This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages before signing in

Sleep paralysis

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

Sleep paralysis, nightmares and REM sleep behaviour disorder (RBD) are disorders arising from REM sleep.

Sleep paralysis and nightmares are recalled by the patient.

REM behaviour episodes are sometimes recalled but more often only apparent to the bed partner.

Sleep paralysis is a brief state of involuntary immobility usually occurring on waking from a night’s sleep or a nap (more rarely at sleep onset)

  • sleep paralysis occurs during the transition between sleep and wakefullness
  • patient is fully awake but unable to move except to breathe and move the eyes
  • often accompanied by dream imagery, sometimes of a frightening kind
  • attributed to waking abruptly from a REM sleep episode with the REM atonia persisting briefly
  • appears to be more common in those with narcolepsy, and in those with irregular sleep-wake routine and after drinking alcohol

The attack may terminate spontaneously or following a stimulus such as a touch or a sound.

Reference:


Create an account to add page annotations

Annotations allow you to add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation. E.g. a website or number. This information will always show when you visit this page.

The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

Connect

Copyright 2024 Oxbridge Solutions Limited, a subsidiary of OmniaMed Communications Limited. All rights reserved. Any distribution or duplication of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. Oxbridge Solutions receives funding from advertising but maintains editorial independence.