What Exactly Is Sleep Paralysis?

What I want to know is, how are you not able to move? Is it physically impossible, or kind of in your head? are you able to end it, or do you just have to sit there and wait it out?

Read this thingy

it’s very real and it’s not impossible to move. If you want to end it simply put all of your effort in moving a finder or toe or arm.

In short, the “wires” between your brain and the muscles are deactivated. The brain wants to move (and does move in the dreamworld), but the real body and its muscles don’t know about it and don’t respond.

Your body fires off neuron signals and oozes sleepytime hormones… so, It’s physically difficult.

Most sleepers most of the time are able to end it, others have to sit there and wait it out. It depends on your body chemistry.

Most of the time, though, you really don’t notice it. Even during WILD, I don’t usually struggle against sleep paralysis because I don’t remember having it, it drops me right into the dream. I have sleep paralysis more often upon waking up from a dream in my mind, while my body remains asleep.

To be pedantic, there’s apparently a difference between sleep paralysis (which you get naturally every night) and REM atonia (when some wires get crossed and you are not only conscious and paralyzed but dream characters-- or nightmare characters-- are in your line of vision.)

EllyEve gives a good answer; it is essentially a sleep mechanism gone a bit awry. I would add that you shouldn’t try and end the sleep paralysis. Instead, take the opportunity to become lucid (drill into yourself ‘If I can’t move, do a reality check’). I used to have horrendous sleep paralysis experiences and RCing effectively ended them. If you do become lucid, it can be a bit tricky to move at first but this will improve with experience.