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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
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| 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. |
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Comments
This(SP) happened to me twice
This(SP) happened to me twice today between 1230 till 1400 causing me to wake up 3 times during my nap. I am lying on my left arm when suddenly i open my eyes and felt my friends pet dog moving behind my back when i know its in the hall and room locked. I tried to lift myself up but was unable to do so. I could only stared whats in front of me and dart my eyes around. After struggling for a few seconds, i re-opend my eyes and sat up. I lied down again and had this kind of experience before. Before i knew it, the same thing happened again and this time i could see my friend in front of me talking and talking while i lied down unable to move and trying to shout for help. I woke up to find nothing wrong with the surroundings and my roommate is still covered in blanket over his heads.
A little More At Ease
Ive had this experiance a couple times in my life. I havnt experianced it in awhile i think because of councling for my stress and anger problems. I didnt experiance the shortness of breath but i did have the strong crushing feeling and no matter how hard i tried 2 move or scream i just couldnt. My experiances lasted longer then just a few mere sec. Ive had epesodes that have lasted minutes. On a good note though its fun 2 mess with the wife when u can tell her what she says when on the phone in a different room lol. The bad feeling is probably the worst thing about the whole experiance though, I do know that ive never had a good feeling while going threw an episode.
SP is COOL!
Hi there, When i had Sp for the first time i was like: OMG WOW.. I start to create my own dream.. Is that cool to controll your dream.. and live it like it's a normal life?
SP is scarry to people who never use drugs.. and don't know effects.. so they paragone it to spirits and demons.. ( like RELIGION TEACH US!!!) But it's a wholl world out there...
If you need a help email me or on skype: ..
*** But don't f**k with it.. you can die there. / or woth you can have a very bad expirince... and them no one can help you NO ONE!
I agree that Sleep Paralysis
I agree that Sleep Paralysis is fascinating, but it's also really fucking frightening. the hallucinations are the worst, the whole thing kinda reminds me of shrooms or an acid trip, you have no clue what is real and what isn't.
SP since 4
I remember the first time this happened to me. I was only 4, and it was so terrifying I still remeber it to this day. I remember not being able to wake my body. I was awake inside of my body beating on the inside of my chest and trying to scream for my mother. I was so scared because no sound would come out and I could not move, all the while I was being pulled by my hair from some strange man that I had never seen before. When I finaly woke up, I was so terrified because no one was there. I have delt with this problem for 25 years now. It use to scare me. I would always see white ghost like creatures that wouldn't talk but would comunicate through mind reading. I remember when I was eighteen, I had fallen asleep in our living room infront of our Christmas tree that was still lit. I saw 6 of them come through my front door and stand around me. They were discussing carring me off. I was so terrified. I tried to wake up, and in what seemed like an eternity I finaly did. It was a horrible struggle. One I will never forget, but they soon vanished when I came to. I still experience this from time to time, but never see anything with it anymore. I believe that it is the Bible that I have put by my bed and have slept with for sometime now. I have learned to just accept what ever it is, and put it into God's hands.
It can be very difficult to understand, especialy as a child of four. My Dad was a preacher, so it was hard for me to talk of this to my parents because they just did not understand. I remeber sleeping with my younger sister as a child and telling her to hold onto my arm when she fell asleep because I was so scared that something was going to happen to me and I would not wake up or be there in the morning.
If you can find someone that can understand to talk to, it does help. Try anything that you can think of that would help. I know that everyone is different, so what has worked for me might not work for you. I do know that as a result of me finding peace with it and giving it to God, the fear has gone and so have what I was seeing. As far as not being to wake up physicaly, that is something totaly different. I have just learned to live with it.
Wow Ur story is very true..I
Wow Ur story is very true..I first had this experience when I was 6 while sleeping on my grandmom couch.. I was very sacred. Cause I remember waking up but I couldnt move. But I can see and hear. I thought I was dieing and no1 could hear me screaming. But I never real experience seeing ghostly spirts. But I all ways seem to feel some1 near me. Just 2day I had1, and I swore some on walk2 my side of the bed n moved it. A Seconds after waking up there was nobody n the room. I'm now 22 and I also jus learn 2 live with it and pray. A helpful tip when this happn relax Ur body, and just think about waking up then it will eventually happn
Hope This Helps
What I Know:
Every time you go to sleep your body naturally shuts down so that you don't cause harm to yourself when you dream. This is what they call Sleep Paralysis. It mostly happens while your sleeping which is why most people aren't consciously aware of it. If you become extremely relaxed while awake (whether you willed for it to happen consciously, or it just spontaneously happened) your body may think your mind is asleep and enter sleep paralysis.
What I Think:
These phenomena happen to you because, for whatever reason, you have unknowingly activated your body's energy system, or chakras, during the day, or at some point in your life, allowing you to be sensitive to energies existing outside of your normal physical reality that you're so used to perceiving through your five senses. Then, when you lie down, or become comfortable and relaxed, and your mind is quiet and still (or you may have just woken up in SP), your brain begins to, or is, resonating at the alpha or theta level, allowing your mind to enter states of conscious awareness you experience while asleep, enabling you the ability to perceive these foreign energies. You may not currently have much knowledge on these matters and these entities may be able to sense that, so like bullies they try to induce fear in you to in return feed off your vital energy which they need to survive. We are energy that naturally vibrates at a lower level than theirs, but when we go to sleep or experience SP or enter mind states of the alpha and theta level, the vibration of our energy rises and we're now able to come in contact with these energies in one way or another. Understand that everything is energy that vibrates at a certain frequency. We, as humans inhabiting earth, are at the lowest point of vibration; but our vibration and the vibration of the planet and everything on it is rising at a dramatic rate. These entities can probably sense this in one way or another, and being that they can not, or are not, willing to raise their energies to vibrate in harmony with the rest of the world, they will no longer exist here, or no longer exist at all, so they're getting desperate.. trying to extract as much vital energy as possible to survive or remain where they are.
What I Suggest:
First, you must know that they can't harm you physically, mentally, or spiritually. Next, before you go to sleep or enter other states of consciousness you should always visualize a beautiful bright ball of energy which surrounds you and your house in light and love protecting you from and blocking out frequencies of external energies with negative intentions. Repeat the affirmation that you're only open to positive energy of light and love that have your best interests at heart. Thank God, Jesus, and your Higher Self for the protection and love that they have given you since birth and will always continue to share with you throughout the end of time.
If the experience happens again for whatever reason, you may not have put up your protective energy that night, remember it can't hurt you. Feel happiness and joy in this, so much in fact you may even start to laugh inside. Tell it you know it can't harm you and it can't share your energy so it might as well go away. Command it to go away in the name of God, Jesus, and the God in you. Ask your Higher Self to block it's frequency. Convince yourself it's no longer there until you no longer feel it's presence. Convince it that it doesn't belong here. And if all else fails simply move your big toe or finger and slowly reposition and will your consciousness back into your physical body. Force yourself to get up and get something to eat. Change the negative thoughts and behaviors you witness yourself making during everyday life. Live more, and Love more. Notice the beauty of creation.
