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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
I agree and i think i know when it happens.
Yes Music definitly helps. I am starting to figure that this only happens when i go days without getting enough sleep, or i go to sleep exhausted but my mind is still excited, i think that is why music helps because my mind is now focused on the music and not coming up with weird sounds and sights of its own.
:(
I have this same problem and it re-occurs very often
I even feel someone walking through in the room, touching me. I can see the person. I usually try to from the back. Very scary. Than i try to make a noise usually trying to yell or shout. A very weak noise leaves my mouth and it doesn't help. I never wake up on that one. Than i try to move my head. That usually helps but only for like a second, than my body paralyses again. It usually starts when my alarm goes off which wakes up my brain but i can not move to turn it off so i hear, see and sense everything..
The longest one was around 15 minutes..
I can not see the cure and it i happens to me very often.
Sleep disorder
I have a question, I'm not sure who to ask but I thought if I replied to this you might help. My case isn't quite like this. When I'm asleep sometimes it's like my mind wakes up but my body doesn't. I can't move anything not even my eyes, but in my head I know that I'm awake. I can feel myself laying there and I know where I'm at but I cant move or talk or anything. It will last about 5 minutes then my body suddenly jumps like having a bad dream and I wake up. It just seems like it lasts forever and it is quite scary. I don't hear anything or see anything unusual though. And my byfriend is layingnext to me and I know he's there. I can feel the bed just as if I were awake just laying there, except since my eyes dont move I can't see. And I can hear what's going on in my room. Everything is normal except me not being able to move or get up. Is it the same thing your talking about or could it be different?
Thanks for reading.
Yes i have had this as well as heard sounds and seen things
I have experienced both cases, in different places. I replied to Helpful tricks, where i believe listening to musice as you go sleep helps. As i said i think i get this when i go days without geeting enough sleep or go to sleep when my body is exhausted but my mind is still excited, I think that the musice keeps your mind focused on it instead of my mind coming up with weird experiences or it could just be something real i could focus on to wake me up who knows but i believe it helps.
Did anyone answer your question
Did anyone answer your question? I have exactly what you have. I don't see scary things or here noises, etc., and I know where I am.. I do try to make noise to wake up and my husband has woken me up before because I was making noises. Just wondered if this is sleep paralysis too? Now my son is having the same thing, he is 17 and has had it over the past year a few times, but doesn't see things or hear things, thank god.
I get the same thing as you
I get the same thing as you and so does my daughter and son. it's terrible.
sleep paralysis: the core experience?
Yep, there are at least three of us (see above) who "don't see scary things or hear noises, etc" and know where we are. And yes, that is indeed "sleep paralysis." In fact, I tend to think of that as the core of sleep paralysis, on top of which different brains under different circumstances might add additional experiences. Its interesting to go through the postings here and see what is common to all of them, and what variations there are.
Think Positive
I also have never experienced scary things or hear noises during SP. The first time I experienced SP was when I was 16 and I bought these self-hypnosis tapes (you know, the ones that are supposed to help you lose weight, etc although it never worked). I would fall into a light sleep for awhile and then I would get the feeling that I was awake but couldn't open my eyes, and I would try to get up but I couldn't. I would try several times to snap myself out of the paralysis and it would finally work after several tries. I eventually threw out those hypnosis tapes (load of crap in my opinion)and as far as I can remember I outgrew SP after my teenage years. (I'm 27 now).
I hadn't had an episode in awhile, but recently while I was doing yoga exercises in the upstairs portion of the house where it is hot (I like doing stretches in a warmer room just because you can get a better stretch). Afterwards, I laid down on the floor to rest and then fell asleep. I had some "regular dreams" but then towards the end of my sleep I remembered that I needed to be somewhere later that evening in my waking life and needed to get up. So I tried to get up, but had a hard time doing so. I thought I had succeeded in getting up and flipping the light switch to the room, but when I put my hand on the light switch it wouldn't flip. I tried several times but couldn't move the switch. Then I realized maybe I wasn't even really "up". So I tried waking myself up again and finally I awoke to find myself lying on the ground (apparently I never had gotten up or not at least in my physical form).
