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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
Comments
Body paralysis
It's just happened to me 20min ago! My mind is awake and i think my eyes are open as i can see the room (unless im dreaming that bit), but I can't move my body! I can hear myself breathing and some outside noises. Iv had no spirit encounters. It happens when iv had too little sleep or too much! It's absolutely horrible though. It happened when I was younger and I actually had my face down in the pillow!-when I ran out of oxygen my body thankfully woke up and I lifted my head so I could breath. Although it's horrible I dont think we'll die from it! Hah- our bodies are pretty cleaver and survival instincts will kick in. I can control my thoughts so I try to relax and stay calm and I either wake up properly or go back to sleep! I wonder if there are treatments or techniques we could use?
I get it..
I experience this a lot- in fact I experienced it 30 minutes ago. I always get the same dark armed creature /thing touching me on my shoulder when I am paralysed, I usually try to shout at it, but obviously by the time I am able to- I wake up. It is very scary!
Silent Night?
The silent part was from me screaming for help my Fiance's name and he could not hear me. The first part of my dream I was choking on some food. I went then from the dream to watching myself sleeping in my bed. I could not move. I tried. My whole body felt numb I remember looking over at my fiance screaming his name and I remember no matter how loud I would try to scream it was no more than a raspy whisper. He could not hear me. I finally woke up and saw one of these images floating towards me and ran and cut on my light and it was gone. I seen things floating towards me when I suddenly wake up from a dream time to time but NEVER seen myself sleeping.. helpless crying for help. :( very scary. I remember it being very drak, evil, scary too. :(
scared
Ok I'm 21 now this has happened at least 5 or six times in my life. The first time it happened I was maybe 11 or12 i was sleeping next to my dad as every one else went on vacation. I saw the room clear as day as if I was awake and I even saw my dad sleeping next to me with his back turned. I felt wide awake but frozen. Couldn't talk move scream anything. I also saw a lady in a white nightgown at the edge of the bed. I felt as if someone was holding me down. I tried to call to my dad but he couldn't hear me. After praying I was able to move my fingers and as I started to "un freeze" the lady disappeared. It worries me now that I'm pregnant what if this happens while the baby needs me. It happened again this morning I felt someone tell me that I always sleep with a lady next to my bed and all of a sudden i felt something heavy drop onto my chest as if a person laid down on me. I prayed and struggled to call for my boy friend and it went away. This was creepy since this "lady" has been in every episode I have had. Could this be evil?
Chills..Had the same experience
I had that same thing happen to me. That was my first "sp". I heard MLKs I have a dream speech playing in the background. I tried yelling out for help to my grandmother but nothing comes out but a whisper. Then I seen what I thought at the time was an angel dressed in white( I didn't see a head because I was in a bunk bed at the time, but I still had a feeling her head was cut off anyways) it touched my arm and I went crazy (still trying to scream, but nothing) minutes later I could move. I just started having them again since childhood. I just had a horrible episode last night around 6am. It's startling because for the past 3 weeks right before morning I've been hearing what sounds like running water (or someone using the toilet). This morning I heard the same thing; I've gotten so used to it so I jsut laid there. My alarm went off on my cell so I cut if off, and laid back down and fell back to sleep. I heard the running water again, opened my eyes and realized "oh no I'm paralyzed". This time I heard the toilet flush, then footsteps coming toward my bed. My sheets were shaken by something. You just feel a presence in the room. ( I live alone btw) What I usually do to get out of my trance is wiggle my big toe(i.e Kill Bill)LOL. But seriously I think that helps me, it takes a while but it eventually helps. This particular time I kept yelling out Jesus and saying devil you are not welcome in this house! Then I heard growling. A few seconds later I was out of it! I don't know your belief system but that helped ( Just say keep saying I plead the blood of Jesus Christ) and of course I'm sure everyone tries to wiggle a body part to get out of it. But this worked quicker than anything else ( i.e wiggling my big to theory). I believe this is a half and half thing. I think you wake up before your brain does (neuro signals) and the paralysis happens, but why is everyone's experiences supernatural-like. I think it goes beyond that. I agree with another commenter. I feel it's demonic spirits, it's like spritual doors that the spirts come through like sexual addictions , drugs, watching horror, movies, certain music that we listen to, etc. I did more research on this and found that astral projection is tied into this. When we're in it this paralysis people are frightned and usually come out it, but while in this state you could actually seperate from your body. During my dream while I was fighting to get out, I kicked my chair which is next to my bed(or so I thought) When I came out of it my chair was in place, and it was too far from my bed for me to have reached it. (wierd!) Just like that movie Insidious. When people feel someone is over them or sitting on their chest are spirits. Incubus and Succubus, one is a man the other is a woman. Some people call this the "devil or a witch riding your back" I've never been choked, but I've been tickled, I've felt like I was raped (penetration and all) and it felt like something was floating over me. This is the scariest experience ever. I watch a lot of horror movies and I'm into horoscopes(don't believe in them it's just interesting) but I think some of these things create doorways. Real Talk.