Like attracts like in these dream-like states. When you're in these dream-like states you're in full control of your experiences whether it's consciously or subconsciously but either way you're in control.
Thank you..."Hope this Helps" by Chronic
I am in such gratitude for the message posted by 'Chronic' on 11/6/10. His insight makes so much sense to me and although there are many who have different opinions, I am blessed to have the knowingness in my heart that speaks to me in volumes of his 'truth' in how it relates to my experiences. I have experienced much of the same as many others only 'twice' since Feb 2009. First felt evil, and scared me very much. The second (11/07/10), it startled me but with my continued growth for my own enlightenment, I handled the second with much more faith, by doing pretty much exactly as you suggested in your post. There are no accidents... I was taught almost 11 years ago to protect my home and my own energy through such prayers. I didn't know at the time why they were given to me to learn but as my journey in life moves forward for my 'Highest Good' with God, it is "all" making absolute sense to me as it unfolds perfectly into the path I am on and my purpose in life. God has the ball in my court. I am safe always! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you...Namaste'
I'm suffering
When I was a child I had images of demons ripping me away from my mother and I could not scream or yell. As I got older I started to have horrific dreams, witches and angels grabbing both of my arms and pulling me. I have had dreams of the Virgin Mary standing in front of my mirror and stopping the evil things from pulling me through the wall. I have very strong and vivid dreams, where my memory of the dreams are so clear. I'm also psychic which plays a major part of my fear, I read and feel others energies. For a very long time I was constantly being tormented while I sleep; something screaming and yelling in my ears. Someone shaking me constantly telling to me to wake up. Until I prayed and a miracle occurred. I received a free dream catcher and it all stopped. Recently, this year in March I saw a man standing in my living room while I was fully awake. Every night I would fall asleep on the couch and be awaken by a young boy walking around my couch going right through my back door! Then, the boy started to shake me and scream at me to wake up. I stopped sleeping on my couch and retired to my bedroom. Nothing happened for awhile, but recently I was startled in my sleep by a man walking around my bed and right through the wall. He was an older man with a dark suit, but he was not alone; in the back of him stood two women with wine glasses. I wanted to call their bluff so I said “if there are any real spirits in my room right now, turn up the music on my radio!” At that point my radio turned up. I was not scared of the man but surprised. My roommate tells me she sees dark shadows on the walls and the floor. She is awake during her experiences. I'm always sleeping and disturbed by these things. Last night I slept with the light on, this would work in the past. The evil figures crossed over my lights and kept me up all night in my dream, screaming, pulling and yelling at me. The evil figures were trying to exhaust me for whatever was out in the hallway that is way stronger than me. I started to pray for a very long time and called upon deceased relatives to help me but nothing worked until I recited the “Apostles Creed." Then the spirits disappeared and I was finally free after two hours of torment. I really like your post regarding the ball of light. A couple of months ago, I was under extreme anxiety and I started to run the treadmill and I began to see the colored lights inside myself. I started to see the huge ball of light in the center of my body. So please help, being psychic and believing makes it harder to fight the evil images. I had hurt my leg and I cannot exercise like I used to. So now I have no escape of the anxiety and I wish I could get it back. Please advise.
negative energys
I'm glad I found your post. At 1:30 am something seemingly pushed me halfway across my bed and then would not let go of me. I sware it felt like female hands because as it layed on top of me I held in my right hand what felt like a woman's hand. I could even feel the veigns ! I've read about something called a myoclonic jerk, where your brain sends an electrical impulse through your body if you fall into REM sleep too fast. But this seemed alot different. I recently had to quit a job of eleven yrs. Due to a workplace bully and it's been difficult to shake the negative thoughts and anger over the situation. I think that may be attracting malicious energies during the night. Does this make sense ?
.
This has happened to me twice before, and I'm only 15. The first time was the worst. I was with other people, and when I "woke up," all I was capable of doing was breathing. Only one of the friends that I was with was awake in order to witness me doing anything out of the ordinary. When I told him what it had felt like, he took it as if I had experienced a simple nightmare. When it was happening, I panicked, but absolutely nothing would come out other than shallow breaths. I couldn't move any muscle in my body, no matter how hard I tried. The room I was in was extremely hot, and I had only slept for a couple hours before. I had been away from home for a couple of weeks, and all of my surroundings were unfamiliar. I thought that with the mixture of all three of these things and the anxiety/stress that they brought along with them, unusual things were bound to happen, so I blew it off. Only it occurred again about a month later, this time in the comforts of my own home. It was similar to the time before, only my bedroom was a decent temperature and I hadn't done anything out of the ordinary the night/day before this occurrence. Both of these times it only lasted about 10-15 seconds. I didn't hear or see anything bizzare. It was just me, trapped in my own body. When I talk about it, nobody takes me seriously. So I'm glad that I found this site where people can actually relate and know that I'm not full of shit.
{{DISZ IZ SO SCARY}}""SLEEP PARALIZE""
WELL I DIDNT FEEL DIS IT ALL STARTED WEN I WAS LIKE ((15)) YEARS OLD I GOT MARRIED 2MY HUSBAND DIDNT HAVE KIDS I WAS SLEEPN WITH MY HUSBAND IN A SMALL BED N I STARTED 2FEEL SOMETHN IN TOP OF ME I TRY 2MOVE BUT I COULDNT I HEARD SOME SCREAMIN LIKE WITCHEZ N WIERD THINGS I COULDNT MOVE OR TALK BUT I WAS ABLE 2OPEN MY EYES WEN MY EYES OPEN I SAW DIS BIG BLACK HEAD SMILEN AT ME IT WAS MORE LIKE A DEMON BUT IT HAD A BIG HEAD N HE WAS DOING DIS EVIL SMILE I GOT SCARE N I TRY 2CLOSE MY EYES N I STARTED PRAYN SO IT WOULD GO AWAY N IT DID I WOKE UP CRYING N I WOKE MY HUSBAND UP N I TOLD HIM BUT HE JUST IGNORE ME..I JUST LET IT PASS N I TRY TO FORGET ABOUT IT..BUT DEN SOME ODER DAY IT HAPPEND AGAIN N I TRY 2KEEP MY EYES CLOSE CAUSE I WAS SCARE TO SEE THE FACE AGAIN N WELL MY EYES OPEN BY DEM SELFS N I SAW THE FACE OF MY HUSBAND EVIL SMILEING AT ME JUST LIKE THE FACE I SAW B4..I GOT SCARE I WOKE UP N STARTED THINKING BUT I JUST IGNORE IT AGAIN N DEN YEARS PASS I GOT KIDS NOW I GOT 3KIDS N STILL WITH MY HUSBAND WHAT I FELT B4 CAME BACK BUT NOW WORST N WIERD CAUSE I ONLY FEEL DAT WEN MY HUSBAND LEAVES TO WORK ITS WIERD BKAUSE I DONT FEEL IT WEN MY HUSBAND IS WITH ME ONLY WEN HE LEAVES..N I GETS SCARE MORE CAUSE MY KIDS R WITH ME IM SCARE N WORRIED ABOUT MY KIDS..I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO TO STOP ALL DIS..
