How to get rid of sleep paralysis? How to get rid of sleep paralysis: prevention and treatment. Sleep paralysis - causes

sleep paralysis- a special phenomenon that many people face. The condition does not apply to diseases, in some countries it is associated with mystical phenomena. It happens once or periodically. To get rid of sleep paralysis, consult a doctor and control emotions.

Sleep paralysis, or as it is popularly called - witch syndrome, has a history from antiquity. Everyone faced him, but not everyone understands the state. Sleep paralysis is a period when people do not wake up or fall asleep. Fictional and mystical characters seem to some, this happens on a subconscious level.

Paralysis symptoms:

• increased heart rate;
• difficulty breathing;
• sense of the presence of people;
• chest compression;
• fear;
• dizziness;
• vision of non-existent objects;
• the appearance of sounds;
• floating feeling.

Attention! A feature of the state is the realism of what is happening when a person is not able to understand what he is dreaming of. The sleeper is frightened by the feeling of helplessness.

Stupor in sleep appears on falling asleep and waking up. FROM scientific point vision, the phenomenon is explained simply: upon the onset of REM sleep body functions are switched off, and upon transition to the phase superficial sleep or waking up they turn on. Sometimes there are malfunctions in the brain, and motor functions turn off early or turn on late.

Causes of the condition

Stupor occurs with independent awakening - this is its feature. If people are awakened loud noise, cold or other phenomena, the syndrome is excluded.

The causes of sleep paralysis are:

• uncomfortable position for sleeping;
• moving around time zones, knocking down the biorhythm;
• psychological illnesses;
• genetic predisposition;
• constant depression and stress;
• gambling, alcohol or nicotine addiction.

Sleep apnea occurs as a side effect of medication. To avoid this, take your medicine as directed by your doctor.

Particularly susceptible to the condition:

• teenagers;
• impressionable citizens;
• introverts who keep experiences inside;
• people with nervous diseases.

Why is sleep paralysis dangerous?

Doctors in a voice repeat that the night stupor is not dangerous, visions arise due to psychological disorders. If a person is emotional, due to frequent sleep paralysis, there are psychological problems associated with the fear of dying, not talking, not waking up, not moving, going crazy.

The syndrome lasts for a couple of minutes that seem like an eternity. Main concerns:

1. Due to a strong fright, a spasm of breathing occurs, a heart attack.
2. Risk of mental health problems.

If the sleeping person is weak the cardiovascular system, with a strong fright after nocturnal paralysis, he may die. Doctors say the risk sudden death there is, but its percentage is minimal, currently not defined.

Condition does not bear negative consequences for a sleeping woman or man, if you do not get hung up. Suffice it to consider scientific explanation. If an individual experiences and believes in otherworldly forces, then soon a fear of falling asleep develops, since a similar phenomenon will recur. After a repeated attack, complications appear:

• fear;
• hallucinations;
• tachycardia.

To prevent witch syndrome from being dangerous, during a spasm, use the following tips:

1. Don't hold your breath. Accumulates in the lungs carbon dioxide, and the feeling of being unable to breathe will intensify.
2. Don't resist muscle weakness. While the muscles are in a sleepy position, it is difficult to wake them up, and the phenomenon will increase panic.
3. Don't breathe quickly. The phenomenon leads to hyperventilation.

How to get rid of sleep paralysis?

When stupor sets in, the mind wakes up, people realize that the phenomenon is temporary, and imaginary characters and sounds are an illusion, completely safe. It is necessary to wait and distract the mind. Read the poem, remember a bright event (positive or negative), count to 100, solve the problem, close your eyes. To instantly exit the state, just move your fingers.

• complete relaxation;
• tongue movement;
• cheek puffing;
• deep breathing.

If sleep spasm occurs frequently, consult a doctor who will prescribe treatment that will eliminate the causes of this condition. Therapy with drugs is prescribed when it is detected psychological illness. To get rid of the disease, patients keep diaries, where they indicate the dates of the onset of the syndrome.

With regular stupor, approach treatment in a complex manner. First, cure the existing diseases, against which sleep is disturbed.

