On occasion, I'll wake up from a dream blind, shaking, terrified, and unable to move. This has happened to me a few times, probably around six that I can remember.

Anyways, the other night this happened, but in an even more unusual way. I awoke from a dream - an EXTREMELY weird dream, not really a nightmare though - with the usual shaking, terror, blindness, and inability to move, but then something strange happened.

All of a sudden, I gained my sight, and was looking at my arms when I realized that although I was shaking pretty intensely, it looked as if my arms were lying completely still. Then, somehow, I gained the ability to move them. When I did this, however, my vision stayed exactly the same! I felt myself moving my arms, but saw them staying completely still!

I've heard this referred to as things like the "Old Hag Syndrome"
or "The Night Hag", but those sound a little wive's tale-ish to me. I think that I am either awakening from REM sleep while still in sleep paralysis, or maybe (I HIGHLY DOUBT THIS, but am not denying it as a possibility) a false awakening.

Experiences? Explanations? Anybody?