Disease or Syndrome
sleep paralysis
sleep pa·ral·y·sis
Subclass of:
REM Sleep Parasomnias
Definitions related to sleep paralysis:
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A common condition characterized by transient partial or total paralysis of skeletal muscles and areflexia that occurs upon awakening from sleep or less often while falling asleep. Stimuli such as touch or sound may terminate the episode, which usually has a duration of seconds to minutes. This condition may occur in normal subjects or be associated with NARCOLEPSY; CATAPLEXY; and hypnagogic HALLUCINATIONS. The pathophysiology of this condition is closely related to the normal hypotonia that occur during REM sleep. (From Adv Neurol 1995;67:245-271)NLM Medical Subject HeadingsU.S. National Library of Medicine, 2021
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A feeling of paralysis that may occur during the transition between wakefulness and sleep if the REM sleep stage begins before a person is fully asleep; classically associated with narcolepsy.Harvard Dictionary of Health TermsHarvard Medical Publishing, 2011
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An inability to move the body at sleep onset or upon awakening from sleep lasting seconds to a few minutes.Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO)The Human Phenotype Ontology Project, 2021
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Temporary inability to speak or move while waking up or falling asleep.NCI ThesaurusU.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
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Sleep paralysis, total inability to move for a very brief period that occurs as one is either falling asleep or awakening from sleep. Sleep paralysis can affect individuals of any age, and many people experience an episode at some point in their lifetime. Teenagers and young adults and persons with...Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 2020
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