*Welcome to the OutUK series looking at gay men and their health brought to you in association with the NHS* website.**
	Each week we'll tackle a different topic in our A to Z of Gay Health. We'll have features and advice on everything from relationships, sexual health, mental and physical conditions and how to stay fit. You can follow any of links provided below for more information direct from the NHS website, or see this week's feature L: Laxatives.

Sleep Paralysis

Sleep paralysis is when you cannot move or speak as you are waking up or falling asleep. It can be scary but it's harmless and most people will only get it once or twice in their life.

What happens during sleep paralysis

During sleep paralysis you may feel:

awake but cannot move, speak or open your eyes
like someone is in your room
like something is pushing you down
frightened

These feelings can last up to several minutes.

Causes of sleep paralysis

Sleep paralysis happens when you cannot move your muscles as you are waking up or falling asleep. This is because you are in sleep mode but your brain is active.

It's not clear why sleep paralysis can happen but it has been linked with:

insomnia
disrupted sleeping patterns - for example, because of shift work or jet lag
narcolepsy - a long-term condition that causes a person to suddenly fall asleep
post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
generalised anxiety disorder
panic disorder
a family history of sleep paralysis

Things you can do to help prevent sleep paralysis

You may be able to prevent sleep paralysis by changing your sleeping habits.

Do

try to regularly get 7 to 9 hours of sleep a day
go to bed at roughly the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning
get regular exercise, but not in the 4 hours before going to bed

Don't

do not eat a big meal, smoke, or drink alcohol or caffeine shortly before going to bed
do not sleep on your back - this can make sleep paralysis more likely to happen

See a GP if:

You often have sleep paralysis and you feel:

very anxious or scared to go to sleep
tired all the time due to lack of sleep

Treating sleep paralysis

A GP may be able to treat an underlying condition that could be triggering sleep paralysis such as insomnia or post-traumatic stress disorder.

If this does not help they might refer you to a doctor who specialises in sleep conditions.

Treatment from a specialist

You might be given medicine usually used to treat depression. Taking this type of medicine at a lower dose can also help with sleep paralysis.

You might also be referred for cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).

OutUK's A to Z of Gay Health continues and you can read this week's feature L: Laxatives. We have covered many subjects in this series and you can catch up with all of our Previous A to Z Features. If you want to find out more about this particular topic you can visit the Original article on the NHS website. If you are worried by any aspect of your health make sure you go and see your doctor or book an appointment at your local clinic.
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