What Causes Sleep Paralysis
By: Mark ShowalterTotal Views: 429, Word Count: 529,
There is no definite answer to the question what causes sleep paralysis. The causes vary from one person to another. Some believe it is a form of sleep disorder while to some it is the activity of the devil of the supranational helm or aliens from the outside world.
Physicians say that sleep paralysis is related to the inner psychology of the patient. The individual suffering from this form of sleep disorder is related to REM atonia. The sleep paralysis occurs when the brain awakens while the patient is still in a REM state or rapid eye movement state. This makes the individual fully conscious of being awake even though he or she is still in the state of sleep. In this condition the person often experience the session of hallucination and that can often be quite terrifying.
Though sleep paralysis is not proved to be harmful and the person can easily be brought into consciousness with the help of a small physical touch, the patient suffering from sleep paralysis find it to be quite frightening. Some feel as if any body is sitting on the trunk part of the body when the person is sleeping supine.
Many para-psychiatrists believe that the sleep paralysis is the result of the abduction phenomenon or an encounter with a supernatural spirit or ghost. While some scientists say the sleep paralysis is caused by the abnormal functioning of the temporal lobe of the brain.
However, the brain function that is commonly believed to be the cause of sleep paralysis involves mis-transmissions of the neural signals inside the brain. When a normal individual sleeps, the brain sends signals that slow down the movement of the muscles. During the phenomenon of sleep paralysis the individual has already awakened from sleep but due to some malfunctions the brain sends the signal for muscular activation late resulting inability to move even when the person has got up from sleep.
The common mammalian sleep consists of two cycles, REM or rapid eye movement and NREM or non rapid eye movement phase. Most of the dreams take place during the phase of rapid eye movement and the muscles are controlled from acting out from the dream is by neural function called "nonreciprocal flaccid paralysis". While awaking directly from REM the neural inhibitors are continued to be secreted by the endocrine glands or the nervous system causing the condition of sleep.
Sleep disorder is often taken to be a hereditary disorder. Anxiety, stress and improper schedules of sleep are closely related to the cause of sleep paralysis. The hallucinations experienced during sleep paralysis are the result of the over active temporal lobe that secretes visual and auditory stimuli. Chronic stress sometimes induces the brain to secrete signal molecules (phenomenon is known as neurocognitive event) triggering the occurrence of sleep paralysis.
The best possible way to get rid of sleep paralysis and other sleep related disorders is by maintaining a healthy lifestyle along with adequate sleep. You may take some sleep aids like Melatrol that will help you to have sound sleep. Make sure that your sleep promotion medicine is free from negative side effects.
About the Author
Mark Showalter is an expert in treating various types of sleep disorders. He has carried out series of research works that deal with the various mysteries of sleep and its associated disorders. If you find yourself to be too stressed out during the day or suffer from disorders caused by improper sleep, you may take a good medical sleep aid. You must be prudent enough to select the right one for you that would keep you away from any form of harmful side effects.
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