If it is not possible to overcome paralysis without medication, the doctor prescribes medication:

1. Melatonin. It is prescribed for insomnia and taken a couple of hours before bedtime. Returns to normal after treatment arterial pressure improves immunity. The tool has contraindications: pregnancy, age up to 12 years, breastfeeding.
2. Vita melatonin. The drug is prescribed to stimulate mental activity and increase stress resistance. The maximum duration of treatment with the drug is 1 month. Side effects: allergies, disruption of the digestive tract.
3. Neurostabil. The drug is prescribed for people suffering from insomnia and sleep paralysis. dietary supplement based on herbal ingredients has a calming effect, due to which the body becomes more resistant to stressful situations. The drug has virtually no side effects, to eliminate stupor, drink for at least a month.

Allowed to take sedatives without a doctor's prescription: Novo-Passit, Afobazol, Tenoten, Persen. For complex treatment the doctor prescribes physiotherapy, specific procedures are determined by a specialist. These are massage, aerotherapy, relaxing baths, electrophoresis, electrosleep, galvanization, etc.

How to avoid the problem?

To get rid of sleep paralysis, eliminate possible factors appearance. These include:

• drinking strong coffee before bed;
• malnutrition;
• increased stress loads;
• shift in sleep and wakefulness;
• uncomfortable posture while sleeping.

At healthy people signs of nocturnal stupor occur up to 5 times a night, repeating. To avoid the syndrome, establish proper nutrition and rest, requisition strong emotional stress. Night attacks are due to the fact that the body lacks vitamins, and protective functions are declining.

To prevent stupor, take vitamins:

1. A. Contained in cheese, butter, protein and dried fruits.
2. B. There is in milk, potatoes, nuts, liver, cereals.
3. D. is present in fish and sunflower oil.
4. E. There are seeds, nuts, oil.
5. Vitamin C. Contained in berries, tomato, spinach, citrus fruits.
6. Potassium. Eat in vegetables, bananas.
7. Magnesium. Contained in pumpkin seeds, legumes, nuts.

It is necessary to establish a rest sleep pattern, falling asleep at the same time, waking up at the alarm clock, preventing the onset of an attack. Sleep should last at least 8 hours. If life is frequent stressful situations, you need to learn to avoid them or be more calm.

Nocturnal spasm is a common occurrence in healthy people. Don't treat it like a disease the right way life does not repeat itself. If a person is emotional, you need to contact a psychologist.

According to statistics, approximately 60% of the world's population claims to have experienced or periodically experience the symptoms of sleep paralysis. The term sleep paralysis is not classified as medical disease but nevertheless he has his reasons, characteristic symptoms and methods of elimination.

In physiology, sleep paralysis is similar to real paralysis, that is, a person cannot move a single muscle group, while he believes that full awakening has already come.

Ongoing research has made it possible to find out that sleep paralysis is explained by a violation of a person's passage of all phases of sleep. Quite specific reasons can lead to such an imbalance, and usually, immediately after their elimination, everything returns to normal.

Causes of sleep paralysis

Sleep paralysis occurs in two cases - at the moment when a person begins to fall asleep or vice versa, in the awakening stage. It is noted that muscle paralysis never occurs at the wake of an alarm clock, that is, stupor occurs at the time of the natural course of one of the phases of sleep.

At the time of falling asleep, a person is in the phase slow sleep, in which the muscles are already relaxed, and the mind is not yet turned off, and moreover, it registers the quietest sounds.

A sharp awakening at the moment of transition to deep sleep causes the activation of the brain, but at the same time the body cannot yet respond to impulses. That is, it seems to a person that the team from the brain departments gets to the right “address” for too long and the limbs react to it with a slowdown.

A similar condition is also recorded in people who wake up before the end of the REM phase. Despite the fact that many people think that they experience paralysis for more than 10 minutes, in fact this pathological process rarely exceeds 2 minutes.

Gradually, muscles begin to work, a person has a voice and the ability to make movements, but for a long time there is a feeling of experienced horror. Reasons for sleep paralysis include:

• Sleep deprivation, especially if it lasts for several weeks.
• prolonged stress and neurological disorders.
• A shift in biorhythms, for example, when flying from one time zone to the opposite one.
• Mental illness.
• Dependence on drugs, psychotropic substances.
• Sleep paralysis can develop while taking nootropics and antidepressants.
• Often given state occurs in conjunction with narcolepsy and occasional nocturnal leg cramps.

