Serendip is an independent site partnering with faculty at multiple colleges and universities around the world. Happy exploring!
Sleep Paralysis: Awake But Still Asleep
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
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
Remote Ready Biology Learning Activities
Remote Ready Biology Learning Activities has 50 remote-ready activities, which work for either your classroom or remote teaching.
About Student Papers
| This paper reflects the research and thoughts of a student at the time the paper was written for a course at Bryn Mawr College. Like other materials on Serendip, it is not intended to be "authoritative" but rather to help others further develop their own explorations. Web links were active as of the time the paper was posted but are not updated. |
What's New? Subscribe to Serendip Studio
A Random Walk
New Topics
-
4 weeks 11 hours ago
-
4 weeks 3 days ago
-
4 weeks 3 days ago
-
4 weeks 4 days ago
-
4 weeks 4 days ago
Comments
how to end sp
I usually try to take heavy breaths with my nose and move my eyes around alot. This will make your body understand that you are awake and end the sleep paralysis.
This always happens to me.
This always happens to me. Pretty much every night and I'm only 15. I was just researching this because it just happened to me again & I was very curious. I also thought I was the only one. I remember one of the times, I heard evil laughs &i couldn't see cause it was so dark. I try to speak but my forces don't help. I try to move or wiggle my fingers but I can't. Finally I awake. When I was about 11, this happened &i felt my body rise about an inch off my bed. I try to scream for help or see if I could hum. Nothing at all. As soon as I caught my snap, I ran to my moms bed &told her. I was convinced that it was a ghost trying to get in my body. I believed it &still believed it till I read this. My big question is, can you die if your like this for too long?
And the way I try to make mine go away for at least the rest of the night, I get up &go get a cold drink to wake me up a little &take it to my room &set it on my night stand just in case it happens again. I also eat a small snack. That usually helps me. But I really doubt there's an actual cure for it to leave for good.
-Sarah; December 2nd, 2011.
Since 93
I just had another one last night,They mostly happen when i have nightmares.But this time i tried to wake up twice but when i opened my eyes,it felt like something was holding me down.I slipped in an out of sleep.As my dream returned right back to the same nightmare,ghosts pushing me around the house while im siting on the sofa.I try to wake up,as i feel i can barely breath.I feel im getting weaker.As i grab a ghost in my dream i yell,I rebuke you devil in jesus christ name as i slam dunk the ghost threw the floors to hell.I yell i ask father god to cover in the blood of jesus an protect me.And right when i said that i got powerful enough to fight out of my sleep to wake up. If you wana here my other dreams let me know
This happens to me TWICE a night....
I was browsing online finding a solid explanation about sleeping paralysis, and by reading some of your comments I finally came to the conclusion. First of all, I am spiritual leader who believes in casting out demons and spiritual warfare. I have experience this in real life, with real people that have been demon poses and have irrational behavior that is out of their control. But I believe that sleeping paralysis is a different ball game now that I am experiencing it frequently. Secondly, I have a night job where I work from 11pm-8am in a group home. I go to school and have a second job throughout the day so sometimes (while is prohibited in my company and can cause a potential termination) I sleep. During this periods of 30min, 1hr and on, I suffer episodes of sleep paralysis. First, I thought it was some kind of spiritual warfare, but recently i came to the conclusion that is due to stress and preoccupation. Fear of being caught by my manager sleeping. During these episodes I feel his "presence" where he is looking at me waiting for me to wake up so he can fire me. And in other occasions I feel as if I am being attacked by demonic spirits because as soon as I feel paralyzed, I associated with evil spirits and so my mind creates this. Before, I have never encountered this type of sleeping behavior, and I would like to add that when I do sleep in my home I do not experience it because I am in no fear of someone or something.
My advise is to find other means to release stress before going to sleep. Do not sleep worrying about things that are out of your control. Nevertheless, your body is giving you indication that perhaps is time to start thinking about exercising. This is the best tool in reliving stress, go out for jog at night, try it out, i bet it will work.
Hope this advice is useful to some. GBY and help you through this process.
Group home
I own a group home Peter, if u are having these episodes at the group home you need to pray there. People in group home have issues and at times are possessed by demons or demons follow them. In my group home my staff are allowed to even pray with the clients. I have witnessed clients with demons, the demons may be attacking you while you are in a vulnerable state of sleep.
It happen to me last night, I
It happen to me last night, I was so scared. These has happened before, but I thought that I was just dreaming. It comforts me that others are have felt this helplessness, but its make me feel bad for all of us, its not a good feeling. I will pray for all of us to get better.
This only happens to me when
This only happens to me when I am sleeping in a car. I open my eyes, and suddenly I cannot move at all. It scares me if I am in an uncomfortable position, or a position where I can't breathe very well. If I try really hard, I can only move my fingers and toes (barley), and my eyelids, eyebrows, and eyes. Sometimes, but rarely, I can break free from it. Once, when I was going through it, I opened raised my eyebrows as hard as I could and I snapped out of it. It was so weird. When I woke up I felt unchanged. During this "half sleep" I don't see ghosts or shadows, or hear footsteps though... or a heavy weight on my chest. That's about all I have to say. I didn't know it happened to many other people. I only know of it happening to me and my brother. It happens to me about once a week. Lastly, when I wake up from it, I fall back to sleep, and it happens again, and again until I force myself to get up. It's so scary!
Prayer can be a spiritual power in dealing with S.P.
Prayer can be a spiritual power in dealing with Sleep Paralysis.
I have had only about three episodes of Sleep Paralysis, The most recent of which was last night. Before I went to sleep I was experiencing pain in the left side of my chest. I wondered if I was experiencing pre-heart attacksymptoms. Hours later I was having a night terror in which I was being threatened by a forboding person whose intent I believed was to harm me. I struggled to wake up and to move my body, but every effort was futile. I could not move my legs or my arms in my recollection.I do not know how much time elapsed before I came into consciousness. It seemed like a long time but in reality it could have been quite a brief period of time. I felt drugged during this episode and helpless. I had not taken any pharmaceuticals and I do not take drugs. When I awoke I decided to research this subject and came across this web page. I had no idea so many people were being affected by these kinds of episodes.
On a previous occasion while asleep I felt like I was being suffocated I did my best to cry out the name of Jesus. I did believe that He could rescue and save me from whatever the source of the oppression was at the time.. When I managed to do so I felt relief from the oppression I felt on my body.
