All You Need To Know About Sleep Paralysis

What is Sleep Paralysis?

Sleep paralysis is a temporary condition where you're unable to move or speak for a brief period, usually just before falling asleep or right after waking up. It typically lasts a few seconds to a few minutes and happens during the transition between sleep and wakefulness. During this state, you're aware of your surroundings but unable to respond, which can lead to feelings of fear and panic. An isolated episode is generally harmless and not a cause for concern. However, frequent occurrences may point to underlying issues such as sleep disorders or mental health conditions. In such cases, ensure that you have a health insurance policy and you get the medical attention required promptly.

Is Sleep Paralysis a Serious Problem?

Sleep paralysis is generally not considered a serious medical condition. However, what’s important here is the frequency of these episodes. If you keep experiencing sleep paralysis often, it could be due to an underlying serious sleep disorder, such as narcolepsy. While not physically harmful, the condition can cause significant mental distress. During an episode, the sensation of being unable to move or speak—often accompanied by a feeling of suffocation—can be frightening and overwhelming.

Symptoms and Hallucinations

Here are some common sleep paralysis symptoms you should be aware of:

• Atonia, a condition where you cannot move your body or speak

• High pressure in the chest region, as if you are being suffocated by someone/something

• Feeling like getting transported out of your own body

• Hallucinating about seeing a non-existent person, or hearing non-existent voices in your room

• Feeling extremely tired and sleepy during the daytime

• Difficulty breathing

• Panic/extreme fear

Hallucinations are a key symptom that shouldn't be overlooked, especially if they occur as you’re falling asleep or waking up. Around two-thirds of people who experience sleep paralysis report hallucinations, such as seeing figures or hearing voices in their surroundings, which can add to the fear and confusion during an episode.

Causes and Risk Factors

According to doctors, some of the main reasons for sleep paralysis are:

• Narcolepsy: This is a serious but rare case of sleep disorder, which impacts your brain’s ability to sleep and wake up.

• Sleep Deprivation: This condition happens when your body doesn’t get the right quantity and quality of sleep for a long time.

• Irregular Sleep Cycles: This condition is also known as SWSD (Shift Work Sleep Disorder). People working night shifts and other unconventional working hours are prone to this condition.

• Obstructive Sleep Apnoea: This condition causes you to wake up repeatedly during the night due to difficulty breathing. It occurs when the airway becomes narrowed or blocked, making it hard to breathe properly while sleeping.

• Mental Health Disorders: People who are diagnosed with mental health disorders like anxiety, stress, bipolar disorder, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), etc., find it difficult to maintain proper sleep cycles regularly.

• Specific medications: Certain medicines, especially the ones used to treat mental health problems like ADHD (Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder), can disrupt your sleep cycles.

• Other Disorders: Disorders related to substance use, excessive smoking and overconsumption of alcohol can lead to sleep disorders.

Diagnosis

Doctors follow a series of diagnostic procedures to understand the triggers for your sleep paralysis.

• Physical examination

• Detailed sleep evaluation to know your REM (rapid eye movement) sleeping patterns

• Thorough understanding of your sleep paralysis symptoms, frequency of the episodes, and duration of the episodes

• Thorough checking of your medical history to know about your existing and previous physical and mental ailments

• Understanding your lifestyle habits to check if you smoke, drink, or use any other substances

• Studying your family’s medical history to check for similar conditions among immediate family members

Some of the tests used for the diagnoses of sleep paralysis are:

1. Polysomnogram: This monitors your sleep for a full night to observe your sleep quality, breathing patterns, brain signals and heart health during your sleep.

2. Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT): This helps to understand if you have narcolepsy, as it measures the speed at which you can take a nap, and the quality of sleep during this short sleep cycle.

Treatment

Common treatments for sleep paralysis include:

• Medications to prevent further episodes

• Medications like antidepressants to treat an existing mental health condition, thereby improving your sleep quality

• Encouraging you to follow healthy sleeping habits

• Motivating you to seek help (therapy, counselling, behavioural sessions, etc.) to reduce your existing mental health symptoms. In most cases, your sleep quality automatically improves when you start seeking professional help for conditions like anxiety, stress, etc.

Prevention and Management Tips

Sleep paralysis cannot be prevented, but you can reduce the frequency of further episodes by following these tips:

• Following a strict sleep schedule (strict timings for sleep and wake up, no use of electronic devices at least 30 minutes before going to bed, keeping the bedroom cosy, etc.)

• Take good care of your mental health and seek professional help whenever you require it

• Avoid sleeping on your back, as experts believe this could trigger an episode of sleep paralysis

Is Sleep Paralysis Dangerous?

No, sleep paralysis is not a dangerous condition. However, in rare cases, it can become dangerous when you experience frequent episodes.