Some researchers argue that sleep paralysis has genetic predisposition. There have been cases of recurring bouts of sleep stupor in blood relatives. Therefore, if you have had similar cases among relatives, then you have a much greater chance of entering sleep paralysis.

For the first time, sleep paralysis most often begins to appear after 10 years and can disturb up to 20-25 years. In people middle age the state of immobility in sleep with the full work of consciousness is recorded much less frequently.

Most people experience paralysis from 1 to several times in their entire lives, but 5% of patients who turned to a neurologist were less fortunate - they have seizures up to several times a year or even a month.

How to call?

Sleep paralysis affects the psyche of most people in the same way - they get scared, afraid of repetition similar condition experience intense terror. But there are daredevils who try to artificially experience sleep paralysis in order to understand the secrets of their subconscious. There are certain body postures and techniques in which you can intentionally enter a sleep stupor:

• First you need to take a more conducive to paralysis position - lie on your back, and throw your head back, placing a small roller under your neck.
• It is necessary to achieve such sensations that arise when falling upside down with high altitude. That is, you need to achieve a feeling of weightlessness, cause noise and whistling in your ears, a gust of wind in your face. If you fully, as in reality, achieve this state, then you will experience sleep paralysis.
• You can make sleep paralysis if you achieve immobility in a dream and cause a strong fright in yourself. At the time of falling asleep, you need to remember what really scares you.
• Some people get sleepy stupor if they drink coffee before going to bed. At first, the phase of slow sleep will begin to act, but as soon as the caffeine interacts with the body's systems, the person will immediately wake up abruptly.

The onset of sleep paralysis is indicated by the appearance auditory hallucinations- you can hear steps in the room, extraneous rustles and even the movement of objects.

Symptoms

People experiencing or once subjected to the mechanism of action of sleep paralysis usually characterize their condition in approximately the same way. The most important thing is the immobility of any muscle groups with apparent full consciousness, often stupor is accompanied by unusual sound illusions. Signs of sleep paralysis include:

• Feeling of panic.
• Feeling pressure on upper part torso, especially chest and neck.
• Difficulty inhaling and exhaling, inability to make sounds.
• At the time of sleep paralysis, the heartbeat always increases.
• A person is not oriented in space, there is an illusion that he is in an unfamiliar place.
• From visual hallucinations, the fixation of shadows, unclear, dark silhouettes is noted.
• Auditory illusions are accompanied by noise, the movement of shadows around the room, some feel the breath of an outside creature next to them.

Such sensations in most cases occur in people who prefer to sleep on their back or on their right side, often tilting their heads back also contributes to a partial immobility of the body upon awakening. Some people find it easier to fall into sleep paralysis. This is due to their suspiciousness, anxiety, neurological disorders.

It is also possible to notice that a person is undergoing sleep paralysis by a nearby relative by muscle tension on the face, twitching of the arms or legs, intermittent, heavy breathing.

Treatment

Most neurologists believe that sleep paralysis in specific treatment does not need and it is impossible to deal with it in this way. But this is only if the person does not have depression, neuroses, sleep disorders, dependence on alcohol or drugs. Paralysis will periodically disturb until these provoking factors are eliminated.

In order to prevent further recurrence of an attack of sleep paralysis, it is necessary to achieve normalization of sleep. In some cases, the simplest tips help with this:

• Physical exercise must be done regularly fresh air. This approach to healthy lifestyle of life links together the work of the brain centers and muscles, which ensures the coherence of their functioning in all phases of sleep.
• Helps normalize sleep bad habits. No need to get carried away and strong tonic drinks in the evening.
• Before going to bed, the room should be well ventilated, it is advisable to take a relaxing bath or drink a decoction of soothing herbs.
• Try to fall asleep on your side. Tangible objects can be placed under the back, so that the flip on the back causes discomfort.
• need to sleep enough time - for some people it is 6 hours, for others a little more. You need to try to fall asleep at the same time.

How to get out?

In most cases, a stupor that occurs regularly in a dream can be interrupted in the following ways:

• During paralysis, you need to relax as much as possible and try to move your fingers or toes, make a sound.
• For some, activation helps to quickly return to a normal state. brain activity- counting numbers, problem solving, mental singing. Prayer is believed to help, but this is more due to the fact that you have to concentrate to remember the words.
• Breath control. Feeling paralysis, you need to try to make uniform, deep respiratory movements. By mastering this technique, you can always cope with paralysis.
• In a state of paralysis, it is usually possible to move the eyes. You can try several times to close and open the eyelids.
• If the state of paralysis recurs periodically, then you can ask your husband or wife to always pay attention to your behavior in a dream. It is enough to move a person or call out to him in order for him to quickly come out of a stupor.

