Sleep Paralysis Quiz 1

Explanation
False:
REM atonia and SP are believed to be the same physical paralysis, but these two phrases refer to very distinct periods in which you are paralyzed. REM atonia happens naturally during REM periods to keep you from acting out your dreams and hurting yourself. When this happens AT THE WRONG TIME, outside of REM sleep, it is called Sleep Paralysis.

Explanation
Again:
REM atonia and Sleep Paralysis are hypothesized to be the same paralysis mechanism of your body. There is an important distinction between the two, which is that REM atonia occurs when it is supposed to, during REM sleep to keep you from acting out your dreams. When this happens at the wrong time (outside of REM sleep), it is called Sleep Paralysis.

Explanation
The ONLY thing that you need to have to be in SP *is* paralysis. Anything else is just extra. You CAN experience hallucinations, but you do not ALWAYS. This is important to note, because many people experience mere hallucinations and think they are in SP. IF YOU ARE NOT PARALYZED, YOU ARE NOT IN SP.

Explanation
Hypnagogic hallucinations occur while falling asleep. These hallucinations are vivid and often involve seeing or hearing things that are not actually there. They can be accompanied by sleep paralysis, a temporary inability to move or speak. These hallucinations are a normal part of the sleep-wake transition and are more common in individuals with sleep disorders, such as narcolepsy. They can be frightening or confusing, but they typically last only a few minutes and do not cause any harm.

Explanation
Hypnopompic hallucinations occur while waking up. These hallucinations are vivid and dream-like experiences that can involve visual, auditory, or tactile sensations. They can be confusing and disorienting, often causing individuals to question their perception of reality. Unlike hypnagogic hallucinations that occur while falling asleep, hypnopompic hallucinations happen during the transition from sleep to wakefulness. They are commonly associated with sleep disorders like narcolepsy, but can also occur in individuals without any underlying sleep conditions.

Explanation
1. Intruder/Sensed Presence: the feeling that there is a person or being in the room with you. Includes the 'old hag', and is hypothesized to be the explanation behind alien abduction stories.
2. V-M or Unusual Bodily Experiences: includes feelings of shrinking, buzzing, vibrating, falling, floating, etc.
3. Incubus: the hallucination that you are having trouble breathing, and/or that there is immense pressure on your chest or a person holding you down, possibly including pain.
4. Auditory Hallucinations: beeping, buzzing, roaring, white noise, voices, bits of music, etc.
5. Visual Hallucinations: aka imagery. Colors, scenes, abstract shapes, etc.

*If you guessed three, you are not incorrect. Often times auditory, tactile, and visual hallucinations are grouped into the 'sensed presence' category. However, because these are frequently experienced without a sensed presence, here they have been considered their own categories, while tactile hallucinations such as buzzing have been considered unusual-bodily-experiences.

Explanation
True, and it is particularly linked to disorders like narcolepsy. Research suggests it may be linked to a history of sexual abuse and anxiety, especially PTSD. When it accompanies a disorder, it is technically termed 'sleep paralysis'.

Explanation
When it occurs all by itself, Sleep Paralysis is more properly called "Isolated Sleep Paralysis". This implies that it is experienced without any relation to more serious disorders and problems.

Explanation
False. The majority of the normal population will experience ISP a handful of times throughout their lives. Some will never experience the phenomenon, while others get it much more frequently (for as-of-yet unknown reasons)

Explanation
True. Research suggests that succumbing to fear can lead you to have more frightening hallucinations. Learning to understand what sleep paralysis is and that it is completely harmless will allow you to calmly and objectively experience it, or even enjoy it!

Explanation
Since sleep paralysis is an anomaly that is not supposed to happen to your body, if it fails to happen then congratulations, you are functioning normally. RBD and Sleep Walking episodes are not really related to SP.

Explanation
A common misconception is that sleep walkers are acting out their REM dreams. This is not correct, sleep walking occurs during other stages of sleep than REM sleep.
If REM atonia fails, the dreamer may act out their dreams (possibly causing harm to themselves). This is called REM Behavioral Disorder, or RBD.

Explanation
If you selected 'during sleep' you're still very confused about what SP is. SP is, essentially, the paralysis of your body while you're awake. REM atonia is when it happens while you're asleep, during your REM sleep periods.
SP occurs most often while waking up. Many people mistakenly think that SP is most common while falling asleep because some lucid dreamers attempt to induce SP in order to WILD. However, this is incorrect. Sleep Paralysis is naturally MOST common upon awakening, postdormitally.