As much as I value science and scientific explanations for much of human experience, I think that there is a spiritual realm that science cannot verify. There are matters for which we as humans need spiritual discernment and spiritual power to combat forces that may at times come against us. The Bible does teach us that "Whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
The Lord Jesus is my Lord and so I call upon His name in times of trouble while believing that His power is greater than any other power including spiritual powers that might assail me. My heart goes out to all who struggle with these experiences. I do believe that Jesus has the power to overcome whatever may threaten us while in a sleep state and during all other times. A scientific explanation is well and good but does it have the power in the midst of a Sleep Paralysis episode to intervene with benevolent goodwill to rescue a victim from perceived abuse or attack?
In reference to the person who wrote about a pentagram in their home and who wondered if there might be some disturbance in the home related to that object; may I offer that again there are in my view point spiritual powers that can harass and confuse in the most disturbing ways. These dark powers can in my opinion be related to occult symbols such as a pentagram. The only power I know of to overcome dark spiritual powers that threatens and makes fearful is the power the living Lord Jesus makes available to one who believes in Him as taught in the Bible particularly in what are called the Gospel writings. The light of Christ is powerful enough to dispel any darkness. That light is found in His Word. His Word is found in the text of the Bible. Again it is my belief that active and humble faith in Christ Jesus is the key to this power! May the God of all comfort bring His loving care to all those who suffer in the darkness of night the disturbing effects of Sleep Paralysis. May He make a way of escape for all those seeking understanding, Truth, and freedom.
Thank you for the opportunity for me to share my experience and thoughts.
Nice but scary too!
Hi
Last night i experience two frightening experiences, first started with what felt like i was fully awake in the bedroom but when looking around everything was in slow motion, i could hear myself breathing very heavy and what sounded like terrible snoring with hard to breath feeling and sometimes feeling like i was choking, during this so called dreaming i could feel my duvet on the bed being pulled from the bottom right hand corner of the bed as if somebody was pulling it away to the floor. I felt so real because this took place in the bedroom and in my dream it was the same view and lighting that when i eventually woke up scared i had to ask myself was that happening. I dozed off again but this time round i felt like i was being lifted up towards the ceiling in the bedroom it was frightening, eventually when i woke up a second time around my heart was racing, so i took a few moments to focus and calm myself down before trying to go back to sleep. i rolled onto my left side and eventually fell to a normal sleep. I have in the past had many flying dreams where i have revisited place where i stayed as a youngster flying high in the sky looking down where i lived. Also had one that made me think..jesus, was that for real! I was flying around naked at what felt like it was 4:00am in the morning, outside it was very dark with only the street lights illuminating, up and flying around the roads there was not a car to be seen, which made me think it was very early hours of the night and also felt quite haunting!
i am muslim
in my religion this happens but it is acutally a jinn(ghost) that is called raboos, we muslims believe that happens if you are doing bad sins.
aslamaylkum wa rehmutllah wa
aslamaylkum wa rehmutllah wa baraktu huh
this is grossly untrue. I've been having sleep paralsys since i was a little child, does a child sin? I come from a really religious family and yes ovviously im not perfect but inshallah i pray and believe allah stw answers my prayers. I also suffer from m.e wich i think contributes to sleep paralsys, also in islam we believe it is djinn black magic shaytaan etc, i dont know what it is, all i know is when i cry Alla swt's name or pray or trust in Allah swt it slowly eases alhamdullilah and inshallah. If not the i will return to Allah swt and all things must end, such as this duniya and my atachments with it. I know the horror and panic i and many others go through. Please in future refane from making inaccurate remarks and causing upset even though it was not your intention.
May allah bless you and your loved ones and allah forgive us of sin ameen
aslamaykum.
response
... that's fascinating man, I hope it isn't true! I believe that all the prophets were likely to be real - all I know is everytime I say God bless you, or Jesus loves you... they/it screaches away from me and its gone... only happened agressively a few times but it works - I think if I said the name of your prophet loves you... the same thing would have happened... I think whatever you believe in, as associated with God and love, is the power that overcomes it. If you believe in fairies riding on the back of rabid ladybugs that will work, it will work. I believe the mind can conquer all with faith - whatever the source or inspiration.
It happens every night
this helped but I agree with some of the comments that says why always we have to see bad or scary things , it used to happen once a month with me but recently it start happening each nigh, and it is affecting me because I used to be able to sleep after it happens but I'm unable anymore. I'm happy that I'm not alone, and I pray god to recover us from this because I noticed most of the people who commented are people who believe in god and read parts of Bible or Quran in order to end the Sleep Paralysis
Misconception busted!
" hallucinations during Sleep Paralysis may happen ". This particular line indeed had proven me wrong as I really thought it wasn't possible, since after all, you're asleep and paralyzed. The least you could possibly do that time is to probably dream and have a nightmare.
I have a quick question though, is this also true for when one's in a coma induced chemically? See at that time too, you're also paralyzed and more so, asleep.
Sleep Paralysis
I have had 3 episodes in the past two months. The paralysis is mainly due to excessive stress and worry which has been my case. The mind is very complicated and always likes to play games. Because we are force fed our entire life about good vs. evil, paralysis being somewhat frightful and occuring during the sleep and non sleep state, we tend to become frightened not happy. Our mind assumes the worse. Ghosts, evil spirits, whatever. Thus we see what is not there. Similar to a mirage in the desert. For some, a simply prayer to yourself (due to not being able to speak) helps and for others it doesn't. I found that because my mind if putting the fear in me due to the state of sleep, that once I can speak and move, I tell the so call evil spirit to make peace with the Lord because they are dead and not at rest. I also tell them they are not welcome in my home and they need to leave. If you still believe it is an evil spirit or ghost, always remember the two things they hate to here most is that they are not welcome and you are not afraid and that they are DEAD. Most lost souls are confused of the state they are in and actually do not know they are deceased.
I don't believe it is a spirit and having never had issues like this until my recent issues with finances and work but the psychological part helps me get back to sleep more peacefully rather than being up all night. All it is is your body telling you to stop worrying and stressing and in the long run everything will get better. And by having faith in God that it will, you will find your episodes of paralysis decreasing. If you had episodes in earlier years and think it was not over stress, it could have been feeling less than adequate in school academics or sports or something with siblings that caused it.
