So, i've been experiencing what i now understand to be "sleep paralysis". Ever since i was little i've had this feeling of waking up and not being able to move, i try to force and push, do anything i can to just lift my head. Sometimes (most of the times) its kind of scary, im paranoid. I havent quite embraced the fact yet that it is normal and could perhaps be a good thing to maybe even help me lucid dream? I feel paranoid and panic to wake myself up. So over the years i've tried to pay attention to the patterns and when i do experience sleep paralysis. I am pretty sure that under THESE conditions is when it happens (for me).

1: Being very tired - when you're completely exhausted and fall asleep without even trying to. This could be on the couch for example. Point is you are not READY to go to sleep. You just drift to sleep. That seems to be the first thing.

2: No distractions - No TV or outside noises. Usually when i wake up from the sleep paralysis stage i notice that i am completely alone and things are/were quiet.

3: It is hot - This is probably the most surprising of all, but when i wake up i realize that it was hot wherever i was. The a/c could be off, i could have fallen asleep with alot of clothing on, etc. The temperature might be related to me even waking up in the first place.

I haven't tried to test this as a hypothesis and set the conditions but as i said its been happening to me pretty much my entire life and i suppose the patterns don't lie so in a way this theory has been tested several times.

Can anyone comment on sleep paralysis, is it important in dreaming? Should i wake myself up? Maybe it can lead into lucidity?