How to Treat Sleep Paralysis
In folklore around the world, cases of people waking up but being unable to move have been thought to be the work of ghosts, demons or other things that go bump in the night. Recent research has indicated that this is not the case, though sleep paralysis does exist. During REM sleep, the mind is working rapidly, but the body shuts down its physical functions so it does not move. Sleep paralysis occurs when the body reacts as it would in REM sleep, though the person is wide awake and aware. Sometimes, this is accompanied by hallucinations that are often traumatic in nature. There are ways to treat sleep paralysis and the first steps begin at home.
- Difficulty:
- Easy
Instructions
-
-
1
Prepare your body for a proper sleep. This means you need to eat well during the day, because sleep is affected by the minerals and nutrients that you put into your body on a regular basis. You also need to set enough time aside for proper sleep, which would be 6- to 8-hour periods. Take less naps and sleep paralysis will be less likely to happen.
-
2
If episodes of sleep paralysis continue to persist, you should go to your doctor. He will look you over and tell you if they may be caused by another medical problem, or if he can write a prescription for something that could help.
-
3
If a prescription is in order, there are two main ones that will be given. The first is Ritalin, which is taken every morning in order to work during the day. It helps regulate sleep cycles, but it has been documented to treat sleep paralysis in some adults. More success has been seen with the use of Clonazepam. This is taken before sleep and regulates sleep patterns differently and better in relation to sleep paralysis than Ritalin.
-
4
When taking any medicine, make sure to follow up with a checkup with your doctor and monitor your sleep paralysis episodes to make sure they are diminishing.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Try sleeping on your side at night. It has been shown that sleeping on your back is a position that may induce periods of sleep paralysis.
When experiencing sleep paralysis, do not concentrate on waking up. Those who suffer from these episodes say it's best to put them out of your mind if possible, which will lessen the extent of the episode.