Seventeen::.
I am seventeen, and Im pretty sure this is what I have, I can say that I am very strong minded and I believe in ghosts but I'm not necissarily scared of them nor do I believe that they posess me in my sleep, I guess I have never seen hallicunations when this happens to me but this is what happens, I fall asleep, and then my mind wakes up, but I dont open my eyes, i dont think i could anyways, and then I hear this ringing in my eyes and It feels like I can control that coz I make it stop for a second but then I cant breathe and I go paralyzed, the only thing I can do is keep trying to move coz it usually only takes a couple seconds til I can move again, but it is pretty intense because I never know how long it will last. lol.. but thought you might want to hear my input..
Oh my god, okay. I just had
Oh my god, okay. I just had to reply to this because this is EXACTLY what happens to me. It just happened ten minutes ago and I'm so annoyed I just turned my light on and gave up on sleeping. Every time I shut my eyes I hope soo much that I won't fall into paralysis but I always do :( it's terrible. I hadn't had it for like 4 years and it started back like a few days ago.
First, I feel myself wake up, followed by my eyes pulsating and my breathing slowing down and then I just full on panic, no matter how hard I try to stay calm. It feels like I'm screaming for my parents, or I'm trying to, but no sound comes out of my mouth. And this is weird, but the only way I can regain control of my body is moving my TOES. it's the only part of my body I can control. But the episode I had just now was unique because I heard a loud static noise...it freaked me out so badly I'm not going to sleep again tonight. Awesome.
Yeah I totally know what
Yeah I totally know what thats like I still havent had a scary sound happen yet but I do know that I feel like I can semi Control it before It happens I feel like my brain pulls into it when my Ears ring, I said eyes in the last post but I meant my Ears ring right before it happens lol.
I also believe in Astrology and I believe in science but the fact of the matter is science is only half of it, my Moon sign is Pisces and I dont know the old saying about when your ears ring, I guess what Im saying is maybe it has something to do with the way we are, I dont know why it happens, and I certainly hate when it does happen but yah i can move my toes the last time it happened I remembered I managed to open one eye lol and there was like a static light in my left eye it was weird and my fingers cramped together and pushed toward the bed and finally was able to roll over and breathe and wake up all the way. Something that helps me is like when you fall asleep and wake up to a bad dream, if you fall asleep too quickly youll go right back into the bad dream, my advice to you that always worked for me, is to wake up and drink some water or just make sure you brains in a different state before you fall back asleep.
It Happens to No Matter Where I Am
I am a 26 year old black female and I can remember these events happening to me dating back to my late teens early 20's. I grew up in a small town in Alabama where ghost stories are widely spoken of. One of my first experiences I endured i felt I was being raped. My body felt (what we call) "hog-tied" and I could feel a force on top of me and trying. My mouth felt covered and I just started praying in my head. I attempt to move my mouth and can't, so I repeat the name of Jesus until I felt myself slowly breaking free. Once my body felt free I turned my head to my left (because I had a newborn baby in a crib next to me) I quickly felt a push of my forehead on the left side as if a force used the tip of their fingers, my head quickly shifted to the right and the force made a "humph" sound as if it was mad. I later moved to Clearwater, FL and the dreams followed me there. I even moved to Goldsboro, NC and there it began to happen even in the daytime. If I took a nap I'd hear footsteps storming towards me and make an abrupt stop right at the side of my bed, by this time it has come so common I just say to myself "hear we go again" and I immediately pray and rebuke the force in the name of Jesus. The battle goes for minutes, the more I pray the more my mouth and nose starts to feel smothered. I've heard an utter of the name of Jesus makes a demon flee, so it's like they are trying to keep my from saying his name. But I fight through it anyway and say what I can and eventually I slowly come to and the force flees. I have now moved back to Alabama and this still goes on. I've always felt it only happened when I slept alone. So I always want my mate in bed with me because it seemed to never happen then. But recently the force has happened with him right next to me and inches away I can see him sleep but unable to lift so much as a finger to reach out and touch him it's like he's not even there. I've about had enough, many times I feel the force coming I just start praising God and from there I get attacked, but it's my way of fighting with the force to let it know, you're messing with a child of God. It's like I'm dreaming and in my dream I feel the presence coming so I immediately yell "hallelujah" and quickly after my upper body is raised and my entire mouth feels stuffed and wrapped up, and I see multiple dark forces flying around me as if they are flying into my body. Sometimes I'm so tired I get mad and yell at them (in a dream) asking what do they want, or go away. I just really get more pissed than scared. What made me post this is that I was just woke by this experience and decided to google this because I recently told my mate I thought I possibly had sleep abnea. Now I'm 26, 5'4" and 120 lbs soak and wet and can't believe I suffer from that disorder. Sleep paralysis is the first I heard today of and am curious as to if this is true could it pose a medical threat. I have always been spiritual and can't rest with sleep paralysis as the determination. I have never tried to not speak the Lord's name as I fear when I'm being attacked it's a demon trying to take over and possess my body so I always pray it away. So I don't want to experience this, say nothing, and just wait for it to go away. I firmly believe there is a spiritual realm going on inside of me. I have strong intuitions and lots of things I imagine weeks to months in advance, something very similar or exact happens I just can't ever tell to whom the victim is, I just feel the act. So really with all this said, it would take God himself to tell me this is a sleep disorder!
same as me
Out stories are almost identical in the same way. You are the only person in the world I have read or met, that can tell it the way I experience it. I do believe it is spiritual. I do believe in Science and logic and I am fairly educated very well, but their is a spiritual world. It is just that most folks are not aware of it. I would buy the whole sleep paralysis thing, but it has also happened to me when I was wide awake. I would like someone to explain that. The first time it happened I lived in NY, and I was 21 yrs old. I was just sitting on the coach and my daughter was watching Sesame street. Next thing you know, I feel like this force is coming my way slowly. It was like a gloomy cloud, not by site but by feeling. Then just like that, I was not totally paralyzed & could move my hands and lips, but could not get up or could not hear anything on the outside. I was talking to my daughter, but she could not hear me, but I could hear myself from the inside. I had thought I died or something. I stayed like that for what seemed like 5 -10minutes or so. I did not know what it was, but decided to rebuke it in Jesus' name,just like that it started to go away. When I came to myself, I was just in total amazement. When I got out of it, the time was the same on the clock, and the show was still at the same point. It was like I went out of time. Also, like you it happens anytime, mostly when I take naps in the mid-day or morning, but at night too, even when my hubby is in the bed. It does not happen every week or month, but maybe 1-2 a year. That is frquent to me, and since I am a Christian, I just rebuke it and it works every time. Not a Dr or Scientist on earth could convince me that this is scientific.
