A BT news report examines the disorder of sleep paralysis, including treatment, causes, and diagnosis.
We asked Dr Nerina Ramlakhan, Silentnight sleep expert, for the facts…
What exactly is sleep paralysis?
“Sleep paralysis occurs when the body goes into a state of paralysis, while we dream. It’s normal for your muscles to be paralysed at certain times when you’re asleep.
“However, sleep paralysis occurs when the mechanism that causes your muscles to relax during sleep temporarily persists after you’ve woken up, which leaves you unable to speak or move and, in some cases, causes disturbing hallucinations and a sense of dread.
“This can be very frightening for some, and can last from a few seconds to several minutes.”
