Causes and reviews of sleep paralysis. What is sleep paralysis or old witch syndrome - causes and dangerous consequences

Sleep paralysis (sleep stupor) is a fairly common phenomenon. It is not included in the international classification of diseases for a number of reasons, but there is a considerable amount of information in scientific publications of foreign authors.

Mentions of sleep paralysis can also be found in the works of historians from around the world. There is a historical name for the phenomenon - “witch syndrome”, which is explained by the outdated view of it as the arbitrariness of supernatural forces.

Data

As the name suggests, sleep paralysis is inextricably linked to the process of sleep. This condition occurs at the beginning of falling asleep, or after waking up in the morning, but in any case - in the rapid phase of sleep. IN general outline, sleepy stupor is characterized by complete immobilization upon restoration of consciousness after awakening.

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In other words, being in a clear consciousness, a person is not able to perform any actions. This unusual phenomenon lasts only a couple of tens of seconds and is not at all life-threatening, but even this time interval is enough to experience unpleasant, frightening and obsessive emotions.

Thus, people who have experienced a state of sleepy stupor describe panic, fear of approaching death, various kinds of hallucinations, difficulty breathing, and others. discomfort. According to statistics, this phenomenon occurred at least once in almost 40% of healthy people, usually young. Characteristic is the lack of need for special treatment.

A few other facts about sleep paralysis:

an episode of sleep paralysis can be controlled and even prevented;
the duration of the attack is from several seconds to one or two minutes;
You can completely stop an attack using a strong stimulus, for example, a loud sound or a flash of light;
pathognomonic (cardinal) symptom – inability to speak and move;
most often develops in adolescents and young adults;
quite widespread in the world, estimates range from 5 to 60%;
safe for the body, but requires exclusion more serious problems with health;
There is wide variability in the frequency and intensity of paralysis between individuals.

Causes

To date, sleep paralysis syndrome has been studied in detail by somnologists. It has been established that its occurrence is due to an imbalance between the regulatory influence of the brain and tone skeletal muscles. Thus, deep sleep is accompanied by maximum muscle relaxation, while the shallow sleep phase is characterized by an increase in muscle tone and even the occurrence of some involuntary muscle contractions.

The alternating change of two phases normally occurs gradually, without sharp fluctuations in muscle tone and brain activity. However, in some cases, a person may suddenly wake up a little earlier than his muscles receive the corresponding signal from the brain.

The reason for this is an imbalance in the interaction of neurotransmitters such as melatonin, choline, serotonin. It also causes hallucinatory manifestations and disorientation in the environment.

After a couple of minutes, the muscles will react to the late command and the person will be able to carry out the movements. But precisely in these couple of minutes, while conscious, he is actually completely paralyzed and unable to even speak.

In addition to the immediate causes of sleep paralysis, there are predisposing factors. These include:

hormonal disorders - the neurotransmitter system is subject to misregulation due to an imbalance of other hormonal systems;
previous use of psychoactive drugs and drugs, alcohol dependence;
violation of sleep and rest patterns (rapid change of time zones, irregular working hours);
chronic lack of sleep;
frequent stressful situations;
comorbid mental disorders;
genetic predisposition;
young age;
previous nervous shock - loss of loved ones, accident, fire.

In addition, a dependence of the occurrence of symptoms on the sleeping position has been noted: sleep paralysis most often occurs when falling asleep on the back, and extremely rarely - on the right side.

Symptoms

Manifestations of sleepy stupor arise from its pathogenesis. In the vast majority of cases, a person wakes up and suddenly finds himself absolutely helpless. He is unable to move his limbs or call for help while being lucid and having clear thoughts.

This combination of symptoms provokes fear of approaching death, a feeling of pressure on the chest, difficulty breathing and difficult-to-control panic. Neurotransmitter imbalance leads to the appearance of hallucinations of various types, most often visual and auditory (one of the names of the syndrome is hypnagogic sleep paralysis).

So, a person feels the presence or touch of a stranger in the room, hears other people's voices. There may be false perceptions of opening doors, moving furniture and one's own body.

In addition, against the background of a panic attack, sweating increases significantly, the breathing rhythm is disrupted, and headache and myalgia. It is noteworthy that the attack occurs only during natural awakening and cannot be provoked by external awakening stimuli. After the restoration of a normal state, a person who has clearly captured all his experiences is not sure of their reality.

Diagnostics

Since sleep paralysis is not a nosological entity and is not included in the International Classification of Diseases, a diagnostic algorithm has not been developed for it.

As a rule, people begin to think about sleepy stupor on the basis of the patient’s subjective experiences, which are characterized by a certain stereotypicality. A reasonable suspicion of this condition is supported by identifying risk factors, clarifying the genetic history, and excluding more serious mental disorders. Studying the sleep structure using special equipment can help.

It would not be superfluous to record the symptoms and conditions of their occurrence in a special diary if such signs appear regularly. If a connection between symptoms and signs of other neuropsychiatric disorders is revealed, diagnostics are carried out in the appropriate direction.

Night terrors	The sensations are very similar to an attack of sleepy stupor, but differ from it in the absence of muscle relaxation. On the contrary, in this state a person can cause physical injury to himself and others. In addition, the cause of such fears is strong soul feelings, and the duration significantly exceeds that of paralysis and reaches 15-20 minutes. Falling back to sleep occurs easily and calmly.
Sleepwalking	A condition with a genesis opposite to sleep paralysis. In this case, there is a phase disorder deep sleep. Sleepwalking is typical for children aged 7-13 years and is manifested by a lack of clear consciousness with fully coordinated muscle movements. The classic image of a sleepwalker is a sleeping person unconsciously walking around the rooms, unable to explain his behavior if he is awakened at this moment.
For nightmares	Symptoms of pronounced emotional arousal occur against the background of bright and colorful dreams with a scary plot for a person. The awakening of the sleeper occurs at the peak of the horror that happens to him in a dream. Unlike sleep paralysis, in which the symptoms disappear after full awakening, in the case of a nightmare, emotional stress continues for a long time, and falling back to sleep is very problematic. Frequent nightmares may indicate a mental disorder.
Talking in your sleep	More often associated with overwork and stress. There are no other signs of sleep phase disturbance, however, when chronic, such a disorder can trigger the mechanism of sleep paralysis.
Confusion	It often occurs after waking up, usually in the morning. This condition has a medical definition - pathological drowsiness. This disorder is caused by a violation of the deep sleep phase and is characterized by muscle weakness and general lethargy.

Treatment

It is useful for a person who regularly encounters witch syndrome to know the procedure for relieving this unpleasant and frightening condition. In most cases, you can take the necessary steps on your own, but sometimes the help of a loved one, such as a spouse or parents, can help.