I have had a few of these
I have had a few of these episodes throughout my life as well. I recall once "seeing" a female figure. I just had an episode about an hour ago where I actually heard a woman's voice telling me to relax it would be over soon. I also heard movement behind me before "she spoke" which is what woke me. I was in a small window less office & it sounded like someone had come in and closed the door back behind them. I felt weight on my body preventing movement. My breathing was difficult and forced. I tried to call out to my friend in the other room but all that came out were forced grunts and gurgles. I somehow fought my way to the door to open it and it seemed the as soon as I got it open enough to let the light in, I was back in control of my body.
In the past, calling on Jesus helped. I didn't try it this time as I felt so claustrophobic that all I could think to do was get out of that space. I did feel paralyzed as usual. I always feel a presence when I have these episodes. it could be scientifically explained I see but I don't think so, its something more.
S.P
I've been having these S.P....for about 7 years..I don't what to do anymore...I tried praying and a lot of other things but nothing seems. To help....I keep feeling that something is going to grab me from behind and take me...while I sleep...and that's when I find myself unable to wake up...and then I start panicking thinking there gonna take me...now I get that feeling even when I'm just walking...
Has this ever happened to you?
I read majority of the comments, and I found similarities between my situation and yours; however, I additionally experience an evil entity trying to rape me. Once, I heard it tell me that it wanted me to have its child. Then, it felt like my body caught fire and started convulsing. I was praying "God, help me. I banish these entities in Jesus' name" etc. and the weird thing is this. Normally, that would make it all go away and I would snap out of it or wake up (even though I am pretty sure I was already woke), but this particular time it didn't work at all. The most frightening thing about it was after the shaking stopped, it felt like my body was bending backwards, and I heard the most horrendous screams (there were more than one) but I realized they were coming from my own mouth. I kept praying and finally I was able to break free of it. This was the worst episode I have experienced. I still have this "sleep paralysis" occur quite frequently actually, especially if I lay on my back or go to bed before like 2 A.M. I really don't know what to do. I've prayed. I slept with the bible underneath my pillow and the bible got torn up somehow. I managed to save my favorite bible verse and i put it in a ziploc bag underneath my pillow but now I can't find it. I know this sounds like I'm a "misery loves company" type of person, but I was glad that I found other people who this happens to. Maybe I'm not completely batty... At least I've found some people who may believe me and not treat me like I'm some loony outcast when I talk about it or try to explain it away when they've never experienced it and don't truly understand. Has it ever gotten this horrendous with anybody else?
This is horrifying. Im sorry
This is horrifying. Im sorry to hear about your situation.
Last night i experienced 'sp' but this time i felt the evil presence touching my body all over and it felt like it was trying to have sex with me and i had weird sexual feelings. I always say the lords prayer but always manage to forget what im saying half way through.
You're definitely not a loony!
Hello, this has happend all
Hello, this has happend all threw my childhood, i always seen 3 ghostly shadows with no faces, i also seen myself sleeping in bed wile im outside of bed! i was scared but i dont remember what i was scared about, all i remember is me shouting, clapping my hands, stamping on the floor but no one could hear me, is so scarey!!.I'm now 40 and in the past few years its happend at least 5 times when i feel someone getting into my my bed but i try to scream an move but i cant apart from my eyes! just last nite was the scariest of all, i actually felt someone coming from the bottom of my bed an it was trying to force my legs apart it felt as if someone was trying to rape me, i was lying on my back screaming but my partner could not here me, after a few momets my partner woke up beacuse he heard one of my quells and i was squeezing him arm! all threw these experiences i feel as if am totally awake!!! when i heard my partner's voise i knew then everyhing was ok, it was the most frighting moment of them all, as im writing this i am not looking forward to my bedtime tonite! if anyone knows of a cure please get in touch, what happend last night i would not like to experiences this again!!!!!!
Scientific explanation, demonic or both?
My "Sleep Paralysis" didn't start until I was 19 years old, I'm 23 now.
In my experience it has always been an evil encounter. It was getting worse until I got a dog. Now instead of actually experiencing it while I'm awake I dream about it happening and it's still just as scary. Prayer does in fact help. Any thoughts or comments on this are appreciated.
Know what mean been having
Know what mean been having them (sp)all my life since a kid. And everytime it was the same. It always felt like there was an evil presence. Like some big evil boss presence. Can't see him but you kno,better yet you feel him near by. That's the scary part. But as time went on my presence of other things in the room progressed. So my experience with being in that realm is never pleasant or nice. Its an Erie horrible state or place to be in or around.just trust in christ ,pray for your daily sins and ask for protection. Good luck
sp
its hard to tell someone not to be scared of this phenomenon 25 years for me, and im still getting the jinn jumping on me and that guy that shuffles his feet, i usually sleep on my side but recently ,dislocated my shoulder so i have to sleep on my back which leaves me open to attacks i have never had physical harm from this so i just go into chuck norris mode in my mind and beat the crap out of it..
