How to Induce Sleep Paralysis
While some people associate sleep paralysis with scary dreaming or even alien abduction, you should know that sleep paralysis can actually be fun. Some people try to induce sleep paralysis by following certain steps which are described below. When you induce sleep paralysis, you can lead yourself into a state of lucid dreaming or an out of body experience.
There is something mystical about sleep paralysis that entices people to try and have an episode of it. To do it is not so difficult. Sleep paralysis involves having no control over your speech and skeletal muscle function as if in a dream except that you are not really dreaming and are aware of being paralyzed. To some people, this represents a disorder of sleep that they try very hard to get away from. They feel frightened by these episodes and avoid situations leading to sleep paralysis at all costs.
For those who want to journey into an out of body experience or to have a very lucid dream, sleep paralysis is a way to get there. The following are steps you can do to try to induce sleep paralysis.
1. Set your alarm clock
Set your alarm clock so that you will wake up after just four hours of sleep. This will contribute to sleep deprivation, which is one way to help induce a state of sleep paralysis. Also Put the alarm next to the bed so you will hear it in your sleep.
2. Bedtime
Go to bed at the time you normally go to sleep
3. Comfortable Clothing
Wear comfortable clothing and make sure you have good sleep habits such as keeping the temperature of the room not too hot or too cold, avoiding alcohol and caffeine before sleep, and avoiding heavy meals or exercise just before sleeping.
4. Wake up when the alarm goes off
Generally this is sometime in the middle of the night. Get out of bed right away so you don’t fall asleep again. Busy yourself with some type of mild activity for about thirty minutes. Good ways to do this include reading a good book or going on the computer to read your email or just to surf the web.
5. Return to your bed after thirty minutes but this time choose a sleep position different from that which is most comfortable for you.
In other words, if you sleep on your back, lie down on your belly to sleep and vice versa. You don’t want to be too comfortable when reclining.
6. Lie very still in your chosen position
Try not to move so that your brain is tricked into thinking you are sleeping. If you are lucky, the brain will send a signal to your body to induce paralysis.
7. In particular, close your eyes or at least keep them very still with a soft focus
This also tricks your brain into thinking you are already asleep and will induce paralysis. When you feel the state of sleep paralysis, try experimenting with lucid dreaming or an altered state of consciousness such as having an out of body experience.
Why induce sleep paralysis?
Inducing sleep paralysis, for some people, can be fun. You can plan your dreams and have some control over how you behave in the dreams.
Sleep Paralysis and Lucid Dreaming
There are some tricks to turning a state of sleep paralysis into a lucid dream that will help you transition from just being paralyzed and actually having a lucid dream. Remember that sleep paralysis is a bit of a cross between REM sleep and a fully awakened state. Here is how to turn Sleep paralysis into lucid dream:
First of all, do not allow yourself to be afraid of being in the sleep paralysis state
Even those who have done it many times can feel afraid. Tell yourself it is just an altered state of being and allow yourself to breathe slowly and regularly. Tell yourself you are going into a lucid dream and that is all. Nothing can really harm you in this state and it is completely safe. Relax into the experience and try not to fight it or push it too hard.
Breathe slowly and carefully, relaxing your skeletal muscles of breathing as much as you can
Remember what you want to accomplish in your dream and think it to yourself. Know that you are trying to go deeper into the dream than you normally would.
Stay in the present moment with your eyes closed
It acts as a way of turning your attention inward. Feel the unusual floating sensations that come out of being paralyzed. Once you are in a state of sleep paralysis, say (in your head) your dream intentions. For example, if you want to have a lucid dream in which you are flying, imagine yourself doing just that. The dream will come out of the darkness of your closed eyes and you will vividly “see” your dream in your mind. Notice the particulars of what is around you in your lucid dream, such as the vivid colors, smells and sounds.
Try to set your attention to a place on your body where your “third eye” is—just above and between your eyes in the middle of your forehead
This will bring about a sensation of being part of a kaleidoscope of colors. Put yourself into the image of the kaleidoscope and enjoy a feeling of falling or flying as you do this. You will feel the sensation of being in a tunnel with your dream at the end of it. Travel through the tunnel and into your dream. You can plan where you want to be at the end of the tunnel or you can allow yourself to be surprised. Either way, it should be a pleasant experience.
You can also simply let the dream take you where your subconscious wants you to go
This is similar to a state described in Taoism called “wu wei”, which means “effortless action”. Gravity will push you further into your bed while your mind will feel as though you are above your body looking down. Try and set an intention if you like to make the dream go your way but if you are too alert in this, it will just wake you up. If it doesn’t wake you up, you can choose to “float” anywhere you want.
If all this sounds weird to you, try it anyway. You may find it a pleasant state of being that you can get into any time you want.