It happens that sleep paralysis begins to visit a person almost every night or several times. In this case, it will not be superfluous to visit a specialist for examination and prescribing sedatives.

Why is sleep paralysis dangerous?

The state of terror that occurs with sleep paralysis plunges many into panic, but the stupor itself is not dangerous. In a few minutes, everything returns to normal, breathing and heartbeat normalize, and the person falls asleep again.

An informative video that talks about the causes and symptoms of sleep paralysis:

It is worse when sleep paralysis occurs periodically in too suspicious people. They may decide that they are subject to lethargic sleep, heart disease, neurosis. Constantly thinking about the upcoming stupor, a person causes insomnia and neurotic disorders which will require adequate treatment.

The inability to move for several minutes after waking up is called sleep paralysis. . This phenomenon is quite common and very unpleasant: few of those who have encountered it dream of repeating this experience. Most want to know how to get rid of sleep paralysis if it has already occurred, or how to prevent such attacks.

Sleep paralysis definition

In the list of diseases, sleep stupor (aka sleep paralysis) is absent. Nevertheless, this phenomenon is quite common: according to various sources, from 40% to 60% of people have encountered it at least once in their lives. In most cases, sleep paralysis occurs upon awakening. In a dream, a person is immobilized - this natural paralysis is completely normal, and its absence leads to somnambulism. Upon awakening, a person gains the ability to control his movements, and consciousness becomes clear. In rare cases, these moments do not coincide: the consciousness clears up, but the body remains motionless.

As a rule, sleep paralysis is accompanied by difficulty breathing, tachycardia, fear, and sometimes auditory hallucinations. It may seem to a person that there is someone nearby - such sensations are so typical that different nations From time immemorial, the state of sleep paralysis has been associated with the intervention of otherworldly forces. It is interesting that some not only were not afraid of this strange phenomenon, but also wanted to repeat it again. Until now, many believe that sleep paralysis is a great opportunity to “order” yourself the right dream, get answers from otherworldly forces to the most important questions or even leave the body shell for a while. There are special techniques to specifically induce sleep paralysis. . In this case, stupor does not occur upon awakening, but upon falling asleep, but its symptoms are no different from ordinary sleep paralysis.

Today, doctors have figured out the mechanism of sleep stupor, although it is still not known exactly what causes such an uneven awakening.

In about half of the cases, sleep paralysis (especially recurring) is a symptom of narcolepsy - nervous disease of unknown etiology, which is characterized by sleep disturbances. In addition, sleep paralysis can also occur in healthy people against the background of changes in the daily routine, change of time zones, chronic insomnia, stress, smoking and excessive alcohol consumption.

Sleep paralysis, despite the panic it causes, is perfectly safe. This condition does not lead to death or any health problems. But if sleep paralysis is repeated often, it leads to exhaustion of the nervous system, so if you have repeated attacks, you should consult a doctor. Your doctor will help you identify the cause. unpleasant phenomenon and will recommend how to avoid sleep paralysis in the future.

Preventive measures

Most of those who have had to deal with sleep paralysis are not at all eager to repeat this experience again. Indeed, in the lives of many, this phenomenon never happens again. To reduce the likelihood of seizures, certain preventive measures should be taken.

The easiest way to act "on the contrary." So, since sleep paralysis occurs most often when resting on your back, it is better to sleep on your side (sleeping on your stomach can lead to difficulty breathing, which will result in sleep paralysis). If insomnia leads to sleep paralysis, then you need to get enough sleep. Is stress on the list of triggers? Therefore, stress should be avoided as much as possible.

A healthy lifestyle is very effective in quality prophylactic. Proper nutrition cessation of smoking and alcohol , an active lifestyle and regular walks in the fresh air will help to avoid many health problems in general and with sleep in particular. But active sports, especially in the evening, are useless: it is believed that they contribute to the occurrence of sleepy stupor. You should also refrain from watching "bloody" news and thrillers.

