Question: I consider myself a normal 42 yr. old female, other than my lack of healthy and restful sleep. I have suffered from Sleep Paralysis since I was 15 yrs. old. The “episodes” have always been terrifying. But in the last 4 or so years the hallucinations are becoming worse. I can be lying in any position when it happens nowadays.
Here’s an example of an “episode” of my SP: I wake up paralyzed and cannot breathe, but can see. I hear something in my bedroom doorway and see to my horror a short, dark demon (for lack of a better word) watching me and knowing that I cannot move. He then floats to the side of my bed and paces back and forth rubbing his hands together. I can hear his thoughts of “She’s mine now! She can’t move”. He hoists himself up onto my bed using his knuckles. It paces alongside of me on the mattress and then will straddle my thighs.

All the time I SWEAR I can FEEL the footsteps sinking in the mattress. I can FEEL its breath. I can FEEL it straddle my thighs. I become able to move a finger or some body part, and the creature will move in reverse. He’ll float backward on the ceiling in a corner until I’ve fully broken the paralysis, when he then goes backward in hyperspeed to the doorway of my room and then gets completely “sucked” out of the doorway.I’ll get out of bed. Do the water-on-the-face thing. And pray that it will be the only “episode” of the night.I am a bartender with bad work shifts. I may drink alcohol–approx. 4 beers once a month or less. I smoke cigarettes, but nothing else. I am not a druggie. Used to body build, but got injured. I have experienced waking panic attacks at times for about 20 years.I’ve tried the good sleep hygiene routine to the best of my ability due to my work schedule. Basically, I’m tired of being so tired. HELP!