First of all, if you experience an attack of sleep paralysis, you should never panic. If you experience a feeling of suffocation, it is important to remember that breathing is not actually impaired. Taking a few deep breaths helps a lot.

You can also try to scream. It will not be possible to scream physically due to general relaxation, but the increased brain activity at this moment will send a signal to the muscles and bring the body out of the stupor. To stop an attack, it is useful to wash your face cold water and cheer up a little.

Rational therapy under the supervision of a specialist consists of taking antidepressants and drugs of other classes.

Prevention

Prevention takes a leading place in measures to eliminate the manifestations of witch syndrome. First of all, it is necessary to significantly reduce or completely eliminate the influence of provoking factors.

Getting rid of various kinds of addictions (primarily alcohol and drugs), avoiding stress, normalizing the daily routine, bringing sleep within the limits of physiological needs - all these steps reliably prevent the disorders in question.

Taking into account the dependence on the preferred posture during sleep, in some cases attacks can be reliably prevented by simply changing the body position when falling asleep.

improving sleep conditions, within which you can change bed sheets and pajamas, improve ventilation and indoor microclimate, optimize lighting;
regular exercise should not end later than a couple of hours before bedtime;
before going to bed, it makes sense to relax with a calm activity - this could be a good book or soothing music;
TV, working with a computer and a hearty dinner before bed are strictly prohibited not only in this context, but also in relation to all other neuropsychic disorders;
daytime sleep, if necessary, should end before 15 hours and should not exceed 90 minutes;
Dozing should be avoided during other hours, especially in the first half of the day;
It is very important not to be left alone with the problem. By telling a loved one about what is happening and enlisting their support, you can eliminate one of the risk factors – worry and stress.

How to induce sleep paralysis

Not everyone finds sleep paralysis an unpleasant experience. There are a number of people who deliberately strive to fall into a sleepy stupor. It turns out that you can provoke an episode of paralysis yourself.

You just need to follow the following instructions:

Use a posture that promotes paralysis	On the back with the head thrown back, often in the absence of a pillow.
Try to accurately reproduce the sensations that occur when you quickly fall headfirst	Gravity effect, wind, whistling and ringing in the ears, the feeling of the approach of the earth and an imminent impact.
Experience fear	The technique involves maximum relaxation and drowsiness, after which you need to remember or feel something terrible.
Intense exercise before bed	Push-ups or quick squats cause increased heart rate and relative oxygen starvation that help achieve the desired effect.
In some cases, sleep stupor syndrome can be caused by too much sleep.	You need to get a good night's sleep, but after waking up, do not get out of bed, that is, do not load your skeletal muscles. After some time, drowsiness will make itself felt again, and at this moment a combination of still clear consciousness and completely relaxed muscles appears.

Is it dangerous?

As already mentioned, sleepy stupor does not pose any threat to life. All the symptoms that bother such people have a scientific basis.

Recommendations for stopping an attack have been no less scientifically developed. Moreover, if sleep paralysis bothers you often enough, a person is subconsciously ready for the next episode, accepts it quite calmly and finds a way out of the situation without any problems.

Thus, sleep paralysis syndrome is a benign, non-life-threatening condition. By excluding risk factors, high-quality diagnosis and adequate therapy, in most cases it is possible to completely get rid of unpleasant symptoms.

According to statistics, approximately 60% of the world's population claim to have experienced or periodically experience symptoms of sleep paralysis. The term sleep paralysis is not classified as a medical disease, but nevertheless it has its own causes, characteristic symptoms and methods of elimination.

In terms of physiology, sleep paralysis is similar to real paralysis, that is, a person cannot move a single muscle group, while believing that full awakening has already occurred.

Conducted research has revealed that sleep paralysis is explained by a person’s disruption of all phases of sleep. Very specific reasons can lead to such an imbalance, and usually immediately after they are eliminated, everything returns to normal.

Causes of sleep paralysis

Sleep paralysis occurs in two cases - at the moment when a person begins to fall asleep or vice versa, at the stage of awakening. It is noted that muscle paralysis never occurs when the alarm clock rings, that is, stupor occurs during the natural course of one of the phases of sleep.

At the moment of falling asleep, a person is in the slow-wave sleep phase, in which the muscles are already relaxed, and the consciousness is not yet turned off and, moreover, registers the quietest sounds.

A sudden awakening at the moment of transition to deep sleep causes activation of the brain, but the body is not yet able to respond to impulses. That is, it seems to a person that a command from parts of the brain takes too long to get to the desired “address” and the limbs react to it with a slowdown.

Similar condition It is also recorded in people who wake up before the end of the REM sleep phase. Although many people feel like they experience paralysis for more than 10 minutes, in reality this pathological process rarely exceeds a 2-minute period.

The muscles gradually begin to work, the person gains a voice and the ability to make movements, but the feeling of horror remains for a long time. Causes leading to sleep paralysis include:

Lack of sleep, especially over several weeks.
Long-term stress and neurological disorders.
Biorhythm shift, for example, when flying from one time zone to the exact opposite.
Mental illnesses.
Dependence on drugs, psychotropic substances.
Sleep paralysis can develop while taking nootropics and antidepressants.
Often this condition occurs in conjunction with narcolepsy and periodic night leg cramps.

Some researchers argue that sleep paralysis has a genetic predisposition. Cases of repeated attacks of stupor during sleep in blood relatives have been recorded. Therefore, if you have had similar cases among relatives, then you have a much greater chance of going into sleep paralysis.

For the first time, sleep paralysis most often begins to appear after 10 years and can bother you until the age of 20-25. In mature people, the state of immobility during sleep with full consciousness is recorded much less frequently.

Most people experience paralysis from 1 to several times throughout their lives, but 5% of patients who consulted a neurologist were less fortunate - their attacks recur up to several times a year or even a month.

How to call?

Sleep paralysis has the same effect on the psyche of most people - they get scared, are afraid of a repetition of a similar state, and experience severe horror. But there are brave souls who try to artificially experience sleep paralysis in order to understand the secrets of their subconscious. There are certain body postures and techniques in which you can intentionally enter a sleepy stupor:

First, you need to take a position that is more conducive to paralysis - lie on your back, tilt your head back, placing a small cushion under your neck.
It is necessary to achieve the sensations that arise when falling upside down with high altitude. That is, you need to achieve a feeling of weightlessness, create noise and whistling in your ears, and a gust of wind in your face. If you completely, as in reality, achieve such a state, you will also experience sleep paralysis.
You can create sleep paralysis by achieving immobility in your sleep and causing severe fear in yourself. When you fall asleep, you need to remember what really scares you.
Some people achieve sleepy stupor if they drink coffee before bed. First, the slow-wave sleep phase will begin to take effect, but as soon as caffeine interacts with the body's systems, the person will immediately wake up sharply.