SCARED ME TO DEATH
The first time I experienced SP I felt nothing just a dream for for me but when it repeated thrice a in the first month made it me scared. It happened to me 20 times. The last time was september I was chatting with my girlfriend with mig33 then I may seeing turned dark shadows. I hear loud static. Yes,I cant move my body. Cant talk. But i can imagine, imagine to make cross with my finger, when i finally made cross fingers,very high pitched sound like teapot distracted me and i felt something that there was inside in my head came out from the inside. and after that may 5 seconds it came back again(the demon) to my head with very loud roar. then this time i cant imagine to move my fingers, I think god. I imagined jesus face and then the evil (demon)tried to distract me by my thoughts with shifting tv channels (changing to news, changing to sports, etc) so i cant think about god. and after that the evil spirit finally came out to my head . . I been suffering this SP since i was 16 and now Im 18.
Im am 19 yrs old and i have
Im am 19 yrs old and i have had sleep paralysis for as long as i can remember. In my case it used to be that i would simply wake up and couuld not move. There was no hallucinations or sounds i just couldnt move. Untill when i was 17 these dreams started getting worse just like everyone elses. I usually have these dreams around once a month but in the past three days ive had them every night. Im attending college right now and most of the time i go to sleep really late either because of homework or studyng. Today something very strange happened. I tried taking a nap in the afternoon and the second i would fall asleep these dreams started with loud ringing noises and blurry vision. As i would wake up from these dreams and try to go back to sleep they would instantly happen again and again and again each time like five times untill i decided to just stay wake. Does this happen to anyone??? I have recently quit smoking marijuana so im wondering if these repetitive nightmares, what i call them, can sort of be a withdrawal. When i would smoke i would rarely ever get these nightmares.
This happens to me too and
This happens to me too and I'm really glad you brought up the withdraw thing because I haven't had this sleep paralysis bullshit in 4 years and in the past week it's happened every night...I quit smoking and taking pills after my friends and I all got busted last weekend, so maybe that has something to do with it? I hope it's temporary because I literally can't take it. It's scary as hell dude
Well i used to do alot of
Well i used to do alot of pills too and thats actually when these dreams started to get much worse. Id say its because the pills mess with ur sleeping patters but i dont know dont wanna say something thats not right. Like a year and a half ago i went through a really bad experience with ecstasy pills that just messed with my sleeping patterns untill this day. Dont know if it has to do with withdrawls or not but stay away from ecstasy(if thats the kinda pills ur tlking about) trust me their no joke and there not worth it.
is this normal?
i suffered this about an hour ago and me being only 14, it kinda scared me, this has happened to me at least 5 times in 2 months nad that last time it happened i had tried to yell something, and then i had a really hard time breathing, is that normal? i've heard the theory that if you see yourself die in your dreams, that you die in real life, and no one can really prove that, but i had just had a dream (i know it sounds a bit weird) that i was with a buddy of mine and some kind of alien shark came out of nowhere and started to try to attack us, in my dream it finally got me and that's when i woke up to experience this, i've never seen anything but one time i did hear some one calling my name, oh and this only seems to happen when i sleep for a short period of time, such as falling asleep on the couch or at school. if any one has any answers email me at hendrixfan69@gmail.com
explanation
The reason why everyone is having Audio and Visual hallucinations during SP is because the Human brain contains a powerful chemical known as DMT-5MEO. This substance is the most potent hallucinogen known to man, based on the same net amount DMT-5MEO if extracted would be nearly 10 times stronger than LSD.
Now naturally as you live your life your brain slowly secretes this substance which tends to stimulate imagination and the overall right side of your brain which is the artistic and imaginative side. It is also the prime side to which you experience hallucinations of all sorts.
See as you sleep your body experiences mental and physical regeneration and naturally sorts out memories by using X amounts of DMT-5MEO as you sleep. Melatonin is a primary substance produced naturally in the human body that induces sleep. When your blood starts to fill up with Melatonin and you awaken in the midst of a deep sleep without enough time for your body to naturally cycle out the Melatonin it will create a shock like event to your conscious. The creative juice DMT-5MEO is also present in your blood stream and this is why you will generally experience hallucinations when you awaken during SP
2 main chemicals attribute to SP terror
Melatonin and DMT-5MEO
But now by no means do I cast aside the possibility that when you are in this state that it isn't possible to see spirits. In fact it is a rather common belief that strong hallucinogens bring you close to the spirit world because the experience is very closely related to death therefore they can be viewed as intertwined. Hence Indians eat Peyote as a spiritual journey.
I've tried to fight back with
I've tried to fight back with that entity.It worked so i thought but then it came back i've learned to embrace it sometimes i get a good spirit that calms you and tells you not to be afraid then other times you get the dark entity.It's been 10 years since i started have this happen to me and my best solution is preventing it from happening.I also noticed that this usually happens to me when i fall asleep while i'm hot.So I started going to sleep with the a.c on blast and this works very well but winter time i have to keep a fan by my bed at all times blowing in my face this helps to but sometimes i get under the covers and i get hot and thats when it happens but i know when its happening and I have three ways to control it if it occurs 1.Pray to God or Jesus and repeat IN JESUS NAME I COMMAND YOU TO LEAVE until the entity leaves.2.Try to focus on a part of your body and try move it like your hand your head,legs or your foot or toes usually once one part of your body moves you wake up from it.3.Give in just stay calm and try not to panic pray while its goin on close your eyes you usually fall back asleep before waking up to it again but sometimes you just wake up.but i would just try to use an a.c or a fan make sure the room is cool or you have some type of cool air blowing in your face while sleeping this prevents this from occuring for me idk how i noticed it but i realized this about 5 years ago it first happened to me 10 years ago when i was 13 now i just try to sleep in a cool room or have cool air blowing on me and it almost never happenes unless i fall asleep hot!Good luck hopefully I can help some of you I really believe heat has something to do with this maybe I might spark some type of cure for this!
I fight back as well
In response to Troy, this thing has been happening to me since i was about 11 years old, and in my 28th year, i am still unable to discern a pattern or explanation. It happens at night when i'm going to bed, and it has happened at odd times like during exams when i happen to rest my head down for a 2 minutes or so. I honestly do believe its as a result of some negative entity that is holding me down or something, where i'm from it's an old tale that at night when entering your house you should walk in backwards. I never took it on until this sleep attack started happening much more frequently. Now i try it and it has decreased frequency tremendously. But honestly i have had an open mind to this and periodically do some research on it and i see that there's this separation between the brain and the body during certain types of sleep.