Regardless, I know several people I work with that have had the same thing happen to them and they are experiencing a lot of stress at home and work also.
I wish you all the best and always remember you are not alone. There are thousands that suffer with this.
scared
i had 2 episodes in two nights. i started to sweat and heavy breathing. It fills like someone is laying on top of you. i dont know why its happening but its. when i dream i dream of my friend dylan who passed away last year and i wonder if its him. but i believe in ghost the supernatural but i dont know how to fight them off. could you help me to understan way this is happening to me. i'm afriad to sleep now that i can be paralysis in my sleep. the only thing i could rememeber before i wake up is scream for my mom and she couldnt help me.
Hey, this happens to me all
Hey, this happens to me all the time. I think its because of Irregular Sleeping Patterns, where your brain isnt used to you being asleep at that time or used to sleeping for that length of time so it stays awake, but your body is still in the sleep-like state. Your brain then begins to imagine things that arent there, so therefore you feel them. I guess with the right amount of sleep and the right body-clock then it will begin to go away.
PARALYZED! Correlation?
Thanks so much for this blog!
My experiences started about 18 years ago, I found myself in a sleep state, fully cognizant of all that was occurring around me yet unable to awaken, PARALYZED. I have noticed with time that the amount of time I spend in this paralyzed state is getting longer and longer and it is more difficult to awaken myself. Laying there, paralyzed, unable to wake myself up, trying desperately to shake myself, anything to wake up all to no avail.
I did have a mate at one point in time and I explained to her this situation. She was obviously very frightened for me so we devised a plan where I was able to move my pinky finger ever so slightly while in this state. She would watch for the movement and then awaken me.
I am curious if there is any correlation with age, gender, lifestyle, heredity, medications, area of the country in which one resides, even the water. With that said, I am offering up the following information, maybe it will help someone or, we can help each other.
I am a 56 year old male, I am from the midwest, Illinois specifically, I currently reside in central California. I have led what I believe to be a very healthy lifestyle, always cautious of my diet. I am not over weight, I do not smoke, I have an occasional beer. I have suffered from high blood pressure, probably hereditary for the last 6 years. I do take medication for my BP which is now under control but my BP issues started AFTER the sleep paralysis began. I have suffered from asthma for the majority of my life and used both over the counter inhalants as well as those prescribed. I have also had minor bouts of psoriasis. ANY CORRELATION FOR ANYONE?
As I write this, I wonder if this is hereditary? My father had heart disease and passed away as a result of it. I was at my parents house when my father passed away. He was supposed to be asleep in his bed, my mother and I heard this loud breathing, I wondered, if he is awake, why doesn't he say something? I ran to my fathers bedside where I could not tell if he was asleep or awake, was he in a state of sleep paralysis? The paramedics came in, stated his BP was too low and they put the paddles to him. Unfortunately they put the paddles to his chest 8 times on the way to the hospital, the damage to his heart was so severe that he eventually passed away.
I will do further research, if you have anything to add, please do not be shy.
hmmm
i dont know if there is any actual things that could induce this, but it happens to me so frequently that i have come to realize when its actually happening and just kind of go with it untill i can awaken myself. while i was in iraq it happened the most to me and my buddy who slept in the same tent as me said that i would be laying there with my eyes open breathing rapidly and grunting. the only thing i could guess that induces it is stress. i also have high blood pressure which is caused from stress. i just think that if you arent calm and have a clear mind when you go to sleep then you arent going to be able to have a good nights sleep and you can potentially wake up during the REM state of sleep which is not intended to happen. essentially your mind is half awake while your body is still sleeping. some of the other symptoms that i have had along with the paralysis is a really loud ringing in the ears and also one other thing that i havent heard anyone mention yet, but i get this feeling like i am being pulled really hard as if i was in a jet traveling moc 3 but not moving anywhere. have you ever experienced that?
good evening, I have suffered
good evening, I have suffered from these episodes in three different countries and several different homes frist one being in my late teens and now most recent a few nights ago (im 28) the situaiton is one where I feel as tho my entire body is being held by something so strong i cant move or yell some cases even breathe properly, the most recent scenario there was a darf liquid like visual right in my face i literally was trying to muster up a noise even a peep to wake up alomost to the point of tears, and right before this happened i remebered hearing "there he is get em".... this by far and away was one of the scariest eposiodes i have had, usually its just no movement and no speech
i admit reading this article has shone some light but still there are things that i feel cannot be explained.
Thats a relief
i dont know if it is slp paralysis or some kind of vivid dream. and always wondered if there was smthng wrong with me. i never had figures or spiders crawling on me but one i remember most vividly was i was in my bed, i know i am in my room in my bed, i was lying face on my front, with me head turned to one side. i could see boots of firemen and ER pple walking around.there is blood flowing around my head, pple are walkn but not lookin at me. i try and cal out that i am alive, help but some just look at my eyes and walk away. i know, this is a dream, but i also know i am in my bed, i am safe. this must be what an accident victim lyin on a road, near death sees, but what they feel would be somethin else , i guess. i know i am dreamin, i knw i am awake also, but i cant move not even flutter my eyelids
This happened twice, once in a dream.
The first time I had this my right arm was frozen straight up. I couldn't tell if I was dreaming or not so it just stopped trying to move and think it out. First I asked myself why I couldn't move. Then I thought to myself, "God will help me." So I started hearing everyday sounds around me. I then tried moving my finger and it worked. I kept working up my arm til I got to my head, then I was fine. But I still didn't feel "right" while I was waking up. I'm 17.
Just an hour ago, I had a dream that I experienced sleep paralysis again. Only this time, it was different. First off, I did wake up and had my eyes open, I just couldn't move my body. Second, I somehow put my Ipod in front of me with video record on. In the reflection, I noticed someone and they just vanished. The first time I had sleep paralysis, I was not "stable" for like five minutes. This time, it was only ten seconds(in my dream anyway). I got up, and was somehow able to predict every place this figure would reappear and disappear to. It's like I knew every trick to getting out of sleep paralysis and had heightened senses. I was kinda lost on why I was able to did this. This figure appeared one more time in a black button up shirt and black pants, just smiling at me. He reminded me of someone I knew at High School two or three years ago. We were both in jazz band and for our concerts we wore all black. In this dream his hair was a lot darker. After appearing the last time smiling, he put his hand on my shoulder and gave me a "it's gonna be all right" look. Then I woke up.