Some medications can affect sleep patterns, including sleep paralysis. These drugs include almost all drugs that in one way or another affect the nervous system. These are antidepressants, nootropics, sedatives and sleeping pills. If sleep paralysis attacks occur while taking such drugs, it is necessary to inform the doctor about this - it is likely that a dose change will be required.

People suffering from somnambulism, that is, "lunatics", never suffer from sleep paralysis. But against the background of taking medications for the treatment of sleepwalking, attacks of sleepy stupor are quite possible. This indicates that the dose of the drug is chosen incorrectly.

What to do during an attack?

How should you behave if sleep paralysis does occur? The first attack usually takes people by surprise and causes real panic. However, there is no good reason to panic: this symptom is completely safe and lasts no more than five minutes, and most often no more than two minutes. Awareness of this fact will allow you to treat sleepy stupor calmly.

Don't try hard to tense your muscles or move your arms or legs. Too much stress will only make things worse. It is better, on the contrary, to relax as much as possible and calmly wait for the strong feeling fear. After that, you can try to clench your fingers into a fist or wiggle your toes. If this fails on the first try, it's okay: it means that you just need to wait a little longer. It is only important to remain calm.

In most cases, such simple measures are enough - the attack passes without a trace, leaving behind only memories. And although it is difficult not to be nervous when the ability to move is lost, and breathing is difficult, it is quite real: you just need to remember that attacks of sleep paralysis are fleeting and pass quickly.

When a person wakes up in horror from the feeling that someone terrible is sitting on his chest and choking him, this only means that he met with sleep paralysis, which means that panic is inappropriate. The state on the verge of sleep and reality has been playing such “fun” games with the human brain and body since ancient times. To counter this harmless but frightening phenomenon that irritates the nervous system and interferes with normal sleep, you just need to deal with it and help yourself.

What is sleep paralysis or "old witch syndrome"

Sleep paralysis is one of the interesting physiological phenomena studied by somnology (medical and neurobiological research of sleep), which since ancient times has a mystically frightening name "syndrome old witch' or 'old hag'.

Sleep stupor or paralysis is a specific condition that occurs on the border of sleep and awakening, manifested in the form of a pronounced muscle weakness- short-term paralysis of the muscles, not having pathological and not hazardous to health.

It seems to a person that he is fully awake, but is unable to move, although he sees and hears everything. At the same time, this phenomenon is accompanied by a feeling strong fear, and not just because of the inability to move or speak. The “victim” feels an invisible heaviness and pressure in his chest, as if an evil witch, as in ancient beliefs, sits on his chest and is about to strangle him. For this reason, the majority associates this state with the attack of otherworldly forces, and if 200 - 300 years ago they were witches, spirits, brownies and genies, then today they are mainly aliens, "aliens".

For one person, an attack of sleep stupor can happen once in a lifetime, for another - several times during the night, which is directly related to emotionality and the state of the nervous system. Single attacks of this type of sleep disorder in healthy people are noted in 30 - 40%, periodic in 5 - 6%.

Based on long-term studies, doctors say that the syndrome is completely harmless.

The main thing to remember: during sleep paralysis, nothing threatens a person, he will not die, he will not go crazy, he will not fall into Sopor. He wakes up and everything will be fine.

Causes and risk factors

Based on many studies in neuropsychology and neurochemistry, it has been established that sleep stupor develops as a result of a disorder in the function of sleep regulation. In this case, the following happens: certain parts of the brain have already “woken up”, and the muscle reaction is delayed, or, conversely, the muscles completely relax, ahead of the moment the person is completely immersed in sleep.

Forms of manifestation

It is known that sleep includes phases of REM and non-REM sleep (FBS and FMS, respectively). According to the time of development, two forms of muscle stupor are distinguished:

1. In form I (hypnagogic), the old witch syndrome occurs in a semi-drowsy state, and the moment of entering REM sleep (FBS) has time to be recognized by the brain. Normally, when falling asleep, the brain turns off a couple of seconds before the physiological relaxation of the muscles, so the person does not remember when this happens.
2. In II (hypnopompic) and the most common form, sleep paralysis overtakes the "victim" upon awakening at the stage of REM sleep. And most often - if he lies on his back, especially - with his arms thrown over his head.

Much less often, muscle paralysis happens if a person sleeps on his stomach and on his side. And it never occurs when the alarm goes off, the light is turned on in the room, or forced to wake up. That is, the old hag syndrome develops only at the time of the natural transition from sleep to awakening, and vice versa.