Well what works for me is to force a part of my body to move. That usually is my hand or foot, and is usually a very strong battle, i have to put my all into it each time for a while then i suddenly snap out of it. when that happens though i have to force myself to move or wake up completely, else it simply relapses! it's quite tiresome and scary, and plain old annoying, since it happens so frequently, and sometimes i get no sleep because i am fighting up every minute to get rid of this. Sometimes i try to command it to leave me alone, as well as making my body move.
The cold room thing can't work for me, that's just going to trigger my sinuses and/or give me a cold!
It's reassuring, though that I am not the only one out here that suffers from this.
Hopefully they have a cure soon.
I just experienced this about an hour ago....
I'm am going on 27 now and have been have this issue since i was about 10. I really thought something evil was in my home. I'm not a religious person but i didn't understand why this was happening...i would have my house blessed and so forth. But i've moved over the years and started thinking, ok something is wrong with me or something is just following me. Today, the reason i decided to research is because the episode seemed to last so much longer. Like i was never going to wake up...it was extremely scary. I was trying to get up and i kept screaming (or thought i was screaming) my boyfriends name. I had asked him if he heard me and when he said no, i told him it was just so strange. i really thought maybe i was yelling and he just didn't hear me over the t.v. Sleep Paralysis explains this so much better. It is very scary though. i do have a lot of stress now with school, but i was not under stress at the young ages when the episodes first started happening. Is there therapy or meds that would fix me?
SP
I have been having similiar experiences (scary one's) as some of you and this has messed up my life to the extend that I need to be intoxicated before I sleep, helps but not very effective. Recently I have been experiencing a pulsating buzz in my head, thats when I know I'm up for another round. I try to open my eyes but I can't. The only thing that stops this is when I struggle and call on God for help. Every episode for me is fulled with fear, I can feel the evil, even sometimes in my dreams there is always an evil force trying to get me that's what makes me scared. After reading one of the comments that stated that one should go with the flow and enjoy it, I said that I'll try it. Boy was I wrong! That night- I felt the pulsating buzz in my head, I thought to myself,"just keep calm and see what happenes". The room felt "dark" and the next thing I felt was 2 hands on my shoulder and 2 on my wrist, it were as though they were pulling me out of my body. Then I remember that I was in a struggle and was only freed when I screamed for Jesus to help me.
It's been almost 10 hours that had passed and both my wrist still hurt. I'm just so fed up with this.
I would really appreciate it if someone with similiar experiences
help me understand how this will end.
dont worry your not alone,
dont worry your not alone, ive been dealing with it for a couple of months now and i always have the feeling that someone is holding onto my arms and holding me down. the scariest one was when i first saw someone else in my dream, my sister, cousin and brother. i saw my cousin and then all of a sudden i could move my hand and i kept tapping her hand so she could wake me up, but then she just started laughing, then a huge force pushed down on me and i couldn't move again, then a few moments later the force lifted and i could move my head to the side, then i saw what appeared to be my brother with a hoodie on facing down and then all of a sudden he turns to me, his face all blurry and lets out a hysterical laugh, then i woke up.
the weird thing is me and my cousin both started having it around the same time, and i know sleep paralysis is hereditary but were like really distant cousins. although she hears and see's things, which i dont.
up until this time i really thought something was wrong with me, good to know theres others out there with the same problem, does anyone know of a way to get rid of it? is their any medication or and methods anyone has used?
My experiance with SP
Until now, I thought I was the only one dealing with these kinds of things happening to me. I have been dealing with this thing called (SP) since I was at least 10yrs old. I am now 27 and every time it happens, I could only sense evil and it isn’t until I start calling on the name of Jesus, and speaking the Word of God in my sleep that I am an able to wake up. I usually sleep facing down, so earlier in the year, I had one of these evil dreams once again and it all takes place in my room. I felt something standing on my back and shoulders and noises and voices’ screaming in my ear and my back was hurting. I was in physical pain. I woke up so afraid. When I told my husband, he freaked out because he had a similar dream and he never remembers his dream. I prayed so much that night until finally there was peace inside of me. Shortly after, I dreamt that there was this dark shadow in my room, in my dream, I knew that I was dreaming and I knew that evil could never hold up against the power of God, so I sat up in my bed and that shadow turned into an evil yet good looking man. My husband was sleeping next to me. It was a dream but it seemed and felt so real. I had a conversation with this entity that was clearly demonic if not the devil himself and I told him I was not afraid of him and that he was not welcomed in my house and he needed to leave. He spoke back and said that he sleeps in my bed next to me every night and that he wasn’t going anywhere. I refused to accept that and I rebuked him in the Name of Jesus and I told him to get out. It was a miracle; I felt no fear that night. But it did not end there. He disappeared, but shortly after, again I was laying on my front and I felt pressure on my back and the noise and voices in my ear again, but I didn’t give up praying and shouting the name of Jesus until it went away.
That was the last time that had happened until last night. It was pretty bad. Which is the reason why I decided to find out what is going on with me and I came across this website and I'm looking for answers. This thing is more than SP, it is evil and if you don't have the protection of Christ, then may God bless you, because I do and this is a spiritual warfare beyond our thoughts.
Earlier in the week, I dreamt that two men barge in my house and wanted to murder my kids and before they did, I did to them in my dreams. Granted it was the night of Halloween that I’m sure with all the scary costumes played a big part to that dream but it still freaked me out. Last night however, I prayed and read the bible before bed, then started dreaming that these rashes were appearing all over my arms and legs. The got darker and some were discoloring and it sort of looked as though my skin was rotting. I woke up scared, prayed and went back to sleep. Then In my dream, I felt an evil presence, it shook me. Literally shook me and I woke up. Afraid I prayed again and recited Psalms 23 and no weapon formed against me shall prosper, you name it. Fell asleep again. Again,
That presence was still there. I tried waking up and couldn’t. I tried screaming and couldn’t and then I started praying. My husband heard me praying, four times I recited the Psalms 23 that time and my husband heard it twice. I fell asleep reading the bible this time. My 8 yr old son was sleeping on the bed. This time I don’t remember dreaming but I woke up because my son had gotten up from bed. He peed on the bed, on me. It was weird because of everything that was going on. So we got up and cleaned ourselves and the area. My son came to me and apologized and told me that he was scared in his sleep. That he felt evil trying to bother us and he didn’t want evil to bother us and he prayed but then peed himself. I couldn’t get upset with him. Something obviously was messing with us, to the point that my husband was so freaked out, he couldn’t sleep either. I decided to allow God come in and do what he does best. I was praying, but prayer alone doesn’t help. We have to some how connect with God on a spiritual level give him complete control of the situation that is beyond our understanding and allow his peace to comfort us. I did and thank God, we all fell back to sleep with no more interruptions.
Now, this has been bothering me all day and I want and need to put an end to this. So if anyone has a better understanding on how to completely get rid of this. It will be great to communicate with you because I am tired of it. I'm glad I am not alone and that all of us that have been experiencing this can help one another. Thank you for your time.