Hey, im 18 and this has been
Hey, im 18 and this has been going on since i was about 15, it was qutie scary when it first happend, still is now to en extent, but the fear factor has kind of worn off, however.. recently, like last night this paralyzation has became more intense, i would have the same sort of stuff happening, id hear my door opening, footsteps on the wooden floor, 3-4 children singing in a circle right below me and then the person who walked threw my door pick up my laptop and smash it on the ground, i try to talk, my mouth moves but no sound escapes, the way i pass the time is have a contest with my self, seeing how long i could hold one of my fingers up for, however this only last for 2-3 seconds before my finger shakes due to not having the strength to lift itself up. I find this sleep paralysis happens when i have a leg or arm out of my bed covers and it becomes very very cold, however, when i eventualy wake up, if i do not turn over in bed or move my limbs in to the covers the nightmare continues when i go back to sleep, a few nights ago i had it 7 times in a row. One last note, i always here static, the only way i can explain it is... uhm... say if you were going to yawn, the back of your mouth pushes up the ears and it sounds like wind inside the ears... thats what i get threw all these experiences without having to do anything to produce the noise in my ears, as of yet i have not seen any ghost like or dark shadow figures in these sleep paralysis's, but i guess now ive read other peoples experiences thats to look forward too, thanks guys.
Dark Shadow Figure
I am not sure as to if this is something that can be scientifically proven or not. I've had this happen to me about 4 times since my son was born last December. Usually this happens to me at night, the lights are completely off and I swear I'm sleeping but I feel awake. I can see in the room even though they lights are completely off. I see a dark shadow figure, and I'd swear it was 6 ft with no features. Just a shadow person. The first couple times I would "wake" see it, feel like I cannot move, and then finally muster up enough stregth to yell for my husband (who is sleeping next to me). He usually has to turn on the light and I feel like I have control again and the figure is completely gone. Several people have noted that they feel almost like they are seizing because they are shaking so badly and they are so terrified by whatever they are experiencing. I feel helpless. I spoke to my friend who says she believes in Ghosts and she said it was following me and she could literally see it. I'm not sure I believe in Ghosts but I'm not sure I don't anymore either. I just want it to stop. The fourth time this happened (which has to have been 2 months ago) this figure walked toward me and it looked like it put it's hand on the bed next to me. My husband believes me for seeing whatever but he believes there has to be some sort of logical reason for it. Any advice? This friend of mine also has a friend who is a satinist (I am Lutheran and I believe in God, but I wanted to talk to this person anyway to see what he had to say). My family has been going through a lot lately, and I would say my faith had been shaken. This friend told me he believed it was the Creator (or God) trying to scare be back to religion. I just don't think God would do that but then again I don't know what to believe anymore with all that I am reading. I need help! Any advide would be amazing!
Hi!
Hi! You are right when you say that God is not trying to scare you.The Lord works in mysterious ways and sometimes going through scary events is not only a test of our endurance,but a test of our faith as well.I would encourage you to pray and ask the Lord to strengthen your faith in Him.My family has also gone through alot,from losing a parent to being without power for seven months.Through all the suffering though,I have seen the Lord's works in my life and the life of my family.Please don't give up.Whenever you go through another episode of "sleep paralysis",just pray and relax and ask the Lord to protect you.
just some advice from a friend.God bless and take care. lol :-)
Sleep Paralysis
I've had sleep paralysis for almost half of my life. I can first recall the episodes when I was 12 years old and I am almost 23 now. I have always known my sleep paralysis to be HYPNAGOGIA or HYPNOPOMPIA [the first occurs coming out of sleep and the second occurs when you are falling back into sleep]. I have seen and heard and felt many frightening things over time. There are times when my eyes are closed and I will hear little fuzzy creatures muttering gibberish and just hopping all over my body. I have seen a woman walking in my room, and once she spotted me looking at her she came towards me and started slapping me on my face. I have seen bloody heads beside me in bed while blood pours down on me from the ceiling. I've also heard a lot of things including myself screaming or other screaming or quiet but sinister conversations. I have come out with the paralysis and fallen right back into that state.
The two strangest episodes I have ever had were more recent. About a year or so ago while I was napping in the day I woke up and tasted blood and I started biting hard on my tongue ring and just feeling a lot of blood in my mouth and even tasting the warmth and metallic taste, when I snapped out of it I realized I wasn't biting my tongue at all. I have never at all tasted anything in my episodes so this was particularly interesting to me. The other happened maybe a few months after, I was just sleeping in bed and I heard soft whispering and giggling. I saw what was I assume was Death [he looked more like a Dementor from Harry Potter] just floating in my room. [I had gone to bed at about 2:20AM, I always check my watch before I go to sleep]. I just sort of watched Death and I could hear him whispering INSIDE my head, then he was out of sight because he was right on top of me; and I could feel him just sitting on my back. His voice was very sweet and calm and then I actually focused on what he was saying. He was telling me how he wasn't going to kill me, but started describing in that same silky voice and in great detail how he would kill everyone in my family. I was terrified. When I snapped out of it it was almost 3:00. That was the longest episode that I can recall.
I just wanted to know why all of the symptoms of my disorders are negative things. I never see happy things, sometimes I'm not breathing, my heart rate speeds up, and if the episodes are traumatizing enough there's no way I can get back to sleep. The worst part is that I can get 5 in one night or every day for a month, or sparse like once in a span of 2 months. I hate the not knowing. I'm actually glad that I stumbled upon this. I was reading about SUNDS and I just freaked out and wanted to do a bit of research. I started having the paralysis occur in daily naps about 2 years ago [they were only in the night before then]. My episodes in the day never allow me to see anything. I usually just freeze up for a few seconds or I hear the occasional scream and maybe feel tickling or a bit of pressure; there was also that ONE occurrence when I thought I was biting off my own tongue.
I am not generally afraid of my sleep paralysis, only when they occur [and there is a new hallucination] and I'm properly reminded of them. When I meet new people I put it in my "5 random facts about me" so it's something I can get out of the way. I have a few friends who have had very random episodes, none are as frequent or as terrifying as mine, so I do feel a bit alone about it. I'm just glad that I can share.