What Happens When a Witch Attacks

Doctors consider sleep paralysis as a functional (not painful) condition in which the processes of turning on consciousness and muscular system work not synchronously (not simultaneously).

Hypnagogic paralysis

If, when falling asleep, the muscles managed to relax, and the body practically “fell asleep”, but the consciousness has not yet turned off, the person feels that he is not able to move and even utter a word, and since he does not know the reasons, he has a real panic.

Hypnopompic paralysis

Occurs at the moment of awakening. How deeper sleep the greater the relaxation of the muscles. In the FBS phase, the muscles are practically disabled, and brain activity, on the contrary, is sharply increased (we will have dreams).

If at this moment the part of the brain responsible for consciousness is half awake, and the part of the brain responsible for motor functions, still “dozing”, the person is aware of reality, but since the signals to the neurons of the muscle fibers have not yet reached, he is not even able to move, which gives rise to a feeling of defenselessness and horror.

To come into tone, the muscles need time from 5 - 10 seconds to 2 - 3 minutes. This is how long sleep paralysis lasts, but this short-term state seems to stretch for many tens of minutes. By at least, this is how a person who has been attacked by an “old witch” feels.

Risk factors

Although in the vast majority of "injured" cases, the syndrome is not associated with neurological or mental disorders, it is not uncommon in people suffering from certain types parasomnias (sleep disorders) such as narcolepsy (irresistible drowsiness) and somnambulism (sleep walking).

AT rare cases, along with many other signs, sleep stupor can serve as a symptom of manic-depressive psychosis (bipolar disorder).

It should also be emphasized that very frequent visits of "witches" are typical for people suffering from vegetative-vascular dystonia with panic attacks. This further upsets the nervous system, so such patients need to understand the essence of sleep paralysis and not be afraid so as not to provoke a panic attack.

Factors predisposing to the onset of an imbalance in regulatory mechanisms sleep include:

• violation of the quantity and quality of sleep (lack of sleep, insomnia, frequent change sleep mode);
• hereditary predisposition;
• acute stressful situations and latent (hidden) long-term psycho-emotional stress, often - not realized by the person himself;
• long-term use of certain medications, including tranquilizers, antidepressants;
• dependence on alcohol, drugs, substance abuse;
• having restless legs syndrome;
• the habit of sleeping lying on your back.

The “old witch” visits people of different sexes and ages, but more often teenagers from 12 years old and young people under 25 years old are subject to her “attack”.

Symptoms and signs

External manifestations and internal sensations during different form have both similarities and differences.

Table

Diagnostics

For most people, sleep paralysis is not a pathology. However, given that in rare cases it can be one of the symptoms of mental disorders, it is better to consult a doctor for a diagnosis, especially if:

• sleep paralysis does not occur once, but develops regularly, and even more so if it happens every night, day or several times a night;
• the symptoms of nocturnal stupor are very pronounced and exhaust the nervous system;
• a person cannot figure out what is happening to him, and is very afraid;
• the syndrome is accompanied by other sleep disorders (sleepwalking, irresistible daytime sleepiness, nocturnal insomnia, vivid nightmares);
• sleep paralysis develops in parallel with other unpleasant symptoms: panic conditions during the day, development unmotivated aggression, a feeling of split personality, excessive suspiciousness, suspicion.

To put accurate diagnosis and exclude mental illness, in practice they use the following methods:

1. Keeping a diary, which describes all cases of nocturnal paralysis with detailed sensations and symptoms, is indicated accompanying illnesses, risk factors (for 4 - 6 or more weeks). Based on the diary, the specialist will quickly determine the cause of sleep paralysis in a particular case.
2. Polysomnography - computer research sleep with fixation of data on a polysomnogram.

If the old hag syndrome is not under itself serious pathologies in the psyche, no abnormalities were detected on the polysomnogram. In addition, this study helps to identify other parasomnias (anomalies in behavior during sleep).

During the examination, if all the signs are severe and disturb the patient, he is referred to a somnologist - a doctor who studies sleep disorders.

Treatment

The most common syndrome special treatment does not require. If this condition torments a person, it is recommended to study the algorithms for getting out of it. If it is a sign of neurological disorders, therapy should be aimed at these diseases.

