i am worried about sleeping and wonder if its all in my head what i get is i sleep and dream of nice things but after a while i wake up quick like im fighting for my life to stay alife my arms feel longer and numb and i breath ok but i feel i cant feel my heart sometimes when i am awake im fine is when i sleep it happens is this normal or is there something i should worry about in my health wise please can u help me i m really scared to sleep now during the day when i do sleep im fine but at night it happens alot to me i feel this isnt right for me anyway thank you im only 36
Answer
wHAT YOURare experiencing is normal natural phenomenon. Its called sleep paralysis and hypnangogic hallucinations. Only if it happens every day accompanied by daytime sleepiness could it be narcolepsy. What happens is the body and brain are supposed to wake up and go to sleep together, but once in awhile for unknown reasons, there is a lapse and so one is between awake and asleep, dreaming with ones eyes open unable to move. Dreams are so vivid and frightening and scary. I who have narcolepsy get it often, however sometimes just knowing its normal makes them happen much less. If they are too bothersome, your md can put you on low dose antidepressants, which hold back the dreaming,but even on the meds, the brain has to dream its the way our body rests during the night, so even on the meds they break thru. What may help is 3 hours before sleep stay away from alcohol, caramel colored soda like coke, pepsi, ginger ale, chocolate, tea, coffee, caffeine, and exercise all this make for restless sleep. 30 minutes before bedtime take a hot bath and lastly take a glass of warm plain milk. Milk when heated contains tryptophan a natural amino acid sleep inducer which will put you in a deeper sleep and may help this. go to sleepnet.com click on disorders narcolepsy, and read about the two symptoms. but for now relax its scary, but normal also when you are in it though im too petrified when i get mine, but some have more calmness in them, if you simple move your eyes from right to left it breaks the cycle. good luck, relax youre normal feel free to email again karel
