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Sleep Paralysis: Awake But Still Asleep

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Biology 202
2000 First Web Report
On Serendip

Sleep Paralysis: Awake But Still Asleep

Hiro Takahashi

A person may wake up and find himself unable to move or speak as if he is frozen. He also may hear footsteps, see a ghost-like creature, or feel someone sitting on his chest. Throughout the history, people considered this phenomenon as work done by evil spirits. However, the modern science can explain the terrifying event as a Sleep Paralysis.

A Sleep Paralysis is possibly a hereditary disorder in which one experiences very frightening seconds or minutes of total body paralysis with little respiration and eye movements (1). A victim in this state feels awake, but he cannot move or speak (2). In addition to the immobility, the common symptoms include feeling choked or suffocated, hearing strange noises like footsteps and voices, seeing beings or dark shadows, and feeling an existance of someone in the room (1). Although these symptoms often direct the victims to believe in ghosts, mistransmission of neural signals in the brain causes Sleep Paralysis. When a person sleeps, his brain sends signals to inhibit any muscle contraction (3). If he comes into consciousness before the brain sends signals to activate muscle contraction, he cannot move his body, and consequently, become "paralyzed"(2).

In order to understand how a body becomes paralyzed while the person is awake, it is necessary to understand sleep cycles. In a mammalian sleep, the brain activity undergoes two different states called non-REM (NREM) sleep and REM sleep, which differ very much from wakefulness (3). NREM and REM sleep alternate cyclically through the night; in human, about 80 minutes of NREM sleep starts a night of sleep, about 10 minutes of REM sleep follows, and this 90 minute cycle is repeated about 3 to 6 times during the night (3). During NREM sleep, a body produces few movement, but the body has capability of tossing about in bed and producing some other motor events, such as sleepwalking and sleeptalking (3). The cardiac-muscle contraction and breathing occur at a uniform rate, and the eyes move slowly (2). During REM sleep, on the other hand, heart rate, respiration rate, and blood pressure vary (3). The eyes move rapidly because most dreaming takes place in this period, and the sleeper probably "look" at the moving objects in a dream (2).

The brain's control over muscles during REM sleep points out that in this period, a body is normally in the state of total paralysis, called a "nonreciprocal flaccid paralysis" (3). Probably to prevent a person from "acting out" a dream, the brain sends signals to inhibit any muscle contractions (2). Although some peripheral muscles, such as the muscles of the fingers and face, still twitch, the large skeletal muscles become relaxed, or "paralyzed" as a result (3). Some evidence supports that the motor paralysis of REM sleep protect against the acting out of one's dreams. A patient who suffers from rare syndrome called REM Sleep Behavior Disorder lacks the normal nonreciprocal flaccid paralysis, and he acts out violent dreams during REM sleep, often with injurious consequences (4). For example, a 60-year-old surgeon dreamt that he was attacked "by criminals, terrorists, and monsters who always tried to kill [him]" and fighting against them in the nightmare, he was actually punching and kicking his wife who slept in the same bed (4).

A nonreciprocal flaccid paralysis during REM sleep is accomplished actively by postsynaptic inhibition of motorneurons (3). Although the exact process of motor inhibition is not clear, some neurotransmitters and hormones are known to generate the many components of REM sleep. Aministering physostigmine, an inhibitor of the catabolic enzyme, increases the concentration of acetylcholine within the neurons in the pons, making it possible to artificially generate and start REM sleep in the middle of NREM sleep (3). Carbachol, the cholinergic agonist, produces a period of REM sleep in cat when directly injected into the pontine tegmentum (3). The hormone melatonin, a "master hormone" (5) that mainly controls circadian rhythms, also seems to play an important role in enhancing the REM state; the level of melatonin secretion by the pineal gland reaches its lowest during REM sleep (5). Such neurotransmitters and hormones probably activate or inhibit the activity of second messengers, which then activate or inhibit the third messengers, and so on till the last messenger inhibit the synaptic transmission or cause hyperpolarization of the motorneurons. And if, for some reason, the nervous or endocrine system continues to release the neural inhibitors, a person may experience Sleep Paralysis as he enters awakefully into or awakens directly from REM period (2).

While the modern neuroscience can describe the state of Sleep Paralysis as some errors of the neural transmission in the brain during REM sleep, a person who has seen or heard ghost-like figures/voices may easily believe that eveil spirits fully controlled his entire body. However, the images or noises, which the victim believes that he has seen or heard, are most likely hallucinations; and hallucinations, too, can result from the brain activity. In the 1960's, the Canadian neurologist W. Penfield introduced that electrical stimulation of the temporal lobe can cause the auditory hallucinations in the wake state (5). The buzzing or ringing sounds in the ears and other auditory hallucinations are closely associated with the activity of the auditory cortex and involves the temporal lobe (5). During the early period of sleep paralysis, the activity of the temporal lobe increases significantly, sometimes inducing hallucinatory sense (5). Similarly, the visual cortex generates internal visual stimuli, causing the victim to "see" terrifying figures during the paralysis (5).

How an episode of Sleep Paralysis induces visual or auditory hallucinations is still not clear, but it seems to have a significant relationship with anxiety (5). For anxiety is a neurocognitive event closely related to both psychological and physical processes, the extreme anxiety or panic may cause the release of several different signal molecules that trigger all kinds of physical events (5). A person experiencing Sleep Paralysis feels mortal fear or extreme panic, and hence, the brain generates and releases internal visual or auditory stimuli, producing hallucinations.

Also, hallucinations during Sleep Paralysis may happen, for one keeps dreaming even after some parts of his brain wakes up directly from REM sleep. Since the nervous and endocrine systems continue to release the neural inhibitors which sustain the paralysis, it may be possible that those systems keep releasing the neural activators that stimulate dreaming. Thus, a person continues to "see" the images and "hear" the noises produced in the dream that he has just had in REM sleep from which he has awaken.

Understanding more neural concepts of Sleep Paralysis, some researchers now hypothesize that a very rare condition called Sudden Unexplained Nocturnal Death Syndrome (SUNDS) may closely relate to Sleep Paralysis (1). Upon the death, a SUNDS victim produces no body movement even though he experiences a myocardial infarction and strong breathing difficulties and should straggle in agony (5). The death may be caused by the extreme muscle atonia during Sleep Paralysis, which is so severe that even the cardiac muscles and the diaghragm paralyze (5).

Until I started researching on this subject, I have believed that the total paralysis of a body is due to an evil taking absolute control over the body. However, the interactions between neurons in the brain can explain this seemingly mysterious phenomenon in a scientific way. Although the explanation is not complete yet, for there are many unclear processes about Sleep Paralysis, the current hypothesis appears to reject the possibility of ghosts on this matter. Of course, it is impossible to completely disprove the existence of "spirits", "minds", or "God" affecting one's behavior. Nevertheless, like Sleep Paralysis and SUNDS, many or the mysterious conditions and behaviors which are only explained in supernatural terms probably result from brain.