How to behave during an attack of sleep paralysis

It is difficult to block an attack of sleepy stupor of one's own free will in the first seconds, since common sense in half-asleep has not yet awakened either. But to drive away the "evil witch" is quite within the power of any person.

First of all, a clear realization is needed that a person’s experiences at the arrival of the “old witch” do not have any otherworldly power, are short-lived and harmless. This thought should be the first one, which, like fire in the night, will warm the soul and calm the frizzy nerves.

To cope with panic during an attack of sleep stupor, you should adhere to the following rules:

What NOT to do:

• no need to feverishly resist muscle weakness, since it has been proven that until the muscles “wake up”, the fight against paralysis will increase panic, creating a feeling of being bound by invisible fetters;
• no need to hold your breath, which often happens when you are frightened - this leads to the accumulation of carbon dioxide in the lungs and aggravates the feeling of being unable to breathe;
• you should not breathe quickly and shallowly - this leads to hyperventilation (excessive ventilation of the lungs), which, again, exacerbates unpleasant experiences.

What you NEED to do to wake up from a nightmare:

• do not strain, but try to relax;
• inhale deeply;
• since a person is not able to unstick his lips, it is necessary to make a sound from the nasopharynx such as a moan, growl or “mooing” - as loudly as possible;
• close your eyes sharply, even if they are closed;
• start moving your tongue or puff out your cheeks;
• try to make a small movement - move your thumb on the hand or foot;

In addition, intellectual “movements” of the brain help a lot, for example, counting from 1 to 10 and back, or a vivid memory of events that happened the day before, and not necessarily a pleasant one (for example, how you were scolded at work for being late);

Such actions quickly enough help to begin to control your body.

When Prayer Is Priceless

Reading a prayer will help both the believer and the atheist. Since it is difficult to concentrate in a state of panic, it is better to say to yourself a short but most effective magic spell in Christianity - the Jesus Prayer.

After an attack

After the final awakening and throwing off the "shackles of the old witch" follows:

• roll over to the right side;
• drink water with a sedative tincture;
• those who don't have diabetes, you can eat delicious candy or a piece milk chocolate(this, firstly, stimulates the production of “happiness” enzymes and calms, and secondly, increase the blood sugar content, which decreases at night, causing a drop in pressure, which can also indirectly affect the development of the syndrome);

Some calm down when they turn on the light, wash cool water, but similar actions usually very encouraging. And in such cases, it is better to work out a certain scheme of actions yourself, which definitely works.

Based on research data, people with an analytical, critical mindset get out of sleep paralysis calmer and faster, “turning on” logic, and are less depressed after an attack.

After a Dementor attack, a smart professor advises Harry Potter to eat a chocolate bar, because it helps well after an attack of sleep stupor

Medical treatment

If sleep stupor causes significant anxiety and does not allow sleep, or if a specialist identifies more serious reason this condition, the patient is prescribed medications, including antidepressants, tranquilizers.

It is extremely dangerous to take them on your own with this type of sleep disturbance, since very often they themselves are factors provocateurs of the syndrome. It requires a very careful selection of dosages and the appointment of specific drugs with a minimum "side effect".

Self-approved over-the-counter sedatives:

• Novo-Passit (Great Britain) in syrup and tablets;
• Unisin (Finland);
• Alvogen-Relax;
• liquid extract of passionflower;
• Valevigran (in capsules);
• tincture of elusive peony, valerian root, motherwort;
• Motherwort extract in tablets;
• Persen and Persen-forte;
• Valoserdin, Valocordin, Corvalol;
• Bellanaminal;
• Afobazole;
• Dormiplant;
• Tenoten;
• Valosedan;
• Sedariston;
• Nervoflux;
• Adonis bromine;
• Bromocamphor;
• herbal preparations Fitosed, Fitosedan.

In many sedatives, including vegetable, there are components that are not recommended for children, women who are expecting a baby, people with heart disease or high blood clotting. Certain substances provoke. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully check the composition of the drug and contraindications.

Folk remedies

Sedatives traditional medicine render positive influence on sleep processes and the nervous system. But, since any medicinal herbs have contraindications (for example, oregano, hops, tansy are not recommended during pregnancy), home recipes should be treated with the same caution as when using pharmacy drugs.

