Sleep paralysis/ Why it happens and who are most at risk

2024-06-08 08:21:00, Shëndeti CNA

Sleep paralysis/ Why it happens and who are most at risk

Illustrative photo

Do you wake up suddenly and are fully conscious and awake but unable to move? Then you have just experienced the so-called "sleep paralysis".

This problem is well known but little studied by experts, however, for centuries, people, looking for an explanation, have blamed the presence of demons or aliens for this problem.

What is sleep paralysis?

Sleep paralysis is about physical blockage while the person is fully conscious. It occurs when a person wanders between sleep and wakefulness. During this transition, the person cannot move or speak for a few seconds to a few minutes.

Some people say that during this stage, they feel like they are drowning. Sleep paralysis is usually associated with other sleep disorders, or as it is otherwise known, narcolepsy. Sleep paralysis occurs in two situations: when a person is ready to sleep or when they are ready to wake up. In the first case, the person feels the deep need to sleep but finds it difficult to sleep. Paralysis in this case prevents the person from moving or speaking.

There are times when a person wakes up shortly before the end of the REM sleep phase, or as it is otherwise known as deep sleep.

When a person is in the REM stage, the body is in a still and extremely calm state, so sudden awakening can resemble paralysis.

People most affected by sleep paralysis

This problem usually appears in adolescence. However, there are cases when men and women of different ages experience sleep paralysis once or several times in their lifetime.

Factors that promote sleep paralysis are:

-Lack of sleep
-Changes in sleep routine,
-Mental health disorders
-Sleeping in the supine position.
- Leg cramps
- Use of certain mental health medications
- Use of narcotic substances.
-When you should consult a doctor

Experts say that if you experience sleep paralysis, you should go for a doctor's consultation. in cases where you also have the following concerns:

-Anxiety
-Drowsiness during the day
-Difficulty sleeping
-Modern medicine does not offer cures for the treatment of sleep paralysis

Experts say that there is no need for a person to think that he is possessed by an alien or a demon.

If you sleep lying on your back, try to change the position and try to adjust the sleep cycle or even solve the problems that leave you sleepless./ AgroWeb.org