WWW Sources

1)The Evil's of Sleep Paralysis

2)The Body During Sleep

3)Basics of Sleep Behavior

4)REM Sleep Behavior Disorder: A Neurologic Dissociative Sleep Disorder

5)Recurrent Isolated Sleep Paralysis

 

 

Comments made prior to 2007

I have been trying to figure out what was going on in my sleep untill i read this.Now i am happy to know what my body was expeiencing. It's quite scary your first couple experiences of sleep paralysis but now i'm gonna stay calm when it is happening to me and try to get my own understanding of the experience ... Jeremy, 21 March 2006

 


I have had sleep paralyisis at least once per month for the last 8 years. I am 29 as of this writing. I just had the experience about 1 hour ago and thus has caused me to do reasearch about it on the net. I noticed that many Dr.'s contribute this to anxiety, stress and other factors. My question is ... why is there always an evil presence in that concious yet body is still asleep phase? Today I heard a loud static sound, and opened my eyes to a spider crawling all over my arm. When I prayed to God, or said His name (Jehovah) the spider would start to disappear. I finally went thru my mental prayer when I awoke. This leads me to believe that it is more of a spiritual occurence, because I never have positive images while in this paralized state. I know there are many things in which our ancestors thought it was demonic rather than scientific, only to find there was a scientific explanation. However, I think this is different and cannot be simply written off as "scientific". There is not enough proof to show that it is scientific.

About a month ago I had another episode of sleep paralysis and I saw a small presence in the room with me. It was dark, and I could not see it's face (I am getting chills typing about it right now). My question is, why is there always an evil presence not only associated with my episodes, but so many others I have read about? ... Abel, 24 August 2006 

 

i was thinking it is evil who do that during night but now i find out why. I am suffering from sleep paralyze possibly every nigh spicily when i have dinar ... Salah Nasser, 28 January 2007

 

I used to have this sleeping disorder when I was a child.  It has come back once or twice with adulthood, but otherwise, it is in the past.  I used to, with great effort, move my hand to my face and pull an eye open, which would wake me up, but sometimes the struggle was too much and I would go on into a deeper sleep. 

Since the brain can do this to me, can it also cause me to get migraines just as I am about to wake up?

It seems, as I have discovered, if I get less than 4 hours sleep a night, I do not get migraines.  If I get 6 hours or more, it's about a 90% chance I will wake with a migraine.  Later in the day, I get an hour or two nap and that is the routine as it works.  Doctors just sort of treat the migraine and don't get into the sleep thing I have.  I take MaxAult for the migraines when they do get me.

I woke one time, and just as I woke, I felt this white-hot needle going into my head... bingo.  A migraine in 5 seconds.  That is how they can occur.  I wake with them otherwise.  I figure it my brain doing things it shouldn't.  I have a clean bill of health otherwise.

Thanks for your time.  Have a good day ... Jay, 11 February 2007

 

I have a question, and hope someone out there has an answer, it has been months and I have thus far failed to find one.  Has there ever been a record of anyone receiving the effects of sleep paralysis without having been asleep?  The reason I ask this, is a while ago, having not slept in a few hours, I was sitting at my computer, and it seemed to have happened to me. Within seconds I was too tired to hold up my own head, and my breathing got very difficult. Then I began to feel a sort of dizziness as my limbs lost feeling, and dropped to my side. after this, the dizziness turned to near blindness. I could see, but nothing would focus, and everything I tried to look at seemed to dart around like a mosquito. By this time I had no feeling in my entire body, could move nothing without quite a bit of concentration, and I could barely breath.  My mother heard me try and make out some kind of cry for help, and found me there spilled into my computer chair. She rolled me to my bed, and poured me into it. Within about 10-15 minutes I had regained everything I once had, but my sea legs did not ware off for another ten or so minutes.  I went to the emergency soon after. I had an E.K.G. and a C.A.T. scan, with no results, and I piss less in a week then the amount of blood they took that night. After basically telling me I was lying, the doctor told me that my symptoms did not fit anything at all.  What I do know, is I have been researching the issue ever since, and can only base my problem on Sleep Paralysis. All the symptoms match. And again, my question....Has there ever been a record of someone under the effects of sleep paralysis without ever having gone to sleep?  I hope you can shed some sort of light on this subject, as it,...well, it freaked me the hell out, and no one has been able to answer me!  Thank you for your time ... Mitchel Henderson, 7 December 2007

 

I used get this "evil paralysed me" feeling when i was paralysed and usually saw a ghost. i tried to shout or move but no sound escaped my mouth and couldn't move at all. it happened again yesterday and was almost convinced that ghosts/evil spirits were getting the better of me. But, me being a practical and logical guy, erjected this theory and started researching on this phenomenon. I came across this research paper on Sleep Paralysis. This greatly helped me in alleviating my fears. And next time i "see" a ghost during sleep paralyses, ill just laugh at it ;-)  Thanks for the research ... Siddarth, 10 December 2007 

Comments

Jim's picture

How I wake up from the Paralysis

I fall into the struggle of fighting sleep paralysis at times. I have experienced this since I was a kid. If I feel it coming on I do my best to move my body and turn on my side. It never takes over me when Im on my side. If I cannot fight it off and fall into its grasps I stay calm, then I try to wiggle my toes. For some reason when I wiggle my toes it then allows me to kick my legs and in doing so it wakes me up! I have had weird experiences with paralysis. It once happened to me during the daytime after school. I was talking to my sister at the time while she sat on the floor at the side my bed and I was laying on my bed on my stomach having a conversation. I dozed off for a second and started slipping into paralysis but fought it off. I told her that I was going to try to make it happen again and asked her to listen to me struggle with fighting it when I start to take deep breaths. I asked her to look at my eyes when she heard me breathing hard and tell me if my eyes were open. I was able to get into the state again and she did exactly what I asked her to do. When I fought it off and wome up I asked her if my eyes were open. She said no. I told her i saw her looking closely at my eyes and how she made a funny face after looking at me. She was spooked out because my eyes were closed. I have had other experiences of that sort which they call astral projections... The body is of the Earth and its universe. The mind resides in a totally different universe. The body is just a prison!!