I am a spiritual person and I do believe our souls sometimes travel while we are asleep. So who knows, maybe these are instances where our soul hasn't completely made it back to the body yet before we wake up? Some commonalities I have observed in my experience with SP and with other people's experiences with SP:
1. Sleeping on their back- In all my episodes with SP I was sleeping on my back...I usually sleep on the side, preferably the right side when I normally try to get a good nights rest. I've noticed in some other people's comments that they are usually sleeping on their back when they have SP episodes.
2. Not entering deep sleep- All of my episodes happened when I wasn't intentionally trying to fall asleep. I was tired and just happened to fall asleep.
3. Anxiety/Stress Factor- When I was in my teenage years I was stressed a lot and unhappy...and the few days preceding my last episode with SP I was feeling kind of unhappy.
I can't imagine going through SP every night (it's exhausting trying to shake yourself out of it) let alone seeing frightening things the way some people do. I'm thankful that this hasn't happened to me. My suggestions with SP are:
1.) try to sleep on your side, preferably your right side. It is said that supposedly negativity comes from the left side and the right side represents positivity (must be a reason why right also means "correct" and is not just a description of a direction). For people that think that's the most ridiculous thing, also remember your heart is on the left side of your body, so when you sleep on your right side you're not constricting it as much. Don't sleep on your back if at all possible.
2.) Go to sleep with the intention of getting a good night's sleep and try to shut your mind off (I know easier said than done for some). Try to relax and let go of anxieties.
3.) Try to avoid reading or watching negative news stories (murder mysteries,etc) or scary movies. Instead, especially right before bed, try to read something positive. I like to read things spiritual (and no, not stories about hell and fire and brimstone...sometimes I feel like religious leaders emphasize punishment and guilt too much as if they want people to be scared into believing God).
Luke 6:35-36 [35] But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. [36] Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
Quote from Bhagavad Gita- If you want to see the brave, look for those who can forgive. If you want to see the heroic, look at those who can love in return for hatred.
for Paul Grobstein
no no, i never said i don see or hear things.. i have practically experienced perhaps all the experiences listed on this page..
u see, there r 2 levels of experiencing things when u r in this state - controlled & uncontrolled.. 99% of all the people on this page seem to be in the uncontrolled stage i.e. when they just let their minds dream heaven or hell whatever.. it is just a reflection upon the inherent "fear" already there within the person that becomes magnified when in this stage that finally makes them see devils or spirits whatever..
somewhere on the net i was reading all the definitions of sleep paralysis & i came upon a section where the doctors are 100% sure that this state is always uncontrolled.. what these doctors would be really be surprised to hear is that a man can enter the dream state 'awake' & dream whatever he would like to dream & then come out of it just as 'awake', with the help of sleep paralysis.. i know coz i have done it plenty of times..
one other thing, i really don't get it why people always get so afraid with their subconscious.. its a pretty nasty or wonderful place, depending upon what u'd want it to be.. & its nearly as bright as a sunlit day.. once in that state, when a man realizes that he 'himself' is making up all his dreams, it is really fantastic (for beginners only, later u'll get bored).. i mean, u can fly high in the skies, u can create splendid gardens & oceans, spend a very nice time with someone really beautiful.. just like virtual reality..
u just have to drop all ur fears & patiently wait through that 'stormy sound beating upon ur ears & shadows moving in the dark' phase & soon it will light up for u.. more sessions of these will help u grow the 'dream control' power, giving more power & control to that 'phantom' body which u have when in any dream or half-dream state..
reply to Paul Grobstein's post
I agree with Paul's comment about releasing the fear. Face it, let it go to feel the power you always have inside you.