The onset of sleep paralysis is indicated by the appearance of auditory hallucinations - you can hear footsteps in the room, extraneous rustles, and even the movement of objects.

Symptoms

People who experience or have once experienced the mechanism of action of sleep paralysis usually characterize their condition in approximately the same way. The most important thing is the immobility of any muscle groups with apparent full consciousness; stupor is often accompanied by unusual sound illusions. Signs of sleep paralysis include:

Feeling of panic fear.
Feeling of pressure on top part torso, especially on the chest and neck.
Difficulty in inhaling and exhaling, inability to make sounds.
During sleep paralysis, your heart rate always increases.
A person does not orient himself in space, and the illusion arises that he is in an unfamiliar place.
From visual hallucinations there is a fixation of shadows, unclear, dark silhouettes.
Auditory illusions are accompanied by noise, the movement of shadows around the room, some feel the breathing of a foreign creature next to them.

Such sensations in most cases occur in people who prefer to sleep on their back or right side; often throwing back the head also contributes to partial immobility of the body upon awakening. Some people find it easier to fall into sleep paralysis. This is due to their suspiciousness, anxiety, neurological disorders.

A nearby relative can also notice that a person is experiencing sleep paralysis by tense muscles in the face, twitching of the arms or legs, or intermittent, heavy breathing.

Treatment

Most neurologists believe that sleep paralysis does not require specific treatment and cannot be dealt with in this way. But this is only if the person does not have depression, neuroses, sleep disorders, or addiction to alcohol or drugs. Paralysis will periodically occur until these provoking factors are eliminated.

In order to prevent a recurrence of an attack of sleep paralysis in the future, it is necessary to achieve normalization of sleep. In some cases, the simplest tips help with this:

It is necessary to regularly exercise outdoors. This approach to a healthy lifestyle links together the work of the brain centers and muscles, which ensures the coherence of their functioning in all phases of sleep.
Helps normalize sleep bad habits. There is no need to get carried away with strong tonic drinks in the evening.
Before going to bed, the room should be well ventilated, it is advisable to take a relaxing bath or drink a decoction of soothing herbs.
You should try to fall asleep on your side. You can put tangible objects under your back so that turning onto your back causes discomfort.
You need to sleep a sufficient amount of time - for some people it is 6 hours, for others a little more. You should try to fall asleep at the same time.

How to get out?

In most cases, you can interrupt the regularly recurring stupor in a dream in the following ways:

During paralysis, you need to relax as much as possible and try to move your fingers or toes, or make a sound.
For some, it helps to quickly return to a normal state by activating brain activity - counting numbers, solving a problem, mentally singing. Prayer is said to help, but that's more because you have to concentrate to remember the words.
Breathing control. If you feel paralysis, you should try to make even, deep breathing movements. Once you master this technique, you can always overcome paralysis.
During a state of paralysis, it is usually possible to make eye movements. You can try to close and open your eyelids several times.
If the state of paralysis recurs periodically, then you can ask your husband or wife to always pay attention to your behavior in your sleep. It is enough to move the person or call out to him for him to quickly come out of his stupor.

It happens that a person begins to experience sleep paralysis almost every night or several times. In this case, it would be a good idea to visit a specialist to conduct an examination and prescribe sedatives.

Why is sleep paralysis dangerous?

The state of horror that occurs during sleep paralysis plunges many into panic, but stupor in itself is not dangerous. Within a few minutes, everything returns to normal, breathing and heartbeat normalize, and the person falls asleep again.

An educational video that talks about the causes and symptoms of sleep paralysis:

It’s worse when sleep paralysis occurs periodically in too suspicious people. They may decide that they are susceptible to lethargic sleep, heart disease, and neuroses. Constantly thinking about the impending stupor, a person causes insomnia and neurotic disorders, which will require adequate treatment.

Sleep paralysis is a condition that occurs during sleep and is associated with the functioning of muscular system. Let's take a closer look at its signs, methods of treatment and prevention.

Have you ever encountered a situation where you are unable to move while waking up in the night? This condition is called nocturnal stupor and requires special attention. Up to 5 such attacks may occur in one night, which are accompanied by strong feeling fear, auditory or visual hallucinations. But it is not life-threatening. To date, the pathology has not yet been included in International classification diseases. But when diagnosing it, somnologists and neurologists use the coding of parasomnia. The disease is caused by an imbalance between brain functioning and tone muscle tissue.

ICD-10 code

G47 Sleep disorders

Causes of sleep paralysis

Many doctors and scientists believe that involuntary seizures during sleep are a biological process designed by nature. The causes of sleep paralysis are associated with desynchronization of the processes of the motor system and consciousness. Its main factor is based on problems with the nervous system. Most often, the malaise occurs in adolescents, but both adults and children suffer from it. It has been established that in some cases the cause of the disorders is a genetic predisposition.

The main reasons for the imbalance:

Shift in daily biorhythms due to a change in time zone or climate.
Hormonal disorders.
Alcohol and drug addiction.
Use of medications, antidepressants.
Mental illnesses.
Lack of adequate sleep and insomnia.
Disorders of the nervous system, stress, neuroses.
Hereditary predisposition.
Sleeping on your back.

Stupor is associated with disruption of the REM sleep phase, when the body is most relaxed. A similar state is possible during the period of falling asleep. In this case, muscle paralysis occurs due to the fact that the skeletal muscles relax faster than the brain. Many patients mistakenly associate this phenomenon with mental disorders, but this is not the case. Paralysis is characterized by night awakenings in an immobilized state, difficulty breathing due to constriction chest, the feeling of someone else's presence nearby.

Pathogenesis

Over the centuries, night attacks have been described by various scientists and physicians. Very often they were spoken of as the action of otherworldly forces. In many cultures, there are stories about creatures, due to whose influence the sleeper became defenseless. About 40% of the world's population regularly experiences this ailment, especially teenagers. Sleep paralysis can be congenital and inherited. The disorder occurs with mental disorders, in the phase of shallow or disturbed sleep, when falling asleep or waking up. Taking medications and narcotic drugs, stress, and sleeping on your back at night can also provoke attacks.