Jo's picture

Sleep Paralysis

I have been reading through all these comments and although I can relate to all these in some ways in sleep paralysis yours caught my attention because whatever it is that takes over me, it only does while on my back never when on my side. I had made it so I don't ly on back for years I hadn't had an experience, but just yesterday during the day it happened again but to my dispare I was lying on my side, I feel like I am awake and can see but can't move or speak. With mine I always have a black shadow over me or to the side, yesterday it took over me and I tried to move and yell but couldn't and then I heard it walk away and then I heard walking back to me and it took over me again. It was as if was walking on hardwood floors, but I have carpet in my bedroom.

shelly's picture

ok so lastnite this happened

ok so lastnite this happened to me.. it may have happened when i was younger but i cant remember.. i wasnt awake i kno it.. i was laying on my back && all of a sudden i seen like a dark evil girl at my bed side.. all i could do was look at it i tried to grab for my boyfriend who was sleeping beside me, i tried to scream, nothing, i kept pushing myself to make a noise.. all i could do was stare into it.. finally possibly seconds later maybe a minute or so i got out a weak gesp i guess to say i grabed my boyfriend && told him what happened i was so terrified i was crying, it took me like 2 hours to fall asleep, i havent fallen asleep yet that nite i always have problems sleeping finally when i did sleep that same nite i heard something but it wasnt out loud it was in my head idk i just kno it wasnt out loud it sounds so stupid but i heard im one hungry b*tch && the "paralysis" happened again.. once i could make a noise && move i grabed my boyfriend again && we prayed we also preyed the first time but obviously it didnt help for me.. i will say im very scraed to go to sleep tonite but yes i like the thought of the scientific explanation but deep inside i just kno there was something in my room with my lastnite..it brings tears to my eyes just writing this..idk it was insane..

jim's picture

black shadow

I had a friend that had a grandmother that practiced witchcraft. When you speak of this topic to anyone do you ever notice that your depth of vision seems to become shallow, or I should say, the atmosphere becomes "thick" around you and may get the chills? It happens to me and she says that for some reason the spirits are attracted to me and like to "fly through" me giving me the chills. I know what you are talking about with the black shadows. I have had the same experience, though not all the time during sleep paralysis. I have had some sort of dark mass touch me, sort of a blob, and when it does it feels like I am getting crushed and causes extreme pain in my ribs. I have also heard figures walking in my room as well as flying over me. Some of my stranger experiences include floating in my room in the crucifix position spinning around on axis, being in a dark zone where there was the sound of agony and suffering, and experiencing some sort of blue light outside of my bedroom window that lit up the inside of my room while it emitted this trill loud high pitched sound. The last experience happened again a few weeks back. I woke up with a headache in the middle of the night but right outside the window there was that trill sound again though there were no lights this time. The other night I had a strange dream of walking through some sort of hallway with a bunch of other individuals. We ended up in a room where there seemed to be a committee of giant beings. They were very tall and dressed distinctly. It was a positive experience, I felt no worry or fear. Sort of off topic but since it is sleep related I'm sure it all ties in. I don't take drugs and only drink maybe a beer here and there when I'm in the mood to go to the store to buy some which is rare...

LaTreece's picture

My Sleep Paralysis

I first started having this when ii became a freshman in highschool , I am a junior now and it still happens to me . Anyways when ii took health freshman year my teacher was telling me how his friend has them but he never had a name for it , it was just like something sitting on his chest making him not able to talk nor move . Then I told him I experienced that also ; when it first happened to me I would freak out and panic because I had no idea what was happening to me . I have them when I sleep in ; like if I wake up at 8am and do something then go back to sleep when I wake up I will be paralyzed , where I can not talk or move ; so I just go back to sleep and hope that I wake up and can move . Two days ago ii experienced it 4 times in a row and i eventually was able to move and get up out of bed ; but sleep paralysis is torture ! Is there any other source besides your family background ?? Can it be if you went through something as a child ??? and now i don't sleep in since i read this article 2 days ago but i am relieved to know I'm not the only one with this ! and i never dream so it must be because I'm waking up during REM right !??

Serendip Visitor's picture

Both scientific and spiritual

I believe that this phenomenon is both scientific and spiritual. I DO believe that these are evil spirits taking advantage of the humans vulnerable state during sleep paralysis to induce some sort of fear in them. The strange thing is...when I sleep in a house that I feel has an evil essence to it or that in which have seen strange figures, I am most-likely to get episodes of sleep paralysis and a very disturbed sleep. If I sleep in another house that has a good feel to it, I will not get sleep paralysis at all. In fact, I will get a wonderful sleep. As one of the posters here commented, if not an evil figure or evil presence, there always seems to be an evil aura during these sleep paralysis episodes.

lynne's picture

reply to above

i too have the same feeling. it is as if something evil has taken over. maybe it is sleep paralysis, but it has an ugly feeling about it. i have hallucinations and they are scary i have seen things on my bed, seen my husband laying beside me when he was away on business, seen strange eyes and little girsl with bonnets, heard jibberish coming out of peoples mouths and if not seeing anything just had a horrible feeling of doom. i once felt someone crawling up my bed and thought oh no here it goes again and suddenly could not move. it totally is terrifying.

Serendip Visitor's picture

sleep paralysis

I have a stranger story to tell. I have suffered from sleep paralysis for 4 years plus now and it began in a horrific way that has almost ruined my life. I believe that this disorder is of a supernatural kind and not positive. It is evil in nature and I was assaulted by an incubus who caused the paralysis to keep me from moving or speaking. I have a very hard time talking about it, there is more to tell but I will stop here.

Serendip Visitor's picture

It happens to me about once

It happens to me about once every two weeks. I can still open and close my eyes and sort of nudge my head, but I tend to keep my eyes closed so I don't hallucinate, but I can still hear their voices telling me they can read my mind.

Mike V's picture

Just woke up from one

This started happening to me in 1990. I woke up, opened my eyes, and could not move. Looked over to my Janet Jackson posters on the wall and they were there...only Janet had fangs!
After battling with myself, I woke up.

I've been going through this for years and never knew why. All that I knew is that my mom goes through it too.

I open my eyes and assume that I'm awake, only I can't move. And sometimes I hear voices or family members walking around me, when there is actually nobody else at home.

But this time, I actually heard something eerie that resembled a ghost calling my name "miiiichaaaeeel" and had to look this up. I am also relieved that I'm not the ONLY one with this disorder. It's scary, but it'll be less scary now after reading all these tesimonials.

But it's still strange that everyone feels a sensation of evil if this is so scientific

kelly arnold's picture

horrifying sleep

i have suffered from these sleeps for more than 5 years. it happens once a month and sometimes if i am unlucky it will happen 2 or 4 times in a month. i am laying down on the lounge watching a movie and i fall asleep. but i am not asleep i am lying on the lounge with my eyes shut and i am unable to move. i know exacly where i am, what movie is on, what day it is, what time it is and i cant move. i try with all my power and strength in my body to wake up and i can not. i am so afraid i think i am suffocating. my sister will be on the other lounge and will be trying to yell out to her to wake me up but i cannot. then finally with all my strenght in my MIND i wake up and have a deep breath just like i have been under water the whole time and freak out. i am sweating and i ask my sister why didnt you wake me up. she said you were just lying there but i was making a squueky noise like i was trying to say soething but she thought i was dreaming. It is so horrifying for me i thought that there is a ghost following me and doing this to me. now i know other people get this i feel a bit normal. There are many things i cannot exsplain to be normal to the human ears but i just want this weird sleep thing to go or one day i feel that i will not have the strenght to get up and i will suffocate to death. it feels like someone is sitting on my chest and does not want me to get up.

