Waking up suddenly and not being able to move, but at the same time being aware of everything, is not a pleasant feeling at all. Is it a dream, or is something strange happening to your body? If anyone has ever had this happen to them, they will know perfectly well the anguish they feel. But there is no need to worry, because it is something that happens often and has a name: sleep paralysis. It is not an alarming situation, it can be avoided by sleeping well, since quality sleep is essential for our health.
People, like any other animal, need sleep. It is essential for life. In fact, if we were completely deprived of it we would die. The part of the body in charge of this is the nervous system: through a network of neurological mechanisms, the energy and metabolic needs of the brain are maintained and, in some phases of sleep, they are even higher than when awake. One part of the cells rests from the work it has had all day, and the other performs different functions, which they can only perform while sleeping.
When we are awake, the brain produces substances that, if accumulated, can be toxic. When we sleep, we eliminate them
The main activities of this process are the consolidation of memory, the control of body temperature or the regulation of the immune and endocrinological systems. In addition, emotions are also codified and temperamental and psychological stability is regulated. Dr. Carles Gaig, a neurologist who is an expert in sleep at the Hospital Clínic Barcelona, highlights another very important aspect: “When we are awake, the brain produces substances that, if they accumulate, can be toxic. When we sleep, we eliminate them.” In addition, neurons take the opportunity to undo inappropriate connections that have been made during the day.
On the other hand, sleeping little or sleeping poorly has consequences, both in the short and long term. The most obvious are daytime sleepiness and worse cognitive performance, which manifests itself in the form of poor memory, less attention and worse concentration. In addition, you are less productive and creative. On the other hand, you may feel fatigue and more anxiety and irritability, as well as low self-esteem and emotional tone. There is also a decrease in libido. Dr. Alex Iranzo, a sleep expert neurologist at the Hospital Clínic Barcelona, summarizes it clearly: “Sleeping poorly and getting little sleep is bad business for your health and also for your family, social, marital and work relationship.”
All of these problems can be aggravated by sleep disorders, which are very common and can affect anyone. The most common are insomnia, snoring, obstructive apneas, restless legs syndrome and also sleep paralysis. Each of them separately affects 5% of the population, either temporarily or chronically. To understand paralysis, you must first know the phases of sleep. On the one hand, there is the non-REM phase, which is divided into states of drowsiness, light sleep and deep sleep. All this takes up 75% of sleep time.
The other is the REM phase, where sleep is even deeper. The brain is very active and the brain stem blocks the motor neurons, making the person unable to move. This is the phase in which you dream. So, what happens in sleep paralysis? What happens is that the REM phase mixes with wakefulness, and the person realizes that they are awake, but they cannot move because their body is blocked. Although it is a very distressing situation, the body wakes up after a few seconds and everything returns to normal.
The person who sleeps three, four or five hours is much more likely to have sleep paralysis
The best remedy to avoid paralysis is to have good sleeping habits. The essential thing is to sleep enough hours, which should be seven or eight on average for adults. Dr. Iranzo explains its importance: “The person who sleeps three, four or five hours is much more predisposed to having sleep paralysis.” In addition, it is advisable to always go to bed and wake up at the same time, and limit or avoid naps. The consumption of stimulating foods and drinks such as coffee, tea, caffeinated soft drinks, sugar or chocolate should also be reduced, especially in the later hours of the day.
Doing physical activity daily helps, but doing it before going to sleep is counterproductive. It is better to practice relaxing activities such as reading, meditating or listening to soft music. You should avoid the use of electronic devices because the light from the screens can cause excitement. Daylight, on the other hand, is useful to help regulate the biological clock. Another great recommendation from professionals is to use the bedroom just for that, sleeping. If the problem persists following these advice, doctors point out that there is the option of following medical treatment which, in most cases, is usually effective.
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