As long as I can remember
I been suffering from these experiences since I was a young girl. I'm now 27 and I still suffer from these episodes. As a young girl I did never see or feel anything in the room with me but once I woke up from this I got really bad fevers. Don't know if anyone has gotten physically sick from it. As I got older, I did start seeing shadows and people around me. After my first son was born, I was taking a nap and my son was laying next to me. I fell asleep and woke up not being able to move. As I look towards my newborn son, I notice there was this shadow person looking down on him. The presence that was in the room with me felt evil and I felt like he was trying to take my son away from me. While I was struggling to "save" my son, I felt someone else come in the room and turn my fan on. It was weird because no one else was in my home with me at that moment. It was hard for me to wake up from this "episode", due to the fact that I was a bit drugged due to c-section surgery. I managed to move my fingers and forced myself to wake. I woke up sweating, chest hurting, anxious, angry, sad... A roller coaster of emotions because I was in fear that this thing or shadow was actually trying to take my baby boy. Weird thing is that someone did turn on my fan, but I was the only one home. I don't know what happened or who those things were but it was the first of many more weird and scary episodes I have had.
Your Not Alone
Hey its amazing you say that because I have had those experiences to since i was young, I am 20 years old and I get so frustrated sometimes in trying to figure out how these dreams or whatever they are can affect my body temperature and emotions so drastically! Ive never had any children though. I feel that shadow looking at me too but i can never seem to see its face. Well at least I know im not crazy and someone else is going through the same thing. If there was only a solution to these episodes...
it happens very often
how if it happens more than twice in a week? is that normal? it always happen when i sleep after midnight.. and when I succeed to get up, i even experience it once again T.T .. i've been suffering this since i was 9 but now it happens more often... somebody help me please.
this is spiritual warfare
Some wont agree with this..especially non-believers of Jesus and His teachings..Ive come to the conclusion this is solely spiritual warfare..how else can science (and its arrogance) explain countless evil presences in peoples' experiences? You got it..demonic attacks..mere humans can't even fathom the supernatural..we are powerless in this state to it..our only protection from this stuff is prayer,repentance, and belief in the Lord..period.
If you have unresolved sin in your life..get rid of it..or at least try to turn from it..sexual immorality..lust of the flesh, greed, hatred, envy, pride,basically the 7 deadly sins...my experience with this the other night has me convinced..a dream i was having was suddenly interrupted and i was in a paralytic state..I was aware on both the conscious and subconscious level..I too couldnt speak really..I had some fear though at first..all I could get out was no no no..but remembered the Lord..but couldnt speak--all I could do was try to bring my hands together to make the sign of the cross with my fingers but something was fighting with me to prevent this..freaky..I was finally able to and I came to..laid up in bed..immediately grabbed my Bible and prayed for 30 or more minutes..from what ive researched..dont lay on your back if you can avoid it..try to sleep on your side as you are more vulnerable to attack on your back bc your chakras are open and they are closed on your side..bless your living/sleeping quarters with myrrh, spikenard/olive oil and frankincence etc..keep a Bible next to you open to Psalm 23..pray the rosary..if you have engaged in seances, tarot/palm reading, ouija summonings..zodiac and the like or are extremely promiscuous you may have given an opening for evil spirits to attack you..turn from these things..the zodiac is of Babylonian origin..is the work of Satan...horoscopes deceive people its deception-not real...
If you are a hard seeker after the Lord expect this..
Ive recently been seeking hard after the Lord again in my life after a long hiatus but I never stopped believing in the Lord..pray for protection is the only thing one can do it seems..do not be afraid for God is with you..they prey on fear so rebuke them in Jesus name--He has given you this authority..God Bless..
I experience sp and when i do
I experience sp and when i do i repeat the lords prayer, but alot of the time i forget what im saying and where im up too, but i know the lords prayer off by heart.
Why do you think this happens?
I have so much to say
I have so much to say regarding the similarities we share. First
I would like to thank you for your support & feedback concerning this matter. After reading your comments on my post it gave me goose bumps. Simply because when I also dream and it may be something I shouldn't be dreaming about,and all of a sudden I feel a slowly moving sound interrupting my dream. A sound so dark and malicious. So in my sleep I recognized it coming and I know that I'm about to awake in the sp state. It felt as if a head presence was awaiting me on the other side of me to come to. So I get upset at myself because I had time to wake myself up but I don't. One things for sure it is a spiritual battle. There were times when I was asleep and I felt and heard it coming and I forced myself up. Woke ritght before it can start. I thank u for those comments again, it help me put my thoughts &feelings in order. We are all
connected in the body of christ. So we go threw these things cause we are all chosen to contact one another on this spiritual matter. Thank you
So weird!
This happened this morning.. Yesterday night i didn't get much sleep at all for my age i think i got 6 or 7 hours. And things with my boyfriend have been awful and his ex is saying things that i wont get into. Anyways, it's caused me a LOT of stress. I remember having 3 or 4 dreams yesterday...one after the other. But I remember waking up and i couldn't move the left side of my entire body. I wasn't scared, and i didn't see anything frightening, it was just the whole left side of my body was numb and cold and i couldn't control it at all. So i just groaned a little and went back to sleep. I had another dream and in that dream i talked with some people about "how i couldn't move my body 'one time'". So that dream felt real. Then i woke up again and my right arm (all the way from my shoulder to my fingertips) was paralyzed. I went to sleep again. Dreamed some more. Then i woke up with my right arm (from my elbow to fingertips) was paralyzed and my hand was gripping some of my hair really tightly. It felt as if some person was holding it and wouldn't let go! I tried moving my head around to maybe get the hair out of my grip, but it didn't work. And i couldn't move my arm or hand at all so I couldn't do anything there.. So i got my other hand and slipped it underneath my palm, and moved it out of the way-- releasing my grip. It was so bazaar.. I woke up eventually and typed this. :P
Seems like something Hollywood cooked up until it happens to u!
