What is sleep paralysis?

What is sleep paralysis?

Irshaad Ebrahim (Medical Director of The London Sleep Centre) gives expert video advice on: What is sleep paralysis?; Can sleep paralysis have long term effects?; Does sleep paralysis affect many people? and more...

Sleep paralysis refers to a condition, where on waking, one feels that your muscles are paralyzed, one can't move or talk. It is usual for us, under normal circumstances to be paralyzed in REM sleep, rapid eye movement sleep. That is a normal, physiological condition. So we are normally paralyzed during REM sleep. Occasionally, when we awake from REM sleep, the paralysis from REM sleep does not stop. It continues into wakefulness. And that is in essence what sleep paralysis is. Sleep paralysis is generally a benign condition and can easily be treated with a short course of melatonin medication. It tends to resolve spontaneously in a significant number of people.