Radiance of love to all of you. :-)
sleep paralysis
i didnt experienced this before until now ........................
for the past three days i was not sleeping properly trying to learn c++,java and html for the whole night ........... today i slept around at 5:00 A.M and after some time in dream i felt like i was talking to someone and suddenly my friends voice came telling me to lift the phone........ when i was about to take my phone ringed followed by a sound.the sound was so scary ........ i tried to answer the call but couldnt do that............. it was like a car weighing on me so much pressure i couldnt even move any of my part and couldnt shout even i was trying to shout loud...............................................................................
is the sleepless ness caused this to me .......reply please
I believe it is due to not getting enough sleep
I noticed i experience this more when i have trouble going to sleep but i have to wake up the same time no matter what, you know work. Anyway i am noticing i get this more when i am really tired but cannot sleep and when i finally do it is like my mind is still excited but my body is exhausted. So yeah i would say so.
best trick
i have had sleep paralysis since childhood.. before it was scary but then if u get a lot of something u really get the hang of it.. normally with me, when i am in that state, which is normally before i wake up, i can't move shit & i ain't kidding.. the only power i have then is over my lungs i.e. i can breathe quicker or lesser at will, like in a normal state.. so the trick is:-
DON'T BREATHE
when u restrain ur body from breathing, it will soon create a natural but violent urge (like a person drowning in water) which will force the brain to really turn on the 'wake' switch..
im going to try that :)
im going to try that :)
A different experience then the ones i've read.
I've only had one experience of this happening to me. Happened in the Summer of 2001 while I was a counselor at a Boy Scout camp. Anyway I had laid down to take a mid-day power nap. All of a sudden I awoke with the symptoms that many have described as sleep paralysis. However my experience differs from theirs while there were moving shadows in the room. The voices that I heard on that day seemed to coming from a large group of people who seemed to be praying for me. The prayers were cyclical and vigorous to the point that I could barely pick out what they were saying. I honestly kind of layed there and relaxed since there was not much else I could do at the time. I am not ruling out that this is a 100% spiritual occurance and nothing to do with the physialogical changes that the body goes through during sleep, but I definately think that both the spiritual and physialogical have a role in it.
On a side note, I was also the chaplain during that summer for the camp and had much resistence to the messages I was delivering.
hey this is derrick i am a
hey this is derrick i am a 12 year old boy who has dealed with this kind of stuff thank you very much i was really scared but now i understand thanks
Frightening
I am 27 now and was 18 the first time this happened to me. It seems like in most of these posts this is the age it starts for alot of people which seems like there should be some kind of explanation for that. I have had this happen several times in the last 9 years but every experience has been different. The one thing I have noticed is it always happens if I take a nap during the day and it happens as soon as I fall asleep.
The first and most horrifying time was I seemed to have just dozed off in the middle of the day in my bed, I woke up with the most horrifying sense of fear i've ever felt. I then saw a small black image right next to me, not really a body but more like a floating black small blob like image, I could see everything in my room and could hear my parents talking in the kitchen. I was trying to scream for them but couldn't move or scream. It felt like it lasted forever but i'm sure it was just a minute or so. My mother then opened my door and I awoke from it crying and so scared. I tried to explain to them what had just happened and we just thought okay it was a dream but i always knew it wasn't. About a year later I no longer lived with my parents but I was at their home I layed down on the couch and just as started to doze off (during the day) this time i'm pretty sure my eyes stayed closed and i felt this overwhelming presence of fear all around me, i heard footsteps walking very lightly behind the couch. I was trying my hardest to move and snap out of it and then all of sudden i was across the room by the fireplace looking at myself sleeping on the couch with that thing whatever it was standing over me. Thats when i started to freak, i remember trying my hardest to cry, then i heard myself wimper and i immediately snapped out of it and jumped up and left my parents house. For the longest i thought it was something in their house. Until i lived on my own and it started happening alot more but i do know it only happens when i nap or when i go to bed extremely sleepy. I went a couple years without it happening until one night in my new home i had just layed down in bed with my husband to go sleep he was already sleeping but my dog always sleeps at my feet. I was alseep on my back (which im always on my back when it occurs) and i could feel it coming on i felt the pressure of this presence holding me down i tried my hardest to move and nothing then my dog jumped up and growled very fiercly which he never does and it was over. It has since happened several time and I have learned that as soon as i feel it coming on i have to fight to move and pray and it stops.