Okay so I've been having lot of trouble replying for some odd reason or another, either way for thoes who were interested it my theory here it is. After extensive research and practice I've learned or am learning to induce the so called "sleep paralysis" now most of you might think why in the world would I want to do that, well in short what we are force fed to believe is a scientific phenomenon isn't exactly that at all. When your body goes into the "sleep paralysis" state your consciousness is in limbo meaning you are in the first stages or at the front door of astral projection. If you have no clue what astral projection is, it is classified as being able to leave your physical body in your astral body while being completely conscious of it. Before you call me a wack job hear me out. For those who rely on science this tid bit of information should ease your mind. All living things have energies also know as auras, well our auras are a product of our astral bodies which don't exactly fit that well in a physical body which is why it can be detected. Anyways just google astral projection and you can find an array of useful information. Back on topic when you are experiencing "sleep paralysis" you are usually still in your body or quite close to it and are considered to be near your ethric body which is your lowest being and you become aware of it's surrounding, you hear what it hears and see what it sees. The further and faster you move away from your physical body the sooner it'll stop. Meaning just get up and walk away not with your physical body but with your astral body. Think yourself gone and most time you'll just leave unless you aren't completely out of your body yet. (Techniques for getting out can be looked up online) Recalling my previous post, when my cousin stared to sleep with the bible she obviously believed God would protect her thus raising her vibrations and moving her ethtic to a higher plane eliminating it's negative surroundings. Now by this point I'm sure I have lost a lot of people and I'm sorry. Please believe me if I had never heard of such things and some stranger came babbling on about something similar to this I too would have my reservations and request they sought help but I promise you I'm not crazy and everything I have stated is factual and not some fictitious bologna I dreamt up. If you have read this far I encourage you to research ObEs, and astral projection. If you still want to know more of my discoveries feel free to reply to my comment. And for thoes who still rely heavily upon science and dismiss everything that I have stated, feel free to remove the veil from your eyes at anytime.
The Figure at the End of the Bed
I have often wondered if so-called ghostly encounters in the night are a product of sleep paralysis or the real thing. Certainly most ghosts, I have read about are those seen by people, who believe they had just woken to see a figure at the end of the bed. Reason would suggest that these experiences aren't real, but are a product of the sleeping mind. However, I have had a personal experience which makes me question this conclusion. I saw the figure of the woman who had lived in my home before me. I spoke to her, asking her who she was. I noted her clothes and the glasses she was wearing. This could have been a dream. However, when describing the woman to neighbours, they agreed that it matched her description, and that the clothes were ones she had owned. So, I have always been in two minds as to the reality of this experience.
"scientfic explanations" lol......
i think everyone remembers only the bad experiences of being "paralized"....or being an "object/figure" prisoner for a reason .. I have had this problem since I was 5 and im 25 now from hearing footsteps and voices of "monsters" walking up my stairs and laughing as a kid to thinking there going to kill me. This still happens sometimes but not as much as feeling like I am a prisoner to some "evil force" and can't move or speak at all...(for who knows how long) and who really knows how long it really goes on for....even when u wake up theres no way u can say "this happened from 10am to 1pm" lol.... and do any of you remember the actual "ones" doing this to you ..cause i do straight up and i do not forget for a reasons i won't get into. I also know it will never stop no matter what anyone tells me or says "do this , try that" I know how to wake myself up from dreams and I have had the ability since I was 9 years old which is probably the reason why i stopped sleep walking... No one can tell me the "scientific truth" unless they experience the same events and can do what I can....and show me proof not just say it or tell me "science proves it" thats all bullshit... the people that come up with these "scientific proofs" do not have one god damn clue what I and (others) go through...and most of the time they probably go through 2 percent of "these dreams" when we go through 100 percent of it... Well atleast I do.
Interesting similarities
I don't think this stuff is caused by evil spirits, but who knows. I notice this kind of thing happens when I am exhausted (have had many poor nights of sleep), and/or sleeping on my back. If my mind wakes up, but my body is still sleeping it can be quite a scary experience. I struggle to wake up (usually my wife will do that for me, as she hears me struggling - at some point I can start speaking "help", etc). If I go right back to sleep, usually it will happen AGAIN. I also make a point to lay down on my stomach or side, and NOT my back. So what my habit has been is to stay awake for 5 to 15 minutes, walking around, doing something else. Then going back to sleep. That seems to take care of things.
One time I had a scary dream where I was going down a hall, and there as a door at the end leading downstairs. There was a man standing there silently, with his back to me. I could not see his face. As I got closer, I really felt something was wrong. This accompanied that kind of Sleep Paralysis experience described above.
I find praying helps during those moments. I remember the power that there is in the Blood that Jesus shed on the cross for my sins (e.g. like is sung about in that old Hymn "There is Power in The Blood"). I usually pray about that, and trust in His protection.
