Sleep Paralysis

When a person goes to sleep, the brain normally causes the muscles of the body to relax and stay still. However, sleep paralysis is caused when parts of the REM state of sleep intrude into wakefulness. Approximately twenty percent of the general population experience episodes of isolated sleep paralysis. People who experience sleep paralysis often wake up and develop anxiety when they become aware of the fact that they are incapable of moving their bodies and also unable to speak. Some people even experience vivid hypnagogic or hypnopompic hallucinations that are generated by REM mentation in all sensory modalities. Some who experience these hallucinations may come across other symptoms such as levitation and autoscopy, out of body experiences, and even hear, see, or sense a menacing presence in their bedroom. Depending on the person, the episodes of sleep paralysis may last just a few seconds or in some cases, up to a few minutes. Sleep paralysis is …show more content…
However, over seventy million people are not getting the recommended amount of sleep due to several different types of sleep disorders. The of the most common sleep disorders consist of sleep paralysis, sleep walking, and restless leg syndrome. Thirty percent of people have sleepwalked before. Sleep paralysis is actually not that common but it stands out because of its terrifying symptoms. Ten percent of people suffer from restless leg syndrome. While some sleep disorders do not have cures, there are many ways to deal with them in order to get a good night’s sleep. Often times when there is no proven cure to some of these sleep disorders, having good sleep hygiene almost always helps to keep control of the symptoms being deal with. For instance, going to sleep earlier to ensure that an adequate amount of sleep is obtained. It is recommended for people who have trouble sleeping to consult with a doctor in case they are suffering from a sleep