Sleep paralysis is a strange phenomenon that many people experience in their waking lives, but it can be terrifying. You wake up, and you’re unable to move. You’re unable to speak—even if you’re trying to let out a blood-curdling scream. Sometimes you see dark cloaked figures hovering over you, or you feel like someone is pressing down upon your chest.
Understandably, because it is such a terrifying phenomenon, people wonder if sleep paralysis can kill you. Can it? In this article, we will clear up whether sleep paralysis can be fatal. We will also discuss what sleep paralysis is and what causes it, so by the end, you’ll have all the information you need to rationalize how to prevent sleep paralysis from ever happening to you again.
This article will examine sleep paralysis—from what causes it and the sleep paralysis science to how it impacts your mind and body to whether sleep paralysis can kill and what to do if it happens to you. So whether you’ve had this episode or want to know more, continue reading to find out the reality.
What Is Sleep Paralysis?
Sleeping while paralyzed. Sleep paralysis is the byproduct of waking before your body. In other words, your mind is active, but your body is still on “sleep.” When we sleep, our brains transmit signals to our muscles for deactivation so we do not physically move while dreaming. This is called REM (rapid eye movement) atonia. Thus, when we awaken yet consciously sense that muscle deactivation trigger, we cannot move.
The episode lasts mere seconds to minutes, yet feels like an eternity. It may render a person with a sense of being trapped in their own body, fully cognizant yet fully immobile. For some, it happens only once in a lifetime; for others, it’s a weekly occurrence.
Sleep paralysis is more frequent than one might think. Studies show about 7.6% of the world will experience sleep paralysis at least one time in their lives. The greatest frequency occurs during the teenage years and early twenties; however, it can happen to anyone at any time. It’s not a disease, it’s not a disorder; it’s a glitch in the sleep-wake system.
What Causes Sleep Paralysis?
So what triggers this terrifying experience? Sleep paralysis is related to brain function and sleep regulation. It tends to happen when people move in and out of rapid eye movement sleep (REM)—the stage where people do the most dreaming. There are several ways to put oneself at risk.
For example, sleep deprivation is a high-risk factor. When people do not get enough sleep, they disrupt their sleep cycles and increase their potential for sleep paralysis. In addition, poor sleeping habits—like staying up too late or having a troublesome shift between day and night—confuse a sleeper’s brain about sleeping and waking cues.
Moreover, stress and anxiety also contribute to sleep paralysis. When someone is stressed or anxious all the time, the brain is on an alerted path, and moving between different stages and ensuring proper coping by muscles is more complicated. In addition, mental illness—like depression or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)—has a higher frequency of sleep paralysis.
Certain medications also put a person at risk for sleep paralysis: for example, ADHD medications and anti-anxiety medications can interfere with sleep cycles. In addition, personal pre-bedtime activities can put a person at risk for sleep paralysis as well, such as drinking alcohol or caffeine, which can further interfere with natural sleep cycles and increase the chance of experiencing episodes.
Sleeping in certain positions also puts a person at risk. One study found that those who sleep on their backs (supine position) are more likely to suffer from sleep paralysis, potentially related to how this position interferes with breathing or how the brain understands sleep signals in response.
What Does Sleep Paralysis Feel Like?
For those who have never experienced sleep paralysis, what does it mean? Imagine being awake but lying in bed and not able to move. You cannot feel your arms or legs, and your throat seems to be frozen in time, meaning that although you want to scream, you cannot produce any sound. In fact, you may feel your heart racing in your chest out of panic.
For some, it’s not merely a paralysis of movement. About 30% of sleepers who experience sleep paralysis also contend with hallucinations. Some see—many claim to see a shadowy figure situated at the foot of their bed while others hear buzzing and whispering, and others feel like they’re being squished, with something heavy resting on top of them.
