[error54]

Having suffered from this before I can say this: sleep paralysis is absolutely terrifying. Whenever this occurs there is a small, rational part of your brain that tells you that nothing is wrong but this is drowned out by the absolute certainty that something or someone is just about get to you and you can't even move to defend yourself. It's a very primal fear unlike any other I've experienced and I find interesting is that it's a common theme across people who've also suffered from sleep paralysis.

I've experienced lucid dreaming as well and I can assuredly say that it is nothing like sleep paralysis. The physiological effects might be similar but there's a very big difference between consciously deciding to do something and waking up to a nightmare.

[leahculver]

I've only had sleep paralysis a couple times and I agree that it is AWFUL. I felt like someone was standing in the room with me and was (irrationally) terrified.

I lucid dream far more often, probably once a week. I agree that it's nowhere near as frightening but I find it to be unpleasant as well. It's not very fun to stay dreaming when I know I'm awake.

It's funny but the movie Inception really helped me with my lucid dreams. Falling (in my dreams) will wake me up. I double-check that I'm actually dreaming by flying first (aw yeah, I can fly in my dreams - kind of like swimming in the air). So I'll often wake up by flying high into the sky and then falling to the ground.

[pcl]

I've got a few pretty reliable lucid-dream indicators too, but I'm always too afraid to actually take advantage of them, just in case I'm actually not really dreaming. I wish I could fly in my dreams; that'd be a good safe "this is definitely a dream" indicator.

For me, it's mostly that feeling of wanting to run but not being able to make my legs work properly. Which, from what I understand, is due to some of the same brain chemistry that contributes to sleep paralysis.

I've only experienced something like sleep paralysis a few times, and I think it must have been a very mild version of it -- just a couple seconds of "wait a sec, my body isn't moving when I want it to!" and then it goes away.

[vubuntu]

>"...kind of like swimming in the air" OMG. That's exactly what I dreamt more than couple of times. In my dreams I would be walking on water. Like if I pump my legs up and down fast enough, that keeps me afloat on the surface of water in a swimming pool, or a pond etc. Kind of like that lizard that walks on water (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qhsxo7vY8ac) . It feels so realistic and so normal an ability to have. Alas I tried it quite a few times at our local swimming pool, and it never worked :)

[vubuntu]

>"I felt like someone was standing in the room with me and was (irrationally) terrified."

This has happened to me couple of times as well.

Upon reflection I have noticed uncanny similarities to the below movies..

Lucid Dreams == Inception (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1375666/)

Sleep Paralysis == The adjustment Bureau (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1385826/)

[tomrod]

I get sleep paralysis regularly, especially recently with staying up late nights working on the dissertation.

I've learned I can "break" out of it--and it's an extremely difficult effort. It leaves me feeling exhausted for hours afterwards.

[cloverich]

I also get it regularly, about a 3-4 times a month - and learned to "break out" (such an apt description!) as well.

Lately, I've gotten to the point where sometimes I can remain calm, and instead of breaking out, just sort of wait it out. Its odd, but I've noticed it takes me around 1-3 minutes to get out of it, and it seems if I can remain calm for that duration, that I'll get to a point where I can move out of it on my first try. Its got me questioning whether I ever really break out of it at all, or am just convincing myself that I am until the 'timer' runs out. If I could consistently remain calm and wait, I'd probably know by now - but Im only occasionally able to do so.

Anyways, just thought I'd share my experience for any other regulars :)

[pitchpipe]

When I was in third grade I started getting sleep paralysis. Back then I learned the trick for me was to relax. I would pop right out of it when I relaxed. I don't know if you've ever tried this, and I know that it's not the easiest thing to do when it's so terrifying, but it really worked for me.

The only time I ever broke out of it (using the power of will instead of relaxing) I went into the most terrifying nightmare I ever had (I didn't really break out.) Anyway, I was lucky in that I outgrew sleep paralysis.

[Gigablah]

I've gotten sleep paralysis a few times before and this is why I always start sleeping on my side. I only get it if I lay on my back facing the ceiling.

Still, nowadays it's less terrifying and more of an annoyance after I discovered I could force myself awake by sheer will.

[error54]

Same here. When I realize it's happening, I just have to concentrate and force my legs or my arms to move which will in turn wake me up. I too noticed it happened more frequently when I slept in a certain position (on my stomach in this case) so now I always sleep on my back or side.

[mildtrepidation]

I don't want to seem dismissive, but this strikes me as the sort of thing Lovecraft would have absolutely freaked out over. I wonder if he experienced something similar or engaged with people who suffered this affliction.