Reflection Essay: My Experience Of Sleep Paralysis

Sleep Paralysis

Have you ever experienced waking up, being conscious yet not being able to move your body? Did you feel scared or afraid because you’re unable to move an inch? Of course you did. And so was I. Let me tell you my experience when sleep paralysis hit me. I am a person with a really good immune system and I rarely get sick, but when I do, it hits me like a truck. I was resting, passing time until I got well - I then fell asleep till morning. Upon waking up and getting conscious, I tried doing the usual stuff people do when they wake up: open their eyes, contemplate, sit up and do some stretching, yet I couldn’t even open my eyelids nor move another muscle in my body that I can consciously order to at will. I couldn’t even ask for help because I cannot even move my mouth. I was not suffocating, even though it felt like I was buried under a pile of sand. I was slowly starting to be in a state of panic during those times. I tried to put strength into my body, but it would barely move. Then I remembered my teacher during my elementary years saying to our class that if we were in a state of sleep paralysis, we must try to move our toes in order to snap out of it. I did move my toes desperately until I snapped out of it, after which I sat upright and panted due to the mental exhaustion that I have experienced on the ordeal. After calming myself down, I went back to my daily morning routine, for I already felt good and no longer sick. With what I have discussed,