Soaps

Former EastEnders actress Hetti Bywater ‘scared to sleep’ due to sleep paralysis

Worry over the coronavirus epidemic isn't helping

Former EastEnders actress Hetti Bywater, who played Lucy Beale, has admitted she’s scared to sleep due to suffering with sleep paralysis.

The actress revealed on her Instagram story she’s struggling to nod off due to what happens when she goes to sleep.

In one story she posted a picture which showed how badly she’s been sleeping over the last 30 days.

She revealed she’s been getting about an hour and 35 minutes of sleep a night.

Former EastEnders Hetti Bywater sleep
Hetti Bywater showed that she’s not getting much sleep (Credit: Instagram @bywaterhetti)

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She continued in another post writing: “I’m so scared to sleep too as I’m concerned my sleep paralysis will kick in.”

Former EastEnders Hetti Bywater sleep
The former Lucy Beale actress revealed she’s scared to sleep (Credit: Instagram @bywaterhetti)

Anxiety causing sleep paralysis

She then wrote on her story: “Sleep update: I didn’t. I knew it would happen. Anxiety was so bad and I was so sleep deprived that paralysis happened.

“Every time I start to nod it kicked in, waking me back up in fear, stirring my anxiety further.

“I tried so hard to breathe and had herbal remedies but when it gets that bad it’s almost a lost cause.

“So I guess I’ll have to wait until tonight. And let’s hope.

“Mainly annoying because it means my first day of routine has been ruined. And routine is what I need right now. Insomnia is a killer! So is anxiety.”

Former EastEnders Hetti Bywater sleep
Hetti Bywater explained that when she tried to sleep, she ended up having sleep paralysis (Credit: Instagram @bywaterhetti)

Sleep paralysis is when you cannot move or speak as you are waking up or falling asleep.

The condition can be very scary as you can feel like someone is in your room or like something is pushing down on your body.

Recently the actress revealed she was in isolation to help prevent the spread of coronavirus but stated she didn’t have the virus.

Hetti Bywater’s time as EastEnders’ Lucy Beale

The actress played Lucy in Eastenders from 2012 until 2015.

Hett played Lucy from 2012 until 2015 (Credit: BBC)

Although Lucy was killed off in 2014, Hetti returned to the role for the show’s 30th anniversary live week in February 2015.

In flashbacks it showed what really happened the night of Lucy’s death and revealed her little half-brother Bobby, who was 10 at the time, killed her after hitting her over the head with a jewellery box.

Bobby Beale killed sister Lucy in 2014 (Credit: BBC)

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Bobby’s adoptive mum and Lucy’s stepmother Jane helped Bobby cover his crime by moving her body to Walford Common.

Have you ever struggled with sleep paralysis? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know what you think!


Charlotte Rodrigues
Soap Contributor
Charlotte Rodrigues joined Entertainment Daily in April 2018, as Audience Engagement Executive. A huge soap fan, Charlotte then became Senior Soap Writer, delivering the latest storylines and spoilers to our followers.

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