Nightmares - wake up, but can't move...

[iHaunt]

I have had dreams or waking movements (not sure) where you are either awake or dreaming you are and you can't move or speak. In my experience it seemed to last a long time like hours. In reality it was probably more like minute or second. You feel like you're being held down and you try to scream, but nothing comes out.

Other people I've spoken to have had similar things happen to them.

This is called REM atonia: A frightening form of paralysis that occurs when a person suddenly finds himself of herself unable to move for a few minutes, most often upon falling asleep or waking up. Commonly called sleep paraylsis, the condition is due to an ill-timed disconnection between the brain and the body. (From medterms.com)

[Pooder]

I have heard of this. I believe it happened to me once when I was little.

[Rising Dead Man]

I think they used to call it Old Hag Syndrome because people thought it was the ghost of an old hag holding them down or something like that. I hate it when this happens! I remember it happening a few times with me. It's scary.

What causes it?

[DemonSlayerMau]

Well...I've had dreams like that...but there's more to it than just being paralyzed. I actually dreamed that a demon was trying to attack me! And I remember crying out to God in my dreams...and eventually I went and slipped between sleeping and awake....and finally when I was awake I didn't move for a second because I didn't know if I could or not.
Anyway, it scared the dog snot out of me. I do believe demons are real...and I've heard stories about demons attacking Christians.

[ElMuertoMan17]

I have had dreams like this. Except that I was in the dream, yet I was awake. It is really hard to explain, but I was still in my dream, yet I tried to move and I couldn't move until I roused myself out of my dream. I also have dreams where I am falling, and falling, and falling. When those dreams occur, It actually feels like I am falling, and is very scary. I have not had dreams like that lately, more when I was a child.

[Autumnal_whispers]

I have had dreams like this. Except that I was in the dream, yet I was awake. It is really hard to explain, but I was still in my dream, yet I tried to move and I couldn't move until I roused myself out of my dream. I also have dreams where I am falling, and falling, and falling. When those dreams occur, It actually feels like I am falling, and is very scary. I have not had dreams like that lately, more when I was a child.

I think that's called lucid dreaming. Like where you're aware consciously that you're asleep and dreaming, but you can control what you do in your dream?

[iHaunt]

I think they used to call it Old Hag Syndrome because people thought it was the ghost of an old hag holding them down or something like that. I hate it when this happens! I remember it happening a few times with me. It's scary.

Yes, that's right. Some people call it the old hag. I really don't know why.

[ElMuertoMan17]

I have had dreams like this. Except that I was in the dream, yet I was awake. It is really hard to explain, but I was still in my dream, yet I tried to move and I couldn't move until I roused myself out of my dream. I also have dreams where I am falling, and falling, and falling. When those dreams occur, It actually feels like I am falling, and is very scary. I have not had dreams like that lately, more when I was a child.

I think that's called lucid dreaming. Like where you're aware consciously that you're asleep and dreaming, but you can control what you do in your dream?

No, I cannot control what I am doing in my dreams, but I can rouse myself out of them when I have lucid dreams. Whenever I have lucid dreams, they are usually very scary and I become aware that I am dreaming and I struggle to rouse myself out of them.