The 1000 Day Holiday

Dr Andrew Ng, director of the Centre for Sleep Disorders and Respiratory Failure at St George Hospital, said sleep paralysis was perhaps the most common sleep disorder.

But, Ng said, despite its prevalence, there had been little research.

During a typical episode, the affected person awoke, and, even though fully conscious, could not move or speak, Ng said.

It could last seconds or even minutes, although it often feels much longer.

About three-quarters of the time, Ng said, it was accompanied by hallucinations that could include a feeling of floating, hearing noises such as people talking, laughing and humming, or even seeing things, such as another person in the room.

As well, said Ng, a feeling of a “threatening presence” was common, and the sense that someone or something was pressing on the person’s chest.

Ng said that while sleep paralysis was not completely understood, there were explanations for the often frightening symptoms, which involved some of the physical characteristics of REM (rapid eye movement) sleep being carried on for a short time during wakefulness.

During REM sleep there was extreme muscle weakness, which explained the lack of movement. It was also the time at which vivid and sometimes terrifying dreams occurred, explaining the hallucinations. The sense of an “evil presence” was, Ng said, in part due to a particular section of the brain being activated without reassurance from the other senses, such as sight and hearing, that the person was safe.

Sleep Paralysis

Hanging out in Brisbane Sunday – Wednesday this week.

Went out with Carls & the gang in Manly. Funky nite.

I dont suggest you watch this movie before bed time.
The Descent 5 Stars in my book for a genre I dont generally like.

Or if youre going for a walk after dark.

Salmonella dub & shapeshifter are playing the coogee bay hotel on the 24th september.

$45 oh yeah. Bring it on.

RABT: Rapid all body training, as I am an unfit fsck!

Flights confirmed:
Arrive Christchurch midnight on 1st Sept.

Probably hang out in chch on the Friday
Then head for methven for the weekend.
and onto arthurs pass for the remainder to attack the club fields.

Depart 6am 12 Sept

Well tomorrow morning I have my follow up from the overnight sleep study.

may be interesting, and then i predict he will just give me a script for benzo’s. So much for management. Nasty addictive nasty nasty pills.

update:
geesh so now I have a script for clonazepam Dont those side effects just look yummy.

I got home from climbing tonite (completed a full yellow climb! woot)

and the hermit was just making dinner. She had a whole bbq chicken from the supermarket.
Heres the thing. She only eats the breast meat. She throws the rest away because its yucky.

Go figure, she did however give the rest to me happy flattie

Once again; the Aussies get thumped.

They continue to drink from their billys (baked bean can, converted to a mug for heating over an open fire) rather than a large shiny trophy mug.

Good on ya!

pics here: Bledisloe Pics

Highlights of the night: Mick the token aussie wingman being surrounded by 50+ kiwi supporters, many of the darker scarier variety.

Most people are keen to stay out of the pooh, but not some foolhardy Motueka swimmers and kayakers.

Motueka Community Board is having to warn swimmers to stay out of its sewage ponds.

Chairman Cliff Satherley said board members were “flabbergasted” at the discovery.

“We couldn’t believe it. It defies logic.”

The ponds are fenced and locked but Tasman District Council staff reported finding people kayaking, swimming and picnicking in the area, he said.

Mr Satherley said the ponds looked almost like a scenic area but the signs, fencing and occasional smell should be enough to keep people away.

“You’d think common sense would prevail.”

The council would erect more signs at the site.
Swimmers urged to stay out of sewage ponds

Wood pigeons in Whangarei, New Zealand, are having to be rescued after becoming drunk on guava berries.

The berries ferment and intoxicate them, the BBC reports. A hard winter killed their usual forest food.

Twenty-six birds had been rescued in the past month, said Robert Webb of the Whangarei Native Bird Recovery Centre.

“The birds are coming into the city to look for food and are eating the guava berries, which gets them paralytic.

“We have to sober them up, give them lots of water and fresh liquids and keep them for a few days.”
Tipsy pigeons