When this first happened to
When this first happened to me i was home alone. The last thing is that i was watching t.v., and the next thing i know it was completely dark. i couldnt get my body to move not even a inch. i was scared even more because i was alone. the next thing i hear this big bang and my body starts to lift itself off of my bed where i was lieng. i remembered being so terrified because i wasnt able to scream nor move. what made it even worse is i felt so much awake throughout this whole experience. Whatever lifted me up, slowly moved me beside my bed like it was trying to hide me. the next thing i know my door opens...and in come a dark shadow. it comes to my bed starts to move around the blankets looking for me. then it peeks over the bed on the side i am on and looks at me. from there i feel my heart racing in fear. it starts to reach out its hand like it is coming to get me. as soon as "it" touched me i remember taking this long deep breath and waking up gasping for air. please can someone explain to me what this means. an what was the thing that tried to hide me????...i havent been able to sleep like i shud maybe a lil more during the day when i feelsafe. sucks i feel like an insomniac. i hate this feeling of being scared all the time. i feel it all the time in my room. what makes it all worse is the person who lived here before us back in may 2011, made a pentigram in the back room. is that like a portal for them to come in my house because i believe therre is more than one vibe that i feel. please someone help me answer my q. i feel like a complete dummy when i explain myself to someone who doesnt believe or hasnt been through it.
I've had this since I was a
I've had this since I was a freshman in high school and now I am 18 years old and still having them. My first experience felt like a earthquake but I realized it was just a dream but it was strange to me that I couldn't move while calling out to my mother. Over the years I've just tried to ignore them and move on as I knew the figures were all hallucinations. I know when I am going to get them as I get this loud ringing sound in my head and my head goes somewhat numb and it only happens if I am too lazy to wake up and get up. The scariest ones though are the repeated ones where I seem to wake up and get up but in reality I am still lying there in my bed and I keep getting this repeated dream believing every time that I wake up. My cousin has been getting this frequently too and he keeps his tv on for 2 hrs every night he sleeps. From what I've noticed this only happens when you are having a irregular sleep schedule.
Fun Paralysis?
Just last night I had my second episode of this sleep paralysis in a week. I am one hundred percent certain it has been going on my entire life (I'm only 16 now). I always sleep on my stomach so when I awoke only my pillows and wall were in front of me. It felt like only 30 seconds and I did not breathe the entire time, nor did I try to. I had the most intense feeling of deja vu I have ever experienced. My whole body was frozen, but I did not attempt to move because I enjoyed the feeling. It sounded as if there were about a dozen, very quiet people running through my house and around me, whispering gibberish. I tried to stay in this state for as long as possible, but fell back asleep before a minute had passed. It was one of the best experiences of my life, and better than any high I have received from "other means". When I woke up all I could think about was how blue everything in my room was. I marvelled at my blue walls, lamp, bed, posters, and curtains; this is something I have never done before. Above it stated that a blue light helps stop these events...Was my fascination with blue a coincidence or something more? As I type I just realized that I'm wearing a plain blue shirt that I haven't worn in over 3 months...so weird haha. Any tips on how to make it happen more often? I just hope I don't die from the nocturnal death syndrome thingy lol :P
There is something that might help
Like many of the people posting here I experienced severe episodes of what is now called sleep paralysis as a child. They were terrifying experiences that continued until my mother put a blue bulb in my bedside lamp. Leaving the blue light on while I slept immediately stopped the experiences. The experience would reoccur if there was a power failure while I slept and the light went out. The correlation between having a blue light on while sleeping and the cessation of sleep paralysis was 100%. Sleeping with a normal "white" light on did not have the same effect, as I would still experience sleep paralysis.
As I grew up I found that I could gradually do without the blue lamp by imagining myself surrounded by blue light as I prepared for sleep. It took many years before I could discontinue the mental preparation before sleep without experiencing sleep paralysis. I can offer no explanation as to why it works, but if you are suffering this terrifying experiencing then purchase a small bedside lamp, put a blue bulb in it and leave it on while you sleep. I has helped others I've suggested it too, and it might be something that will help you too.
playing with the paralysis
I've been experiencing bouts of sleep paralysis since the age of 19. I am now just shy of 26. I remember the first occurrence as if it were yesterday. TERRIFYING. I could see my arm lying in front of me, and every follicle if hair on it. I could see the blankets around me and could see the day break. But I could move a bit and speech was impossible. I also felt as if someone were sitting on me..... eventually I woke up. It was baffling.
Usually I have have these terrors for weeks at a time but with years between occurrences. It wasn't till I was 21 that the experiences seemed to have a presence of evil. Making the sleep all the scarier. A friend of mine had explained the idea of sleep paralysis in its scientific sense, but with shadowy figures and whispering voices I couldn't chuck it up to science.
When I was 23 a girl friend of mine had also mentioned the same exact issue and at that time I was not have trouble sleeping. To add to the already terrifying experiences, on the same nights of her paralysis her two year old daughter would always get a bloody nose. Coincidence? We hope. But after sharing our experiences aloud, oddly enough my paralysis came back.... and she had mentioned before that after sharing her story with her boyfriend at the time, he all of a sudden started having it happen to him after never experiencing it before!! We promised not to talk about it any more and in time my paralysis went away. I never brought it up to her again not even to inquire if she was still having issues, out of sheer fear of it happening to me again.
Well I am now almost 26 and they have come back full force. Terrifying as ever. I am a mother now and I fear it to be genetic or worse, spiritual. I pray so much that this does not effect my son in any way at all. Usually it is my son calling for me that can pull me out of my paralyzed state. But praying and trying to play a courageous role always seems to help.
Last night was the most unique, I started to manipulate the state of mind. Aware as I am of the scientific theories, I was able to use this to change my perception of it all while in paralysis. I woke up and fell asleep multiple time early this morning and every time was different. I for a moment pretended I was surfing even though it was obvious I was in bed. I also have a picture next to my bed of my late grandmother and at one point its like it was her spirit in my room and she helped roll me over and I saw her above me as clear as day, there was someone else with her though, a stranger who scared me still. And lastly I was able to finally fall asleep really and even had a regular dream. But when waking up the usual feeling of evil came back, as if trying to prove something. The shadows came closer and the whispers were louder, I prayed as hard as I could and to the sound of my son's voice I woke up.