Sleep Paraylis
A similar thing happens to me, when i have had little sleep, am exauhsted, or as described above feeling anxious/stressed about things. Also too when i fall asleep on my back , as this seems to be the sate in which i usally get paraylised. This started happening to me when I was about 13/14, and it scarred the heck out of me, no one seemed to believe what was happening to me, my mum just thought i was imagining it all , just having a bad dream. I am 17 now, and i have been paraylised a coupple more times, usually related to exhaustion or overtiredness. I have never actully seen an 'evil' spirit , as describbed, but the last time it happened to me, it felt more unusal than other times, and my ears were ringing. now i know what it is, if i just try calm myself down it can help.. but also praying helps too :)
This happened to me last night.
This happened to me for the second night in a row last night,with the first time being the previous night,as pointed out,sleep paralysis was likely only a symptom of the problem.
I am 17,I have had sleep problems and severe insomnia for many years now,and often I will not sleep at night at all.I suffer from a form of insomnia called DSPS,or Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome,which makes it difficult for my mind and body to make the transition between NREM and REM sleep.I had not gotten any sleep for about 27 hours at the point in which this had happened.I have also noticed (And from speaking with people who suffer from similar conditions),that certain drugs can produce conditions in which are favorable for such an event to occur,and this doesn't necessarily insinuate hallucinogenics,I am prescribed Hydrocodein (Vikodin) painkillers for my back pain,and the nights I took my medication particularly late I experienced sleep paralysis
Last night,I was laying in my bed,or at least I thought I was.It felt as if my mind was awake but my body was asleep.It was like I was asleep but I could still see and hear everything around me,I heard footsteps and the sound of something breaking,and incomprehensible voices seemingly coming from nowhere.I also (as with other people) felt the presence of something malicious or unknown.I literally saw everything exactly as my room was,but I was asleep.It felt like this lasted only a few minutes,however I "woke up" to find my room exactly as it was in my dream,only without the hallucinations,and two hours had passed and I was confused as to whether I had slept or not.The same thing happened to me last night except I did not hallucinate,it feels as if I did not sleep,I am extremely tired,but somehow 5 hours seemed to pass in seconds.I am not a particularly spiritual person,and I would speculate that the feeling of an "Evil presence" is almost directly correlated with the anxiety and fear of what is occurring,and since you can not explain the event through use of conventional auditory memory as you would during wakefulness,it becomes an enigma of sorts and you resort to irrational or illogical ways of going about explaining what happened,such as ghosts,or Evil Spirits. (Not an attempt to offend anyone religiously,it is human nature to do this,really)
I found this site very informative however,and I believe I at least understand the basic concepts of what is happening,and am fully convinced there is a completely scientific way to explain these occurrences,even if the mechanics of how such an event comes to be are currently unclear.
Anyways I would just like to make a little more sense of what is happening and I would like for someone to help me,or provide additional informations pertaining to the subject that the original blog failed to state,I would appreciate it.
-Arel.
This happened to me last night
Arel, I read your post and out of all of them I felt the need to reply. I never been on this site before, just happened to click on it when looking for info on new meds for Sleep Paralysis. When I saw your age I thought I could maybe help out a little. I am in my 30's and have delt with this since I was about 5. Seen doctors, did sleep studies, etc. Its not that the doctors weren't helpful, there just isn't too much they can do. I take Xanax at night to sleep since everyone over the years has come to the conclusion that I suffer from this because of anxiety. I don't have really a problem falling asleep so I dont need drugs to make me sleep. And believe, I can't argue with them. Had a stressful childhood, mother who died as teenager, and more recently, divorce, moving, money issues and raising a 5 year old. So stress should be my middle name. What I can tell you about this condition is it is manageable all on your own. Through the years I have learned what my triggers are. This happens when I am EXTREMELY stressed, have an argument with someone, I am over tired and especially when I fall alseep flat on my back. So like I said, a couple easier things to try and avoid so no on set of the condition. Now, as far as getting out of an episode, that is the tricky part. Mine episodes are quite terrifying. Im not oen of the lucky ones who has some fancy miracle dream. I have the downright frightening to the core ones. Last night's was a classic. I could have SWORN I was wide awake, but yet someone was standing over my bed, shoving a rope down my throat to try and kill me and I was choking to death! Fun right? Ive even had ones so bad that I thought I went into my own son's room and tried to hurt him. I woke up screaming and throwing up in the toilet and ended up laying on the floor next to his bed in tears out of guilt for even dreaming it. So with that being said, I have tried the last couple times when it starts to almost talk to myself in my head and tell myself "its happening again, it's not real, MOVE YOUR PINKY FINGER" It seems as soon as I am able to move at least one finger I can pull myself out of it quickly and without even getting to the scary part. Sometimes Im just so over tired that I can't do it but if its a mild one I can usually get myself up pretty quick. Also, to answer your question, yes, certain drug/prescriptions can definitely bring this one. I am not a doctor so I don't know which ones but if I take Tylenol with codeine for my back pain before bed I usually end up with a wicked episode, so no more of that before bed. Coffee before bed will do it to me too. (I love coffee so that was kinda hard for me). I am of drinking age and like my wine but alcohol doesn't seem to effect me either way. I noticed that you said it happened to you after not sleeping for about 27 hours. That is the first and foremost way to bring on an episode...BEING OVERTIRED. I don't need to be a doctor to tell you that. I live it!! If I push myself at work or with whatever for a couple days until I am physically exhausted I will have an episode WITHOUT FAIL! I know you have another condition but TRY not to get yourself overtired or it will happen more often. I hope some of this helps. You can reply if you want if you have another question. I wish you luck. :-)
first severe episode
hi i just wanted to add mt two pence worth to this strange phenomenon. i had an episode a couple of nights ago with an invi)sible prescence feeling. i heard my bedroom door click and footsteps come up the stairs (im in the attic). i forced my body to move and switched the light on and sat bolt upright in bed, felt like something was watching me my ears were whooshing and something kept squeezing my head every minute or so for about 20 mins. i thought i was nuts for thinking this until i came across these sites. it was 2 o clock in the morning i couldnt sleep for bout 2 hours felt like bout half an hour before it was gone. i prayed to jesus and god while my head was getting squeezed and i honestly thought something was trying to get in me.
