor neurons in the pons region of the brain. In particular, low levels of melatonin may stop the depolarisation current in the nerves, which prevents the stimulation of the muscles.

There is also a significant positive correlation between those experiencing this disorder frequently and those suffering from narcolepsy. However, various studies suggest that many or most people will experience sleep paralysis at least once or twice in their lives.

Some report that various factors increase the likelihood of both paralysis and hallucinations. These include:

* ** Sleeping in a supine position
* ** Irregular sleeping schedules; naps, sleeping in
* ** Increased stress
* ** Sudden environmental/lifestyle changes[/b]

---

I just tried this out today, I took a nap laying on my stomach and yeah SP kicked in, it was very intense and the vibrations were so strong it woke me right up but I then got back into it and stayed in for awhile, it was much more intense for me on my stomach than when Im on my back (which is how I usually do it :oops: ), the vibrations and pressure were very strong and would have been painful if I wasn't aware what was going on, but it didn't end up in a dream and I awoke after about 5 minutes.

I say this without experience going from vibration to a dream but the sleep paralysis is just a bump in the road, and not the goal itself, towards a WILD. The focus have to stay on the thecnique your using. While this can be extremly difficult, i remember the first time i experienced a SP i thought i was going to die, it has to be practice alot to become a comfortable thing to experience.

Sleep paralysis occurs no matter what position you sleep in--you're just more likely to remember it or be awake to observe it in certain positions. Sleep paralysis occurs so that you don't sleep walk all over the place during deep REM sleep. In lighter sleep levels, and in some rare REM cases, you can avoid sleep paralysis and wind up sleep walking nonetheless.

Anyway, I've only experienced sleep paralysis when attempting a WILD when I lay on my back, I always drift off too soon when I use other positions.

I have sleep paralysis all the time, and i rarely rarley sleep on my back,
having said that, i do agree s.p. is more intense when done while lying on the stomach

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(\\\"Kaniaz\\\")</div>

Quote:

---

At the risk of becoming no more than a proxy of knowledge, here's a quote from the article on sleep paraylsis on wikipedia:

Quote:

---

Little is known about the physiology of awareness during sleep paralysis. However, some have suggested that it may be linked to post synaptic inhibition of motor neurons in the pons region of the brain. In particular, low levels of melatonin may stop the depolarisation current in the nerves, which prevents the stimulation of the muscles.

There is also a significant positive correlation between those experiencing this disorder frequently and those suffering from narcolepsy. However, various studies suggest that many or most people will experience sleep paralysis at least once or twice in their lives.

Some report that various factors increase the likelihood of both paralysis and hallucinations. These include:

* ** Sleeping in a supine position
* ** Irregular sleeping schedules; naps, sleeping in
* ** Increased stress
* ** Sudden environmental/lifestyle changes[/b]

---

[/b]

---

thanks now I know that I have little chance of it happening...........

Sleep paralysis occurs when the brain enters slow-wave sleep. The period of slow wave sleep is accompanied by relaxation of the muscles and the eyes. Heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature all fall. If awakened at this time, most people recall only a feeling or image, not an active dream. This also explains the groggy "slow" feeling when awakening. During this time, the afferents responsible for movement are paralyzed in order to keep the body from injuring itself or taking involuntary action during sleep. The somatosensory cortex (the part of the brain primarily responsible for movement and motor control) is essentially, deactivated.

Quite simply put, sleepwalking occurs when the pathways that are closed off during REM sleep to prevent neurotransmitters from reaching the somatosensory cortex, or any other motor lobes of the brain, open up and allow neurotransmitters to reach these areas, which will then cause the body to act out actions done throughout REM sleep.

Periodic limb movements of sleep are intermittent jerks of the legs or arms, which occur as the individual enters slow wave sleep, and can cause arousal from sleep. Other people have episodes in which their muscles fail to be paralyzed during REM sleep, and they act out their dreams (sleepwalking). This REM behavior disorder can also be very disruptive to a normal nights' sleep. Both disorders are more common in people with Parkinson's disease, and both can be treated with drugs that treat Parkinson's, or with an anti-epileptic drug called clonanzepam.

O'nus, is there any way that you know of besides medicine to overcome sleepwalking?

Quote:

---

Originally posted by Tsen
O'nus, is there any way that you know of besides medicine to overcome sleepwalking?

---

Sleep therapy, perhaps. Unfortunately, this is usually a neurological disorder and in severe cases requires specific medication.

There is not a home remedy to necessarily do this. You could constrict yourself to your bed (ie. handcuffs), but you can already see the problem with that.

It depends on the individual. If you would like help, PM me with more details and we'll go from there.

It's not a really big problem, I just sleep walk every once in a while (less than once a month) and usually it's nothing more than just wandering around my house a bit. Thanks, though!

-Tsen

I randomly get SP, and I think you're right, It's usually when I'm sleeping on my back. I never speel on my stomach.

I randomly get SP, and I think you're right, It's usually when I'm sleeping on my back. I never speel on my stomach.

I havent had anything interesting happen in my dream life.
No SP, no sleep walking, very few LD's (thats why I came here) No disorders at all. The closest thing to SP I have had is waking up with a completely numb arm. This has happened twice, both with my right arm near my ear, in a wierd position. Its really bizarre, no feeling or movement, once I started to recover, I tried to move my arm and slapped myself in the face. hehe.