You Can Finally Conquer Sleep Paralysis With This Information*

Do you have sleep issues? Sleep paralysis is a common condition that occurs during the stages of sleep. It makes you conscious, but you can’t move, nor speak during the transition from sleep to wakefulness. It may be worse when you feel like you are choking from it. Our ancestors associated this condition with evil spirits that they claim caused the paralysis.

Scientists have conducted sufficient research to reveal that this condition does not occur due to demon possession. It could be as a result of being deprived of enough sleep. There are two types of this condition. When it happens before you sleep, doctors call it hypnagogic paralysis, and when it occurs immediately you wake up, it is called post dormital paralysis. We will discuss this condition in detail and help a victim suffering from it conquer it. Find out more!

What happens when you are experiencing sleep paralysis?
Doctors reveal that as you prepare to sleep, your brain sends signals to the eyes to close so that you can sleep. Your body transits from rapid eye movement to non-rapid eye movement. This transition should last for at least ninety minutes.

During non-rapid eye movement, your body muscles start relaxing, and you fall asleep. This shifts to rapid eye movement which causes your eyes to move and you start dreaming. The rapid eye movement cycle turns off your muscles, and if your body reacts before this cycle is complete, you cannot move due to sleep paralysis.

What causes sleep paralysis?

According to statistics, four people among a group of ten suffer from this condition. It is a common problem among teenagers but may extend with age. The causes of sleep paralysis may be genetics, sleep deprivation, bipolar disorder, the wrong sleeping posture as well as, substance abuse. Some medications may also cause sleep paralysis.

How can you cope with sleep paralysis?
Get enough sleep
Sometimes, busy schedules, as well as high-stress levels, may interfere with your sleeping hours. Prioritize on enough sleep so that you can reduce the chances of feeling numb in the morning or before sleeping. Avoid extending your work or study time through the night for they cause body fatigue and alter your sleeping mechanism. Eight hours a night will help you reduce sleep paralysis.

Prepare yourself to sleep
Studies reveal that we spend a third of our lives in bed. Your sleep environment should, therefore, be as comfortable as possible for you to enjoy your sleep. You can alter the temperature of your bedroom if it feels too cold buy using more blankets or a fan to warm it up.

Sleep accessories such as earplugs can help you avoid any disruptions as you sleep. Use dark curtains that do not allow light to penetrate easily. Ensure that your mattress is comfortable enough to prevent turning now and then as you sleep.

Establish a sleep schedule
A sleep schedule should be part of your daily routine. For instance, you can maintain the same time you wake up, and at the same time, you go to sleep. This tunes your mind to adjust to the sleep schedule to improve the quality of your sleep. You will reduce the chances of getting sleep paralysis.

Use relaxation techniques before bed
Sometimes, excessive thinking through the night affects how you sleep. Use techniques such as meditation and yoga before you sleep so that you can relax in a peaceful mood. Read something interesting before bedtime to act as a sleep cue for enhanced sleep.

Avoid substance abuse
Any stimulants such as drugs, alcohol or caffeine before bed can cause sleep paralysis. They are harmful substances that not only affect your sleep but also cause addiction. Therecoveryvillage is a useful institution that can help you break drug tolerance and help you address your sleeping difficulties.

Watch your sleeping positions
The positions that you maintain in your sleep can affect how you sleep. The wrong sleeping position can block your airwaves and cause a choking effect or make you struggle to breathe, a condition called sleep apnea.

Avoid lying on your back. This position makes your tongue rest on your throat which in turn, blocks air. Sleep on your side rather than on your back to prevent sleep paralysis. You can adjust the position to the other side once in a while when you feel tired of lying on one side.

You can use a tennis ball on your nightshirt that makes it uncomfortable to sleep on your back. It will help you break the habit and reduce episodes of sleep paralysis.

Exercise
Maintain an active lifestyle by taking a walk in the morning before preparing for work. You can do simple workouts during the day to help you sleep better at night. Do not train an hour before bedtime since this will lower the quality of your sleep.

Concentrate on your body movements
Sleep paralysis does not affect your entire body. Sometimes your toes may be slightly moving even if you cannot move your arms. Focus on those slight movements to break the spell of sleep paralysis. Visualize yourself moving. Remember that it starts in mind. If you tune your brain to see yourself moving, then you will conquer the paralysis.

Maintain a sleep log
Jot down the symptoms you encounter during sleep paralysis, your sleep patterns, as well as, sleep positions you use mostly. Think about your emotional state when you sleep and write down all this information in a log.

Monitor if you experience difficulties such as insomnia or hallucinations during your sleep paralysis.

Go through the sleep log with a sleep specialist to help them treat you accordingly. They can prescribe anti-depressants if you have a mental condition affecting the sleep paralysis.

Final thoughts
Sleep paralysis can be a scary situation for a victim especially due to the misconceptions from the society.  It is, however, a reversible situation that is not demonic. Changing your sleeping habits and maintaining a healthy lifestyle could be the solution to your problem. Good luck!