L Marshall's picture

Same thing just happened to

Same thing just happened to me but I always can breath. I read about people who experienced it like you and it's a symptom of sleep apnea

Chris's picture

My sleep paralysis

Hey peepz,

Mine happens to me pretty frequently, i think i've become alot more aware of it now than in the past because i always thought it had happened to me in the past but wasn't sure if i was dreaming or not. Moreso now i feel like im awake when it happens. My eyes are closed but i feel something. The first time i remember it happened clearly was when i used to be with my girlfriend at the time we were obviosuly sleeping and i had gone into sleep paralysis and i remember i could feel something moving (like an animal) around near my legs like i could feel the pressure on the bed and stuff. i remember feeling scared couldn't open my eyes though but at the same time i think they were open aswell. anyway not sure about that part but i remember trying so hard to squeeze my gf's hand and making noise so she would get me up. anyway with all my strength i could only manage the tiniest squeeze that didn't make her budge at all.. so yeah kept feeling movement.. and i remember also feeling like there had been a fan on in the room or a window open because alot of air felt like it was coming at me from the side but that may of been a different time.. anyway i never told my gf cuz i knew she would get scared specially when i had to go on holiday for 3 weeks with some mates haha. Anyway its happened to me a couple times now.. Last night it happened again and i was like yeah ok now i better do some research, last night was intense i was having nightmares aswell and i remember being really hot so thats probably why the nightmares started and then later on same thing happened felt like an animal (i always think its my dog that i had years ago) walking around the bed kinda thing..i remember it up near the side of my chest at one point and then i end up passing out again.. its a weird feeling its like im scared but i know everythings ok i just have to ride it out...

anyway thats my experience..

Andy's picture

Scary shit when I sleep

Im 17 and today was the second time this happend to me I get thirsty in the middle o the night drink water and lay down luckily my girlfriend was with me she was sleeping though I lay down on my back and I start to sleep but then when I'm dreaming inthe middle of it I wake up and feel this tingle run down my body I suddenly can't move and I try to say her name I can hear myself say "j juh j " her name is Jessie and luckily she heard me and shakes me and says babe what's wrong and I instantly snap out of it and I couldn't move or talk I have never seen a spirit or a dark figure or anything just I can't move it's very difficult to breathe and I can't talk it scares the shit out of me and this was the second time it's happend and that was this morning.

The first time it happend I thought it was an evil spirit. A demon etc... So all I tried to say was "help me Jesus" over and over but all that comes out is "ju ju" I can't talk and then I snapped out of it scared as fuck I turned on my lights and went to Starbucks to get some codes I wanted to be around people doesn't matter who it was since it was early and the starbux by my house is open 24/7 .

I'm glad I doin this site it gave me tons I closure. I just wish it would stop happening and it doesn't continue :(

Golebraki's picture

The first time I experience

The first time I experience SP I was 9 years old. I was dreaming about something and suddenly woke up from my dream to a woman in a white night gown resting her elbows on my bed smiling and staring at me. Her hair looked like hairy lightning rods shooting out her head and she had blood streaming down her face. She just sat there smiling at me and I just looked back at her unable to move. Then my covers lifted over my head on it's own, I blacked out and woke up to the covers still over my head but facing the other way. Strange though, I'm 27 now and still have SP but I usually wake up in the same position as I was in when experiencing the SP. I can't discount it though because of how real the room looked to my actual bedroom and the fact that I couldn't move.

Has anyone else experience waking up from SP but in a different position then the one during it?

Another very vivid SP experience was waking up next to my sleeping cat. I couldn't move or scream and felt like something, a presence, was holding me down. But what was really terrifying was the fact that my cats skin started to bubble and melt off. All I wanted to do was grab my cat and make sure she was okay but I couldn't. I was stuck. And at the time not knowing about SP I thought what was going on was real. I kept screaming in my head "Move, get up, move!" As soon as I was able to move I checked my cat over (sleeping exactly where she was during the SP) and she was fine.

Getting older the SP have gotten scarier, shadowy figures, feeling of a presence, weird shapes, speaking presence. Another horrible experience was waking from one SP to another SP multiple times, each time with a stronger force (felt like something was sucking my soul from by body which is the opposite of what I usually get, something trying to keep me pinned down).

I noticed a few ways to prevent myself from getting SP. Stopped taking naps, and can no longer sleep on my back or stomach, has to be on my side, fetal position. Though lately, this past year even that hasn't stopped it completely. The last time I had one, I was sleeping on my side, and I thought my bed was vibrating and levitating me. I had to double check with my roommates that there wasn't an earthquake that morning. I've also starting getting SP while falling asleep (usually it happens as I'm waking up).

I'm really glad I finally figured out what this was years ago and I'm not the only one going through it!

Beth's picture

Again...?

It happened (AGAIN) last night, and it felt like my whole body was being crushed. I hate this thing, it wont go away! It happens too much now. Anyone else had this, crushing, feeling?

Serendip Visitor's picture

Am I the only one who's able

Am I the only one who's able to move his legs in an effort to force myself to wake up? It's always successful but the time it takes varies. I usually start with being able to flap my toes, to rock at my ankles, and finally in the more severe attacks, kicking from my knees. So am I the only one?

Serendip Visitor's picture

I can move my arms...When it

I can move my arms...When it happens to me it's during the day so I'm either at school or in the car or something..if I'm in the car I have my cellphone in my hand so I set an alarm if I'm paralized when my phone goes off I can move my phone to my ear and it'll "wake" me completely..if I'm at school and I can't wake up I just wait for the bell..It used to happen a lot more when I was little..the only thing that really bothers me is that I can't open my eyes no matter how hard I try

Serendip Visitor's picture

let me know if this is what you've experienced.

This just happened decided to look it up and came across this page. About an hour ago I woke up and let my dog out. Then I layer down and felt myself drift asleep for a while and then I woke up buuut...I didn't. It was the strangest feeling. I felt myself get out of bed but I didn't and then I tried to raise my arm and I couldn't and (maybe it was just my overactive imagination) but I saw someone walking up my stairs (in my dream) but no one was in the house. This lasted for well over three minutes. My breathing was very irregular and I could hear myself breathing but still couldn't get up. I think its probably this sleep paralysis condition but still....doesn't make it any less freaky.

