Think of yourself going to sleep to find yourself conscious but immobile. It feels as if there is a weight on your chest, making it hard to breathe. You are horrified, but there is nothing you can do. You can't move; you can't cry for help. This condition is known as "Sleep Paralysis", affecting 4 out of 10 people, including myself.

My first sleep paralysis episode occurred as a teen. Over the next few years, I experienced few more episodes.

I still remember my first episode. I was falling asleep, and suddenly I found myself in a dark room. I tried to get up but couldn't even move. I tried to cry for help with no success. I hoped that it was a terrible dream. I tried to focus, and I noticed that I was in my bed. "If this is my room, I am not dreaming," I thought to myself. I started to fear that I was dying. The emotions that went through my mind were intense. After what seemed to be hours of agony, I fell asleep.

I talked about my experience with my mother. I was relieved that some in our family had a similar experience. Then I spoke to my doctor, Mrs Shanthimala de Silva, about my experience. She smiled when mum told her that I feared I was dying and explained to me in layman's terms how sleep works. I was relieved I had more time.

In time I encountered many more similar episodes, and they were less frightening. Once I was like "Meh, here I go again".

Because of sleep paralysis, I learned some essential skills. One is to listen to my inner thoughts since there was nothing better to do. The other is on how to put me to sleep rapidly in a couple of minutes' time. I call it "Turbo Sleep" after KITT's Turbo Boost in the TV show Knight Rider. If the episode dragged too long I used this to put myself to sleep. This is a skill I use every day when I go to bed.

If sleep paralysis is bothering you, you should seek professional help. There are things doctors can do to help improve your condition.