From:    Scott Crown                            
To:      Steve Chong                            Msg #95, 12 Apr 94 21:21:00
Subject: ???

I myself have had Numerous sleep paralysis instances scattered
throughout my lifetime. The one overwhelming sensation that is very
disturbing to me about this is PANIC. As has been stated, I am aware of
everything in my room, and even sounds outside it. It usually begins
with a sudden urge to wake up from a dream in the dawn hours. After
the instance begins, I cannot move except perhaps jerkingly and not much
at all. I see everything and yet feel I cannot open my eyes to Wake Up.
Some times in the morning instances its the sound of what might be a car
outside, or what may be my roomate going up or down the stairs. Only
after concerted effort and/or relaxing do I finally wake up and feel
utterly exhausted and in a sweat.
    In the more horrifying instances I see my dark room and feel the
overwhelming urge to get up or wake up (not sure). I believe outside
disturbances are causing me to panic and want to move. The paralysis is
complete except for the wrenching of my jaw, the scanning of my eyes (if
they are open), and most often trying to raise my head to no avail. The
worst instance involved the feeling that someone was in my room. I
usually blackout (perhaps returning to deep sleep), or manage to get
awake and sit up and look about only to hear what might be a car, or jet
outside.
    I assure you that this has happened and I share it with you here
because it the first time I've found a discussion on it. I thought it
was perhaps just ME and that I may be having a problem with sleep ( or
maybe with waking up  ). I admit a fascination with UFO's but will
not go so far as to connect this to an Encounter. I would like to say
what may be happening in the most beleivable scenario.
    Most dreams occur in the moments not long before you wake up. Some
say that even the Epic dreams that seem like movies are instead only a
few seconds long. When your body goes into these REM dreamstates your
brain uses a muscle arrestor to defend you from bodily harm that might
result from reacting to a dream situation. If all this is so, perhaps
this muscle arrestor is slow to disengage in instances where your mind
and body are ready to wake up. My ears awake, my eyes (might) awake, and
all my senses seem concious, but my brain hasn't released my muscles
that allow me to Get Up.
    In this case, the main thing that might be causing the panic is a
residual memory from the dream itself. I certainly hope this is the
case. Fortunately these paralysis episodes are rare but clustered
together night after night. My last ones occurred over 8 months ago and
were frighteningly intense.
    A diehard UFO believer might say I'm explaining away a real
traumatic experience. Trust me - that thought has occured to me and kind
of scares me. On the other hand, a sleep therapist may tell me that I'm
right and sometimes my brain's sleep/dream/awaken cicuitry gets crossed.
Whatever you all think, let me know. This happens to me and I dont enjoy
it. Imagine how you'd feel                 Scott Crown FL