Thought I Was Alone In This!

by Kristine
(Florida, USA)

I am doing research on sleep disorders for my psychology class and came upon one of the stories posted here. It was exactly what had happened to me only a few weeks ago! I frequently remember my dreams in vivid detail and occasionally have difficulty determining whether what I just dreamed was actually happening or not. So when this happened to me I didn't know what to think!

I woke up early in the morning, still dark in my room, to the feeling that I was being held down by my arms and legs. My head was turned to the right a little, and I couldn't seem to move it, but I could see. (I've been told I sleep with my eyes partially open, so maybe that's why I could see and some others here could not.) I remember feeling and thinking it was a person holding me down, just that they were towards my left so I couldn't see them, and as long as I looked to the right and not at them, they'd go away. After what seemed like forever I could finally move. My heart was racing and I was terrified! I think I was dreaming during this because I was convinced something horrible was present and responsible for holding me down. I was terrified also of going back to sleep, but after a bit I eventually did until my alarm went off.

I had no idea what to make of it until I read some of the posts here. So thank you everybody for sharing your stories and giving me reassurance that this is a relatively common condition, even though it is dreadful when it happens!

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