Night Frights
“I’m paralysed. How am I going to walk the dog?” was my immediate reaction when I opened my eyes one Spring morning, eight years ago. The sun was streaming under the curtains, it was a beautiful morning…and I couldn’t move a muscle. While my limbs were paralysed, my mind, on the other hand, was overactive, and my thoughts flipped wildly between “I’ve got locked-in syndrome” and “the house is haunted – we’ll have to move!”. Both equally terrifying. I couldn’t even scream or alert my husband. The only thing I could do was close my eyes and hope it would go away…which of course it did. That was my first (and hopefully last) experience of sleep paralysis and the syndrome known as “hypnopompia”… 
My sleep routine is not good; I play on my devices until very late evening…I go to bed far too late for a good night’s sleep before I wake up…my fibromyalgia doesn’t help with falling asleep and probably contributes to my insomnia…I wake up several times during the night, and I eat what I want during the evening…
That experience eight years ago prompted me to research sleep issues which led to an amazing discovery…not only did I learn about disorders, but I was able to relate my own experiences, and those of my husband, to recognised disorders…
Hypnogogia
When we go to sleep our aim is to reach the stage 4 rapid eye movement deep level of sleep, as this is where our brain processes stresses and moves them from the limbic system to our more rational pre-frontal cortex, to be processed in a more narrative, helpful way. To reach this stage we have to move through non rapid eye movement stages. As we transition from being awake to being in the first stages of sleep we can experience highly sensory phenomena such as visual images, muscle jerks, sounds and sensations. I remember the sensation of what seemed like a small creature sliding into the bed next to me and pushing what felt like a small hand up through my lightly clenched fist. I’ve also had a sensation of landing, following a fall, and, on many occasions, I’ve felt my arms jerking. At this time we are moving from alpha to theta brainwaves and our rational pre-frontal cortex activity is decreased, while our secondary visual cortex and other brain regions stay active, resulting in visual and auditory hallucinations.
Hypnopompia
This is the reverse effect, where the brain is transitioning from sleep to being awake. As well as my sleep paralysis experience described above, my husband has experienced waking and being aware of a long-haired lady moving around the room, before seeing me fast asleep. This was a very vivid experience for him, and he took some convincing that, not only was it a hypnopompic experience, but it was a fairly well-known phenomenon. During sleep paralysis the amygdala (part of our limbic system associated with fight, flight and freeze) is particularly active and there is reduced activity in our rational pre-frontal cortex. When we wake suddenly from our stage 4 rapid eye movement sleep, our brain may have been processing stresses in the form of dreams and, as a self-defensive mechanism, sleep paralysis prevents us from acting on our dreams.
Night Terrors
Affecting mainly children, but also experienced by adults, night terrors are mainly experienced during the earlier sleep stages and may involve screaming, thrashing about, jumping out of bed and eyes being open but not awake. There will be little recollection in the morning. There are several factors that can contribute to night terrors, including watching a scary film, stress, anxiety, antidepressants, sudden noises and sleep apnoea.
Hypnic Jerks
These happen just as we are about to fall asleep. It can be the whole body, but is usually the legs. They can be brought on by stress or caffeine, as well as not enough sleep.
Studies (Blackmore, Cox, 2000) suggest that these experiences are very common, with up to 70% of people experiencing something at some stage. This may even account for at least some paranormal claims.
All these issues can feel very alarming but please be reassured that they are not uncommon. If they persist, check with your GP. Treatment can include cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and counselling. If you experience sleep paralysis; acknowledge it for what it is, close your eyes and try to go back to sleep.
Let’s look at how we can improve our sleep routine
- A warm bath will relax muscles, and cooling down afterwards will release melatonin, the sleep-inducing hormone
- Switch off electronic devices at least an hour before bedtime
- Keep the bedroom cool
- Avoid alcohol from early afternoon
- The scent of lavender dabbed on a pillow can be relaxing
- Similarly, hops can have a sedative affect, although their aroma may not be as attractive as lavender
- A Progressive Muscle Relaxation is a lovely way to wind down. Starting from your head and working down, or from your feet and working up, slowly clench each muscle group, hold for a few seconds, then release and feel the tension flowing away. This is especially relaxing when using music such as meditation music
I hope you have found my article interesting. If you think my solution-focused hypnotherapy can help with insomnia and related anxiety please don’t hesitate to contact me.
debbie@backontrackhypnotherapy.co.uk
07375 122742
Resource Reference
Blackmore, S, Cox, M, Alien Abductions, Sleep Paralysis and the Temporal Lobe, available at: https://susanblackmore.uk