These hallucinations connect to where you happen to be operating in your mind when all this transpires. Sleep paralysis most commonly occurs when one is waking up from or falling into REM sleep, where an active mind creates vivid images and stories in one’s head. Thus, as one is paralyzed or caught in the change of sleeping or waking, the mind can still operate from fear-based literalness. Many hallucinations concern culturally significant phenomena—like the old hag in the United States or “kanashibari” in Japan.
The comforting aspect is that these hallucinations aren’t truly there—it’s just your brain misfiring. But while experiencing it, that’s of little comfort.
Can Sleep Paralysis Kill You?
So can it kill you? It can’t—sleep paralysis is not fatal. Sleep paralysis is a momentary experience; it does not inflict damage on the body—in fact, during sleep paralysis episodes, the heart beats, the lungs breathe, the brain functions. It may feel frightening, but physiologically, it’s not doing anything bad.
What researchers have found, however, is that sleep paralysis does not stop people from waking up—in fact, it contributes to one’s awakened state. There are no experimental findings nor anecdotal evidence to suggest that sleep paralysis ever causes people to die. Instead, while you’re asleep, your body does as much as it can to protect itself, and sleep paralysis is just a glitch—it’s not dangerous.
Yet there are some concerns over dangers. For example, can you have a heart attack because you’re so terrified and stressed? Highly doubtful. While heart rates elevate due to fear, this isn’t to such an extent that someone will have a heart attack—unless a person is already predisposed; in that case, a stressor may lead to a heart attack or stroke—but this is a rarity and not specific to sleep paralysis.
The other concern relates to breathing. Many people feel as though they cannot breathe—especially in cases where they feel something on their chest. Therefore, this is either a hallucination or in response to the shallow breathing of deep REM sleep; there’s no reason to believe that a person’s body is not getting enough oxygen.
Does it Lead to Secondary Threats?
Sleep paralysis doesn’t directly kill anyone, but it does create secondary threats that could be dangerous. For example, when someone experiences sleep paralysis consistently, it alters their sleep patterns. When people are up all night because they’re afraid or cannot fall back to sleep, going to bed becomes an anxiety-ridden activity. Over time, it links to insomnia and sleep-related phobias.
Then, with sleep deprivation comes impairment of mental and physical health. People become tired, irritable, and distracted. Long-term sleep deprivation is linked to a compromised immune system, increased weight gain, and higher anxiety levels. Therefore, consistent sleep paralysis must be treated to avoid these secondary issues.
However, sleep paralysis is rarely associated with a condition. One example includes narcolepsy, which is diagnosed when sleep paralysis is accompanied by excessive daytime sleepiness and falling asleep attacks. Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder where individuals cannot manage when they fall asleep during the daytime. If you find yourself dozing off unintentionally in various situations with accompanying sleep paralysis, it’s best to see your doctor.
How to Avoid Sleep Paralysis
Once you’ve experienced sleep paralysis, your next question is how to avoid it from happening again. While there can be no guarantees, some actions reduce the risk. First, follow good sleep hygiene. Aim for quality sleep for 7–9 hours per night and maintain a regular sleep schedule. Sleep and wake at the same time every day, even weekends; consistency fosters brain patterns and stability for an easier sleep experience.
Avoid any sleep inducers: caffeine, alcohol, or large meals right before bedtime. Ease into sleep by establishing a relaxing bedtime routine—reading a book or taking a hot shower—so the body understands that it’s time to go to sleep.
Stress reduction helps, too. Use calming strategies before bed, whether they include breathing exercises, meditation, or yoga; if anxiety or depression are complicating factors, make an appointment with a therapist or psychiatrist.
If you find yourself a back sleeper, attempt to adjust your position to your side or stomach. This can easily reduce the chance of episodes. Use a body pillow to help support a change in position overnight.
What should you do if it happens? Don’t panic. It’s not fatal and it’s fleeting, so remind yourself of this. Some people break their sleep paralysis by focusing on moving a digit—finger, toe—while others find comfort in relaxing through the experience since it will be over before they know it.
