Sleep paralysis: causes, signs, principles of diagnosis and treatment

Sleep paralysis is one of the sleep disorders, the essence of which lies in the person's awareness of the impossibility to make movement and make a sound. For many centuries, people have tried to explain the nature of this state, which led to the emergence a huge number of mystical theories about witches and sorcerers, night demons and extraterrestrial abductors. To date, scientists have thoroughly studied the problem of sleep paralysis and can provide a reasonable explanation for the origin of this disorder. About why this type of parasomnia arises, what during it a person experiences, and also about the principles of diagnosis and treatment of paralysis, and will be discussed in our article.

Why there is a sleepy paralysis

Sleep paralysis can be a symptom of some neurological disorders, such as narcolepsy (constant falling asleep), somnambulism (dreaming) or bipolar disorder (manic-depressive psychosis), but in most cases it occurs by itself as the consequence of an imbalance in the nervous system - the dissynchronization of the processes of turning on the consciousness after sleep and restoring the functions of the muscular system.

This imbalance can arise as a consequence of the impact on the body of the following factors:

• non-observance of a mode of a dream and wakefulness (a constant lack of sleep, frequent change of a mode of a dream);
• insomnia;
• psychoemotional stresses, both acute and chronic;
• long-term use of certain medicines, in particular, antidepressants, tranquilizers;
• nicotine, alcohol, drug dependence, substance abuse;
• restless legs syndrome;
• sleep in a posture lying on his back (during sleep on his side sleepy paralysis, as a rule, does not develop);
• hereditary predisposition.

There is a paralysis of sleep more often than you imagine: 40 people out of 100 at least once in their life experienced this unpleasant condition. It happens in men and women of any age, but the vast majority of patients still make up the age of 12 to 25 years, especially adolescents.

Types of paralysis of sleep

Classify this state depending on the time of its occurrence.

The paralysis that occurs during the period of a person's falling asleep is called semi-unconscious, or hypnagogic. During the transition to sleep, the muscles gradually relax - the body falls asleep. If this has already happened, but for some reason the consciousness has not yet disconnected, the person realizes, that he can not move, does not understand the cause of this state, as a result of which he appears panic.

The second kind of sleep paralysis is hypnopomatic. It occurs, on the contrary, in moments of awakening. It is known that the deeper the sleep, the lower the muscle tone. In the phase of fast sleep, the musculature of our body is as relaxed as possible, we can say that it is turned off, and brain activity, on the contrary, is sharply increased. If during this period a part of the brain responsible for consciousness wakes up, but the brain department responsible for the movement of the muscles is still "asleep" (im it takes more time to get back to normal), a person is aware of what is happening around, but can not make the slightest movement. To restore the motor function, the body will take several seconds to 1-2 minutes, but this time may seem to a person almost eternity.

Symptoms of sleep paralysis

In some patients, sleep paralysis occurs only once in a lifetime, while in others it is repeated periodically with all possible frequency, up to several times in one night.

Being in this state, a person realizes that he can not move, and this causes him horror and panic fear. In addition, visual and auditory hallucinations are observed: it seems to the patient that next to him there are demons, Ghosts or alien creatures, threatening voices, stalking steps, squeak, noise and sounds pulsations.

In addition, a person feels a feeling of pressure on the chest, stomach and throat - it seems to him that he is sitting on some monster and strangling him. Some patients feel that they are turning from a position on their backs to their sides, but they realize that they are lying motionless.

The patient's breathing is difficult, the heartbeat and pulse are rapid, the body twitches slightly, and the grimace of horror and tension is frozen on his face.

Probably, many people suffering from this disorder will be reassured by the fact that during the sleepy paralysis nothing terrible can happen to them - it is impossible die or go insane, and the feeling of suffocation will not cause harm to health, because it is only a feeling, a hallucination that has nothing to do with reality.

Diagnostics

As a rule, most people who survive the first time sleepy paralysis, turn to a specialist for help. The doctor can easily recognize this disorder already at the stage of the patient's story. Those who have paralysis of sleep does not happen once, but arises constantly with this or that periodicity, the doctor recommend keeping a diary in which to indicate all possible risk factors for this condition, as well as your visions and sensations from them. Based on these records, it will be easier for a specialist to identify the cause of the development of sleep paralysis in a particular patient.

In order to clarify the diagnosis, the physician you addressed primarily can refer you to a somnologist (a sleep specialist) or self-assign studies of night or daytime sleep - polysomnography (usually changes on the polysomnogram are absent).

Principles of treatment

Specific therapy sleep paralysis in most cases does not require. Just a patient is recommended to some extent to change the way of life:

• to optimize the mode of work and rest, making it obligatory to sleep at night for 8 hours;
• Go to bed at the same time, and wake up not alone, but on an alarm clock, because The last moment excludes the development of paralysis of sleep - it can occur only with natural awakening;
• eliminate hypodynamia: exercise in the fresh air, do not neglect physical labor (this strengthens nervous system, promotes the formation of stable links between the centers of the brain and musculoskeletal apparatus);
• avoid stressful situations, and if they arise, try to react to them calmly, as to inevitability;
• before going to bed, take a relaxing bath, do self-massage or regular massage, drink calming herbal tea;
• fall asleep under calm, relaxing music in a well-ventilated, not stuffy room;
• exclude mental work before bed, do not watch TV and do not use the computer (all this activates the brain, and it is more difficult then to relax).

If the doctor finds out the reason for the sleep paralysis, more serious than simple nervous fatigue and lack of sleep, it is likely that he will prescribe to the patient medication, in particular, antidepressants. It is strictly not recommended to prescribe them yourself, because these drugs are serious enough, they have a number of side effects and require exact compliance with the dosage.

If you have already experienced a sleepy paralysis and are afraid that it will happen to you in the future, read and remember the recommendations about how, how to behave during this state, in order to survive it with minimal "losses" (meaning emotions) and faster from it go out:

• the most important thing is to realize what this state is: it is actually harmless and temporary, and everything that happens around is just a vision; say to myself that "I'm in perfect order, everything will soon go away
• You should not resist the restraining force, because it is proved that the fight against paralysis, attempts to escape will only intensify the intensity sensations right up to the feeling that the body is in a steel vice, which means that the fear and horror you are experiencing will increase; should try relax;
• Try to take a deep breath - breathe in as much as the lungs allow;
• also quite effective may be an attempt to stir other muscles available to your control - for example, the tongue, eyes or fingers of the hand; this will help you quickly gain power over your own body;
• another option is to engage in mental paralysis during paralysis: count, read verses, remember formulas or do any other intellectual work;
• if you have a "caring" sleeping caring wife or husband, ask them when the above described symptoms (twitching of the body, restless breathing, grimace of tension and fear) as quickly as possible wake you up;
• to prevent the recurrence of the attack, after finishing it should stand up and wash with cold water.

According to research, people with an analytical mindset suffer paroxysmal paroxysms calmer than those who believe in the supernatural. They try to logically explain their condition, and therefore less depressed after the attack.

Concluding the article, I want to reiterate that in the vast majority of cases, sleep paralysis is not symptom of the disease, but simply indicates that your nervous system is working in a state voltage. This is a harmless condition that does not carry an objective threat to your health and, especially, life. Prevent the appearance of seizures, as a rule, it is possible, normalizing the way of life, and in more severe cases - by taking antidepressants.

Timely appeal for medical help and qualified doctor's advice will help you in a short time to return to a healthy and carefree dream.

Video on the topic "Sleepy paralysis