hi Steve, fishing for a response ? =P it's ok i like these sort of discussions ! even if we've discussed it here before
what you're describing is called sleep paralysis.
"Sleep paralysis is a phenomenon in which a person, either falling asleep or awakening, temporarily experiences an inability to move, speak or react. It is a transitional state between wakefulness and sleep characterized by complete muscle atonia (muscle weakness). It is often accompanied by terrifying hallucinations (such as an intruder in the room) to which one is unable to react due to paralysis, and physical experiences (such as strong current running through the upper body). One hypothesis is that it results from disrupted REM sleep, which normally induces complete muscle atonia to prevent the sleeper from acting out his or her dreams. Sleep paralysis has been linked to disorders such as narcolepsy, migraines, anxiety disorders, and obstructive sleep apnea; however, it can also occur in isolation."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_paralysisi've been in this state and it can be very scary. we are mostly fearful of that which we don't understand or know. when in this state, it's easy to let your fears create an unpleasant experience.
i was able to experience both sides of this(calm and fearful) and later was able to use my sleep paralysis as a gateway to having out of body experiences.
if your friend is experiencing this and doesn't want to, ask him/her to research sleep paralysis. tell her that the next time sleep paralysis occurs, to breath calmly and and focus her awareness to a single point on her body. like wiggling her big toe. she will have to mentally declare, i am going to move my big toe now. with a little bit of effort, she can break free.