Serendip Visitor's picture

Hey I experience this a

Hey I experience this a lot... I can't move or talk. I hear noises... Thank you for informing me

Starla.'s picture

sleep paralsys?

first had an experience like this this august when my friend slept over i haven't seen her in so long. k well i was falling asleep and she was on her iPod still awake. i don't remember what time it was though. i felt myself slowly falling asleep then. in that dream i woke up to something poking me then a big huge force came on top of me. absolutely everything hurt, from head to toe. that force was choking me i couldn't move. i tried so hard to move but i couldn't i just felt like i was paralysed with pain all over.. i couldn't see nothing i couldn't understand why it was happening cause nothing was there. i tried my hardest to yell scream at my friend. my voice was very very faint. crackling a bit. then i tried again but i couldn't speak. so i tried to breathe in and out hard and fast, so she can hear it but she didn't. i sensed the force that was crushing me noticed and started to hurt me more started to crush me even more. then it went all pitch black and i still felt that force on me. then all of a sudden my friend was on top of me shaking me yelling and screaming at me saying "Starla!! Don't Go! don't let go! please! don't leave me! don't leave us!" then she started to slap me around hope she would get me then... i started to breathe and started to have a panic attack. i felt that force get off then i tried to stand up but i was weak dizzy so i lay'd back down then that force jumped back on me it was like getting hit by a truck multiple times... then i woke up... it felt like there was pins and needles everywhere all over my body i felt tears streaming down my face.... i was really confused when i woke up i was debating weather or not if it was a dream. i was looking at the ceiling then back to my friend. then i moved i sat up and asked her if i freaked out like few minutes ago. that was my first experience. second experience it was dragging me up the stairs and i tried to fight again just hurt me more after i was up stairs ti stopped for abit then i saw a shadow. then it went on top of me again dragged me back downstairs then i woke up.... after that i had about 1-2 more experiences. actually, was going to go see a doctor about this. i don't like sleeping any more so i try my hardest to stay awake at all times. i feel better sometime in my boyfriends arms.. but couple days ago i had another one of these dreams. so yeah im scared.

dancingpepsi's picture

STOP FREAKING OUT

If you were christen you would see the bearded God, if you are Buddhist you'd see the smiling fat man, if you are Muslim you'd see Allah with all her arms. Don't you see??? The science is right. Naturally you are going to freak out if you wake up and can't move, and the worst thoughts you have usually happen in the first few seconds, Am I sick? Am I dying? Am I already dead? Of course religion is going to stick its head in b/c you asked yourself if you’re dead. Your mind lights up like a Christmas tree ( What they monitor on them big ol metal machines called computers) You begin to see pictures of what you know, like maybe Jesus painted in the cathedral, and the men with big beautiful wings, those pictures coincide with your imagination perhaps making Christ himself walking right toward you with arms wide open, and with every religion there is acknowledgement of "evil people" "sinners" and you're going to question if you are a bad person and if you are going to be punished, guess what???? Here come the scary images of scary things. Lots of us have been seeing the commercial for paranormal activity 3 haven't we? Yes we have, don't you think your brain is going to hold onto those images? Of course it is!!! That stuff is scary, and on that movie meant to look like the faces of evil demons and spirits. Sleep paralysis is not the devil in your body or ghosts trying to talk to you. Sleep paralysis is your minds reaction to anxiety and stress of any kind. I've also read that lack of sleep can cause this. I've noticed alot of people having SP are younger people, and some of the comments are downright scary with all the religious stuff. Let me tell you kids, religion has been scaring people for a long time, this is just another way for it to scare you when in fact, and this is just a natural thing. I am 18, I've been having SP for a while now, sometimes every night for a week at a time and more than once at night. I've been doing my own study, making myself stay in the state of SP and trying to communicate with the monsters I see and taking note of every feeling. Really there is something that you CAN do about this. It's called anti-anxiety medication ie Lorzepam, Klonopine etc. Take it an hour before you go to bed and you'll be calm and sleepy. Another thing I've noticed that helps is staying on a good sleep schedule and reminding yourself before you go to sleep that SP is not deadly, you will not die, you will always wake up. Think positive happy thoughts about the next day before you go to bed that night. And if SP does occur and you are awake awake and scared, don't force yourself to go back to sleep, turn on the TV, read a book or call a night owl. I have panic/anxiety disorder bipolar and a few other screws loose, I think all of this anxiety started after my sister died of SIDS sudden infant death, seeing I had a front role seat to finding her body and trying to resuscitate her, I've always been afraid of falling asleep, because she died in her sleep. To most people dying in sleep is peaceful, but to me, I imagine it may be like SP. Anyway what I'm trying to say is that NO matter how bad the images and visions you see while in SP, you are only experiencing your own imagination and it is a natural reaction to anxiety stress and sometimes lack of sleep. I hope this gives you a little more peace of mind. If you need someone to talk to about this contact me on facebook lbsanford. And thank you Hiro Takahashi

Serendip Visitor's picture

i have a question genius

how come there is a dramatic decrease in the amount of people who experience "SP" when they believe in a God than those who don't? if religion really has no factor in this what so ever how come all the statistics go against what your saying?

Anthony Ray's picture

Its because we don't have to

Its because we don't have to worry about those kinds of things so it doesn't get stuck in our heads. But Christians have to think about things like demons, sinners, devils, and all sorts of things. Every religion has its evils, but if your an atheist, you only believe in science,a demon would be a small prank to you with no meaning, as a ghost, SO WE DON'T GET AS MANY SP EXPERIENCES BECAUSE WE DON'T WORRY

Ashley Fountain's picture

Everynight

Everynight i wake up i feel this over powering fear and like i want to scream its terrible. ill open my eyes but can never remember my dreams or if i was even dreaming at all. but i know im awake i open my eyes and i can move somtimes for like 4-5 minutes and i try to scream and move but cant im so afraid im going to a doctor but can they even do anything about it i mean really y does this happen to me everynight :( iv had a past of paranormal activity well certain times throught my life. could it be a poltergeist... that only pops up when im stressed or around violence? if so then y doesnt it bother me all the time.. i often feel like im not alone like somethings their but i could just be paranoid. but thats so frightning its hard to explain how scary it is... it just feels like im gonna die and i cant even cry.. im gonna tell my doctor but i know im not crazy im so happy i found this link u guys but can anybody give me an answer?

aaron johnson's picture

this is not no couincidence

I been going through this my whole life I'm up but still looks like that I'm sleep just a few minutes ago I struggled to wake up it took me a few minutes to wake up even though I was up. Everybody Heaven is real Hell is also real too I believe this is a message to me that I need to stop backsliding with God and walk by faith not by sight. I stop praying and stop going to church and my parents keep reminding me I can't do everything by myself without God so I have to make changes in my life cause this ain't the only demonic event I went through in my life everybody stay prayed up and have faith in Jesus Christ.

Lamb's picture

There is a way to make it end

When you feel there is an evil presence think about Jesus, whether you believe or not, just try to muster together some faith and cling to the idea that Jesus is there and will help you and loves you. Besides, when you are lying there frozen you feel like you are at the mercy of anything that decides to pop in the scene at the time.
Yesterday I had one of these episodes while taking a nap during the day. It was all going pretty bad until I heard what sounded like a very deep voice of a black man singing the most beautiful version of the hymnal "Are you Washed in the Blood of the Lamb". I continued to focus my thoughts on this beautiful voice and the words and all the evil battle was at rest. Then a voice started singing only a part of the same song in what sounded like to be a mocking of the black man's voice. It almost sounded like one of the alvin and the chipmunks voice--very annoying and sarcastic. But the voice couldn't even sing the song because, well...I think because it's a praise to God and it just can't go there. After the mocking stopped, the beautifull deep voice kept singing and I kept focusing on it. Suddenly everything left and I was able to wake fully up and move.

I hadn't heard that hymnal in a long time (nor have I been attending church) so I immediately googled to see if I could find a version of this man singing and I found nothing even close to what I heard in this dream/paralyzed condition.