Scientists have studied many cases of night stupor, and all of them are based on sleep phase disturbances. Pathogenesis is associated with restless and shallow sleep. Paralysis occurs at the stage of awakening or falling asleep. In the first case it is called hypnopompic, and in the second hypnagogic. As you fall asleep, your body gradually relaxes and your consciousness becomes cloudy. But this does not always happen; in some cases, a person falling asleep is unable to move or produce a word, which causes fear and so-called paralysis. Hypnopompic occurs upon awakening, after the REM sleep phase. The whole process is divided into two stages, the duration of which is about 1.5 hours:

Slow eye movement (slow eye movement) - real sleep comes in the second phase - this is 75% of the night's rest. It is during this period that the process of restoring strength lost during the past day begins.
Rapid sleep (active eye movement) - after slow sleep comes rapid sleep, and dreams appear. During this period, desynchronization of the processes of the motor system and sleepy consciousness is possible, since sleep is already passing, but the body is still unable to move. It lasts about 2 minutes, but the sensations and impressions received remain in the memory. This period may be accompanied by suffocation, hallucinations, and tinnitus. Panic intensifies significantly when a person realizes that he cannot move or call for help. If a person knows what is really happening, then the acute symptoms smooth out or disappear.

Seizures occur only when you wake up on your own. They do not appear during violent awakening, that is, due to loud sounds, screams, knocking and other factors. The disorder may be accompanied by narcolepsy, that is, an irresistible desire to fall asleep. This is due to a pathological condition of the brain due to the lack of regulation of sleep and wakefulness.

Symptoms of sleep paralysis

A condition that borders between sleep and wakefulness and is accompanied by visual or auditory hallucinations is nocturnal stupor. Symptoms of sleep paralysis are very often confused with neurological and mental disorders. Most often it occurs when falling asleep and has a number of characteristic features, let’s consider them:

Eye movement is preserved, but the sleeper cannot speak or move.
Auditory and visual hallucinations, the sensation of someone's presence or touch.
A feeling of squeezing in the chest, it may feel like someone is standing on it.
Panic fear and waking dreams.

According to medical statistics, about 20%-60% of people have encountered a similar disorder at least once in their lives. The problem is based on a violation of the REM sleep phase, when the body is as relaxed as possible, but there are no dreams. If atony, that is, relaxation occurs before complete sleep, then this leads to paralysis.

First signs

An imbalance between the functioning of the brain and the tone of muscle tissue, like a number of other pathological conditions, has the first signs that make it possible to recognize it. Let's look at them in more detail:

Cardiopalmus
Difficulty breathing due to a feeling of pressure on the chest
Disorientation indoors
Fear, panic and lack of understanding of what is happening
There is a feeling that the body is moving separately from consciousness
Hallucinations

When they appear, you need to relax as much as possible and wait a little for the attack to pass. Particularly susceptible to the disorder are people who are suggestible, with a weak psyche, introverts and those with exhausted nervous system. These signs can hardly be called typical for most diseases, but they can appear in mental disorders. They are formed by temporary disturbances in the functioning of various brain mediators.

Sleep paralysis syndrome

A nocturnal phenomenon characterized by complete or partial immobility during the period of falling asleep or waking up is sleep paralysis syndrome. The sleeper retains the ability to visually inspect. That is, having fallen into a state of stupor, a person can only open his eyes and look around the room. This may cause visual, tactile or auditory hallucinations. Breathlessness and suffocation appear, perhaps a feeling of someone's presence in the room. Having woken up, the sleeper is faced with a feeling of horror, the presence of something dangerous.

Hypnagogic hallucinations that occur between sleep and wakefulness are divided into the following categories:

Intruder – various sounds (stomping, doors opening, wheezing) and the appearance of shadows.
Incubus – difficulty breathing and suffocation. There is a feeling of impending death.
Vestibular-motor group: sensation of being outside the body, falling, levitation.

Another name for it is old witch syndrome. Medicine considers this pathology as a violation of one of the phases of sleep. Physiologically, this is similar to natural paralysis, but lasts no longer than a couple of minutes.

Complications and consequences

Why is sleep paralysis dangerous? Anyone who has experienced night attacks has probably wondered why sleep paralysis is dangerous. The malaise is accompanied by a state of horror, causing many to panic, but is not a threat to life. After a couple of minutes, everything returns to normal, breathing and heartbeat return to normal, and the person falls asleep again. Constantly thinking about the upcoming sleep, a person provokes neurotic disorder and insomnia, which require medical treatment.

In most cases, stupor is not dangerous, but if it occurs on a regular basis and interferes with your night's rest, you should consult a doctor. Medical assistance will be required if at the time of the disorder you are undergoing treatment for epilepsy, narcolepsy, bipolar disorder. In other cases, it is recommended to follow a routine, ventilate the room before going to bed and try not to sleep on your back. But if an attack does occur, then you should not be afraid, since it is associated with sleep disturbances and physiological characteristics of the body, and not with the influence of aliens or otherworldly forces.

Night pathology does not pose a particular danger to human life, but can cause a number of consequences. First of all, these are nervous and mental disorders, a state of stress. Due to a lack of understanding of what is happening, the sleeper is faced with a feeling of fear and panic. This is possible if several attacks occur during the night.

But it is necessary to understand that an unpleasant condition is a temporary phenomenon that will quickly pass. Therefore, you need to relax as much as possible and not concentrate on it. To speed up awakening, it is recommended to try moving your fingers. You should not attach any significance to the visions that arise during an attack. Whatever you see or hear is not real.

Consequences are possible if a person becomes fixated on what happened, connecting it with various diseases or the influence of otherworldly forces. Against this background, neurosis develops, problems with sleep due to the fear of experiencing paralysis again. In rare cases, it is associated with deep-seated psychiatric problems. But this is often a sign that the body is confused about the stages of sleep.

A disorder of the system of waking up and falling asleep raises many questions and fears associated with it. This can be explained by its unusual symptoms. Anyone who has encountered this pathology has probably wondered whether it could cause complications.

The main complications of sleep paralysis:

Labored breathing
Feeling of horror
Tachycardia
Auditory and visual hallucinations

These symptoms may persist for some time after the attack. If it occurs in people with a weak psyche, then against this background various nervous disorders requiring medical attention.

Diagnosis of sleep paralysis

If problems with waking up at night appear regularly, you should consult a doctor. Diagnosis of sleep paralysis is based on the patient's complaints. Symptoms that cause discomfort and disrupt the normal routine are studied. Very often, chronic fatigue and lack of sleep appear against this background. Taking an anamnesis allows you to develop the correct therapeutic approach to eliminate the ailment.

Diagnosis is carried out by a somnologist - a specialist who studies sleep problems. During the study, the patient will be asked to keep a diary for several weeks to record episodes of paralysis and the sensations that arise at this moment. It is mandatory to study family history, as well as night's rest to ensure the absence of other pathological disorders.