it was an evil prescence and i read the scientific explanation but i know what i felt and it carried on while i was wide awake.
been sleeping with the light on last couple of nights it scared me like nothing else ever has. hope it doesnt come back but like people are saying i was asleep on my back which i dont normally do, and i had been stressed and feeling quite depressed that day beforehand. talk about kicking a man when hes down!
I've read several people
I've read several people experiences on the matter of this sleep paralysis and we all almost agreed on the same feeling and presence. No matter the religion, the ethnicity
Of the person we all share a common unpleasant experience in a realm between being awake and asleep. As a kid growing up when it happened I was terribly afraid to go to sleep, but sometimes I try to anticipate now as a man to try and understand where I'm at psychologically -then physically. But to no prevail the overwhelming dark and evil presence takes away any security that I may have started with. Now I'm scared and really wanna wakup. We all need to keep posting our experiences to understand what we're going through and answers on overcoming it.
Hear Me Out.
Man i just had this happen to me i literally was scared out my mind. I'm only 14 and it felt like some adult male was in bed around me as if theses were our two bodies << remove the space between. i could hear him breathe and hear bracelets on his arms (I am partially Indian, This is common for males.) I was absolutely TERRIFIED.
its happend twice.
This has happend to me twice. The first one was not bad I just couldnt move and it was during the day.
The second time it happend my bed started shaking and I could talk move or move my eyes& felt like some one was on my back. It was scary &i want to know what it is. The second time it happend it was at 3am in the morning.
Sleep Paralysis No More!
To anyone who is interested in learning some techniques to rid your sleep paralysis read below
I used to suffer from sleep paralysis. This was actually the first site that gave me good insight on what it was exactly. It ruined months of my life because I was so traumatized by all the hallucinations. Finally I came across a website that told me that sleep paralysis can be a stepping stone to lucid dreaming. People who lucid dream have said to have these beautiful experiences and are thankful for sleep paralysis for helping them get to that stage. I DID not want to be a victim anymore. But lucid dreaming was the last thing on my mind; I just wanted to stop sleep paralysis. I've discovered that you cannot control when it happens but you CAN control getting out of it. Sleep paralysis can be caused by sleep deprivation and stress. You can also be one of the "lucky ones" like myself, and just be prone to it. Ways you can STOP the hallucinations is to first overcome your fear. When you’re in sleep paralysis you’re in a half awake half asleep mode. The feeling of heaviness on your chest or "choking" is scary and can trigger hallucinations. Close your eyes, and remember that it is not real; the heaviness is just a strong wave of signals your brain sends to your body to “lock it up” so you don’t physically act out your dream. Once you realize this start moving your toes, or even focus on your breathing. This tells your brain that “HEY!” you are NOT ready to fall asleep and your mind will release you. When I got really good I even took it a step further and finally had a lucid dream It’s really amazing. But the fact of the matter is, I learned to conquer my fear and even turn it into a beautiful experience. But for people who want to rid it all together, just get your Z’s and exercise to get stress free. If you find yourself going into that state remember
1. Move your toes
2. Focus on your breathing
3. Praying helps most people
4. Conquer your fear, it isn’t real (remember that)
5. If you can conquer sleep paralysis and the horrible experiences it comes with you can conquer anything.
6. And if in the future you become daring enough, google lucid dreaming. It’s just like the movie “Inception” minus all the bad parts
Oh and sleep on your side,
Oh and sleep on your side, not on your back. That works almost 99% of the time
Developments in the situation
I apologize because I can not speak English fluently.
I will try to write my story short and in a manner understandable to the extent possible.
I'm 28yrs old and I've been having these episodes (sleep paralysis)
I have this case since I was a kid, and then disappeared some years and returned again.
This time back and there were some new symptoms, such as the speed of the eyes, difficulty breathing,
Slowed heart rate, pressure drop, and some times of severe sweating in the body.
When it begins with sleep paralysis, I can not wake up, I hear strange noises and I can hear and see my family, and some times I see something strange and frightening
I try to wake up and I do myself calms down and try to move, even the most successful voice or issued laws and difficult breathing inhalation and exhalation even hear me my brother or my mother to help me to wake up.