I am very grateful for the experience. It reminded me that God is here for me to rely on him. There is Power in the name of Jesus for those who call him, he will answer.

I know this all sounds crazy and I think my husband probably thinks I'm psycho. Not telling him about my experiences any more.

angela 's picture

Wow amazing. I was getting

Wow amazing. I was getting chills while reading this..
I used to be afraid to sleep because of this thing and when I didn't go to bed praying, I experienced these..
I've heard about these kind of things so I knew that I had to call out to Jesus' name.
So when this happened, I hoped not to see any ghosts or hear anything like what you've heard. But recently when I had this sleep paralysis, as usual, I called out to Jesus' name and said "go away you dirty satan in Jesus' name" however, it always didnt work on the first try..so I just repeated it over and over again because I as trying to move and I didnt want to see any images..but then for the first time, out of about four other paralysis' that I had, I started hearing something dragging itself along the floors of my room and some black image/shadow seemed to be lurking over me. I was so scared and I tried to move, I was tired of screaming out, to Jesus. But then I knew that the only way to wake up was to call out to his name. So I tried saying it out loud with my mouth open, but then my mouth started closing, it felt as if somebody was trying to cover my mouth and prevent me from calling to Jesus. So, firecly and with faith, I called on to the blood of Jesus in my mind, when suddenly I woke up. I was scared to the point that I could not go back to sleep. But I read the bible, (psalms 23-"eventhough I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for God is with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me."), thanked God, and peacfully went back to sleep.

I wondered what this was called..and im glad i got to read other people's experiences and accounts..
eventhough this scientist/researcher may say that it is just when one is seeing things and imagigning things..
According to many other accounts including mine and yours, I believe that there is some kind of spiritual interference and
epiphany for these events. Since ghosts are scared and cannot even dare to reveal their images to sons and daughters of christ, they could be trying to to scare and interfere us when out minds are sleep..
see? our bodies are awake but minds are asleep when we experience this....so guyss! Jesus is the truth to everything and he will accept me no matter how filthy and a scum I could be.

To the writier--> Hope your husband understands you and shares the same faith/religion as yours. Jesus is the way and the truth : )
Hope you and I are alert and awake spiritually!

Jody's picture

hands over my mouth

I had that happen to me once. During an SP two dark shadows were trying to get to get to me as fast as they could and they were trying to cover my mouth. I too call out to Jesus and they know it.

Serendip Visitor's picture

My most memorable...

I have been having these since I was in high school, I still have them today. I usually have them when im the most stressed and i feel like i cant deal with what ever anymore. But the one i most remember is when I was laying on my couch. At this point I know whats happening immeditlay because how frequently it had happen. So I try to snap out of it, by trying to move my neck, but i couldnt move it enough to wake up. I then see a bunch of foot print indentions all arcoss the carpet, moving as if they were walking, but no figures. Then there was this sensation that came over my brain, it felt like i levated off the couch and it felt like I was spinning outside my body and I could see myself. Durning this I had a view like I was near the ceiling. Then I came back down, real easy, and woke up. I was not scared of this one, I was just trying to figure if was really in the air. But i now usually call to the Lord when this stuff happens because my mother and preachers say there demons. PS If this ever happens call out to the Lord Jesus Christ and with in seconds it will be gone!

xbiabia21's picture

Can anyone answer this?

I don't know if this is sleep paralysis or not, but in the last, oh, let's say 7 years, this has happened 3 times to me. My alarm goes off, I throw the covers back, move to the edge of the bed, put my feet on the ground, stand up, and then collapse. My legs cannot bear my weight. I am totally conscience and aware of my surroundings. I can feel my legs, they are not asleep, there is not tingling or numbness, but I can't make them work. The last time this happened, which was just 2 nights ago, I really hurt myself. Bruised and skinned my knee from landing straight on it, and bruised my thigh as well. My husband had to pull me off the ground back onto the bed. I had to lean over the bed for about a minute until my legs decided they would work. Any ideas on what this might be would be appreciated. It is just weird, and no one I have talked to has ever experienced this.

Thanks!

Logan carpentier 's picture

For the pass seven year this

For the pass seven year this has Benn going on sometimes two-three times a night WHAT can I do. Please. Get back to me. At my email or Facebook me. Logan Wesley carpentier. Feed back would be greatly appreciated.

Gabriel H's picture

Dont Worry...

You just have to accept it in your mind. Acknowledge that it is going to happen before it does. ive had it for about 5 years now. Learning how to fight out of it did not work. but relaxing and realizing its not real, does work. when your in this Sleep paralysis again, slowly move your fingers, humm a song in your head and go through the lyrics of the song so you can take your terror away. Then slowly move your hand down your leg, very slowly and youll be able to break free. Im able to the same and able to open my eyes wide open and look around. great experience once you got it down.
contact my personal email if you need more feedback

THIS GOES FOR ANYONE

Amac's picture

WTF?

My first freaky experience was laying in bed next to my then partner, not being able to move and seeing the face of a TV sit com character. The face got closer and closer to my face - it ooked more demonic than human - and it screamed: 'youre nothing but a bitchhhhhhhhhh". I tried to open my mouth to yell at my partner but I couldnt move nor speak. Im not sure how long it lasted but I 'awoke' in a panic and wasnt sure wtf had happened. The next time was about 5 or 6 years later.I was travelling across the Nullabour Plains in South Australia had stopped to sleep in the back seat of the car. It was pitch black and the sky was full of stars and looked absolutely huge, I remember falling asleep thinking about a recent news story about a reported UFO sighting. I guess not long after trying to fall asleep, I found that I couldnt move my body, couldnt speak when I tried to and then I saw what looked like the classic alien figure that i think was pressing me down. I put it down to a nightmare but it totally freaked me out at the time. Since then I have had a couple of incidents where I feel like if I dont get out of bed in a hurry that the same thing is going to happen to me. I usually try breathing exercises or when im a bit freaked out, I will get up and walk around for awhile. Now days, I get this feeling (I explain it to my husband as being jittery inside - not feeling quite right) its like a mini panic attack (i suppose!). It wasnt until last night though when my son, who is 24, came over and he talked about having expereinces as a teenager (apparently at the time I asked if he was using drugs, then put it down to his sleeping habits - and prayed he wasnt schitophrenic!). It was surreal because he's was relaying what happened to him and I could so relate to his story! Up until now I havent been able to really explain what it was that I experienced, perhaps because I felt a bit neurotic telling people, or that I didnt know wtf it was! It is cool to get a name for this, and trippy that so many other people have expereinced the same occurances. If it happens again i hope i have some kind of insight into what's happening at the time, rather than just panicking and feeling terrified!!
* I wonder if this is what psychics expereince only they think its some kind of message that they have to pass on lol!