It is the same for me, EVERY
It is the same for me, EVERY time i get it, (multiple times a week) the feeling is ALWAYS evil...a really really horribe feeling where all i can do is panic and want to cry....its terrifying :/ there's a presence there, something evil...its no scientific illness...its a demon, everyone who has had my experience (and yours) of this will know it too...
There is a scientific
There is a scientific explanation, it's called sleep paralysis. If it was a demon wouldn't it disguise itself as something pleasant for awhile so you would except it's presence and be off guard, before doing whatever it is demons are supposed to do?
I have just experience this minutes ago
I use to have this very regular when i was younger..It stopped for a while but I am now 18 and i still do but not regular.In this period i cannot move,it feels like i am fighting to keep my spirit in.However during this my eyes are blinking fast and i am trying to keep them open i am screaming and calling out names but they cant hear me i dont hear or see strange things except this 1 time i thought i saw a BRIGHT light .The only way i could get my body to move is by moving my hands or feet calling the LORD'S name or PRAYING.Now this is what made me believe it was some EVIL SPIRIT/GOD'S work trying to happen..I really do not like this because its really scary and its hard for me to go back to sleep because it happen more than once in my nights.I hope they find some kind of cure for this.
scary dream
Its amazing to see that I'm not the only one who's had this Sleep Paralysis I diddnt even know how or what to google or even what it was called. I've been having these dreams since I was little. it's starts with me trying to fall asleep. First I hear this ringing in my ears or a loud static noise and then I realize that I can't move or talk and at this point I get very scared but it only get worse I hear tons of footsteps and people talking and it's a huge dark shadow standing over me. the worse part is even if I dnt want to be scared I am it's a feeling that I can't explain. the crazy part is I know that I'm awake and my Sleep Paralysis is soo strong that the only way I can wake up is to make this clicking sound with my tounge and I know it sounds crazy but it's the only thing I can move when in this mode
sleep paralysis
I am so glad that I'm not the only one experiencing this. I've been troubled with this for such a long time. I recently had another episode this time was a little different. This time it felt like the bed was pushing me up and the further it pushed me the closer I was getting to the wall then it stopped and the next thing I knew the blanket was creeping up higher and higher to my face like it was trying to suffocate me. I began Praying and I continued to Pray until it stopped. When I was younger a lady in my old neighborhood told me to place a fork under my pillow at night. She said make sure that the prongs were facing upward and when I did that it didn't happen anymore. True it didnt happen until I stopped putting the fork under my pillow. Well tonight I shall place that fork back under my pillow because I can't stand that feeling
Sleep Paralisyse ?? Or ghost?
this stuff annoys me alot, I have had it once at someone elses house, but when I come to my Mum's house, I get it everynight, it only use to happen in one particular room, but now It's happening down stairs, I do not live with Mum,
but i just came down for holidays, My older brother also came with me, he said he also had this, it was his first time to.
I am not taking this as "sleep paralysis"
because it really only happens when I am at my mums place.
My Nan just recently died ( two weeks ago) .
but It use to happen before that,
although, after she passed away, My Uncle and aunty slept in her bed, he claims he felt as if he was being pushed below the bed. He is not a spiritual person, he is more of a "tough guy" lol, but seriously, Scientist can't prove that this is no spiritual thing, there are ghosts out there, for all you who don't know, go try one of those boards. It's real, there is more to this world to what we see.
Scientist can't explain everything, they just try to.
nothing can explain spiritual worlds and some natural cause.
Ps. this begun when I was about 13ish I am now neary 16.
It has begun to now start again, but only at my Mums, gladly I ain't here for to long.
Some ways to deal and heal
Interesting to read all of these posts.... I have dealt with this same experience since I was a child, so for over 30 years. It became more intense when I was in college, and the "dream" felt more real than ever before, leaving me petrified. I was frozen and asleep yet awake somehow. Spirits filled the room and I could not move, was unable to intuit how to protect myself. Objects were flying everywhere and when I finally woke up I was wearing a rosary that had been hanging on the wall, but the room was back to normal. The whole experience was very real, and for a long time I did not want to go back to sleep.
Since then I have had too many SP (or whatever it is) experiences to count. I have become accustomed to the feeling, to when it is going to occur. I feel as though I have trained my mind and spirit to accept it rather than fear it. This was not always so. It always starts out as if I am in a vacuum. I feel awake; I know my body is frozen, but I am aware that I am going to experience another one of these episodes, so I just go with it. The sheets suddenly close in around my body - like I said, it is like a vacuum. I hear a noise sort of like wind blowing. I can communicate with the "presence" or whatever it is through my thoughts. I always tell it that there is only love here and there is no room for fear or hate, that they will be okay. I always welcome the "presence", even if it feels scary. This has not always been easy. I went through periods where I was certain I was somehow being sexually assaulted or attacked. I often initially feel as though I'm being held down, but I don't resist. I always ask (with my mind) "What is it that you want?"
It has taken years to come to this point, but since I have started just letting the experience happen, it has become more and more amazing and sometimes even beautiful. I have felt myself fly from my bed over mountains and trees and ended up waking with answers to questions or problems I had been having. I know this sounds so crazy and I feel a little scared to share it but I have started telling some people who are close to me and I am glad to find this forum where people can talk about what they are going through.
Believe me, I know this is often a terrifying experience, so it is probably difficult to read this post and believe that anything good might come from these experiences. One thing I have learned: what you resist, persists... What would happen if you chose to go with the experience rather than fight it?
Because I have gone through this personally, I do not believe it can all be explained scientifically, unless we consider the possibility that science is limited in its information as it pertains to the brain and the possibility of a soul, of communication through time and space beyond what we perceive as real. Perhaps there is another plane other than the one that exists while we are "awake..." This is kind of what I feel is happening. It feels like my awareness shifts beyond the "physical" to a space and place where our souls can communicate without speech. I know it sounds far-fetched, but that is what it feels like. I have an advanced degree in a science-related field (physiology), so even as I write this, I know it sounds crazy, but I also remain open to the possibility.
Mostly I want to offer encouragement and hope to those who are suffering with this. I do not know if my "solution" will work for everyone - it has just helped me to deal with a recurring issue that might have otherwise driven me crazy from fear or sleep deprivation. I hope all who read are able to eventually find peace and maybe even an opportunity for growth or learning through taking deep breaths and remaining open to the possibility of what the experience has to offer. Blessings to all.
i have the same thing happen to me
The past year I have been experiencing these SD. Just last night was the 5th one. It really trips me out and I start wondering...why do I keep having these SD? First it starts off when I would barley start to fall asleep..then all of a sudden my ears start getting staticy. Then it feels as if my whole body is being held down and I can't move or shout out. I can barley open my eyes, and when I do..I see dark shadows around me. I try so hard to scream or make any kind of sound, but I can't. It seems as if I don't have any kind of sound when I try to scream. It lasts about 3-5minutes. I really hate having this type of SD. Sometimes I am scared that one night of having a SD...I won't wake up.
how come my post didnt show?
