Sleep Paralysis: Why It Happens and What to Do During an Episode

Sleep paralysis is when you wake up, or start to drift off, and find you can't move or speak for a short time. It often comes with a feeling that someone is in the room or something is pressing on your chest, which is why it can be so frightening. It is usually harmless, and knowing what is going on makes it much easier to ride out. This guide covers what sleep paralysis is, why it happens, how common it is, what to do during an episode, how to make episodes less likely, and when to see your GP.

The short answer: sleep paralysis happens when the normal muscle paralysis of dreaming (REM) sleep carries on for a few seconds or minutes after your mind has woken up. You're awake but can't move, and you may see, hear or feel things that aren't there. It's common, short-lived and doesn't cause serious problems for most people. Not enough sleep, an irregular schedule, stress and sleeping on your back can make it more likely. If episodes are frequent, leave you anxious or come with heavy daytime sleepiness, see your GP.

This guide is general information, not medical advice.

What is sleep paralysis?

During REM sleep, the stage where most vivid dreaming happens, your brain switches off most of your voluntary muscles so you don't act out your dreams. Normally that switch flips back as you wake. In sleep paralysis, your mind wakes up but the muscle paralysis lingers briefly.

A 2024 review describes it as the muscle paralysis typical of REM sleep persisting briefly into wakefulness. Your diaphragm keeps working, so you keep breathing even though you can't move your arms, legs or mouth (source). For more on the dreaming stage itself, see what is REM sleep.

Healthdirect describes it as being unable to move or speak for a short time after waking up or while falling asleep, with episodes lasting seconds to a few minutes (source).

The hallucinations, and why they feel so real

The fear usually comes less from the paralysis than from what you sense during it. Because part of your brain is still in dream mode, dream images can overlap with your real bedroom. The 2024 review groups the experiences into three types:

• The intruder. A strong sense, sometimes a vivid image, that someone or something is in the room.
• Pressure on the chest. A feeling of weight, choking or not being able to breathe properly.
• Movement sensations. Floating, falling or feeling as if you're outside your body.

The same review reports that more than three quarters of episodes include hallucinations of some kind. Healthdirect also lists hearing things such as voices or buzzing. None of this means anything is wrong with your mind. It's a well-described quirk of how sleep stages switch over.

How common is it?

More common than most people think. Healthdirect puts it at about 8% of people, usually starting in the teens or early twenties (source). The 2024 review, drawing on studies of more than 36,000 people, gives a lifetime figure of 7.6% for the general population, rising to 28.3% among students and 31.9% among psychiatric patients (source).

What makes it more likely

Factor	Why it matters
Not enough sleep	Sleep loss changes how and when REM sleep appears
Irregular sleep times	Shift work, late nights and lie-ins scramble the timing of sleep stages
Sleeping on your back	Both healthdirect and the 2024 review list back sleeping as a factor
Stress, anxiety and PTSD	Linked with more frequent episodes
Alcohol and other substances	Listed as risk factors in the research
Other sleep conditions	Narcolepsy and obstructive sleep apnoea are both linked
Family history	It can run in families

What to do during an episode

You can't force your way out, but you can make it shorter and less frightening.

1. Remind yourself what it is. "This is sleep paralysis. It's harmless and it will pass in a minute." Naming it takes away much of the fear.
2. Breathe slowly. Your breathing still works, even if your chest feels heavy. Slow, steady breaths help you stay calm.
3. Try a small movement. Many people find wiggling a finger or toe, or blinking, helps break the episode.
4. Let the images be. Whatever you see or sense is a dream overlapping with waking. It can't hurt you.
5. Get up briefly afterwards if you're worried it will happen again as you fall back asleep. A few minutes up, with low light, can reset things.

How to make episodes less likely

There's no guaranteed prevention, but the steps that reduce episodes are the same ones that improve sleep generally.

• Get enough sleep. Most adults need 7 to 9 hours. See how much sleep do I need.
• Keep a regular schedule. Going to bed and getting up at similar times every day, weekends included, is one of the best things you can do. A fixed wake-up time is the anchor.
• Try sleeping on your side if your episodes mostly happen on your back. The guide to the best sleeping position has practical tips.
• Go easy on alcohol, especially close to bed.
• Manage stress before bed. Breathing exercises or relaxation techniques can help; healthdirect lists relaxation techniques and cognitive behavioural therapy among the options for people who are troubled by episodes.

If frightening dreams are part of the picture too, see nightmares: what helps.

When to see your GP

Healthdirect says sleep paralysis doesn't cause serious problems for most people and no treatment is usually needed. See your GP if:

• Episodes are frequent or you feel anxious about going to sleep because of them.
• You're very sleepy during the day, or fall asleep at unexpected times. This can point to narcolepsy.
• You snore loudly or wake gasping, which can point to sleep apnoea. See signs of sleep apnoea.
• You act out dreams or have other unusual night-time behaviour.

Your GP can look at the bigger picture and refer you to a sleep specialist if needed.

Where the Sovune Nudge fits

We make the Sovune Nudge, a silent vibrating wristband alarm, so we're not neutral. It doesn't treat or prevent sleep paralysis. What it can do is support the regular wake time that good sleep habits rely on.

• Three separate alarms set on the band itself, so the same wake time every day is easy to keep.
• Starts as a gentle tap on your wrist and builds through three intensity levels, rather than a sudden blast of sound.
• No speaker, no sound, no light in the room except a small display that lights when you press the button.
• No app, no phone, no Bluetooth, so your phone can stay out of the bedroom.

It comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Quick answers

Is sleep paralysis dangerous? For most people, no. It's frightening but short, and your breathing continues throughout.

Why do I see a figure in the room? Part of your brain is still dreaming while you're awake, so dream images overlap with your real surroundings.

Can I stop an episode? Staying calm, breathing slowly and trying to move a finger or toe helps many people. It usually passes within a minute or two.

Does sleeping on your back cause it? It's one of the listed risk factors. If your episodes happen mostly on your back, try sleeping on your side.

For every type of silent alarm compared, see our complete guide to vibrating alarms in Australia.

See the Sovune Nudge →