2 ms·

Sleep paralysis is only frightening when you fight it. Instead, you can simply direct your attention inwards and daydream about something pleasant. Think of it

Sleep paralysis is only frightening when you fight it. Instead, you can simply direct your attention inwards and daydream about something pleasant. Think of it as taking a little break from your everyday reality. Nothing bad is going to happen -- everything you experience in that state is a smoke scroll drawn from your imagination.

lliamander 5y ago
> Sleep paralysis is only frightening when you fight it. But it's also really frustrating when you have an itch or if your in an awkward position where breathing is more difficult.
- david-gpu 5y ago
  When I want to wake up, I direct my attention outward and take a deep breath. That will fully wake you up. Don't panic. If you do, remind yourself that you are safely laying on your bed and try again with an open curious mind.
  - lliamander 5y ago
    I have tried different tactics with no success, but fortunately I haven't had sleep paralysis in a long time.
  - userulluipeste 5y ago
    "When I want to wake up, I direct my attention outward and take a deep breath." From this, I very much doubt you had an experience of waking up in a sleep paralysis of a meaningful degree. I'm talking about when you realize that you're only awake because you can control your thoughts and receive sensorial inputs (feeling, hearing, etc.) but don't have any movement control whatsoever, not over your breath, not even over your eyelids to open and look around. That in itself, as bad as it sounds, may not be a problem if the awakened mind won't feel the need for more oxygen, yet the breathing stays suffocatingly short and slow for way too long. There's just no out, there's only a wait for some change that will give you back a first bit of motor control.
deleted 5y ago
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SketchySeaBeast 5y ago
Whenever I have sleep paralysis it's not just the not moving, it's being half awake and KNOWING that there is someone in the house and I need to wake up my wife but I can't even move my hand enough or make a noise to do it. It's very hard to rationalize at those moment.
- david-gpu 5y ago
  Direct your attention inwards. Repeat to yourself that everything is fine. Distract yourself with something silly like trying to visualize popcorn or s'mores. It can be done.
  - SketchySeaBeast 5y ago
    Thankfully it doesn't happen THAT often (I'd avoid sleeping entirely otherwise), but next time if I can fight through the panic and realize what's going on I'll give it a shot. I'm so fuzzy when it occurs I struggle with rationality, which make sense given I'm literally half asleep.

lliamander 5y ago

> Sleep paralysis is only frightening when you fight it. But it's also really frustrating when you have an itch or if your in an awkward position where breathing is more difficult.

david-gpu 5y ago
When I want to wake up, I direct my attention outward and take a deep breath. That will fully wake you up. Don't panic. If you do, remind yourself that you are safely laying on your bed and try again with an open curious mind.
- lliamander 5y ago
  I have tried different tactics with no success, but fortunately I haven't had sleep paralysis in a long time.
- userulluipeste 5y ago
  "When I want to wake up, I direct my attention outward and take a deep breath." From this, I very much doubt you had an experience of waking up in a sleep paralysis of a meaningful degree. I'm talking about when you realize that you're only awake because you can control your thoughts and receive sensorial inputs (feeling, hearing, etc.) but don't have any movement control whatsoever, not over your breath, not even over your eyelids to open and look around. That in itself, as bad as it sounds, may not be a problem if the awakened mind won't feel the need for more oxygen, yet the breathing stays suffocatingly short and slow for way too long. There's just no out, there's only a wait for some change that will give you back a first bit of motor control.

deleted 5y ago

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SketchySeaBeast 5y ago

Whenever I have sleep paralysis it's not just the not moving, it's being half awake and KNOWING that there is someone in the house and I need to wake up my wife but I can't even move my hand enough or make a noise to do it. It's very hard to rationalize at those moment.

david-gpu 5y ago
Direct your attention inwards. Repeat to yourself that everything is fine. Distract yourself with something silly like trying to visualize popcorn or s'mores. It can be done.
- SketchySeaBeast 5y ago
  Thankfully it doesn't happen THAT often (I'd avoid sleeping entirely otherwise), but next time if I can fight through the panic and realize what's going on I'll give it a shot. I'm so fuzzy when it occurs I struggle with rationality, which make sense given I'm literally half asleep.