I have no idea if its a spiritual or a scientific thing but in the last 6 months it has happened to my mother twice and now she understands what i've been dealing with all these years. My mother and i are very high stress people, and both have a history of chronic depression. So its hard for me to understand what this really is. The first time it happened i had just been thru a really hard time in my life and was in a deep depression (hence sleeping during the day)
But the fact that my dog could see what i was seeing and knew i was in danger has me more confused that its definitely some kind of evil spirits. This has really effected my life i've been and insomniac for over 7 years now because i'm so afraid to sleep. I have to take several sleeping pills at night just to go to sleep and i've never had one while i've been on the pills so i'm scared to stop but that has just caused a dependency problem on sleeping pills. Ugh its so frustrating all i can say to people who just started having them (whether you believe in God or not) pray when its happening pray and fight hard just to move a finger or hand. I now can feel them coming on as soon as i start to feel those waves thru my body and start to feel that presence surround my i immediately start to fight and it has seemed to work for me but they never go away and i wish someone could help me. I know its SP but what is it really???
The Dog,
I know how you feel. I have had this happen a few times. almost always when very stressed out and depressed. Always when I'm on my back sleeping too. About your dog seeming to see what you were seeing. Dogs sense fear and are very protective. I doubt he saw what you did so much as sensed your overwhelming sense of fear and dread and responded to help you.
Sleep Paralysis
Hello, Lisa. I have read your description of sleep paralysis and I'm ready to give you some help. First of all, sleeping with your back flat on the bed will cause sleep paralysis. I have experimented my self with a friend. I laid there, flat on my back, hands on my stomach and drifted to sleep. I heard harsh noise of humans shouting as if I was in a soccer stadium. My friend woke me up and we concluded that sleeping flat on your back will cause sleep paralysis most of the time. By sleeping on your back, your body weight will push down on the nerves in your spines. Thus, your nerves sending message cannot be reached significantly. This doesn't mean you wouldn't have a sleep paralysis if you sleep sideways. It just decreases the chance of getting one. So I would recommend you to sleep sideways.
As for the creature that was creeping upon you, I would say it is another hallucination. I do not know how religious you are, but another cause of these hallucination is due to your mind. You state that you have high stress level and a chronic depression. In a state like this, it is very possible that your mind is creating images you fear. Also, I do not know how physically fit or healthy you are, but depending on that, your hallucination can also happen.
I was in 3rd grade when I had my first sleep paralysis. Back then, I was physically small and I constantly caught cold. Wherever I go, I would get a stomachache. I would read ghost stories and would not be able to sleep without my covers over my head. I had sleep paralysis quite often and imagined some sort of ghost in the presence screaming at me with delight. After handful of experience, I stopped reading ghost stories and started to have a healthy diet. I started swimming in order to keep my mind busy instead of thinking about ghost. I just had a sleep paralysis about a month ago. This time, I felt a presence in my room, but I was very dimly aware of it. I concentrated on moving my toes first, and work my way up. Soon, I was sitting up looking around for the presence. I wasn't able to find a thing.
If you stay in a healthy shape and reduce your thinking of those creatures or ghost you see, your mind will keep you away from those creatures and have you concentrate on doing other things, such as trying to break away. If I had been constantly sick and kept my mind filled with ghost, I wouldn't have broken easily from sleep paralysis.
Sleep paralysis occurs if you are sleeping on your back, but also if you are mentally weak. Try to stay away from those thoughts, and if you have any questions, I am happy to answer it. My friend and I are also trying to see if really having ghostly thoughts effect sleep paralysis. We only know about my experience, so we aren't sure yet. I will file you with further information if you need.