Basic methods for diagnosing nocturnal phenomenon:

Tests, surveys, interviews - this diagnostic complex necessary to collect patient complaints, study signs of the syndrome and its other features.
Polysomnography - the patient is placed in a special laboratory sleep. Monitored using sensors brain activity and performance respiratory system. The movements of the chest, blood oxygen saturation, and the volume of inhaled and exhaled air are studied. This study allows you to fully study all 5 stages of sleep, record the disorder and determine its cause.
Study of average sleep latency - used to identify narcolepsy. Night attacks may be associated with this neurological disorder, which is characterized by excessive sleepiness and difficulty controlling sleep.

The main rule of diagnosis is A complex approach. In addition to the methods described above, psychological, neurological and psychological research is carried out. The chronological type of the patient and the presence of diseases that provoke paralysis are determined.

Analyzes

Laboratory research methods are used in the diagnosis of any disease. Tests allow you to more accurately determine the cause pathological condition. Do not forget that sleep paralysis is not a medical diagnosis and is therefore classified as a parasomnia. The need for laboratory tests depends on the symptoms of the disorder and the ability to study predisposing factors. Tests are prescribed if more complex disorders are suspected, causing an imbalance between the functioning of the brain and the tone of muscle tissue.

The patient may be prescribed a blood test to determine leukocyte agents if there is a risk of developing narcolepsy. Certain types of agents relate to genetic material and therefore help in identifying autoimmune diseases. According to medical statistics, 20% of the world's population has an antigen associated with narcolepsy.

Instrumental diagnostics

There are many factors that can trigger disruption of one of the sleep phases. Instrumental diagnostics are necessary to identify the root cause unpleasant condition. The research is carried out by a somnologist and a neurologist.

Basic diagnostic method is a polysomnography with video monitoring. It identifies sleep phases, analyzes their course and possible failures. The doctor receives information about brain activity, respiratory and cardiovascular systems. In addition, the patient undergoes capnography and pulse oximetry. This is necessary for tracking and analyzing emotional, affective and motor reactions.

If cerebral organic pathology is suspected, computed tomography and MRI of the brain, ultrasound of extracranial vessels are performed. An assessment of the psycho-emotional state using a neuropsychological examination is also indicated.

Differential diagnosis

The desynchronization of the processes of the motor system and consciousness is similar in its symptoms to neurological disorders. Differential diagnosis allows you to separate this condition from a number of other pathologies. On initial stages the defect is similar to parasomnia, that is, sleep disturbance at the moment of awakening. Its main difference is that there is very rapid eye movement, as well as sleepwalking, nightmares and confusion of consciousness.

Paralysis is similar to parasomnia and nightmares. But night terrors are characteristic of both pathologies. With parasomnia, they last longer - more than 15 minutes and after them sleep is interrupted. The stupor ends quickly, after which the person falls asleep again.
Sleepwalking is not considered a sign of a disorder. But short-term immobility can provoke it. Most often this occurs due to the hereditary nature of the ailment.
Confusion occurs due to disruption of the deep sleep phase. Because of this, upon awakening, severe muscle weakness appears, which is similar to the immobility during the night phenomenon.
The syndrome is differentiated from epilepsy using EEG monitoring and provocative tests. The patient undergoes a consultation with an epileptologist.

Differential diagnosis makes it possible to thoroughly understand the situation and identify its true causes.

Sleep paralysis or old witch syndrome

If you wake up at night from suffocation in a state of horror and at the same time feel a foreign presence, then you have sleep paralysis or old witch syndrome. This condition is associated with specific physiology and sleep phase disturbances. This occurs at the stage of falling asleep or in the pre-sleep period. The person cannot move, shout or utter a word. This lasts from a few seconds to a minute; upon waking up, the sleeper feels a state of panic and horror.

The old witch syndrome has been studied for many centuries and is described in many religions, where it is associated with the action of various otherworldly forces. Thus, in Orthodoxy, attacks are associated with demons, and the Muslim faith explains them as the tricks of genies. Mythology around the world has its own explanation for the disorder. But, despite the panic and fear, stupor is not dangerous. In order to prevent it from occurring, it is enough to normalize the time of night rest, minimize stress and other factors affecting night rest.

Treatment of sleep paralysis

Disruption of one of the sleep phases is not a disease. Treating sleep paralysis is not an easy task. This is due to the fact that the pathological condition cannot be treated conservative therapy, but can become chronic. Based on this, the defect from time to time goes into remission, but during exacerbation it worsens the quality of life and negatively affects the central nervous system.

Treatment consists of the following stages:

Organizing a proper daily routine. It is necessary to give up bad habits and lead an active lifestyle. You need to prepare for a night's rest in advance: ventilate the room, take a bath, that is, relax as much as possible. Last appointment food should be 3 hours before bedtime.
Strengthening the body. A properly selected course of vitamin therapy will increase resistance to external irritants. Special attention It is worth paying attention to the diet; food should be rich in vitamins and minerals necessary for the normal functioning of the body.
Treatment chronic diseases. This is one of the factors that can cause sleep problems. Timely treatment of neurological, mental and other diseases is the key to healthy sleep without waking up.

The success of treatment largely depends on timely initiation of therapy. If the imbalance appears on a regular basis with several attacks per night, then the help of a neurologist and somnologist is required.

Medicines

Since desynchronization of the processes of the motor system and consciousness is not classified as a disease, there are no specific drugs intended for its treatment. All therapy is based on eliminating factors that negatively affect sleep and the body’s recovery process. But if non-drug methods are not effective enough, then the doctor prescribes medications. As a rule, these are drugs that improve the process of falling asleep and are used for insomnia, frequent awakenings and other pathological conditions.

If the doctor determines that painful sensations caused by injuries and other factors provoke the disorder, the patient is prescribed Ibuprofen, Diclofenac or other painkillers with a sedative effect.
If paralysis is associated with emotional disorder, then use Triazolam or Nitrazepam. For depressive disorder, Chloral hydrate or Amitriptyline is indicated.
When changing time zones, working in night time days, as well as for attacks in elderly patients and with a weakened body, use Flurazepam, Zolpidem or Temazepam.

Properly selected medications restore normal sleep, eliminating night awakenings, as well as the associated feelings of fear and panic. Let's take a closer look at popular medications:

Melatonin

Melatonin is a substance produced by the pineal gland and is also called the sleep hormone. Natural production depends on biological clock body, that is, the change of the day-night cycle. The substance has antioxidant activity and prevents the formation of free radicals.

