Note sure if I was actually paralysed?

[exdreamer]

I had a nap this afternoon and tried WILDing. My other attempts have resulted in hallucinations, but I've not made it to SP while keeping awareness. Anyway, during this attempt I tried counting, and eventually I lost focus. However, I found my focus came back to me just before I felt like what I can only describe as a wave or rush up from my toes across my entire body. It was like a gentle sensation of energy that also very slightly felt like a push in to the bed. Afterwards I felt like I couldn't move, but wasn't 100% sure. It was most noticeable in my right hand which was had been in a sort of claw shape and now felt quite solid almost as though I was gripping an invisible ball or bar. I lay there and thought how great it was that I might have a chance to lucid dream. I was just waiting for something to happen or for some hallucinations to start, but I felt really really aware and nothing came at all. Then my body started to feel what I can only describe as getting softer. At that point I decided that I may not have been paralysed at all and so I tried to move just a bit to test it. It took maybe a second or two for my body to respond and I was left pretty confused. So, I'm wondering if I actually experienced SP, or was is just some weird feeling? Would it be super obvious that I'm paralysed so that there would be no doubt, or what?

[Anglarest]

Are you sure that wasn't any hallucination? It could have been anyways. I'm not sure if that's the case for others, but Wild-attempt afternoon naps and trying to get into SP immediatly after a normal dream ending sometimes result in SP-like situations that end up on nothing at all. They just last for a moment or so and that's it. I honestly have no explanation for this, but maybe a more experienced member could.

[exdreamer]

After a lot more reading about SP I can finally answer my own question. It was sleep paralysis. I was being tripped up by the way the vast majority of text I've seen on SP and WILD just referring to the effects of SP as "paralysis", which is very vague and if you go by the most common definition of the word, a bit of a misnomer. To you are unable to move is wrong, to say that you are not moving seems more accurate. Heh, perhaps I was just being too literal with the word and my expectations. Hopefully now I understand what was happening i'll be able to take my WILD attempts further with confidence.

[Skydreamer707]

no actually, SP is basically being paralyzed because you literally CANNOT move. Most people who've had False awakenings would understand.Even if you try your hardest to move, you cant even move your finger an inch.trust me, when you enter SP most times you know it because your body feels like lead =REALLY REALLY heavy. umm but im not sure if it applys to everyone :/ after all SP is what stops you from acting out your dreams but in the cases of sleep walkers, Sp must not occur during their REM for some reason. SO basically unless your a known sleep walker you should experience SP. I think it might of been a Hallucination. theres also the possibility that during WILDing you wont experience intense feelings from SP but go right into a dream so keep that in mind umm i know what your talking about where yuou feel like you cant move but can thing. i think thats just the beginning of SP. i get that every time i try to WILD. but im not a expert either so >__> you might want to wait until someone with more experience comes along

[WscorpioD]

I get the same feeling of being able to move if i really try, i think you have to push past that but i've only been trying WILDs for a couple of days so...

[Conscript]

Yea I feel like I can move if I tried, but my body just feels heavy

[Waking]

Sleep Paralysis does occur in everyone during REM sleep. The Sleep Paralysis we're after is called Waking Sleep Paralysis. This is basically a state where your mind turns off specific neurons at the base of the spine, which in effect, numbs the body. Your brain shuts down many other neurons during sleep. By doing this it enables the neurons to eliminate natural neurotoxic build up through out the day. What your feeling is a form of hallucination. If you were actually in WSP, you wouldn't be able to move anything. Possibly you just became super relaxed. But you have to remember, sleep comes in 4 stages, REM being the last in the cycle. Just be patient and keep that sensation, don't focus on it though because it may stop you from actually entering WSP.