Was I having Sleep Paralysis, a Lucid Dream, and what does it mean? HELP!?

Question

About 30 minutes ago I fell alseep. The instant I closed my eyes, it was like I was lifted off my bed, maybe not physically but like my soul or something. I flew out of my room through the ceiling and into some dark wooden hallway with a lot of doors. I was flying up high near the ceiling (where it was the darkest) and I was twisting and turning until I was dropped. I landed on my stomach in some small countryside covenience store from like in the 80's. The was a little blonde kid busy playing with something on the floor. There was a gray shaggy dog on the shelf near the cash register and no clerk. I got up and said to the dog "Excuse me sir but where am I?". The dog responded something inteligentlly, "Do you need help finding something?". I ignored him. At this point, I thought I was not dreaming. I looked around the store and saw products on the shelves and posters on the wall. It looked so real. I wiggled, pinched myslef, and looked at the walls. I was convinced I was awake. I [in real life now] was purposelly trying to open my eyelids and move in bed, but the most I could do was raise my eyebrows. I felt my eyes [in the dream again] and they were open so I was confused as to how I was both awake and asleep. The dog's vocie dropped two octaves and he said "There's no escape!". He sounded like the Devil. I walked into the other section of the store away from the dog, but I was picked up and techno/ futuristic music started (I'm serious). I was flying through the dark hallway again and there were soft blue and white lights.I was still trying to open my eyes [in real life] but still could only raise my eyebrows. I did get my eyes slightly cracked open once [in real life], I saw the ceiling and they closed again. The hallway got wider and I was flying over giant computer screens. Some screens showed random things and most showed parts of my life. At this point, I could only still move my eyebrows and I thought I had died. I was flying over a lot of screen and thinking "So this is what death is like". That was the longest part of the dream. The hallway narrowed and I was dropped into a dead end hallway with 3 doors surronding me. It was even darker now. I was floating upside down, like someone was holding me up by my feet lifting my head off the ground, and I was being pushed against all three doors in a circle. I was screaming in my mind "Wake up, wake up! You're only dreaming." I had on a long sleeve shirt [in the dream] and I was trying to remember if I had died with a long sleeve shirt on. I kept trying to recall and I was getting frustrated. While I was still being twirled upside down, I felt the cuffs of the shirt [I think I was grabbing my blankets in real life at this point] and I was trying to open my eyes but I could still only raise my eyebrows. I thought that I would be stuck like that forever. I was lifted and flew back into my room and fell into my body. The minute I fell on my body, my eyes opened.

I went a few other places in the dream but I can't remember now.

I always have weird dreams, but I've never had one with imagery this life-like to think it was real. And this is the first time I knew and felt I was consious and unconcious at the same time and able to know what movements I made while I was sleeping.

Answer 1

now that is some nightmare on elm street sh** right there. "/

Answer 2

There are several techniques to achieve lucid dreams. One of them is the WILD method and this does require going through sleep paralysis. However, I find the WILD method to be difficult. I prefer to be in a dream state and identify that I am in a dream. It doesn't work every time, but it works often enough. Regarding sleep paralysis. Everyone has sleep paralysis every time they sleep. When you sleep your body produces neurotransmitters which cause atonia - you are unable to move your muscles. This is necessary, otherwise you'd be kicking and thrashing about in your dreams. (not nice) Most people who report sleep paralysis are in a lucid dream. They know they are dreaming and they force themselves awake. They open their eyes and then notice they cannot move. It feels like there is a tremendous weight holding them down, and its hard to breath. It can be scary, especially if your subconscious runs a dream sequence. That's when you hear things and see things in your room that are not there (true hallucinations). It only lasts for a minute, but it is freaky. I'd rather have the lucid dream without the sleep paralysis.

Answer 3

Oh, you do have some strange dreams. Lucid dreams are ones in which you realize that you are dreaming; that's what this sounds like. I've also had issues with sleep paralysis, minus the lucid dreaming or any remembered dreams, and it is not pleasant. I woke up and could not move at all. I couldn't open my eyes, move my hands or my legs--nothing. The entire time, all I could do was think, realize that I was awake, and realize that I could not move. Yours might be a combination of the two, though I also think that some dreams are very important. But, with that, I cannot give you any sort of valid interpretation or explanation. I can only guess.



I just saw KnightCrawler013's answer, and it reminded me that one of the times right before I was able to move again, I felt like electricity was shooting through my body. It was very weird.

Answer 4

The exact same thing has happened to me. Some call it sleep paralysis, some say that in sleep we sometimes get a glimpse of the supernatural world. of course the exact details of the "dream" were different but I know exactly what you are talking about, I was trying to force my eyes open but couldn't move, when I tried to move, it was like electrical shocks went through my body. when I awoke it was like my soul was sucked back in my body really fast. You don't need to be afraid, It has been years since this has happened to me so I don't think it happens commonly to most people, I would say about once every four or so years, I might have a few episodes like this. It usually happens when I am overworked or having trouble sleeping enough.Once I saw some stuff that seemed to be about the future, but I didn't know until later when it happened.Its scary when it happens but kinda interesting to don't you think? your not alone.

Answer 5

I would recomend seeing a phsycologist or a counsler (if your still in school). It sounds to me like you having a severe nightmare, perhaps caused by lack of sleep or stress. Just try to relax and think of peacful thoughts. It is very possible that dreams like this feel real. In fact a colleague of mine had something similar, he called it a roleplaying dream(he made up the name so don't think it is the official name) a dream where you decide parts of it and what happens. Or who knows maybe you had an out of body experience. I personally can't give you the answers you want, since I master in biology and not phsycology, so you defiantely want to talk to someone about this if it extremely bothers you.