I don't know what to think about it any more but I'm coping as best I can.
I also suffer from "RLS" but I've learned is just a potassium deficiency, a banana before bed always works, and since having my son occasionally I get insomnia. So scientifically I understand how I might me prone to sleeping disorders. But I just don't understand the consistent reports of eerieness and terror, and how prayer always seems to do the trick.
In any case this lifestyle has made movies like Paranormal Activity and Insidious all the more terrifying.
Awake But Still Asleep
I've had this experience since I was about 26. I'm now 63. They are not frequent just every now and then. I usually have a loud wind-like sound in my head before it happens. I can see myself in bed and everything around me just as if I'm awake and it's so real. I'm always paralyzed, Sometimes I can feel someone in bed beside me, Sometimes I feel someone on top of me but never see anyone. Sometimes I can see myself get out of bed and go down the hallway but I know that I'm not really moving at all. I struggle very hard to call out for someone. It is hard to explain because in my head I can hear my call, which is muffled and slurred like slow motion; but nothing comes out of my mouth. There is nothing scary about want I experience except the feeling of not being able to move. I always get out of this state when I yell the name Jesus and I wake hearing myself calling Jesus. I mean really hear. I have even talked to what I fell in bed with me saying "leave me along or what do you want or give me my covers back(I feel the covers being pulled from me). I remember feeling bad afterwards. I said whatever it was did not try to hurt me, maybe it was my mom, who passed away years ago. I was glad to read that what is happening to me is called hypnagogic or predormital sleep paralysis.This type of sleep paralysis occurs while you are falling asleep, I got this info here--- http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/guide/sleep-paralysis
playing with the paralysis
I've been experiencing bouts of sleep paralysis since the age of 19. I am now just shy of 26. I remember the first occurrence as if it were yesterday. TERRIFYING. I could see my arm lying in front of me, and every follicle if hair on it. I could see the blankets around me and could see the day break. But I could move a bit and speech was impossible. I also felt as if someone were sitting on me..... eventually I woke up. It was baffling.
Usually I have have these terrors for weeks at a time but with years between occurrences. It wasn't till I was 21 that the experiences seemed to have a presence of evil. Making the sleep all the scarier. A friend of mine had explained the idea of sleep paralysis in its scientific sense, but with shadowy figures and whispering voices I couldn't chuck it up to science.
When I was 23 a girl friend of mine had also mentioned the same exact issue and at that time I was not have trouble sleeping. To add to the already terrifying experiences, on the same nights of her paralysis her two year old daughter would always get a bloody nose. Coincidence? We hope. But after sharing our experiences aloud, oddly enough my paralysis came back.... and she had mentioned before that after sharing her story with her boyfriend at the time, he all of a sudden started having it happen to him after never experiencing it before!! We promised not to talk about it any more and in time my paralysis went away. I never brought it up to her again not even to inquire if she was still having issues, out of sheer fear of it happening to me again.
Well I am now almost 26 and they have come back full force. Terrifying as ever. I am a mother now and I fear it to be genetic or worse, spiritual. I pray so much that this does not effect my son in any way at all. Usually it is my son calling for me that can pull me out of my paralyzed state. But praying and trying to play a courageous role always seems to help.
Last night was the most unique, I started to manipulate the state of mind. Aware as I am of the scientific theories, I was able to use this to change my perception of it all while in paralysis. I woke up and fell asleep multiple time early this morning and every time was different. I for a moment pretended I was surfing even though it was obvious I was in bed. I also have a picture next to my bed of my late grandmother and at one point its like it was her spirit in my room and she helped roll me over and I saw her above me as clear as day, there was someone else with her though, a stranger who scared me still. And lastly I was able to finally fall asleep really and even had a regular dream. But when waking up the usual feeling of evil came back, as if trying to prove something. The shadows came closer and the whispers were louder, I prayed as hard as I could and to the sound of my son's voice I woke up.
I don't know what to think about it any more but I'm coping as best I can.
I also suffer from "RLS" but I've learned is just a potassium deficiency, a banana before bed always works, and since having my son occasionally I get insomnia. So scientifically I understand how I might me prone to sleeping disorders. But I just don't understand the consistent reports of eerieness and terror, and how prayer always seems to do the trick.
In any case this lifestyle has made movies like Paranormal Activity and Insidious all the more terrifying.
just started
hello my name is tiffany and this just started happening to me a night ago. I cant say that it hasnt happened before because i cant recall. When it happened i just felt weak in my body like i couldnt move. its like my eyes were open and i could see everything in my room. Then all of a sudden i would break through and pop my head up. i thank the lord that i havent seen any ghost. So i took a nap today and it happened but its like right after it happens and i break through i have a peacful rest. As i was laying in bed tonight i kept drifting off and i noticed i kept getting that weird feeling and all i can keep thiinkin is im dying..so i turn over even go get my son out of his crib have my boyfriend and son laying beside me and i notice that im falling asleep with my eyes open and i cant move my arms or sumthan is happening to me.i kno i have been very unhappy and i feel like i need help...i also suffer from anxiet attacks..i am afraid but at the same time reading these stories makes me feel like im not alone.....i jus am going to continue to pray..start workin out...relaxing my mind and hopfully this will go away...
good
OBE
I love how so many of you trash the idea of spirits..but believe in "God"...sorry not judging but just had to point that out
yet another story...
Since I was a little kid I use to have these sort of experiences. I was awake, I could hear everything feel everything and see things but my body was in full shut down I couldn't even speak. Now that im older things got more serious, im 20, and last year it was happening very frequently. I wake up and I get this sense of being scared to death , for no apparent reason. My body can't move and its extremely hard to open my eyes . I get a feeling someone is watching me . I sometimes don't wanna open eyes cuz im afraid of what im going to see. My heart beats very fast and I hear this noise I can only describe as like static on steroids , very loud and continuous . :/ And on some rare occasions I feel that im levitating as if someone is pulling me up .
