Question
Hi there,
I'm 23 and this has only happened a couple of times to me but both quite recently. I'm not convinced they are hypnagogic hallucinations or sleep paralysis based on previous explanations, perhaps you can help.
The closest I can describe it to is what I would expect being put on Adenosine for a fast heart rate might feel like. There is a sense of slowing down, not paralysis (I can quite readily wake up), and it doesn't feel like a myoclonic sudden waking up, but almost like my heart itself might slow down and (as other people have said) the feeling I mightn't wake up again. Im pretty sure my HR is normal (having checked after an episode), but I'm concerned about cardiac symptoms due to arrythmia in the family.
Anyway, it may well be Hypnagogic / paralysis - but most other people have described a weighting down which I have not experienced. Anything sound familiar that you can help identify?
Answer
It sounds like sleep paralysis/hallucinations , understand im not a doctor. i suffer from narcolepsy and get it often sometimes i feel a weighing down sometimes not, as far as the heart rate sometimes i felt it beat faster which has to do with the fear of the paralysis/hallucinations. If however after you awake you still have the heart beat feeling say after 15 minutes after the episode then it could be cardiac, since your family has a history of arrythmias some doctors say may mean something to the off springs or it may not affect you. But as long as you have yearly echo, cardiogram /stress tests and their normal , it probably is the sleep paralysis. Go to sleepnet.com click on narcolepsy and read about those 2 symptoms. also talk about sleep.com has weekly on line shows you can consult a sleep md, other then that Im afraid I cant give you any more info however when it comes to sleep disturbances I can tell you that they vary from person to person.feel free to email again karel