Some recipes:

Infusion of cyanosis blue

Cyanosis azure almost 10 times stronger than the root valerian as a sedative herbal remedy. The infusion is used for depression, nervous disorders, fright, neuroses of the heart and even rabies.

For 200 ml of boiling water, take a teaspoon of crushed dry rhizomes and cyanosis barks, keep for half an hour in a water bath (or insist 8 hours). Drink infusion of 50 - 100 ml after meals.

Milk pine broth

A handful of pine needles boil in milk (250 - 300 ml) for about 10 minutes. Drink a tablespoon up to 4 times a day, after meals.

Valerian milk

Milk (warm boiled) and valerian root tincture are taken in equal proportions, mixed and drunk three times a day, 150 ml each.

Infusion of flowers and herbs

A good sedative is obtained from a mixture of rosehip flowers, oregano stems, valerian roots and sweet clover, mint, which are taken in equal proportions. Two tablespoons of the mixture is poured with boiling water (1 liter), infused for 20 minutes, filtered and taken 100 ml before meals 3 times a day.

oatmeal broth

Oat grains (400 - 500 grams) are washed in cold water, pour boiling water (1 liter) and cook until the grains are half soft. Drink a glass every day, adding honey.

hawthorn tea

Dry hawthorn fruits in the amount of 2 tablespoons are poured with boiling water (2 cups). Infuse the drink for 2-3 hours and drink in small doses (2 teaspoons) up to 5-6 times a day before meals and always at bedtime.

Photo gallery of medicinal herbs that help with sleep paralysis

Aromas to help you relax

If not, do not ignore the opportunities that aromatherapy gives a person. For this purpose, aromatic candles, pads with “sleepy” herbs, warm baths, to which decoctions are added, are also used. herbal preparations. If oils are used, they must all be exclusively natural.

Juniper, chamomile, lavender, cypress, bergamot, chamomile, orange help to fall asleep calmly. Ylang-ylang, sandalwood, rose, neroli relieve fears and anxiety. Vanilla oil works great as a delicious relaxing agent.

With faith in the other world

If people suffering from sleep paralysis are heavily influenced by the occult or are simply unable to free themselves from irrational fear in front of the hostility of the "old witch", will not interfere at all, but will only calm the presence of "light" plants in the room.

Since ancient times, herbs and their smoke have been used, which surround a person with protection from bad dreams, spirits and other inexplicable phenomena. The strongest include: wormwood, laurel (common bay leaves), thistle, juniper, blue cornflower, basil, consecrated willow.

Prevention measures

AT specific prevention there is no need, all measures are elementary and logical. If this condition is provoked by neurological disorders, dystonia, panic attacks and any nervous tension, prevention involves mandatory identification and treatment of these diseases.

People who are healthy to one degree or another should change their lifestyle:

• develop a rest regimen for yourself, which includes a mandatory 7-8-hour night's sleep;
• wake up on an alarm clock, a television timer, which will eliminate sleep stupor, which develops only during natural awakening;
• ask loved ones to wake themselves in the morning and at night if they are watching strange symptoms(groans, tension of facial muscles, feeling that a person is having a nightmare);
• acquire outdoor sports habits (running, walking, football);
• not to engage exercise and do not eat before bed, because the activation of muscle fibers and digestive processes interfere with restful sleep;
• if possible, "get away" from stress, prevent conflicts, and if they are inevitable, treat them as natural situations (a matter of life, as Carlson says);
• before going to bed, use sedatives, warm baths, relaxing massage, drink herbal tea, milk with honey;
• for those who love sweets - do not deny yourself pleasure, except for eating dark chocolate and cocoa;
• turn on beautiful, relaxing music before going to bed in a well-ventilated room;
• eliminate before bed mental activity: watch news and movies, computer games and active communication in social networks, preparation for lessons, exams, nightly intellectual work (this activates the work of the brain, which cannot relax for a long time).
• do not sleep on your back with your arms behind your head.

Thus, in most cases, sleep paralysis is a physiological condition and is not a sign of insanity or mental pathology, but simply indicates that nervous system exhausted by stress, anxiety or working in a state of prolonged stress.

The old hag syndrome does not pose an objective threat to either health or life. It is possible to prevent night attacks by optimizing sleep patterns and lifestyle. If the syndrome develops against the background panic disorder, parasomnia, including sleepwalking and neurolepsy, a psychotherapist and a somnologist will provide the necessary medical assistance.