Serendip Visitor's picture

I am sooo happy that I

I am sooo happy that I finally am finding out this is happening to other people. The first time it happened to me was when I was alone in my apartment going into my sophmore year of college. I woke up, and just felt this force pulling me down to the bed. I kept trying to move my head to thrash around, but my body was completely still, I became so desperate for help that I opened my mouth to scream in hope my neighbors would hear me, but nothing came out, After about three minutes of this an aweful sense of another being over took me. There was a dark haze standing in my door way, but there was no real shape to it. About a minute later I snapped out of it.
That was three years ago, and since then its happened about eight more times before last night. I just kept telling myself they were just awful dreams. Then last night at happened once again but this time there was a male voice in my right ear saying hi to me and that it was going to be okay. This morning I kept telling myself that it was my friend that passed away a year ago- but the voices sounded nothing alike.
So then I decided I'd google "awake mind, sleeping body" and I found all of this. It's comforting to know that this isn't me just going crazy.

George's picture

still not sure...

Well its 5:10am and don't want to go back to sleep....about 2 hours ago I had this "problem" where I couldn't wake up but was trying to, here's what happened. I went to sleep like any other day sometimes early sometimes late,I went to bed with my girlfriend and fell asleep normally. This is what I remember than it started. I was in a room with my friend "kasey" but it wasit his room, here's the twisted part, the bed I was sleeping on was my bed but this is where it gets weird to me, the bed went into a room im assuming it was a living room and I kept waking up (I think) and looking at my box fan that was next to me in my bedroom and than I go back to sleep I am on my bed in my dream and get up. In my dream I was with my ex-girlfriend and the light went out in the kitchen she was in, I asked whats going on and she said she don't know, than she open the fridge and closed it right after, she said let's put the bed in the other room and the rest is kindaa foggy, but this is what I remember, in my dream I felt somethig "evil" was with me in my dream and when I went to lay back down in my bed and my eyes opened up I was I my room on my reality bed,but than I closed my eyes again and when I got up from my bed I my dream I felt scared and felt something was wrong and tryed to get up in reality but couldn't,this is where it gets weird, I tryed my hardest to get up and scream to wake my girlfriend up but felt someone ws holding my body down and my mouth shut but I could see her laying right in from of me but couldn't do nothing about it, when I finally woke up I felt some evil something wasit right in my room and layed there looking around useing 1 finger rubbing my girlfriends back knowing this is reality and not a dream no more so I finally got up and went downstairs to tell my friend "kasey" what happen who was in fact downstairs in my house playing a game still....I read this about S.P and the storys that you all posted but there's one thing that is still in my thoughts, could it still been a evil spirt attcking me? See I beleave in god and do prey every night and sometimes during the day but I remember my father telling me that being under under the influence of drugs or liquor can open doors for spirts to come through...well I want to get some answers so im going to be honest, I do some drugs and drink once in awhile to numb the pain of life (don't want a lecture) so tonight I snorted a few oxy 5's, the night before I didn't have S.P but I felt something wasit right in my room the other day also but also snorted a few oxy 5's too, but tonight was so horrific and scary I don't want to think about it cause it puts me in a panic state, but anyways my friend smoke a little pot and drank a few beers tonight and when I ame down stairs he got up and felt sick, in and out of control of his sight and motor skills and he looked white, it just scared me and made me thought "was there really a evil spirt that was inside me trying to get me or control me but I called the name of jesus and now he followed me downstairs and trying to control him" I may be paranoid but hearing about good and evil my whole life and this happening to me and whatnot is putting me in a spot where I am scared to sleep and not wanting to risk my soul to be opened up when im under the influence, anyways I do feel a little more relief after reading about this and reading some of you all storys, some more spooky than others but very helpful, just glad this is not a rare thing and it happens to more than just a few people.

Misdreavus's picture

Something weird happened to

Something weird happened to me a few nights ago:

I had a sleep paralysis. Anyway, I didn't see any demons or other scary things. But I was in my bed and couldn't move. And someone sat on top of me which felt soo heavy on my chest. I couldn't see who it was because it was pressing me into my bed and actually KISSING my NECK. Yet I had a feeling which made me believe it was my BOYFRIEND ( but we're in a long distance RS so that's not possible ). So yeah, the kissing part actually felt good. I felt it all physically, it was so real and crazy. Anyway, I felt uncomfortable and super scared because I could not see the person and convince myself that it's my bf. Then I started feeling an intense fear because I was scared the kisses could change into BITES.

So I started trying to move to run away, but I couldn't. I was thinking about giving up but then I started trying to scream and I actually succeeded to make a small noise.......which finally made me WAKE UP.

Has anyone else ever experienced a sleep paralysis with both positive and negative feelings?

mia 's picture

sleep paralysis

Hi...yes that sounds like a jinn...or incubus trying to have sexual intercourse with u...I have read the same experiences from many cultures and people and they are all so similar...in the Islamic faith it is well documented about these jinns who reside with us in this world and often become enamoured by humans...or can make trouble for us if we have offended or hurt them unintentionally in any way.

Bessy's picture

scarysleep

yes i have experienced the same as u Misdreavus. Most of the time when i experience sleep paralasyse it's when i'm falling off to sleep. and i usually experience ghosts tryin to pull me out of bed and i cannot move or scream, yet i know it's a dream. last night i had 3 different episodes one after the other. by the third time i was talking to myself, in my head - not out loud obviously , to wake up and reassuring myself i'd be ok. i don't believe anymore that it is supernatural, like i used to think it was, as i would still see things i shouldn't see once i could move sometimes. howerver last night as i kept begging my body to move and to wake up, i heard another voice in my head telling me to wake up. it still scares me now. made me wonder if i was having a near death experience. but in answer to ur question about having a 'nice' feeling at times, then yes i have too. sometimes i have, to put it bluntly, orgasms too. but they, unfortunately, are very few and far between! usually just see and hear ghosts and weird things trying to hurt me. :(

Omar's picture

Listen

Hi My name is Omar and the kisses and bites was a demon
Trying to make u pregnant .how ? Using ur blood ! Or tru ur blood whyyyyy????
WelL my one friend got Married in tha cementery .... Yeah she married the death demons etc.
Had this crazy experiences, went to the hospital wit the contractions brokewater,bleed
And the doctors said she got her period and was crazy ..... Nope ! She had a baby demon
That no one could see cuz you just can't see them cuz u are not reaaaaaally into church.
Remember a demon from this earth is like a 24/7 demon all around the world with no time to return to hell to explain things and what he did or didn't do on earth to the devil . And yeah abt evil presenses PPL THEY ARE
EVIL AND THEY ARE THERE ! I have felt things , seen things! Like shadows and stuff. When ever I feel
Them I start recording and I can see the orbs flyings and line of light on the videos . Well buttom line I have lived this “sleeping awakeness"
And PS u have to try to wake up other wise they can kill or just fuck u
In two houses and only 2 .... Witch in both I have seen I felt this things . You did the best in not letting fuck u

Serendip Visitor's picture

since it looks like you know

since it looks like you know a lot stuff, ill tell you my story and decide what's going to happen to me

