I'VE had scary dreams where I feel someone else in the room and I cannot move and feel like my chest is being crushed. It's very alarming, any idea what it is?

THIS sounds like sleep paralysis.

This is when you're completely aware of your surroundings but temporarily being unable to move or talk and usually occurs as you're waking up, but can happen when falling asleep.

The length of an episode can vary from a few seconds to several minutes.

It happens when parts of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep occur while you're awake. REM is a stage of sleep when the brain is very active and dreams often occur.

The body is unable to move, apart from the eyes and muscles used in breathing, possibly to stop you acting out your dreams and hurting yourself.

It's not clear why REM sleep can sometimes occur while you're awake, but it has been associated with insomnia, jet lag, irregular sleeping patterns, family history and narcolepsy.

In many cases, sleep paralysis is a one-off or very occasional event that occurs in someone who is otherwise healthy. Sleep paralysis should get better over time, but improving your sleeping habits and sleeping environment may help. You should contact your GP if it keeps happening.

I RECENTLY had my nose pierced. Can I go swimming?

YOU should avoid swimming for at least 24 hours after having a piercing and ideally, until it has healed properly. While it's still healing, it's important to keep the piercing dry, as there's a risk of infection.

It can take up to six months for a nose piercing to heal.

After having a piercing, it is important to keep the area clean and dry. You may be advised to gently clean the area with a salt-water solution.

However, the piercing should be cleaned no more than is necessary to keep it clean, as over-cleaning can irritate the skin and delay healing.

It's not normally necessary to rotate or remove a piece of jewellery.

To clean the piercing, submerge the area in a warm saline or salt-water solution for 5 to 10 minutes.

Alternatively, soak a clean cloth in the solution and apply to the area. Once any discharge has softened, you can clean it with a cotton bud or piece of gauze.

Wash your hands with warm water and antibacterial soap, and dry them with a disposable towel before touching or washing your piercing.

Ensure any clothing and bedding that may come into contact with the area around the piercing is clean.

WHAT is scurvy?

Scurvy is the term for a severe vitamin C deficiency in the body. Vitamin C can be found in a variety of fruit and vegetables especially oranges, lemons and grapefruit, broccoli and cabbage. It is also found in fresh milk.

Vitamin C is used for healthy tissue, bones and teeth, as well helping to heal any wounds.

It is a rare disease now in the developed world, but those most at risk are people who do not eat a nutritious diet and those with a drug or alcohol dependency who may not be eating healthily..

The symptoms of scurvy include a feeling of discomfort, tiredness, nausea, muscle and joint pain, easy bruising, swollen and bleeding gums, the loosening of teeth, dry skin and hair, and bleeding into muscles and joints.

Diagnosis of scurvy involves a simple blood test.

A sample of blood will be taken from a vein and then tested to check the levels of vitamin C in the white blood cells.

Most people will improve very quickly simply by including fruit and vegetable in their diets and taking a vitamin supplement.