Free Article: Sleep Paralysis Disorder

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Sleep Paralysis Disorder Frightens at First
By M. A. Fulmar

Sleep paralysis disorder can frighten a person terribly the first time that this occurs, and the person afflicted should seek medical assistance immediately. Sleep paralysis disorder is a strange affliction that affects a person usually without warning. The person affected suddenly wakes up mentally, but this person cannot move their body. They feel that they are completely and suddenly paralyzed. The underlying problem occurs when the mind wakes from sleep, but the body does not follow so the body cannot move. This disorder is also known as “Hag Phenomena”. The person experiencing this problem often panics if they do not understand the problem.

People have experienced two different types of this disorder. The first type of sleep paralysis disorder occurs during REM sleep. This is the sleep stage that lasts about two hours for a normal person, and this is the period when a person dreams. During this sleep phase a person experiences rapid eye movement, loss of reflexes and increased brain activity. During this time the muscles are relaxed, and there is rapid eye movement. In normal sleep patterns the person is paralyzed while dreaming, but the paralysis stops before the person wakes up. With sleep paralysis disorder, hormones are released that paralyze the body so the person does not move during a disturbing dream.

Sleep Paralysis Disorder Is a Temporary Phenomenon

In most cases, the paralysis only lasts a very brief time. In another form of sleep paralysis disorder, the person awakes and feels that there is some kind of presence in the room. They often feel that this is some kind of an evil spirit, and they are frightened by this presence. Other people who have suffered from this disorder felt that this presence was actually suffocating them, and they felt unable to respond to this threat because of the temporary paralysis. Many people who experience this condition feel that they are in danger of dying at that time. The sleep paralysis disorder rarely lasts more than about eight minutes.

Although this is not a dangerous condition, it is frightening to the person. There are some simple actions that each person can do to avoid a subsequent episode of this sleep paralysis disorder. People should try to get an adequate amount of sleep. Sometimes people push themselves and deprive themselves of the sleep they require. People should also sleep on their back to avoid this disorder. They should also try to have a regular schedule for their sleep. People should also try to eat a healthy diet, exercise and avoid stress.

Author Details:
M. A. Fulmar writes about sleep disorders and insomnia plus other health matters for various web sites including, The A to Z of and Information Junkie.

Source: Free Article Directory

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