I wrote this epic long post & it didn't show. Now I'm too lazy to rewrite the entire thing. You can delete this post now.
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Sleep Paralysis just happened to me literally last night
I found this site because I had yet another experience of sleep disorder last night. I've been having these experiences since I was 21 years old (last year college). I am now 23 and still have these moments of sleep paralysis on occasion & they are always associated with the acknowledgement that something/someone is in the room with me. I'll always remember my first time because it was extremely vivid and frightening.
1st time: Someone or something entered my dreams from the darkness and asked me "Do you believe in ghosts?" My consciousness answered "no" and then suddenly I felt something immediately take control over my body. It was an overwhelming buzzing/tingling sensation all over me and I realized that I was in my bed...except I couldn't open my eyes or move. I tried screaming or yelling but nothing came out & that only made the hold on me even stronger. It literally felt like I was stuck in limbo, in another realm that we cannot see but feel. I also knew there was a presence near me or in the same room. Don't ask me how I know because I didn't see it, I just knew it was the same thing that asked me the question in the first place. I could hear my voice in my head trying to call out for help but my cries were hopeless so I concentrated on moving my fingers. I could literally hear my breath getting heavy & shallow. The only way I woke up from this was from biting down as hard as I could on my bottom lip. When I finally awoke in my body & opened my eyes, I felt the tingling slowly dissipate & I opened my eyes gasping for breath. I could feel where I had bit my lip...meaning it was completely real...it really happened.
* To my knowledge/experience, I can only explain this in 3 possible ways:
1) It really was a spiritual strange presence of something taking over me...which means I need to figure out a way to conquer my inner fears. If this is truly the case, then I honestly believe that the more FEAR you have & the more you panic...the more you are actually feeding the "thing" that is trying to do something to you. Remind yourself to relax. Tell yourself it will be okay & say to yourself out loud in your SP state "I am NOT afraid of you. Leave me alone. I am free of you. You will not take me." <--This actually worked once for me...but you have to remain calm and assertive & really let go of your fear. Your fear comes from refusing to let go of the known, not because of the unknown. The known can never understand the unknown...so let go of everything that you know & surrender your body without being afraid. You won't lose your soul or consciousness & you might even feel a deep peace come over you. The more you panic, yell, scream, or try to fight it...the more you will just incite the thing/presence near you. This is just coming from my own personal experience of SP.
2) The scientific explanation that was discussed in Takahashi's article: "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." <-- This can be related to how I was a ridiculously stressed out 4th year college student. I had an intense schedule of classes & was constantly worrying about all my responsibilities and exams. This can also be related to another time I had SP in the middle of the night after watching some scary episodes about real encounters with the paranormal. I went to bed that night feeling a bit anxious with my imagination running wild before eventually falling asleep so this may have put some negative thoughts/energy into my dreams. This might even explain how I had SP last night after staying up late by myself....but who knows.
3) Another possible physiological explanation is that I could have been sleeping in a bad position where my neck or body structure could have caused a pinched nerve, inducing discomfort & ultimately sleep paralysis. However...please note that this explanation does NOT explain why there was a voice asking me "Do you believe in ghosts?" & then having SP immediately afterwards. You can try sleeping with a different, well cushioned pillow so that your neck isn't crimped into your shoulder. I don't know if this will help but trying won't hurt. I'm only saying this because my shoulder & neck is a bit sore today.
Honestly I would really like to believe in the scientific explanation of why I have these experiences of sleep paralysis but there are too many similar incidences of seeing/hearing/feeling/knowing that there is the presence of a ghost or spirit or something NOT human shared among people who have gone through this to just write this off at some sort of sleep disorder. It's strange...because without sleep paralysis I don't think I could have ever come to understand or acknowledge the existence of my soul...but I really do believe it now. I heard voices last night too...two distinct voices trying to talk to me in an eerie echoing voice but I kept saying "no. go away. go away. go away." and they finally went away.
An alternative you can try to relax yourself is remind yourself that you're in a dream...and if you're awake in a dream, I've heard that you can actually control where you go. This is the kind of "out of body" experience that some people talk about & it can be extremely beautiful if you learn how to embrace it by letting go of your fears. Remember to relax. Surrender your body (because one day you will have to eventually, why not try in SP state?) and imagine a peaceful place. Last night I actually imagined a peaceful beach in Hawaii...and I could feel myself flying. If it was just a dream...then it was a really beautiful one which started out scary as hell but ended peacefully & back in my comfy bed. :)
Love. Light. Peace.
- Sandy
Wide awake & being held down
I've been having this experience since 1985, shortly after my grandfather died. However it has gotten worse since 2006. Whenever this presence is around me, I cannot move, scream. The most recent episode was on Thursday night, my husband I were on the couch talking and watching TV. He got up to go to the kitchen once he left, this presence came over me, and once he returned it disappeared. He said he was talking to me the whole time and I wasn't answering and he wondered why. I told him I was he said no. Then I told him about the episode. I've tried hanging tape measure over the doors. Burning Frankincence & Myrrh, but it goes away only for about 3 weeks. We have our devotion every night before we go to bed and pray every morning. But we don't know what else to do. Whatever this presence is, it's not going to get the better of US.. BUT honestly, sometimes Im scared, especially when I get sick for no reason. Tnx for reading
It's okay
I'm a christian and I believe if you pray n repent of your sins and get (Baptize In Jesus Name...Acts2:38) It will work Remember Jesus without me you can't do nothing you have power over all things those spirits can't mess with you pray every night before you go to sleep even if you are taking a nap give God your your whole heart...don't pray for 2 sec,pray for at least 15 or 30 min.Go to church every Sunday even if you have church in the week it will strengthen you I promise.Read your bible every night and if you have questions e-mail me at ,but I'm 16 yrs old I've been going threw this since I was 14 yrs old.I know its scary but you shouldn't fear anything but God.I can't go to bed by myself so I sleep with my sister.I never seen ghosts or spirits or heard anything while going threw this...sometimes Jesus want more prayer and reading bible turn you life over to Jesus he want let anything or anyone hurt you...
