Sleep paralysis
I've only ever had this happen to me once and it was the second most frightening thing that i've ever experienced.

Woke up, couldn't move but was fully aware of where i was.

I heard the front door open and could hear something shuffling up the stairs and although i didn't know what it was i was positive that it was pure evil and wanted to do me harm. It then opened my bedroom door and i could tell it was just above my face as i could smell it but fortunately i couldn't open my eyes.

Then nothing, all the fear was gone in the blink of an eye and everything was normal as if it hadn't happened.

The next day i went down and asked my mum and dad if they'd heard anything but of course they hadn't as it was merely the product of my fucked up imagination.

I'm glad i don't remember much from dreams if this was a typical example.
(Harold's hip man!!, Thu 3 Jul 2008, 12:37, 14 replies)

not sure ive ever had it
but my brother used to complain about it loads, waking up not being able to move and sensing there was something in the room with him, some scary shit i have no doubt, i shall now touch lots of wood (not that sort you filthy people)
(pogo_it, Thu 3 Jul 2008, 12:43, closed)

sleep paralysis
This is the result of your brain waking up before the rest of your body...

quite a common occurrence, and believe me, can be used to your advantage.
(scotsbloke, Thu 3 Jul 2008, 12:46, closed)

^^ What he said
my flatmate gets this, and has managed to control the "dreams" to a point he can get women to take all their clothes off.
( Madam Marlboro wonders if you've found her yet, Thu 3 Jul 2008, 12:53, closed)

Argh
I've had this, but never with the sense of something being in the room with me.

It really scared the shit out of me as I was wide awake, but completely unable to move. It took an almighty effort to move my arms and legs, and I don't think I've felt relief like I did when I could eventually move again.
( Moey, Thu 3 Jul 2008, 13:17, closed)

Cant scream...
When it happened to me first of all I treid to scream my head off but could make a sound....

Seconds time there was a figure standing over me trying to strangle me.....
(Lip Up Fatty Fatty Reggae still loves BBQ food on, Thu 3 Jul 2008, 13:41, closed)

it's pretty common
Never ever (thank the lord above, I would poo myself) suffered from it, but know at least 2 people who get it regularly

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_paralysis
(tinypod will never learn. Ever., Thu 3 Jul 2008, 14:07, closed)

I get this a lot
Usual triggers are extreme stress, or bizzarely if the room is too hot.

I'm so used to it I can tell when it's going to happen these days, I get aura (like when you are going to have a migraine) in the form of buzzing, like there are a million bees in my head and I can literally feel myself falling or sinking or even floating away from myself. Sometimes it's terrifying. Your body produces a chemical to stop you acting out your dreams and unfortunately it has halucinogenic qualities.
(GirlOfTheWorld, Thu 3 Jul 2008, 14:50, closed)

I get this a few times a month
And it never stops being bloody distressing. The worst ones are when I feel like I'm being held down and I can feel a malevolent presence in the room- but I can never see anything. I also feel like I want to scream but can't- although my flatmate usually tells that she can hear me screaming through the walls when it happens.

Edit: The wiki page mentions treatments, but only drug-based ones which I'm not particularly keen on. Especially for something that has a negligible effect on my life. I think I shall do some research...
(I Was a Teenage Spaceship, Thu 3 Jul 2008, 15:08, closed)

I suffered from sleep paralysis for years.
Or, more accurately, hypnopompic hallucination - otherwise known as Night Terrors.

It would start with paralysis. Then the hum would begin. Something invisible would press me down into the matress. Then the bed would rise from the floor and begin to thrash around in mid air. It was the most terrifying experience I have ever encountered and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.

A few years ago it started to happen on a night when I was particularly exhausted. I shouted angrily in my mind "Fuck off! I can't be arsed with this tonight!" and it stopped immediately and, touch wood, hasn't happened again since.
( Slippery Jim Seeking a psychotic lady for fun & sex & crime., Thu 3 Jul 2008, 15:15, closed)

I myself....
...have never had what i can only describe as 'the fear' part of this but ive heard its a common occurance.

I have had the paralysis part though. I sleep on my front and i remember opening my eyes, face mashed into the pillow and simply not being able to move.

Not pleasant guys, seriously
(Grove is the collector of WOO and hoarder of YAY, Thu 3 Jul 2008, 16:43, closed)

yep...
... have had this a couple of times, quite simply the most terrifying thing I have ever experienced. Being unable to move is bad enough, but as I normally sleep on my side curled up, wakening up lying flat on my back in the middle of the bed with me arms straight out to the sides and me legs together and straight down, unable to scream was shityerself scary. The only other comparible fear I've had is a sudden feeling of falling whilst dreaming, and suddenly wakening up thinking the world has ended. Thankfully I've not had it for a while, but...
(clearasmud, Thu 3 Jul 2008, 21:37, closed)

Blinkey blimes...
Knew it wasn't only me but I have actually now begun to use this to my advantage.. It started when I was about 15 and the first time was when I lived at home and my bedroom door was locked from the inside. My sister had, at the time, a very distinctive sounding bracelet and although I had my back to the room, in my bed, I heard her going through my dresser drawers - she was 10 miles away and defo not there.. anyhooooo, after that I got it about once a week and all I could think to do was call for my mum which, obviously, I couldn't do which panicked (sp - apologies) me further. Moving out the next year seemed to make it a lot worse and I suffered 'sleep terrors' where I would wake up frantically trying to get moths out of the bed that I could see but no one else could.

In that year the sleep paralysis (or whatever people like to describe it as) got to it's worse and I used to feel myself standing on my feet in the middle of the bed (and could see the view that went with it), could see and feel someone at the end of the bed pulling the duvet off me, had the feeling of breath on my back and throughout it all was paralysed and couldn't move a muscle.

Got proper sick of it after a while and, gradually, began to make myself think whilst it was happening that this wasn't going to be a bad thing - I can turn this round... and after a LOT of fear and a lot of practice I can now actually feel my other half cuddle me which is nice as he is half way round the world :-)

Sorry - normal length joke in here :-)
(Senora Veranos cannot and will not so ner..., Fri 4 Jul 2008, 2:07, closed)

ooh yeah
I had this too ages ago, woke up and there was a giant floating head telling me to leave the village or he would kill me! I was only about 8 and not being able to move was awful, weirdly I remember the next day someone was talking about it on the radio and how it feels like you can't breathe.
( TGB checking Off Topic is still shit at, Tue 8 Jul 2008, 15:51, closed)

weird...
I've had this too.. Where I'm awake but can't move, I often then get a sense that there are people milling round in my room.. I'm usually scantily clad and if this happened when I was actually awake I'd be very afraid and/or pissed off! But I just feel unfazed and quite passive and wish they'd piss off so I can go back to sleep... its very surreal. It happened a lot when I lived down in Bristol but not now I've moved.. which is odd..
(miss.spanky.pants .. is looking for a handsome prince..., Wed 9 Jul 2008, 0:15, closed)