Hey I have your same
Hey I have your same problem. I know some tricks that can help u snap out of it if you get that. For myself when I get sleep paralysis, it's silent first, then later my ears get blasted with a static and ringing loud noise. Then if my eyes are open I see scary shit usually. But if I close my eyes I don't see it. If I try to relax I get pain somewhere random on my body. usually it's on my neck. Sometimes its on my ribs. It's usually somewhere on my body where it's most vulnerable. I remember 2 times i felt the pain in my butthole, no joke. But it's worst when the pain is at my neck, ribs or armpits.
So here's some handy tricks I've picked up to stop paralysis:
1. play music as you go to sleep
2. if your fingers can move, tap a hard surface to make noise. then you can wake up from it.
3. if your mouth can move, make a loud sound with your mouth. like a popping sound with your toungue, i dont know how to describe it. but the point is to make sound to wake up.
4. even though you can breathe, try breathing a lot harder than you are currently breathing while in paralysis.
5. try to close your eyes.
so now everythime when I feel like I am about to get paralysis, I think "ahh crap here we go again :/"
Experiences...NyQuil induces Sleep Paralysis
It used to happen to me when I was a kid. Maybe only a couple times though. In the past year its happened twice, and I'm 19 now. Kind of a funny story...I took some NyQuil and went to bed and my brother literally pulled me out of bed onto the floor and I mumbled "take me to the hospital" because I couldn't move and could barely see. My brother didn't do anything and it freaked him out. I thought it might have been a dream because it was such and intense experience.
The recent second time I awoke and saw Indians working on my walls, like with a hammer. The Indian didn't look at me, I remember that specifically. I possibly could have been on NyQuil.
The third recent time I also took NyQuil before bed because I had been sick, and two little twin skinny alien looking men were on my bed looking at each other but, not looking at me..again. Its just kinda weird how they don't make eye contact with me. This experience with also followed up by a vivid nightmare.
My brother and my mom both occasionally have sleep paralysis. Its very frighting but in a way fun to look back on in a way.
I wonder if NyQuil Induces sleep paralysis..Maybe it puts you in a deep sleep, and as a read sleep paralysis happens during R.E.M.
Anybody have any thoughts, comments, stories.
Same experience with Vicodin
I have been experiencing SP since I was a child... I think that it is genetic since my father suffers from the same thing. I have realized that anti depressants help to stop them, but strong pain medication induces them. Last night my pain was so bad that I doubled my regular dose and when I fell 'asleep' my hallucinations were so vivid that I could literally FEEL them, I struggled to take each breath, and I was able to feel every heart beat and was aware enough to realize that my heart was acting very eratic and skipping beats.
This is not something new to me. I have lived with it all my life and can still vividly remember every detail of mine. In about a quarter of mine I actually 'left' my body. I enjoy those experiences because it gives me a free feeling. But the one I had last night was an extreme one and it frightened me. I have found it hard to explain to people how serious these episodes are.
My Episodes
This essay made me feel much better about my sleep paralysis.
I've had MANY of these episodes. The first one I can remember occurred when I was about 5 years old and the latest one about a month ago(I am 18 now). The one that happened when I was 5 went as follows:
I had just watched the movie Twister and was pissing my pants I was so scared[because I lived in Texas at the time]. I was sleeping in my parents' bedroom on the floor. [I assume] Once my REM sleep kicked in, the sleep paralysis took effect. I was aware of my surroundings but everything in the room had been lifted from the ground and was spinning about[as if being tossed around by a tornado]. I don't recall how I ended up getting out of the dream state, but I remember being terrified.
Then last month a very similar episode happened [sans Twister]. I was sleeping in my bedroom but in the dream state, I imagined that I was in my living room laying on my couch. My entire body and my lungs were COMPLETELY paralyzed and I began to panic. Once I started panicing, [I imagined] the weather outside suddenly became dark and stormy and wind was blowing all around me.