If sleep paralysis becomes too frequent or too distressing, it’s best to speak to a doctor or sleep specialist. They may be able to assess if sleep paralysis is connected to a comorbidity, like narcolepsy or sleep apnea, and provide solutions. Sometimes this entails medication or therapy.
Sleep Paralysis and Other Misunderstandings
Because sleep paralysis has been around for a long time, it’s no surprise that there are plenty of misunderstandings. Historically, before many people understood sleep like we do now with science, ancient societies attributed paralyzed feelings to seemingly supernatural or spiritual forces. Even now, certain misunderstandings linger.
Many believe sleep paralysis happens due to demons and other wicked spirits. The hallucinations—seeing some shadow or believing someone’s sitting on one’s chest—seem supernatural. But they’re simply the brain making that transition between the dream world and reality. There’s no evidence to suggest supernatural forces are at work.
Many think sleep paralysis is linked to severe mental illness. While it can be associated with stress and anxiety, it is not a separate mental illness. Many people who experience sleep paralysis are mentally sound.
There exists the idea that only certain people experience sleep paralysis, vulnerable people or people who are “cursed.” In truth, nearly anyone can experience sleep paralysis; it occurs across generations, genders, and ethnicities. It’s a part of the human experience, universal.
When to Seek Help
For most people, sleep paralysis is a rare occurrence and infrequent enough that there is no need for treatment. However, if someone is suffering from sleep paralysis multiple times a month and/or it is affecting quality of life, treatment is necessary.
The first step is to track episodes. Write down when they happen, how long they occur for, and what one was doing beforehand so they can discuss with their doctor any possible triggers like stress or dysfunctional sleep patterns.
One should go to the physician if they have additional symptoms in conjunction with sleep paralysis. If there is extreme daytime drowsiness, sudden onset loss of muscle tone (known as cataplexy), or inability to stay awake during the daytime, this could mean narcolepsy or another sleep disorder.
A polysomnogram may be recommended by your sleep doctor. A polysomnogram is a sleep study that will monitor your brain waves, breathing, and movements throughout the night to diagnose and treat the issue.
Treatment can come in the form of therapy if paralysis is connected to trauma or anxiety. For example, trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy is one of the best options for stress management post-intervention and sleep enhancement.
How to Cope With Sleep Paralysis
If you’ve had sleep paralysis, you know how terrifying it is. But the more educated you become, the less scary it sounds. Sleep paralysis doesn’t mean you’re malfunctioning; it means your brain is just acting a little funny while you sleep.
People feel reassured they’re not alone. There are many stories online and in support groups, so divulging your experience might make you feel less isolated and give you coping mechanisms.
Some even learn to embrace it. On the rare occasion that sleep paralysis develops into lucid dreaming—that’s when you’re able to control a dream while realizing it’s a dream—many use sleep paralysis as a springboard to the experience after some learning sessions.
It’s all about control. Control what you can—and that would be sleep hygiene, stress management, and the reassurance that it’s an ordinary phenomenon and if things get too overwhelming there is always professional help.
The Bottom Line
Can you die from sleep paralysis? No. It’s not a life-threatening phenomenon. Sleep paralysis is an ephemeral state that might be frightening and intimidating to encounter but it does not hurt the body. The heart continues to beat, the lungs continue to breathe, and the brain is just momentarily confused about being. While the illusion of hallucinations—and the fear thereafter—might suggest that one can die from sleep paralysis, this is not the case. Sleep paralysis is a harmless occurrence that happens to millions around the world.
But if it occurs often, it’s not something to dismiss as it can affect your overall quality of sleep and health. Improved sleep hygiene, reduced stress levels, and seeking professionals when needed can prevent triggering episodes and restore your sense of control over your body.
Have you ever experienced sleep paralysis? If so, don’t panic. It’s a natural, albeit strange, occurrence for humans; but it doesn’t have to be your norm. With proper awareness and empowerment, you can sleep soundly at night—fear-free.