I can not find the meaning of this situation and I could not understand, and frankly no longer scary
Several months ago have begun to Palm in the text of my head, and every time this is increasing the pain.
One day I felt terrible pain and suddenly I no longer know what happened. I woke up and noticed that she had passed two hours, do not know if you're unconscious or sleeping on.
On the whole I am pleased about this much scientific explanation and made me felt reassured
I have a very important question is divided into three parts and I hope that answers him that anyone can
Part I: Is this disease (sleep paralysis) is a risk and should be treated or consult your doctor. ?
Part II: What is the reason this disease, it is infected already infected with another disease ?
Part III: Is this a rare hereditary disease, and the incidence of it?
Needing some answers please someone help me
I've been having these from when I was about 4 it has got worse as I've got older i don't understand why , they are really scary, I can actually feel the pain from being punched stabbed pinched pulled n sometimes I get sexual feelings n I don't know why this is happening please if anyone can help me with wots happening to me I'd be so very thankfull as Im going out of my mind and have nowhere to turn for answers or how to get help for it to stop happening from a very scared person please please can someone help me understand .?????????????
Hi Karla
Hi Carla
I also have the same symptoms
I know what you're feeling, the fear, the inability to move
I have some tips for you
When you begin a case of sleep paralysis national Palate
1 - should not be afraid
2 - Tell yourself you are able to wake up
3 - Try to move one of your hands
4 - Tell yourself it's a case bogus and you are able to move your hand
After completing these steps will get up
After a few days you will be able to get rid of this situation
These steps helped me a lot to get rid of sleep paralysis
I wish you to be strong and not afraid of this case
I hope to tell me the developments over the coming days
my Regards
sp
feel free to contact me for support.i have learnt to live with this and it does not scare me much anymore.
my experience
Yes I have had sleep peralysis about three times... Really though it was not scarry.. it was surprising and I thot... wierd i cant move... well.. maybe i'll try real hard its very difficult but hard focus and gradual movement works ... I dont really think it is all that creepy mysterious stuff.. simple the brain is not quite catching up with itself.. and in between state. so if it happens to you.. remind yourself thats its ok! Just a dream it will go away in just a couple minutes and work through it. :)
you don't understand
It may not be that scary when you don't see anything,i have had Sleep Paralysis ever sence I was 4. My mom said it was because of my ADHD, like when i didn't take it. I experience it as im falling asleep, not as im waking up. but as i was saying, its alot different when you dont see anything. ive see a black haired girl looking down, but couldnt see its face and a fat clown who stabbed me in the stomach. Its scary as shit! I feel like i usually only see things from scary movies and it only happens to me when i think about scary things. You won't truely understand until you have seen something while being in Sleep Paralysis.
Tonight Before My Nap...
So , I work overnight 12m-9AM so I get random amounts of sleep during the day. My sleep pattern is really messed up. Anyway today when I got home from work I slept from about 9AM-4:30ish , pretty good sleep. Anyway later after I had been up for a little while and had eaten dinner and watched a movie I felt really sleepy again. So around 9:30pm I went to lay down for a nice little nap before going to work at 12m. So I laid down and fell asleep (I think) Anyways I heard my door open and it sounded like my mom and sister were standing there and said something to me but i couldnt respond. So the door shut and I could hear and see my room around me. I was sleeping on my side and i tried to tell them that i wasnt sleep. BUT i couldnt move or talk. I tried so hard to talk and move but it just wasnt happening. Finally what I did was started to say "The LORD is my shepphard , I shall not .." and all of a sudden I was able to move again and talk. Scary mess.
experience the same
im almost twenty one and ive been having this experience since I was a young girls... it is very frightening and disturbing.. freaks me out untill I dont want to sleep at night or alone for that matter. I regularly sleep very lightly and daily I have anxiety fits.. but although scientificly explained I believe it coukd be supernatural phenomenon... if you believe in good you must also believe in evil. believe in miracles you must believe counterworkers are in action as well.... I believe ones should pray before and after going to sleep... pray for deliverence and serenity... pray for protection!
something to think about though could be inner demons we are dealing with sometimes these things happen after a day of controversy.. yesterday my boyfriend got into a heated argument in the kitchen living area took alot of energy out of us, we mended the argument a few hours later went to bed, but you should pray over your home repent when needed so negativity wont linger and cast out sickness, confusion, anger, and invite in peace and love!!!!
Totally Agree
Whenever it happens to me I just pray, then when I finally manage to get up I go and put my rosary on. My aunt's very spiritual and is very careful about who she lets into her house because of their energy, and it has a tendency of lingering. I think it's very important to clear out bad energy in your space, it's surprising what effects negative forces have on you.
I wasn't sleeping...
My experience is different. I am 55, female. My granddaughter has always, I suspect since infancy, suffered from sleep paralysis, but I do not. She now refuses to stay overnight with me, saying she sees a presence at my bedroom door at night, and she is powerless and afraid. I told what I knew of this...even suggested it was a guardian angel, nothing to fear. Until...this morning. I'm awake, having gotten up about 15 minutes prior, moving about getting water, etc...and had decided to lie down to see IF I could fall back asleep. As I was beginning to relax, I sensed a rush from behind me, and felt very clearly, a presence having just jumped on me, it's countenance so close to my face I could almost feel breath. I turnmed over, immediately calling to God and rebuked it in Jesus nmae. It left as fast as it had come.
