The Canadian singer says that he has since gotten his sleep paralysis under control with better sleeping practices (Pic: Instagram/iStock)
Pop star The Weeknd has revealed his struggle with sleep paralysis—a temporary state where you may be awake but unable to move or speak, often accompanied by hallucinations.
"I think that sleep paralysis is the enemy. That is something that I was dealing with, and still am to this day, not as much as before, but they're very vivid nightmares where you're in bed and you're half asleep, half awake, and you're aware of your surroundings, but you can't move. You're paralysed for almost a minute..." The Blinding Lights singer said in a recent interview.
However, the Canadian singer says that he has since gotten his sleep paralysis under control with better sleeping practices, limiting his lucid dreaming. He said lack of sleep was a major cause of the condition.
“I did my research on it, and it’s just a lack of sleep. Your brain is still awake when you’re asleep. So my biggest medicine for it is just to turn your phone off, turn the TV off, and turn all the lights off. And yeah, you won’t get it. The irony is it’s got to all be dark and scary for you to sleep through the night,” The Weeknd added.
What is sleep paralysis?
Sleep paralysis happens when you are not able to move any part of your body right before falling asleep or as you wake up. Experts say it happens when your body is between stages of sleep and wakefulness. Even though an episode can be temporary and only last for a few seconds to a couple of minutes, it can make you anxious.
Being a type of parasomnia, sleep paralysis can make you feel confused because you may regain movement of your body as if nothing happened. Even one sleep paralysis episode can make you nervous about going to sleep. This can affect how you feel and function during the daytime.
Doctors say there is no cure to stop sleep paralysis, which more than 30 per cent of people across the world experience - but treatment is available to reduce how often episodes affect you.
What are the signs and symptoms of sleep paralysis?
According to doctors, you may experience the following symptoms during a sleep paralysis episode, which lasts from a few seconds to even 20 minutes:
- You cannot move your arms or legs
- You are not able to speak
- Sensations of pressure against your chest or moving out of your own body
- Hallucinations
- Daytime sleepiness.
- Fear
- Panic
- Helplessness
What causes sleep paralysis?
Doctors say the exact cause of sleep paralysis is unknown, but there are a few things you must keep note of:
- Narcolepsy
- Sleep deprivation or insomnia
- Erratic sleep schedule
- Obstructive sleep apnea
- Mental health conditions like anxiety, bipolar disorder, or panic disorder
- Certain medications
- Substance use disorder
Ways to treat sleep paralysis
Doctors say the treatment for sleep paralysis depends on the reason why you have the condition. Your provider may recommend the following:
- Taking medications that prevent you from reaching the REM stage of sleep.
- Taking medications to treat an underlying mental health condition or sleep disorder
- Improving your sleep hygiene
- Talking to a mental health provider if you experience frequent stress
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