Indications for use: sleep disorders, insomnia, delayed sleep phase syndrome, regulation of the biological cycle during frequent time zone changes. The drug stimulates the immune system and stabilizes blood pressure.
Melatonin comes in tablet form and is therefore intended for oral administration. For adult patients, I prescribe 1-2 tablets 1-2 hours before bedtime, for children over 12 years old, 1 capsule before bedtime.
Adverse reactions occur extremely rarely. This is possible if the prescribed dosage is exceeded. Stomach discomfort, headaches and depression appear.
Contraindicated for use in children under 12 years of age, during pregnancy and lactation. The medicine is taken only as prescribed by a doctor.

Vita-melatonin

Synthetic analogue of melatonin. Its action is based on inhibition of the secretion of adenohypophysis hormones. Increases serotonin levels, normalizes circadian rhythms and the biological cycle of sleep and wakefulness. Improves stress resistance, mental and physical performance.

Indications for use: treatment and prevention of circadian rhythm disorders, frequent change of time zones. Helps with chronic insomnia, spontaneous awakenings at night and other sleep disorders.
The tablets are taken orally with water. Adults are prescribed 1-2 pieces. a day 30 minutes before bedtime at the same time. The duration of therapy should not exceed 1 month. The dosage for the prevention of pathologies of night rest is determined by the doctor. As a rule, 1-2 tablets per day 30 minutes before bedtime for 2 months.
Side effects occur in many organs and systems. Most often, patients complain of allergic skin reactions, rash, itching, and gastrointestinal disorders. Headaches and migraine attacks, frequent mood changes, decreased visual acuity, and muscle pain are possible. To eliminate them, you must stop taking the drug and consult a doctor.
Contraindications: individual intolerance to a component of the product, leukemia, epilepsy, autoimmune diseases, diabetes. Not used during pregnancy and lactation, as well as for treating patients childhood. In case of overdose, disorientation and prolonged sleep develop. Symptomatic therapy is used for treatment.

Neurostabil

Dietary supplement of plant origin with general strengthening and soothing properties. As a rule, it is prescribed for patients with frequent attacks, when the pathology has caused fear of falling asleep. Plant composition The drug increases the body's resistance to stressful situations. The phytocomplex contains the following components: motherwort herb, oregano herb, folic acid, peony root, hop cones, calcium, potassium chloride, magnesium oxide, vitamins B, A, C, D, PP.

Indications for use: sleep problems, biological cycle disorders, neuroses, high level stress, increased neuro-reflex excitability, insomnia, headaches and migraines, frequent seizures. Effective for acute and chronic stress with somatic diseases.
The method of administration and dosage are selected individually for each patient. Adults are prescribed 1-2 capsules 2-3 times a day with meals, and for children 1 capsule per day. Standard therapy takes 30 days; if necessary, treatment is extended.
Side effects are possible if you are intolerant to the components of the drug. Since Neurostabil has vegetable origin, it is well tolerated, provided the prescribed dosages are followed. Contraindicated for use in case of hypersensitivity to the components of the product, during pregnancy and lactation.

In addition to the medications described above, you can use sedatives herbal remedies(Valerian, Motherwort, Peony root), but only as prescribed by a somnologist or neurologist.

Vitamins

Well-being and health largely depend on a good night's rest. Various attacks, frequent waking up and associated stress undermine the immune system and negatively affect the body's condition. Vitamins are one of the sources that prevent pathological conditions. Let's take a closer look at what vitamins, minerals and trace elements help normalize sleep:

Vitamin A is responsible for good sleep and health nerve cells. To replenish reserves of this substance, you need to eat dried fruits, especially dried apricots, hard cheeses, egg whites and butter, raw carrots and sweet potatoes.
B vitamins – normalize the process of falling asleep, protect the body from stress, chronic fatigue and brain disorders. B1 is a natural antioxidant and relieves nervous tension. Contained in porridges (buckwheat, wheat, oatmeal), seaweed, and milk. B6 eliminates nervousness, helps you sleep, and improves your mood. Contained in prunes, milk, seeds, pork, mashed potatoes and nuts. B12 is responsible for the proper functioning of the brain. With its deficiency, insomnia occurs and frequent attacks night stupor. The vitamin is found in beef, pork, liver, dairy products and eggs.
Vitamin C – promotes the production of anti-stress hormones that prevent nervousness and irritability. Contained in lemons, oranges, grapefruit, spinach, cauliflower, sweet peppers, tomatoes, gooseberries.
Vitamin D - necessary if you do not feel rested after sleep, fatigue and yawning persist throughout the day. The body receives vitamins from sun rays, that is, when tanning in the sun, as well as from sea fish and algae.
Vitamin E – responsible for normal work brain, controls fatigue and drowsiness. To compensate for its deficiency, the diet should include nuts, olive and sunflower oil.
Magnesium – if you have problems falling asleep and waking up frequently, then your body is deficient in this substance. To replenish it, your daily diet should include vegetables, pumpkin seeds, various nuts, legumes and fish.
Potassium – its deficiency results in restless sleep and frequent night awakenings. Potassium is found in bananas, vegetables, baked potatoes with peel.

Physiotherapeutic treatment

As an auxiliary method for imbalances between motor system and consciousness, physiotherapeutic treatment is very often used. It has its own characteristics, so the type of procedure is determined by the doctor, focusing on the severity of pathological symptoms. Treatment is aimed at toning and psychostimulating the body to normalize the functioning of the autonomic nervous system.

Physiotherapeutic treatment consists of the following procedures:

Electrophoresis with the use of sedative, calming medications.
Massage to normalize blood circulation, relieve tension and anxiety.
Electrosleep therapy is the effect of a direct current pulse on the central nervous system.
Relaxing baths with sea salt, essential oils, pearl, oxygen and iodine-bromine baths.
Galvanization of the collar zone - exposure of nerve endings to electric current.
Acupuncture is the application of special needles to acupuncture points on the body to stimulate the body.
Aerotherapy is climatotherapy using free air.
Electrosleep is a treatment using weak low-frequency electrical impulses. To do this, electrodes are placed on the patient's eyelids, transmitting current to the brain and blood vessels.

Physiotherapy is carried out in hydropathic clinics, sanatoriums or massage rooms.

Traditional treatment

The night phenomenon has been known since ancient times. To eliminate it we used traditional treatment, which does not lose its relevance to this day. Unconventional methods therapies are based on the use of only herbal components that effectively and safely relieve sleep disorders, drowsiness, insomnia and other disorders.