I find these episodes frightening yet extremely interesting.
sleep paralysis
sleep paralysis has been happing to me about 2 years im 17 now at first its scared me real bad i thought i was having a heart attack. after i searched the internet i found what i was looking for for the past year and half they have been fairly ok i would only here buzzing noises in my ear and unable to move any part of my my body. but the past 4 months or so they have been getting worse its almost like somebody is touching which freaks me out even more then i wake up up even while im having it i am aware its nothing and i try to pray to make it go away which works most of the time. it happened to me like a hour ago and i felt someone touchinh my chest and moving up and down i realised this happens when i take naps so im going to try to stop having naps and going to sleep around midnight. i havent had one at night for like 6months thank God..
I had a scary one
i couldnt really go to sleep but i kinda had to cuz i had school the next day but when i did fall asleep i was asleep for about probabaly like 2-3 minutes only and i woke up but i wasnt awake, it started happening to and i was scared, during the moment i felt as if my body crumpled up into a little ball and my head tilted way back, and then i started hearing growls and whispers, that was when i started praying out to God, i prayed that God would cast the demons out of here in the name of the father the holy spirit and right as i said that in my mind it was gone. People who dont believe demons make up these excuses to cover the truth although i do believe that someitmes it could be what scientist say but i think that it still is a visitation from evil.
With Christ you can overcome anything, and in the end the rewards he will have for you will be everyting you need
But do they hurt you?
I have had this all my life. I am 52 now. I never knew there was more like me. My parents sent me to counsling when I was a teenager, they thought I was crazy and I did too. It happened every night and only when
I was home in my own bed. It wasn't until recently when my son started having the same symptoms that he went online and found out what it was and there are others. The only thing that I haven't read from anyone else is that they (the evil) has cut me and lifted my bed and dropped me. Last month I was sleeping in our garage in my van (camper) because we had had a flood,the house stank (long story) and it happened. I could feel it starting; the electricity in the ears the numbness in my body then I felt something like a vacumm or an energy coming through the walls. I felt it come closer, slowly. Suddenly it rocked the van it banged on the walls it lifted it then dropped it, all the while I was frozen and awake. I tried to scream and couldn't. Then it was gone. but I was so affraid to sleep. It came several times that night always the same only different ways to torture me with fear. I alsohave anthe experience I haven't seen from anyone else. One time, the first time it was from an angel. Pure white light, so brilliant and beautiful. And it spoke to me like music. not aload but in my head. I can only remember that she told me I'd be alright. It was just as frightning at the time. And it was the same seizure type of experience as with the evil ones. any one have those experiences?
I know people who have had
I know people who have had many experiences like this. It is often mentioned in the lives of the Saints of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Elder Joseph the Hesychast was beaten every night for a period of time but he would fight back with prayer and of course would win. He and countless others. One time about 20 years ago my spiritual father had an experience where he woke at night and saw a 'person' with pointy ears like Spock floating directly above him face down and staring at him. He then made the sign of the cross and said "Isous Hristos Nika" which means literally, "Jesus Christ Wins" and the evil spirit turned very angry and faded away. My spiritual father has had many, many experiences similar to this one. My friend John also had demonic experiences every night for a year and could not sleep with the lights closed. He told me that he knew that if he would keep his prayer rule he would not have had the same problem but a strange and extreme laziness had fallen over him to the point where he preferred to suffer rather than pray. Of course he could have still forced himself and God would help him. My friend Ron was lying in bed one night and all of a sudden he became paralyzed and the room took on a strange glow. Then, through the door came a black shadow with red eyes and without legs or arms and came up to him at the foot of his bed and began to hover up over him. Ron said for some reason a thought came to him to call on Jesus Christ (Ron is Jewish) and while the spirit was hovering over him Ron said in his mind, "Oh Jesus please... Jesus please help me" and immediately the spirit withdrew and the room turned normal again. I have had some experiences only while awake and mostly when praying (the spirits trying to distract me from prayer) and nothing near as terrifying as what you all describe perhaps because I'm not strong enough yet. Only God knows. But one thing is for sure, that if you can endure these experiences, then God thinks you're all strong enough. Maybe you can try praying and then see if there is a difference in the way the "ghost" reacts or the whole experience itself. When a strong fear comes over me I ALWAYS say, "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon me, a sinner." But just mentioning the name of Christ is enough. I speak from my own limited experience and the tremendous experience of others. Good luck and Christ be with you all.
