Sophie Ellis-Bextor, who hosts her New Year’s Eve Disco tonight (Tuesday, December 31), once opened up about her battle with sleep paralysis.
The star, 45, spoke about the condition during an interview back in 2022.
Sophie Ellis-Bextor on sleep paralysis struggle
During an interview with the Metro in 2022, Sophie opened up about her struggle with sleep paralysis, and the “scariest” part about the condition.
Sleep paralysis is a condition where you briefly lose muscle control, which happens just after falling asleep, or just as you’re about to wake up. People also suffer hallucinations during this brief period of paralysis, which invokes fear in many.
During the interview, Sophie confessed that she had been left frightened by her experience with sleep paralysis.
“People used to interpret it as poltergeists, because [you feel] you’re being held down. You’re supposed to have your body kept still, so that you don’t get up and act out your dreams. [But] sometimes they happen out of order, so you wake up first, but your body is still, still and you can’t move,” she explained.
‘It’s not very nice’
The mum-of-five then continued, saying: “It’s not very nice, because your breathing stays the same, your breathing is shallow, you can’t make sounds… it’s like someone needs to unlock you.
“The scariest bit was when I didn’t know what it was,” she then added.
Sleep paralysis affects around 7% of the population, according to studies. According to the NHS website, it can be caused by a number of issues, including insomnia, disrupted sleep patterns, narcolepsy, PTSD, and anxiety.
They recommend going to see a GP if the fear caused by sleep paralysis is preventing you from falling asleep at night.
Sophie Ellis-Bextor hits out at Strictly
Earlier this year, amid the Strictly scandal caused, in part, by Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima’s alleged behaviour behind the scenes, Sophie’s previous comments about the show resurfaced.
Sophie finished fourth on the show back in 2013. She was partnered up with Brendan Cole. However, she admitted in an interview in 2021 that her marriage had suffered thanks to her involvement in the show.
“I felt uncomfortable that there was a slight weirdness in forming a new ‘couple’ when you’re both two married strangers. I had found this really innocent when I’d read it in the newspapers. But when it was me, with another man, and Richard watching on, I didn’t find it quite so innocent,” she told the MailOnline.
She then went on to say that the show should have counsellors on hand to help contestants.
“I do think they should have a counsellor, just to check in with the contestants,” she said.
“Richard began seeing a counsellor after I’d been in the show a month or so, and it really helped. Perhaps I should have, too. If all this seems a little dramatic just for a show that teaches you to jive, I couldn’t agree more. It’s too much.”
Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s New Year’s Eve Disco airs from 11.30pm on Tuesday, December 31 on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
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Thousands suffer from the condition
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