Popular folk recipes for sleep paralysis:

To quickly and peacefully fall asleep, it is recommended to take a glass of warm milk and mix it with a spoon of honey. The product should be drunk immediately before bedtime.
A warm bath with aromatic oils of lavender, mint and rose (5-7 drops) will help you relax and relieve stress. As a rule, after such a procedure, sleep lasts until the morning without any awakenings.
Mix 200 g of honey with 30 ml of apple cider vinegar until smooth. 30-40 minutes before bed, take a couple of spoons of the mixture. This will speed up falling asleep and help you relax as much as possible.
Before bed, you can prepare a soothing, sleep-inducing tea with mint, hawthorn and lemon balm. Take all the ingredients in equal proportions, pour boiling water, let it brew for 20 minutes and strain. You can drink tea with honey. After this remedy, a relaxing bath is perfect.

In most cases, traditional treatment does not provide harmful influence on the body, but to avoid adverse reactions, it is better to consult with your doctor.

Herbal treatment

The safest and at the same time effective means for normalizing sleep phases, the process of falling asleep and eliminating insomnia is herbal treatment. Herbal Ingredients have a gentle effect on the body without causing adverse reactions.

Effective herbal treatment recipes:

Pour a handful of crushed fresh flowers of sleep grass into 500 ml of vodka and let it brew in a dark, cool place for 10-15 days. The resulting product should be filtered and taken 10 ml before bed.
Pour 20 g of valerian herb into 250 ml of boiling water and let it brew. The resulting infusion is filtered and taken in 100 ml.
Pour a handful of dry crushed hawthorn fruits into 400 ml of boiling water and leave for 1-2 hours. The infusion should be strained and drunk in three doses 30-40 minutes before resting.
Take valerian herb, mint, hop cones, crushed chicory root and honey in equal proportions. All ingredients must be mixed, pour boiling water and leave until completely cooled. The strained drink is taken 1-1.5 hours before a night's rest.
Dried calendula flowers, thyme and motherwort in a 1:1:1 ratio, pour 250 ml of boiling water and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Strain the warm infusion, add honey and drink at night.

Before using any herbal infusions, it is necessary to consult with your doctor, as they may interact poorly with the medications you are taking or enhance certain pathologies of the body.

Homeopathy

Alternative medicine, or homeopathy, is used in the treatment of many diseases. It is used for insomnia, sleep disorders and as a method of eliminating sleep paralysis. Homeopathic medicines are used only for medical purposes, after determining the cause of the pathological condition.

To treat sleep phase disorders, homeopaths have more than 1,000 different remedies in their arsenal. The type, release form and dosage of the medicine are individual for each patient. This helps minimize the risk of developing side symptoms, addiction or withdrawal syndrome.

Common homeopathic remedies:

Aconite – helps with frequent awakenings, restless dreams, insomnia associated with anxiety and stress, as well as inability to fall asleep.
Arnica - used if the cause of night stupor is increased physical activity or overexertion.
Coffea is effective for disorders associated with increased mental activity.
Nux Vomica - frequent awakenings at night, several attacks of paralysis per night, dark dreams, early awakening and heavy morning dream, severe drowsiness and yawning during the day.

The best treatment effect is possible if the patient has a positive attitude. The less you focus on the problem, the more restful your sleep will be.

Surgical treatment

For treatment involuntary seizures During sleep, as a rule, non-drug methods are used. That is, various physical procedures, adherence to a daily routine, good nutrition and much more. The use of medications is used extremely rarely, when the state of stupor is a symptom of other pathologies of the body.

Surgical treatment of sleep paralysis is possible if the disorder appears, for example, as a result of breathing problems caused by snoring. The operation is performed to eliminate the root cause. A complete diagnosis allows you to identify all factors of sleep phase disorders and select the most effective methods treatment.

Prevention

Sleep paralysis syndrome is not fatal dangerous pathology. Therefore, its prevention is aimed at normalizing all phases of sleep. In most cases, the patient is not prescribed specific therapy, since a complex of supportive and restorative measures allows the disorder to be eliminated.

Prevention methods:

Control over the body's condition and timely treatment diseases that can cause sleep problems.
Taking mild antidepressants (for plant based) to normalize the psycho-emotional background.
Minimizing stressful situations or excessive exercise before bed
Ventilate the room before going to bed.
The last meal should be three hours before the planned night's rest.
A full eight hours of sleep.

Forecast

Sleep paralysis is the cause of people's fears different ages. It occurs unexpectedly, leaving behind a state of panic and horror. But when the right approach to its treatment and prevention, it has a favorable prognosis. Maintaining a sleep-wake schedule, good nutrition and regular exercise is a guarantee of a full, healthy night's rest, which will not be disturbed by the old witch syndrome.

This is a disruption of the process of waking up or falling asleep, characterized by total muscle atonia against the background of waking consciousness. In most patients, it develops at the moment of awakening, accompanied by a temporary inability to make voluntary movements, a feeling of fear, and threatening hallucinations. Diagnosed clinically. Additionally, consultation with a neurologist, psychiatrist, and a comprehensive polysomnographic study is required. Treatment consists of normalizing lifestyle, maintaining a sleep schedule, eliminating overload, and using various methods to relax and calm down before bed.

For centuries, people have associated sleep paralysis with the machinations of demons, sorcerers, and evil spirits. With the advent of somnographic research methods, it was possible to find scientific explanation to this phenomenon. In modern neurology, sleep paralysis belongs to a group of parasomnias, including nightmares, somnambulism, sleep intoxication, bruxism, nocturnal enuresis, sleep-related disorders eating behavior. Statistics show that 6-7% of the population will experience sleep paralysis during their lifetime. Among patients with narcolepsy, paralytic parasomnia occurs in 45-50% of cases. The age of those suffering from this phenomenon varies between 12-30 years.

Causes

The pathological condition is based on a disorder in the sequence of onset of falling asleep or waking up consciousness and atonia characterizing the REM sleep phase skeletal muscles. The reasons for the development have not been precisely established. Predisposing factors are considered:

Sleep disorders. The presence of insomnia and narcolepsy increases the likelihood of other pathological changes in the course and sequence of sleep phases. Chronic lack of sleep, constant changes in routine, and frequent changes in time zones have a similar effect.
Psycho-emotional overload. Acute and chronic stress can cause disturbances in the regulation of sleep-wake cycles. Patients with paralytic parasomnia note an increase in episodes of paralysis due to mental stress.
Toxic effects on the central nervous system. With drug addiction, substance abuse, alcoholism, nicotine addiction, long-term use of certain pharmaceuticals (tranquilizers, antidepressants), the substances entering the body have a harmful effect on the brain. The consequence may be a malfunction in the functioning of systems that regulate sleep and wakefulness.
Sleeping on your back. Paralytic parasomnia occurs mainly in patients sleeping in a supine position. Sleeping on the side occurs without episodes of paralysis. The reason for this pattern is unclear.
Hereditary determination. The genetic basis of the disease has not yet been studied, but there are known cases of its occurrence within the same family.