=========================================
i had sleep paralysis for almost a year and only my first one is scary and the rest are not. it was 3 am when it happend, cant move and i hear something buring. i was like wtf so i open my eyes. there i saw somthing sitting on top of my stomach while screaming at my face. i have no idea what it was trying to say so instead of being afraid i kinda decided to fight back. i basically started to curse at it like crazy. after like 10 seconds cursing, my vision just went black then went back and see huge dark castle in front of me. again i was like wtf? i was really confused but then i saw someone stading the entrance of the castle. there was a figure standing fully covered in black clothing and said "Welcome."

after it said welome i woke up but i feel like someone is always beside my till today. i think it's not harming at all due to past experience i'll list down.
- one night, i forgot to set my alarm and was about to late for school if not for this entity. it kinda woke me up.
- i decided to play a joke by thinking of a certain that i kinda like and this entity basically put in a SP while WIDE AWAKE and started screaming "NO" like a thounsand times. literally i was laughing really bad inside and i think it was laughing too.

thx in advance

Serendip Visitor's picture

This type of thing has been

This type of thing has been happening to the women in my family for years and now my 14yr old just experienced this sleep awakeness. Last night I just experienced a dark subject grabbing my trying to pull me away from my body as I tried to yell for boyfriend to touch me so I can wake up. He didn't hear me, of course, and I did consequently touched his hand but when I opened my eyes I was laying on my side and I saw on my nightstand, a bright red figure of a devil standing on top of my cell phone. I knocked the phone on the floor and was terrified. I've never seen that before, only the sleep awakeness. Why do you think that it seems to be coming full force now and affecting my 14 yr old daughter?

Serendip Visitor's picture

the bible speaks of these

the bible speaks of these things which we'll call generational curses(a curse passed down through the generations which haven't been solved yet) here are some verses on it:

Exodus 34:7, "Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting (punishing) the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation."

Lamentations 5:7, "Our fathers have sinned, and are not; and we have borne (been punished for) their iniquities."

But generational curses can be broken:

Their are two powerful words or
phrases. One is REBUKE. This tells Satan, Satan's Servant, or Satan's curse to leave, in the name of
God The Father. Also no matter what the world tries to tell you, their is no substitute word for REBUKE.
You need to do this first, always. The other phase is "The Blood of Jesus". Satan hates the Blood
of Jesus. The blood that Jesus shed set us free. Best of all Satan can not get past the precious
authoritative Blood Of Jesus.

So you tell Satan to go (Rebuke), then claim authority (God The Father) over it and wash it away. As if it
never happened. As much as some people might like to, we can't cover Satan with the Blood of Jesus.
We must tell him to leave first. Then remove the evil in The Mighty Name of God The Father

Serendip Visitor's picture

.......

I think... we will never really know what it is, until we are at 'the other place' whatever that may be.

I do believe that whatever you believe, will manifest. If you fear, you manifest your fears, so if you see a little devil, but believe saying, "Jesus still loves you God bless you."... (ie. project love as your real weapon), then it will work.

I personally have changed the position of my bed, sprinkled rock salt under the bed, cleared all objects from under the bed and I wear a hematite ring becuase it is said to ground you... I sleep peacefully now. Above all, me now knowing that if I say anything like the above - it works everytime... has somehow made 'them' give up on me perhaps. I'm not really too botherered which element made it go, perhaps it is a combination. The old saying, love conquers all, is very true. If you bath before bed more frequently too and exercise more, you will sleep deeper and not be in the 'inbetween state' so much. Chill, get balance, go forward with a smile knowing that God / jesus / whatever force of love you have, has got your back, its allll good. =) You will always have your witts about you when you have your witt within you.

Stacie's picture

I would like to add that the

I would like to add that the scientific explanation is not a concrete one. As a matter of fact, after reading of hundreds of accounts of this phenomena, it makes no sense at all. Too many people have reported, throughout history, a phenomena related to "sleep paralysis" that was once called "the old hag". For hundreds of years, as a matter of fact.

Most people never hear of sleep paralysis until it happens to them, causing them to seek out an explanation.. I have a hard time believing that so many people share the same hallucination. I don't believe that I have ever heard of anyone having a positive experience during sleep paralysis. As a matter of fact, it is usually down right terrifying. If it is merely a hallucination, why not hallucinate that we've won the lottery? I've never experienced it personally, and i pray that i never do.

Serendip Visitor's picture

I've had a positive

I've had a positive experience, only once - and it hasn't happened since... I saw a little cherub (about the size of a mug) hovering next to me, then it flew into a crystal that was on top of my TV and vanished.... then I woke. I think that the scientific evaluation is perhaps true... however what the scientists have no idea about is the relationship of body, mind AND soul... so when you are in this state, I believe that we are able to see and interact with (or be interacted by, subjected to) ... as some would call them, 'the others'... whatever they may be - but having first hand experience of 'the others' for many years, they are most definately there. Scientists will never have the eyes to see them so long as they are not willing to open them, hence the cycle of science vs. soul continues, in vain =) (for the scientists that is... and to be fair, to the 'spiritualists' who won't listent to scientists too... in life the answer is usually never this or that when it has oportunity to be 'both'). But what do I know, I may be way off track... and I accept that, which is why when I die I will do so with an open mind, heart and excitement to learn the truth, or remember it!

tae's picture

understand not alone

this has to be something evil it happened to me about 5 time out of my 38 years of life. like every body being say prayer is the answer it works. bless god

Brayden chase's picture

Yes there is somesort of cure for it.

This started happening to me since I was about 11 now im 16. this happened to me lastnight. I felt like I woke up and I thought someone unplugged my extension cord to my room (i live in a basment room). I couldnt see anything it was dark pitch black, I heard this loud sound like a fan, I tryed to look at my phone but I couldnt even move to find it. I then knew that it was happening again. I felt myself get up and start walking out into more blackness, then I find myself able to take a deep breath and I woke up. Everything normal and yes I do believe tha it is dark evil spirits. I have learned what my grandmother does with a type of meditation she is able to remove any spirits that may be present. She can somehow un explainably see them and is also able to make negative energy leave and relace it with positive energy. And it has worked multiple times. I asked her about sleep paralysis she said she has done this cure meditation on people and have never had a problem since. I do believe in what she does yet it somehow freaks the hell out of me. Wish you all luck and NO you are Not alone.

Aeden 's picture

I used to think I was the

I used to think I was the only one, thank God I am not. This is very frightening, I feel like i'm waking up, and my eyes barely open and I see either a huge spider or a figure of someone on the ground staring at me, or even someone rustling papers in front of me, but my hands and legs stick to the bed like magnets, and I begin to breath heavily and I try to wake up and I cant. I try to move and its impossible. I try to scream and its impossible. And yet I panic and breath heavily and feel like someone or someTHING is in there with me. Its terrifying. Its happening very often now and I am afraid of going to sleep now. The feeling is terrible. Does anyone know any sort of cure for this or methods to stop it? please if you read this contact me, please.

Diana Dillon's picture

As soon as i realise it's

As soon as i realise it's happening I force myself to go back to sleep then wake up properly seems to work for me anyhow , but don't go back to sleep straight away it's likely to happen again