Years ago, when I was at an absolute lowest point, entertaining suicide, I prayed from deep within..asking for the pain to be removed, that I just couldn't bear this any longer, having done all the right things to counteract the reason for the pain. I was sent a spirit, a divine sense. As I knealt, arms circled me, lifting me and placing me on my bed, arms encircling me, spooning, as it were, providing grace and comfort. This I was not afraid of...and peace came to me. As did sleep.
So when I say this experience is not sleep paralysis, I know what I know.
What I don't know, is why? Why would a spirit, an angel, a jinn (yes I read all the comments) want to scare me so?
Your comments?
More to this world than meets the eye
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Thank you for reading my comment and asking for a response. I'm not really an expert in the field of jinn, but I am absolutely sure that they exist and that they are the reason for many of the peoples problems that have posted. But I am guessing you could get an answer to your question from another question, such as why do people murder others?: sometimes they do it because they are told to by others, sometimes out of dislike for that person, sometimes extremely sick people kill others randomly. There are many reasons, and I would think that many times a person does not know why he was unjustly murdered, and I think its the same with people getting harassed, many times possessed, by jinn. This lecture is about jinn, you can listen for yourself.
http://kalamullah.com/Bilal%20Philips/The_Angels_and_the_Jinn_-_Bilal_Philips.mp3
This is the chapter of the Quran titled Al Jinn. The Quran is the Word of God revealed to the final prophet, Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, who was illiterate, and it was revealed from God to him through the angel Gabriel, over 1400 years ago, and is still in its original revealed form and language, Arabic.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-8r6CzVMis
I wrote a pretty long post for anyone interested a few posts down titled "jinn," for anyone interested. I urge everyone to consider my words and make a choice of what they firmly believe will lead them to eternal salvation based on concrete proofs and evidences, not based on what their parents have told them or anyone else for that matter, including myself. The way of God would logically be very clear and not confusing, and would be backed up by proof. If you have any questions email me at 321abdullah123@gmail.com. May Allah help you all with the sleep problems you experience, and guide us all to the straight path. And all thanks is to Allah, Lord of all the exists.
This is not really
This is not really "Paralysis" as such - it is more about where energy is focused. As we move from awake through alpha brain waves, theta, and then to delta brain waves our electromagnetic connection with the body is "relaxed". Due to this, our association with the physical vehicle is different. Our mind is engaged with the subtle body and thus we will go wherever our mind goes. In the inbetween state, our mind is not connected with the body in the normal functionality, so when we intent to move the body - the process does not move the body as normal. This is because we are not in the body, not out of the body, but inbetween consciousness. This open state is akin to children and how they see the world, children seeing ghosts is an example of how children are still very connected to the spirit realm, as we are in the between state.
Its a question of focus, if we work on focus - free of fear, free of thoughts - just beingness and intention, you can master this and come and go from the body at will.
shuffling feet guy
well apart from what we have posted in here ,and i like all of you really cool we should all stick together.has anyone else experienced the shuffling feet guy? not as scary as the jin,but still freaky enough.for some reason i always see waste down some guy in pjs and sox's.
re: shuffling feet guy
Lol it sounds funny when you refer to it as the shuffling feet guy. I've never seen him, but the first time I ever had this experience (sleep paralysis) I heard something scratching on my door, then footsteps shuffling towards me, first slowly then faster as it came closer. After a lot of praying I managed to wake up.
Ahhh sounds wrong but im so
Ahhh sounds wrong but im so releaved to have found this iv'e had this for a couple of years now and just had to wake up due to it, so googled it. This ticks all my boxes apart from the hallucinations. I find i can wake myself up after about 10 to 20 seconds then if i let myself fall back asleep i can go right back into it over and over so have to get up. Iv'e also experianced situations where i can no longer breathe so panic and jerk till i wake. Anyone else found the same thing? Nice to know i'm not the only one.
Sleep Paralysis
only a few times this has happened to me and very recently ,but only happens to me either my right or left arm it is very scary when it happens because you cant control your own arm!!!,but i just have to wait about 2 to 3 minutes to gain control of my arm... :)
Sounds like something Hollywood cooked up until it happens to U!
Well like most unexplainable phenomena science has or atlease tries to have an answer. When I was younger my cousin and my Aunt would suffer from this condition, luckily for me I dodged the bullet. They would often tell me how horrible of an exerience it was, and coming from a spiritual family they gave the condition a rather interesting name... "devils riding your back" now for those people who think they're crazy you probably have never experienced this or known anyone personally who has. This led me to do some research and I too came across the sleep paralysis articles, this didn't satisfy me, not because its not plausible but because it had to be more to it than that, I couldn't figure out why when my cousin put a bible in the bed with her it stopped if it was only a scientific phenomena. If you are at all curious about what I found out, or you're not exactly pleased with the answers you found email me with any questions. I reply relatively quickly.