First time that happened I thought I was being abducted by aliens and i thought shit im done im.gonna die..i was very scared and then suddenly I snap out of it and im backat my bed , still horrified .. Just thought I should share my story with all of u
Oh wow, I can definitely
Oh wow, I can definitely relate. My episodes got worse as I grew up as well. I can also say that I was NOT asleep during my experiences. I've never felt like I was levitating before. The sound I hear most often I call "the gremlins" because it sounds like hundreds of tiny people screaming and shrieking and talking all at once. I like the idea of sleeping with something that makes you comfortable. Perhaps a stuffed animal or a night light. My occurrences are unpredictable. I hope they find a cure and things get better for us. Thanks for sharing.
I can totally relate to your
I can totally relate to your story. I have experienced this phenomena on several occasions starting since I was a little kid. I had hypnosis for it when I was about 18( it became frequent and I was terrified of closing my eyes at night). The hypnosis did put a damper on it for several years, however I still have occasional bouts of it. Last night it happened. I had not had my eyes closed for more than just a few moments when there was an electronic vibrational sound. I was paralysed and felt completely powerless and afraid. It was like there was a presence, it was grainy and dark. I tried to call out to my son (his room is next to mine) but all that came out of my mouth was a whimper, then I dreamed that my son did come into my room and wake me up. All of this felt like it was really happening. Then I suddenly woke up,my heart was beating fast and I felt scared.I was relieved to be awake.
In the past I have had varying experiences with this even including leaving my body and" my ghost" walking around trying to find and talk to people that I know are in the house because I want them to wake me up.On bouts where I am paralysed in my bed (which is the more usual experience I try to" will" myself awake, this makes it a bit scarier to me because I must be semi- conscious to be thinking " wake up!"
The experience is always the same for me though in that it is always within a few minutes of me closing my eyes. is always accompanied by a tinny or fizzy loud noise, paralysis, and dreadful fear.
From what I have read, everyone who is experiences this is really scared . I wish it felt good! However there is a scientific explanation (thank god!),so we don't have to feel bad.
sleep paralsyis
brilliant article you have written,i had another of these events last night but this is the first time i have looked the info up,its a deep study and will continue my own research on it now,the one person asked if its possible to have them when awake the same effects,i beleive this is what i had the other year and it was bad and for a while but another maybe important possible point is that i reckon many causes are changed sleep routines togeather for many nights in a row and do you reckon there could also be DEHYDRATION cause?,2 of my very worst ones were on occasions when i was very dehydrated and hot during sleep,thank you.
Does anyone else not see evil spirits
didn't kno this happened to so many people... This same thing happens to me except I dont see any evil spirits or feel any. And it feels like my whole body has jet leg and i cant move at all. Then I move really really slowly like I'm having a seizure and then I fall out my bed. Then I wake up in my bed. This happens everytime I sleep in, im 15 btw. and it lasts for 30 seconds.
"sleep paralysis"
First of all, if you do not believe in evil and do not want evil to come your way then it won't. Bad thing happen in our world due to free will. What kind of world would we live in if nothing wrong or bad ever happened? Hard to even imagine. This sleep paralysis is simply an out of body experience that many believe to be the cause of the spirit leaving the body because the body is only a temple or housing for the spirit. I am certain that true evil would be alot scarier then noises and footsteps. Scientists will always try to find an explanation to everything. Science does not believe in spirits and especially not religious spirits because there is no "proof" of them. The brain is complicated but even scientists have not been able to prove these out of body experiences. If you research, studies have been done testing their thoeries of what the brain supposedly does while it is sleeping. These studies have even proved that stimulating that particular area of the brain cannot induce a true out of body experience. Alot of science explanation is rubbish. Whether you are religious or not, science has trouble proving alot of things. They just tell us this is how something goes and thats it. They try to force you to believe their theories on that which they cannot prove. The out of body experiences I have had have not been evil at all. They are usually relaxing though I do believe that the poin that we realize what is going on is the point that we try to "get back into our bodies". This can cause quite a panic as feel "paralyzed". Hope everyone finds the answers they are looking for and to appreciate life for what it is. At the end of the day we all have to die, but wouldn't it be nice if these out of body experiences are really how we would feel if we "died", ergo the spirit leaving its temple. The whole idea of dying in most religions is that your body dies, but the soul remains. Have you noticed that when you see your body you are in the exact position you were in when you went to sleep and even the same clothes? Have you noticed that you can see yourself where you are, exactly in the space that you are? Have you noticed how in true dreams that you are often not in the same clothes, in a place that you don't recognize, or doing something weird? These "out of body experiences" are not that way. You always see yourself exactly how you currently are.
I think u are having an out
I think u are having an out of body expierience which is kind of the same thing I believe these things happen for a reason and u r so right about science I hav had the evil presence in my experience and I kno I am not just seeing things this has happened since I was 12 years old aand whatever it is it really wants me to kno it is an evil presence the first time it happened I was woken up to a breeze from my window which was behind me and I tried to get up to check the window
and I could not move at all I suddenly felt frightened and triied to yell for help and its like u your voice is controlled and all u can do is whisper from ur throat all of the sudden I can feel someone sitting next to me on the edge of my bed I barely had strength to look over at this black mass of a dark smoke shaped like what seemed to be a man and u could not see a.face but u can feel it staring at you and it growled like nothing ive ever heard very evil growl and I just remember being scared to death almost so I started praying in,my mind as hard as I could and it all dissappeared just like that and as I got older it got worse I felt tiiny creatures holding me down it felt like there were a lot of these creatures holding me down with the most evil laugh I have ever heard and everytime they would laugh it felt like a surge of electricity went through my body from head to toe it can even manipulate you for example:when I had the experience of the small creatures.holding me down I was 14 at the time living with my parents that same night I fell asleep on the couch with the light on when I woke up I realized the lights were shut off and my father who was on the other couch wasnt there and when I tried to get up thats when I felt the tiny hands holding me down and laughing in my ears it was the craziest experience and this time I could not see these tiny creatures holding me down so I started to pray in my mind as hard as I could and it was a struggle to do so but after a feew seconds it all dissapred and everything was back to the way it was when I fell asleep the llight was still on and my father was still sitting on the couch I knew this was something evvil im 28 years old and after my teen yearrs it would happen here and there it was not as stronge very mild I stopped seeing and hearing things iti
sleep paralysis
I'm not sure if you are always the same in a true dream or in out of body experiences. I have had far too umany episodes of both that were awkwardly strange. In many experiences there were evil spirits present and nothing would release me from their terrifying release except a spiritual and physical battle. I have learn not to fear them but my struggles are sometimes hard and takes a toll on my physical health. The periods of pounding heart beats and absence of breathing has caused me to develope high blood pressure and sleep apna and diagnosed by my physicians yet before these occurrences begin I had excellent healtlh and have not received any real help for them from the medical field. As they increase the doctors just increase more medication from the trauma left behind. They seem clueless. I have fought demons spirits after me or my children trying to take them as they are sleeping and I see it. Something you just can't relax through and wait until you wake up. When I do defeat them. I may not have moved physically at all externally but internal I have every proven affect and have been beyond exalted. More like during an physical exorcism. My last experience I yelled out they could not take my grandchild because I love her and the moment I yelled I it was released. I awaken hearing my self yell it out and my mouth was opened wide with gushing air circulating through. I have noticed that during (vists, dreams, ecperiencences)whatever ever anyone would like to call them and they are not of a evil spirit nature. I have awaken with one or more little bumps either in the folding of my arm. Or behind the knee or a sharp little painunder the toenail. Which disappears some days afterwards.
