Cope with Sleep Paralysis

Sleep paralysis is a common condition where people are paralyzed at the onset of sleep or upon waking; it may accompany vivid or terrifying hallucinations called hypnagogic hallucinations. Here are some steps to help you cope with sleep paralysis.

Tips
Note: Some may not be able to speak under sleep paralysis, rendering this method useless.
 * Don't stay up and move to the point of exhaustion, as this can increase the likelihood of sleep paralysis.
 * Reduce stress.
 * Eat healthy. Avoid going to bed hungry.   Avoid caffeine 5 hours before sleep.
 * Remember that, although it can feel dangerous, it isn't.
 * Most episodes can be stopped by coughing the word 'cough' repeatedly. Although you may still go into another episode if you try to immediately go back to sleep.  Coughing is both a voluntary and involuntary response, which such responses break the sleeping state.
 * Talk about it with others.
 * An improper sleeping schedule can be a cause of sleep paralysis. Try to get 8-10 hours of sleep every night at the same time of night every night, and sleep paralysis may go away.
 * Concentrating on trying to move or "shake" yourself may break you out of it in no time.
 * Sleep paralysis is most common while sleeping on your back. Try to avoid sleeping this way
 * Try to avoid coffee or medications that affect your heart rate.
 * Consider having a sleep study to diagnose whether the cause of the sleep paralysis may be sleep apnea. With proper treatment of a diagnosed sleep apnea condition, the sleep paralysis events may subside and/or disappear.
 * Often you may be able to sense the onset of sleep paralysis. You may feel tense vibrations, a sudden movement that jolts him, or even a pitch black shade that slowly goes over his eyes. If you sense it coming you can do one of two things: 1) You can give in to the feeling, or 2)Try your best to fight it off with a strong will and determination.
 * If you find you are experiencing paralysis as you are falling asleep try sitting up and staring at a bright light for a minute or so before lying down again. No one is sure why, but this does help some people.
 * Always remember to relax because sleep paralysis last only a few seconds or minutes and will fade away momentarily.
 * Some people that frequently deal with sleep paralysis have found the following technique to be helpful. Take a moment each day to relax and imagine the sensations of your sleep paralysis. Focus on your breathing, then take a deep breath while picturing that breath lifting you up to consciousness as you open your eyes. Practicing your escape procedure when not experiencing the paralysis can greatly reduce the anxiety that can accompany an episode.
 * Make sure that you are actually awake. Sleep paralysis could very well be a dream, and you will likely be able to discern whether or not it is a dream by moving into the next room. Focus on moving into the next room, or in general, away from the location of paralysis.
 * Be cool about it. Some people report having amazing spiritual experiences and/or mystical experiences. You can think of it as a rare lifetime experience and a ideal time to have a lucid dream, after that your symptoms will likely disappear and you might even want to induce sleep paralysis, although this may not be true for most people.
 * Don't fight it and it will pass. Fighting against it makes it worse than it is.
 * Although you may feel that you are not able to move, you can try concentrating on moving one finger (or any small part of your body) - when this succeeds and you experience the small movement, the paralysis recedes. Of course, you need to be lucid to do this.
 * Inhale deeply then exhale forcefully (do not hyperventilate). Repeat this several times; most of the time this can get you out of sleep paralysis.
 * Medical marijuana has been proven successful in preventing episodes in states that allow its use as prescribed by a doctor.
 * Always remember that sleep paralysis is a medical phenomena and just that. Do not associate it with supernatural things like ghosts and evils. It will only make it worse. Keep reminding yourself that it's just a medical phenomena.
 * If you experience disassociation( "out of body" feelings), Try to "feel" the texture of your sheets, clothes, or furniture around you- you'll find that you wake up faster from tuning into a sense. Alternately, ignore the sense of paralysis, and allow yourself to follow the "out of body" feelings; you can turn an unpleasant surprise into an enjoyable lucid dream, which you may be able to control.  Try visiting friends or pleasant spots you have visited.  No harm can come to you, so don't be afraid.

Sources and Citations
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 * Wikipedia: Sleep Paralysis
 * University of Waterloo: Sleep Paralysis Page - Excellent information on sleep paralysis. This site also has an on-going study on sleep paralysis where you can contribute your experiences to there online survey.
 * Stanford University: Sleep Paralysis
 * Sleep Paralysis Information Service