Answer 6

I get sleep paralysis sometimes. My mother does as well, so I think it can be genetic. I am not sure of the meaning of your dreams, but usually something "evil" or "dark" accompanies sleep paralysis so you feel like you are going to die. It always feels like I will never wake up but it only takes maybe 30 seconds...I have to calm myself because I could easily go into a state of panic because my heart begins to race and I breath very quickly. I remember one time I was actually trying to pry my eyes open and it was so hard to lift my arms because they were dead weight...but I don't think I actually did, I think that I dreamt that part.

Answer 7

When you sleep your brain shuts down certain parts and that is why irrational things can happen and it seems normal to you at the time. Sleep paralysis often goes hand in hand with lucid dreaming. It is a sign that your brain has not shut down properly. For me, LD's usually happen when I fall asleep immediately or while I am taking a nap. In those ways, the brain has not had time to shut down normally and it remains at a higher sense of awareness.



LD's are extremely life-like. It is eye opening, isn't it?



Check out dreamviews.com if you want more info.

Answer 8

Sounds like a lucid dream to me might have to do with some medications your on. I envy that, i love dreaming and remembering my dreams so i can interpret them, i believe your dreams reveal a lot about the unconscious part of the mind. Instead of fighting it embrace it. It'll make your dreams more enjoyable, after all it's just entertainment for you while you sleep because the mind never completely shuts off just shifts consciousness.

Answer 9

I think I can help. I've had sleep paralysis, night terrors, and lucid dreams my whole life. I can also offer advice on how to get them less often.



First of all, what you had was not a lucid dream. Lucid dreaming is where you're fully conscious and can control anything you want to in your dream (throw things without touching them, make anything appear, fly, etc) these experiences are usually very calming or enjoyable.



What you had was sleep paralysis. It is very common for people to have vivid hallucinations during sleep paralysis, but more often, it's hearing voices, seeing people walking around the room, or the feeling of someone sitting on your chest. To feel like you've left your body and gone somewhere else is less common, but not unheard of.



The best thing you can do when you're experiencing this is to be as calm as possible. Understand the things you're experiencing aren't real, and don't try to push them away or make them stop, but just be at peace. Focus your concentration on moving one part of your body, like you were doing with your eyebrows (for me, the first thing I can move is usually my fingertips on my right hand).



Now, the best advice I can give you is how to prevent sleep paralysis from occurring.



1. Do not work out directly before going to sleep. I found this was the main cause of my sleep paralysis when I looked back and remembered that they started happening more often when I started a new workout routine. Now I only work out first thing in the morning, it helps.



2. Never fall asleep on your back. I like lying on my back, but almost 90% of the time when I get sleep paralysis, I'm on my back. I find that if I sleep on my side, it is less likely to happen.



3. Get into a good sleeping pattern. Sleep 8 hours a night as often as you can, don't pull all nighters, and don't change your sleeping schedule from late nights on the weekends to early mornings during the week, it throws your internal clock all off. I find very often that when I get sleep paralysis, I am exhausted from lack of sleep.



4. Practice meditation right before you go to sleep. This doesn't have to be some kind of sitting spiritual experience that takes up a lot of your time. But meditation is the act of calming your mind of all thoughts, any time you realize that you are thinking of something, calm yourself and let that thought fade away, then rest with no thoughts again. Do not forcefully push thoughts away or think "I'm failing" if you think of something, just let it go like a passing cloud.



It takes some concentration, but I usually do this while lying in my bed on my back, then when I'm ready to go to sleep, I turn onto my side and doze off peacefully.



It's more common to get sleep paralysis when you're stressed out and have a million things going on in your mind when you try to go to sleep.



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On a side note, there are religious beliefs concerning sleep paralysis that are interesting to read about. I prefer the Buddhist belief that sleep paralysis and lucid dreaming is a sign that your mind is close to enlightenment. :)

Answer 10

Wow! I do believe in out of body experiences, but this was not of the normal variety. It's sounds more like a nightmare than an out of body experience. Very weird.

Answer 11

either you were having an extremely bad nightmare (the inability to actually "wake up" could have been from you being very tired, if you were before you slept),



or you just had an Out-of-Body Experience! (which is the sensation of your spirit actually acending out of yoru body)

Answer 12

i have had some lucid dream experiences in the past, and the first few times it happens, its very dramatic. It sounds like you have just had your first lucid dream. with techniques and practice you can start utilizing these moments in your dreams to control whats happening in them. if you are interested look up more lucid dreaming info.

Answer 13

WOW.

that was a long story there.

you must be a good writer.

good usage of words and such.



this website helps you interpret dreams:

http://www.dreammoods.com/dreamdictionary/



i don't think you had a case of sleep paralysis.

Lucid dream: a dream state in which one is conscious enough to recognize that one is in the dream state and which stays in one's memory.

Answer 14

have you ever have a time that when you sleep its like you feel like you are awake and try to move but you cannot move your body and when you try to talk or scream nothing comes out?? if you do thats sleep paralysis

Answer 15

Some meds can do that... like the stop smoking pill and you also could have night-terrors.

Answer 16

wow i would consider you being a christian if your not already and mabey the devil is trying to tell you sumthin

Answer 17

pray to god,