Really confused... lucid dream + sleep paralysis?

[Purplicious]

Well, I will ramble here a little... First of all, I'm a super newb to lucid dreaming... but hopefully I'll be able to achieve it. I knew about it few years before, and it seemed interesting, but what happened last night really motivated to look up more things. I think I might have had a lucid dream last night, but I don't know if that was part of a dream or if it was in reality. Anyways, let's assume that it really happened. I was in that state between sleeping and you're about the become unconscious... and somehow I realized that I was dreaming, and the word "lucid dreaming" popped into my head, immediately. The problem is, I became really frightened, because I had done a light research before, and the next thing I remembered was that sleep paralysis could occur while trying to achieve lucid dreams. (Which was why I never tried to do it, sleep paralysis freaks me out, although I've only done it once before, with only sounds.) The next thing I know, I can't move anything. Thankfully nothing frightening happened, and I just struggled for a while before I was able to move. Then I fell asleep right away, because I was so tired. So, I was wondering, if that sleep paralysis was caused by the lucid dreaming, or just my fear of it? I don't know, I'm really confused, especially when you consider the fact that that actual happening could have been in my dreams... I was too tired to realize everything at that moment, I guess.

[mattmuffler]

i dont think the SP was caused by the LD. You (apparantly) go into SP everytime before you go to sleep, you just don't remember it or are unconcious or something. your body paralyses you in the early stages of sleep, so it was probably just what happened to you every night. so you entered your dream but because you were frightened or surprised or watever you woke up but was still paralysed from the SP. i think that's right. someone correct me if i'm wrong haha

[mrdeano]

Everyone goes through Sleep Paralysis every night, its our way of protecting ourselves when we are asleep. (So we don't act out our dreams) However, sometimes we become aware that we are in Sleep Paralysis. So that's what happened to you. Your body fell asleep before your mind. Sleep Paralysis helps you enter a Lucid Dream more easily. Next time you have Sleep Paralysis try to induce a Lucid Dream through it. Keep in mind that Sleep Paralysis is NOT a bad thing its a very good thing to have.

[Purplicious]

Thank you for the answers. It makes sense now, haha. SP (consciously, I guess now) was keeping me from trying to LD... the one and only experience I had with SP was NOT a good one...

[[user-name]]

lucid dreaming does not cause sleep paralysis. In fact its the other way around. If your lucky enough to be someone who regularly wakes up during your sp (everyone has it but not everyone wakes up in the middle of it) then you can use it as a tool to go straight into a lucid dream. Your sleep paralysis wasnt caused by dreaming or fear, it was just natural. one thing you should know though. If you have the fear of it ,sleep paralysis can become absolutley horrifying. just remember not to be scared and it wont be scary. if you do start to get frightened that fear will be amplified by the sp. Its nothhing to worry about really. just try not to let that happen.... unless your a thrill seeker. (Ive actually let it get bad to see where it would go.)

[mattmuffler]

Thank you for the answers. It makes sense now, haha. SP (consciously, I guess now) was keeping me from trying to LD... the one and only experience I had with SP was NOT a good one... na bro it wasn't trying to stop you from trying to LD. it stops you from acting out in real life because of your dreams. sleep walking/talking etc. but the thing is when you enter REM sleep (i think it's rem wen this happens) the SP slackens off a bit and that's why some people (like me) sleep talk or walk. it might only happen to some people though but yea. it doesn't stop you from having an LD just from trying to act out your dream in RL haha which could be unfortunate if your trying to fly in your dream. ya kinda getting the hang of it now? haha it's quite confusing to start off with a oh really? what happened. I love SP. it feels wicked. Do you know about WILDing? that helps to explain a bit more about SP and hypnogogic hallucinations or whatever they're called haha