Lucid dream is when the dreamer is aware that they are dreaming and have the ability to control the dream i.e. characters, narrative, objects. While in sleep paralysis the dreamer is not aware they are dreaming, but they perceive themselves to be awake. Sleep paralysis usually lasts only a few seconds to a few minutes even though it may feel like hours have past (LOVE). When sleep patterns are disrupted, or we are exhausted, REM extends into waking consciousness, our bodies become paralyzed and our brain interferes with the imagery of dreams (Dobkin). For sleep paralysis to occur you must be in REM because during REM our voluntary muscles in the rest of the body are paralyzed. REM Sleep is 4 stages of sleep that occurs approximately every 90 minutes, marked by bursts of rapid eye movements occurring under closed eyelids; associated with dreaming …show more content…
Narcolepsy is when a person feels very sleepy and fatigued during the day. Narcolepsy affects roughly 1 in 2,000 to 3,000 people, but can go undiagnosed and can lead to sleep paralysis. People with narcolepsy experience various types of day and night time sleep problems that are associated with REM sleep disturbances that tend to begin subtly and may change dramatically over time (Terzaghi). Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder in which the person experiences depression and/or mania, hypomania, and/or mixed states. “Those who suffer from bipolar disorder have elevated mood states and can also involve depressive mood states”(Dobkin). There can then be changes in one's energy level, sleep pattern, activity level, and social interactions. The changes in a person’s sleep effects REM. Those who develop sleeping problems, experience more of a deep sleep. As time goes on, the stages of REM sleep become longer. This general pattern, “can be disrupted by any sleep disorders many of which have been shown to be associated with bipolar disorder and sleep paralysis is just one of many”