Sleep Paralysis is grate :D
Everyone is talking about how terrifying Sleep Paralysis is, but i think its a good thing, first time that happened to i got a bit scared, but after that i just listened to anything around, like the sound of the rain outside, the voice of someone talking in the next room, ext... if you don't get scared its a grate thing, you will feel the maximum level of relaxation, i had it once after working a double shift, then i had it, felt as i have slept for days while i got asleep for about just 90 min.
if there is a way to trigger this, i would like to know it, because it could be very beneficial for me when i have no time to sleep.
i know am crazy :P
DO NOT FEAR...ILL EXPLAIN
As soon as i learned what SP was i stopped having evil halucinacions. The halucinations can be explained scientifically in that when you have a sp episode and you cant move its very frightening and your mind starts reeling on your fears and your imagination takes flight, just like it does when you are dreaming. But its NOT all science. I believe that when you have an episode of SP what is happening is your spirit is woken up somehow, while your body is still asleep. You see we are all made up of two components 1.) our body of flesh and blood, and 2.) our spirit body which lives within our body of flesh and blood and which lives on when our bodies die. Ever heard of an "out of body experience"? Well usually it is experienced when people come close to dying, BUT it is my firm belief that SP is a type of out of body experience. The difference is that your spirit isnt necessarily out of its body BUT it is awake within your body. That is why you cant move your body, cuz its asleep, but you can see the wall or ceiling you are facing during the episode. And that is why you kind of thought it was a dream BUT why did it feel SOOOOO real. Your conscience or spirit was awake while your body was asleep. Your thoughts?
I'm losing my mind!!
i was living with my boyfriend and his little brother at my mother in law's house.my boyfriend and his mom leave to work round 5am at that time its still dark outside. i take my boyfriend's little brother to school so only me and him stay home alone from 5am till 8am. the little boy sleeps in his mom's room across the hall and me in mine.well when i woke up at 5 to make my boyfriend lunch i was already feeling kinda funny..like in some sense of being scared but i didnt know exactly about what i had no reason to be. well my boyfriend left and so did his mom his little brother was still asleep in his room so i jus figured im going to sleep till its time to take him to school..well i walked into my room and for some reason i was just spooked out of my mind in my head i was telling myself quit scarring yourself just go to sleep..well i layed down on my bed facing upward tryna fall asleep i look over to my right and look at my dresser that has a mirror on it and i saw like a black cloud run across it and thats when it all started!!..in a split second i was asleep..but my mind wasnt i can tell you this detail by detail caus i was fully aware of the situation and i was trynna be alert caus i wanted to try to understand what was happening to me..my picture was fuzzy around the edges with blackness i couldnt move at all i was panicing from my left hand coner of the room i started to see a black smudge growing bigger and bigger my chest then felt heavy like if someone was sitting on it i started to yell for my boyfriends little brother but felt like someone was covering my mouth the only thing i had was my concious i could hear my thoughts..i started to pray but the more i was praying in my thoughts the worse it was getting the black smudge then turned into a black widow and crawled on my roof of the room and fell on my chest by this point i was crying histericly! running out of breathe. the at the top of my head some figure of a man i can say appeared laughing really creepy i couldnt see his face then my door from my room started to open and close then the black cloud like thing that i saw when everything started was floating around in my roommaking more spiders come out of my roof i was trying so hard to move and yell but couldnt i felt like as if i was drowning thats the best way i can explain it..i thought that was it for me my time was up then out of nowhere i started to gain concious and slowly but surely it went away but sayin "its not over!!" i then woke up i was soo tired out of breathe as if i ran a mile..i had the worst headache and all the crying i was doing in my sleep yea well it was my nose bleeding! i havent told anyone but my boyfriend hoping he would kinda support me but he kinda made me feel like im a wierdo im soo scared i hate sleeping now im not the same i can onestly say i feel like a heavy burden on my shoulders.
Sleep Paralysis
That reminds me of the first time I experienced Sp.But now it's been about 10 years it started when I was 13 I was sleeping at my cousins house.I fell asleep and thats when it happened it I immedietly could'nt move I had this sense of fear all around me I felt a dark presence all around me then boom thats when I noticed a black shadow type entity enter the room from the kitchen It immedietly came up to me and attacked me and I swear it felt like every time it struck me I heart flinched or something it was a really weird feeling I just remember praying and as soon as i said God help me the thing ran i do believe this is some type of uneplained connection that we have with the spirit world sometimes its good ones and sometimes its bad ones the past 10 years I've learned to deal with it and stay calm after awhile it is like your body learns to deal with it and you know how to control it but that sense of fear usaully is there but not as bad one time i swear it was like the devil was trying to take my soul and the same time god told me no not to allow him to get it i know it sounds weird but as soon as God spoke the entity ran away and i had a quick conversation with God like I said sometimes you get good entities and its not a bad experience its actually kind of fun but usually when the evil spirits come you usually have to pray(sometimes it doesnt work but does 90% of the time)when everything else fails try your hardest and I know it hard but just try to move any part of your body just focus on a hand or your foot if it moves you can actually wake yourself up its like a chain reaction once one part moves your body wakes up.If this does not work try sleeping with a fan blowing in your face or in a cool room i noticed the only time this happens to me is when i am hot now i either have an a.c on cool all day or winter time i have a fan blowing in my face all night this actually works to prevent this occuring i would recommend you to try that if you are really terrified of this whatever it is hopefully this helps.
similar paralysis
While writing this im letting you know that I'm still in bed from the night before this situation. When I became awake I could hear voices, it was mainly female and i could make out only a few words: "You have to... parallel...evil." Then she began laughing as my breathing became faster and a buzzing noise began ringing in my ear along with a crazy amount of pressure on my chest. The black cloud and everything was in my sights. I thought the door was opening as well. The thing I've been noticing the most with these written accounts is the presence of evil, the voice and figure (in most cases its to the left), and for some reason the figure or presence is the opposite sex for the individual. And in your case, I've heard multiple accounts of the spiders. But it's the black figure and door opening that brought my attention to your situation. When my door opened, it even had the creaking noise. Did yours? And the figure beside me was squatting next to me while holding my head close to hers while whispering in my ear. I understand the science act behind all this, but the evil behind the scenes is something unexplained.
Your post
I've had a similar event happen like that to me a couple of years ago. I had no ability to move and felt a shadow pressing down on me from the left and I was unable to look in that direction. Once I regained the ability to move I quickly grabbed my keys and drove over to a friends house. Once there I called my aunt who is very religious, she told me go back and we were going to say a prayer together but when I got there there was such a strong gust of wind and the hairs on my neck stood up. Once I said the prayer there was a calm feeling as if a threat had just left. This article helped me see a different perspective. However I still feel like there's more evil than science in this one.
sleep paralysis
I have been experiencing 'sleep paralysis' on a regular basis. I've noticed that it happens only during 'naps'. It doesn't happen during my regular sleep. The paralysis occurs when I've over-napped- for example 2 hours or more. When I try to wake up I find myself hearing loud electric-like noises, the inability to move, very shallow breath, and when I recognize this is happening I try to remain calm and tell myself this will pass. It eventually does but if I'm not quick enough to wake up, this paralysis takes over again and I'll have to wait for the right opportunity to escape from it.
Happened to me I'm 13
This happened to me last night. In my dream an odd man was holding me and trying to use his sharp nails to cut through my veins on left wrist. It felt SO real, I kind of like "woke up" and I was rolling and shaking unable to open my mouth, or open my mouth. After about 3 minutes, my eyes opened. It is probably the most frightening thing I have ever experienced.
I'm just 13 :(