10 Things to Do During a Sleep Paralysis to Feel Better

Last Updated on 2022-09-26 , 12:34 pm

Some of us may have encountered the sensation of being held down by an unseen force during the middle of the night and being unable to move.

It is a very traumatic experience as you are fully conscious however you are unable to move or scream for help. This experience actually has a scientific term for it and it is called sleep paralysis. It is normal and according to scientists, it can be prevented.

To know more about sleep paralysis, watch this to the end:

Here are 10 ways you can get yourself out of sleep paralysis!

1. Don’t resist
If you encounter the feeling of being held down, it is unwise to fight back as it will aggravate the situation and make you feel worse due to the emotional centers of your brain being activated, causing you to feel more fear.

2. Calm yourself down
When you encounter sleep paralysis, it is advised to calm yourself down by reminding yourself that this is sleep paralysis and it is a normal occurrence. If you feel there is pressure holding you down, do not fight against the pressure and instead let it follow through.

3. Moving your extremities
A tried and tested method that some people who have encountered sleep paralysis use is to move their extremities such as their fingers or toes. Focusing your attention that away from the usual points of pressure during sleep paralysis such as the chest and abdominal areas may help to relieve the sensation of sleep paralysis.

4. Clenching your fist
This method is similar to the one mentioned above, the difference is that instead of moving your fingers or toes, you clench and unclench your fists repeatedly.

5. Control your breathing
Breathing may sometimes help to fight off the feeling of sleep paralysis as it will lessen the feeling of chest pain that accompanies sleep paralysis. One reason for that is due to the fact that breathing is a normal bodily function, just like our heartbeat, therefore it is not affected during the sleep paralysis.

During sleep paralysis, one may feel breathless as they are under severe fear and they forget to breathe normally. Once you breath normally, the feeling of sleep paralysis may subside and disappear.

6. Distract yourself
When you encounter sleep paralysis, sometimes thinking about your loved ones or your religious beliefs may help as it will take your focus away from the sensation of sleep paralysis and let it run its course.

7. Seek help from your sleep partner
If there is someone sleeping next to you, you may seek help from them during sleep paralysis as there are signs which they can notice. If your partner notices that you start to breathe abnormally, he or she can help by waking you up.

8. Coughing
Coughing is also a bodily function that you can control during sleep paralysis, if possible, try coughing hard a few times and it may help to drive the feelings of sleep paralysis away.

9. Moving your eyes
During sleep paralysis, your eyes are one of the body parts that are not affected by this problem. For some who have encountered sleep paralysis, they recommend that moving your eyes may help relieve the symptoms of sleep paralysis.

10. Scrunch your face
This method is highly recommended and thought to be foolproof by many experts. If you feel the signs of sleep paralysis setting in, you should start scrunching your face and imagine something disgusting, doing so repeatedly will break the state of sleep paralysis.

After which, you should wake up immediately, turn on the lights and wash your face. If you remain in bed, there is a high possibility that the feeling of sleep paralysis may set in again.