Can you induce Sleep Paralysis?
There have been two occasions in my lifetime where I have experienced the symptoms of Sleep Paralysis, it was only recently that I learnt that it’s quite common, at the time I thought I had a paranormal experience because when I eventually and suddenly awake, the walls and ceiling of the room I’m sleeping in, take on a strange appearance like when light reflects off slightly rippled water onto a flat surface.
As someone who has experienced it also, and rather did not enjoy it (though it was an interesting experience to say the least), I have to wonder why you would want to.
From what I understand there are medical experiments and procedures that can induce OBEs and sleep paralysis like symptoms, but you’d probably have to have someone saw your head open and poke electrodes in your brain… that’s just a WAG though.
I’ve actually experience it too. I didn’t see anything though (I never see anything cool), but I remember feeling like everything was too much of an effort. I’m sure now that I couldn’t move, but at the time I felt like I didn’t want to move. As I said, I didn’t see anything, but shadows were stretched out and my mind was playing auditory tricks on me.
As far as inducing it goes, I would think it would be possible. Unfortunately all I can do is speculate because I don’t know much about it, save for the experience used to be blamed on incubi and succubi.
Certain OTC medications seem to bring it on more often in me, like dextromethophan and certain sleep medications. I’ve had others tell me the same.
Don’t worry about it if you never see anything. The hallucinations tend to be really, really unpleasant.
I can agree on that. I used to take Imiprimine, and if I forgot to take it I would suffer a really nasty withdrawl. One of the side effects was waking up at night, unable to move, and having terrible hallucinations.
I get sleep paralysis a fair bit. I used to find it frightening as (unsurprisingly) it felt like waking up and not being able to move. I’ve got used to it now though.
I can’t say for sure, but I think it has to do with interrupted sleep. For example, I’m likely to experience it if I wake up at 4am and don’t fall asleep again until 6am. If you want to bring it on deliberately, this is perhaps the easiest way to try.
I started a thread about it recently and it was nice to see so many others also deal with it from time to time. I guess inducing it on purpose could be an interesting experience, altered consciousness and all…its just when it happens when you’re not ready that it gets uncomfortable.