Pathogenesis

Physiological sleep begins with a slow phase (SMS), which is replaced by a fast phase (FBS). The latter is characterized by a pronounced decrease in skeletal muscle tone, excluding respiratory muscles. The breathing rhythm quickens, the inhalation becomes shorter. Brain activity rises to the level of wakefulness. With paralytic parasomnia, the sequence of processes is disrupted, a person’s consciousness wakes up before muscle tone is restored, and a feeling of immobility arises - sleep paralysis. The appearance of paralysis is also possible at the moment of falling asleep, when the REM phase of sleep begins, and consciousness is still in the waking state.

Since in the FBS there is a reflexive setting of breathing for frequent short breaths, the awakened person’s attempts to take deep breath ends in failure, which causes a feeling of tightness in the chest. The inability to move is perceived by the brain as a life-threatening situation, a release occurs large quantity neurotransmitters that provoke feelings of fear, panic, and hallucinations. The vestibular apparatus is active, but due to the lack of movements it does not receive information from the periphery, which causes unusual sensations flying in the air.

Classification

Parasomnia occurs during the transition from a sleepy state to wakefulness and vice versa. The classification is based on the fact that attacks occur during the period of falling asleep or waking up. In accordance with this criterion, sleep paralysis is divided into:

Hypnopompic- observed during the period of waking up. Rarely seen. Occurs due to the onset of FBS before total immersion consciousness into a sleepy state. Patients experience a feeling of immobility preceding falling asleep.
Hypnagogic- appears during the transition to sleep. Observed in the vast majority of cases. Caused by saving everyone physiological characteristics FBS with the awakening of consciousness already occurring. Accompanied by a vivid clinical picture and difficult emotional experiences.

Symptoms of sleep paralysis

The pathological condition is similar to severe paresis during a stroke. The patient is unable to perform voluntary motor acts. The feeling of immobility is painful, accompanied by panic fear, visual and auditory hallucinations. The patient sees dark figures, nightmares, hears threats, noise, steps, specific squeaks, feels the presence of hostile creatures. Disorientation in space occurs, resulting in the illusion of flying, spinning, floating in the air, or being in a moving elevator.

There may be a feeling of false movements - the illusion of turning on one's side when realizing the lack of motor ability. Typical complaints are a feeling of chest compression, suffocation, and inability to take a breath. Sleep paralysis has a paroxysmal course. The paralytic episode lasts from several seconds to 2-3 minutes; in the post-attack period, there are no neurological symptoms. The frequency of attacks ranges from one episode to two or three paroxysms per night. The attacks are not life-threatening and are not accompanied by real asphyxia or other complications.

Diagnostics

Characteristic symptoms make it possible to establish sleep paralysis based on the clinical picture. The examination is carried out when paralytic episodes reoccur and is aimed at excluding neurological and psychiatric pathologies. List diagnostic procedures includes:

Examination by a neurologist. Neurological status without features. Signs of emotional lability, asthenia due to fatigue, and existing background sleep disorders may be detected.
Polysomnography. If video surveillance is available, it is possible to record a paralytic episode: the patient is motionless, his eyes are open, his face expresses fear, cardiorespiratory monitoring registers changes typical for FBS (tachycardia, tachypnea with a decrease in inspiratory volume). Electroencephalography allows one to differentiate sleep paralysis from nocturnal epileptic paroxysms.
MSLT test. Multiple latency testing is performed when narcolepsy is suspected. The diagnosis confirms a reduction in latency time and the presence of more than 2 episodes of falling asleep.
Psychiatrist consultation. It is carried out by the method of conversation, observation, psychological testing. Necessary to exclude concomitant mental disorders.

Differential diagnosis is carried out with other somnological disorders, mental illnesses, and epilepsy. Narcolepsy is accompanied by paroxysms of hypnolepsy - irresistible daytime hypersomnia. Somnambulism is the opposite of sleep paralysis and occurs in the absence of muscle hypotension in the FBS. During a somnological study, sleep apnea syndrome is excluded based on respiratory monitoring data, epilepsy is excluded based on EEG results.

Treatment of sleep paralysis

In most cases, therapy includes a conversation with the patient about the causes of paralytic episodes, measures to normalize the daily routine, and psychological relaxation before bed. Drug treatment is prescribed if there is neurotic disorders And mental illness. The following recommendations can help prevent new episodes of paralysis:

Optimization of work mode. It is necessary to avoid physical and mental overload and find time to rest. General strengthening physical exercises and walks in the fresh air are useful.
Normalization of sleep patterns. Going to bed and waking up should be done at the same time every day. The recommended duration of sleep is 8-9 hours.
Relaxation before bed. Aroma and herbal baths, sedative massage, soothing herbal infusions, and calm music have a relaxing effect. Before going to bed, you should stop watching TV, mental stress, computer work, as they activate brain activity.
Wake on demand. Studies have shown the occurrence of paralytic parasomnia only upon self-awakening. To prevent attacks, you should wake up with an alarm clock and ask your loved ones to wake you up in the morning.

An important point is the patient’s awareness of the mechanism of occurrence of parasomnic paroxysms. Help from a psychologist is possible. Psychological consultations include the development of techniques for reducing emotional experiences and accelerating recovery from an attack. It is recommended to teach relaxation methods, which the patient subsequently applies independently.

Prognosis and prevention

Sleep paralysis is characterized by a benign course, spontaneous disappearance of symptoms against the background of lifestyle correction. Relapse of the disease and increased frequency of attacks are provoked by stressful situations, non-compliance with the regime, and overload. Prevention is aimed at eliminating trigger factors: stress, excessive loads, sleep deprivation, constant changes in routine. The main points of primary and secondary prevention are a healthy lifestyle, calm, friendly acceptance of any life situations, reasonable professional and educational workload, and timely treatment of existing somnological disorders.

Literature

1. Sleep paralysis or old witch syndrome / Dursunova A.I. // International Journal of Experimental Education. – 2014 - No. 6.

2. Phenomenon lucid dreams/ Kotlyarov E.E., Vetvitskaya S.M. // International student scientific bulletin. – 2017 – №6.

3. Introspective analysis of manifestations of sleep paralysis / Zhilov D.A., Nalivaiko T.V. // Current issues of modern psychology and pedagogy. Collection of reports of the XVI International scientific conference. - 2014.

4. Introspective analysis of manifestations of sleep paralysis / Zhilov D.A., Nalivaiko T.V. // Current issues of modern psychology and pedagogy. Collection of reports of the XVI International Scientific Conference. - 2014.

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