Waking up to scary monsters in your room is anything but normal. While it does sound unreal, it is a very real problem. Sleep paralysis occurs when one is just about to fall asleep or has woken up. Those who suffer from sleep paralysis report hallucinations (often scary ones), pressure on their throats, and aren’t able to move or speak. On the flip side, they’re able to see, feel, and hear what’s going on. This is why sleep paralysis is so scary in the first place.
You feel vulnerable because you can’t move or even make a sound. To make matters even worse, um, there’s a horrifying hallucination looming over you. Luckily, each episode only lasts a couple of seconds up to a few minutes. Plus there’s something you can do about it. You’re not as powerless as you think.
Mantra
A mantra is a word, phrase, or sentence that you repeat to yourself. It’s used to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. During sleep paralysis, a good mantra can be, “This is only temporary”, or “There’s nothing to be scared of”. In a way, mantras serve as a realistic perspective.
Relax
The first thing we notice before or after we fall asleep is our inability to move. As a result, we’re left anxious, worried, and confused. Struggling and fighting only makes it worse. In this case, try your best to relax and it’ll go by fast.
Happy Thoughts
The trick is to distract yourself from what’s going on (strange figures roaming around your room). It could be a person, pet, activity, vacation, or anything that you’re looking forward to. As long as the thought makes you happy, you’ve got nothing to worry about.
