From time to time when I am falling asleep instead of falling into sleep I fall into a state where I am paralysed physically but mentally awake.  I'm not sure why but I find it horrifying and I try to fight it.  If I could talk or move I could break it.  I have tried to relax and go into it but something tells me not to.  Someone told me it had to do with dark hairy spirits that jump on you and hold you down.  I wish I had never heard that as now that thought runs through my head when it is happening. I have searched online for explanations but haven't found much.  One site said it was the gift of falling into lucid dreaming immediately.  I don't know about that but whatever it is has a very negative energy.  Does anyone out there have any information that pertains to this?

This is a sleep phenomena its the transition between deep sleep and rem sleep.  Your body is dreaming but you are still temporarily in deep sleep mode and there appears to be a bit of a hang over effect.  This manifests itself in dreams where you can't move, or you can't scream when you need to, generally they are bad nightmarish dreams, the effect only lasts a few minutes but as we know dreams feel like they go on a lifetime.  Hope this helps.  I have them periodically, I will dream i am being chased (which is an anxiety dream) the bad thing gets me and i am paralysed and can't scream for help and can't wake up.  I eventually do but can be very frightened for a day.

To add to what Suzisco has told you, there is a very good reason for someone to have this "paralyzed" state while dreaming.

Have you ever noticed when a little dog or cat is sleeping, their feet move as if they are running, or the cat will jerk her legs?  Well this is an indication of a paralyzed state which has not kicked in completely, or the animal is busy waking up but still dreaming.

Your brain activates chemical transmitters which tells your muscles to go into a state of paralysis the moment you start dreaming, because if not, you would be sleepwalking, sleep talking and perhaps even sleep kick boxing!  (lol)  You could really hurt yourself and/or your partner if you don't sleep alone, so this is just a protective measure that your own body takes to keep you safe during your dreams.

People who sleep walk, sleep talk and react while sleeping are under such stress in their lives (emotional...perhaps supressed anger, fear or plain excitement) that the brain begins to dream before these chemical transmitters can do their work, or perhaps there is a defect in these transmitters because of other reasons like lack of certain minerals in their diet.  

What Suzisco has explained to you is the other side of the spectrum, the transmitters are still functioning after you have already stopped dreaming and are busy waking up, or it starts to kick in before you actually go into a dream state and you feel the paralysis flooding your body while still semi awake...  It can be scary but there is nothing sinister about it....

Sleep tight!

love and rainbows

Raka

I appreciate your responses and I understand and agree with what both of you wrote. However, what I am experiencing is different.  I have had the experiences in dreams in which you can't run or can't scream and although it can be bothersome,
I understand that I am dreaming.  The "Sleep Paralysation" I am refering to happens when I am first trying to fall asleep before I am asleep and before any dreaming. I don't know why it happens but sometimes instead of falling asleep I fall into this paralysed state. It is extremely disturbing. You can't move and you can't speak. If you could do either of those you would break out of it. Or if someone else were to touch you or perhaps talk to you it would also break it.  There is something very dark and frightening involved. I cannot explain why my instinct is to fight it.I have tried when it is happening to relax and go into it but something tells me not to. I find myself struggling over and over with every part of my being to move or talk. After several attempts sometimes I am able to break it. Other times I am not and I guess I eventually lose consciousness. The times I am able to wake up I am afraid to go back to sleep and unless I force myself to move around a little bit or stay awake for at least a few minutes it will happen again.

Hi Tizzee

First thing is a hug. ((( HUG ))) I know how freaky this is.  This happens to a lot of people.  It is called Sleep paralysis. Really!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_paralysis

Everyones experience is different, yet the same. You don't feel like you have gone to sleep yet and are convinced this is Not a just a dream, but really happening. You feel pinned to the bed unable to move, unable to scream. It feels like someone is in the room with you... it feels dark and sinister...   all of the things you have written here...

Here are just a few of the links here at Mystic Board where others have shared their stories asking for help or understanding. I hope you get something positive for yourself so you don't continue to feel like you are being attacked by something unknown.  This is an awful place to be in ones mind.  






P E A C E
Evie