sleep "paralysis"
Thank you, "Lola" for a very descriptive argument! I used the ole "sleep paralysis" excuse for years, but then when I read others experiences, their "dreams" are not only similar to mine, but similar to each others! From all different cultures, countries-- you name it.
Many of these "spirits" bring great fear (for so that they fell to their knees in fright) Exodus
come in a bright shining chariot in the clouds (ufo? Jesus, and his chariot, from the clouds?)
Science needs to admit to a higher intelligent being, one that is capable of science fiction type activities, like space/time anomalies, dimension "hopping", blinding lights, paralyzing rays, inducing dreams, etc.
Open your mind, and the "fire of the holy spirit" MAY even be radiation? possible... who knows..
awful feeling of helplessness
I am 31. I have been suffering from "sleep paralysis" since I was 8 (from what I can remember). I was afraid to sleep. Each occurrence results in a different "hallucination". Fortunate for me it doesn't happen every night, but unfortunately I don't know what triggers it. Often times I experience a state of convulsions while attempting to move. I awaken convulsing, short of breath and scared as heck. The only way I have found to prevent it is to put my kids in the bed with me. Occurrences can often time happen repeatedly immediately after each incident. I sleep I am paralyzed then I wake up .It usually happens again right after I fall back asleep. If it happens 2 or 3 times in a row I put one of my kids in the bed with me. Problem solved. My "hallucinations" (if that's what it really is) is nothing too graphic or harmful, but certainly scary. In most cases it happens when I am sleeping alone. My ex husband witnessed a few, he thought I was having a seizure. He stated I moaned, my eyes moved slow and sometimes rapidly and then I started convulsing as he shook me I woke up. During that occurrence I didn't experience seeing anything abnormal. I was only able to see what was in the room. The only time I see paranormal things is when I am alone. As many have stated I too say a prayer and often times. it works sometimes it doesn't. As someone else mentioned I just close my eyes and try to relax until it's over. Struggling to wake yourself up seems more stress and anxiety. When I was 24 my mother said it's an outer body experience. Referring to one particular night were I felt like I was floating. I was able to see everything in my living room, daughter's room my room, for the most part the entire house. I didn't see or hear anything paranormal that night. After the second time that night I placed my daughter in my bed. my mother explained it as your spirit performed the same actions as you would have if you were awake. (check on the house and kids) When they are in bed with me my spirit is as ease. It's hard to determine if this is a spiritual or scientific issue. I like the scientific explanation better. I am not a hard sleeper. In most cases any slight noise can awaken me. This in itself leads me to believe it must be a neurological condition.
Dreams
How funny you say that Bella. My cat will wake me up. He will either claw my leg or bite me. I figure he sees me trying to move and he will stab me with his nails. He has even drawn blood on occasions. I now always try to keep him in my bedroom because I can not move unless I'm jolted awake. Wierd that my cat understands this better than any human. He is sleeping at my feet to night and he doesn't seem to mind being there. It's like something is trying to take me away. I'm 49 years old and I now live alone. When I was married it happened too. I once saw a huge spider crawling on the ceiling I watched it until I could move and turned the light on and it was gone. I searched everywhere and nothing. I know what I saw!
so happy to find this
I was so happy to find this page. A few weeks ago I had this happen to me and I couldn't figure out what had happened. I woke up and and kept thinking there was a shadowy creature in the corner above my bed. (If you have ever seen the grudge- like that!) I was really scared and kept trying to tell my husband but every time I tried to talk I couldn't. I literally felt like someone was holding a pillow over my face. I couldn't breathe, but I was trying so hard to gasp for air. It was TERRIFYING! I wish I knew how to avoid this happening in the future because it was extremely scary. I told my husband about it later and he seemed really worried about me. Glad, at least, that I know what was going on. For a few seconds when it was letting up I remember thinking I was having a stroke!
i thought i was alone
my name is loden and i am currently 17 years of age and this watever it may be has been happening to me for a few years now infact it happened to me today but here is my problem the time that i cant move is getting longer and longer and if by shear force of will i make myself wakeup if i fall asleep again it happens again and again, and the visions sounds im experiancing and feeling of bieng touched are also gettin worse im not a very superstisious type of guy but i am not so arogant to not believe in a power greater then myself that might be a spirit or watever u may call it so is there any way to solve this problem im experiancing ? or is it purly something i have to live with and hope that it isnt a spirit or anything like that thank u for ur time on my situation
hi
hi my name is shacory i experince these things all of the time im only 11 years of age and i have been having these dreams ever since i was about 4 or 5 i no ima little late tlkin about this but what is do is say i rebuick you in the name od jesus christ and tht ussualy helps me so im used to it now if tht dosent work just close your eyes relax and u well fell it comming off of u . hope i helepd
you are not alone
i'm only 13 and this has happened to me on numerous occasions. I haven't felt anything ever touch me, but i have waken myself up from the event by trying with all my force to move my arm enough so it will wake me up, or using my fingers to open my eyes. It happens to me mostly when i am sleeping on my back. Now that I know more about sleep paralysis i'm not afraid. I told my mom and she told me the best thing to do in that event is the go back to sleep. I tried that once, it worked and after that I woke up. it happens to many people, but in my cases I don't hear or feel things.