What is Sleep Paralysis?
Sleep paralysis is an episode where you can’t move your body or speak. It normally happens directly before or after sleep, and while you are conscious. It is part of a collection of sleep disorders called parasomnias, which simply indicates that your sleep has some kind of general disruption. In the case of sleep paralysis, your body has trouble transitioning to and from sleep.
During an episode of sleep paralysis you will be:
- Unable to move
- Unable to speak
- Able to move your eyes
- Conscious
Sleep paralysis may be chronic, it may happen every so often, or it may only happen once. It can range from confusing to terrifying. Episodes typically last anywhere from a few seconds to a couple of minutes, and sometimes (though uncommon) may last longer than two minutes.
Though sleep paralysis can be scary, it’s not dangerous.