Thank god its not just me!
I two have had this sleep paralysis for years. I'm trying to sleep then I get this strange sensation,buzzing/huming noice in my head. The atmosphere of the room changes my eyes are closed and I feel so scared and I am being dragged into blackness, I try desperatly to get out of this paralysed state but I cannot move or talk. I eventually come out of it with a scream. I then have to sleep with the light on. I generally feel a pressense in the room too.I can go a couple of years without having one and then it comes back again.
Upon finding this website I always thought it was just me who got these. I cannot believe how many other people get them too. I do not feel so alone now. I hope more people share their experiences as this website has helped me so much.
i thought i was alone
I thought I was alone as I have also been getting this paralysis for years. It is usually just before I fall asleep or when I am waking up. I hear a loud high pitched noise that goes from ear to ear then stays central, between both ears really loud. I feel my flesh crawl to goose bumps and then there is a presence and I can't move or breath, scream or yell for help. I feel it wants my soul. Sometimes I can see it but usually it is a dark distorted figure. I cannot move to get away from it or attack it. It does not sit on my chest but stands at the base of my bed or lays beside me. I am no longer as scared, even though I get the goose bumps and I don't know why this is happening to me.
I have induced this state myself once and had my wife wittness this. I did this by laying down when I was experiancing multiple episodes, listening to the ringing in my ears and by intensifying it I was able to "catch" the "shuring" noise in mid stride and then the siezure took place. I was awake. My wife believes me.
It all seems to start with the high pitch noise and or goose bumps and a presence.
Sleep Paralysis
i was 12 years old when i use to get them, and im now 13 years old. It started off where i couldnt see or move, and i would try to talk but the more i did, the harder it was to breath; The same with trying to move. This always happened. but then it changed. I would wake up in the morning and my teeth as well as my jaw would be hurting. When i think back,. i can remember me grinding my teeth and it feels like my jaw like gets stuck it a really uncomfortable position.
This is so weird so i started to pray to god asking him if he could take those experences away and i didnt have them again.... NOW... so 1 week ago i had one, i couldnt move, talk, and could hardly breath and then i heard a lady talking to someone, but i couldnt hear the other person. It was like a normal conversation, and then she started to yell at the person and i started to assume that it was a guy she was talking 2 but i got scared because she got louder and louder like she was talking to me and that would explain the fact why i couldnt hear anyone......
does this mean i knew this person in a past life or something!!!???
There are too many similariities....
For all these stories to be some kind of unfortunate psychological condition..........don'tcha think?!?
I, like many of you, am writing due to my having experienced this most horrific of "nightmares".........although fortunately, for me, it's happened just twice.
The first episode occured when I was fifteen.....
It was around 3 in the morning when I awoke suddenly from a deep sleep. I found myself instantly alert and focused, rather like I imagine a small animal to be - straining to hear even the slightest sound, and searching for any hint of danger in the darkness. I felt incredibly uneasy, as though a sixth sense was telling me to escape from some unseen predator!
As I lay there in the darkness, I could hear the wind outside my window.....and as I listened I swear I could almost make out some kind of strange voices.........it sounded almost like someone talking backwards!? Anyone that's seen David Lynch's Twin Peaks will understand what I'm talking about...
Then, all of a sudden, as I lay there straining to hear, I felt a massive surge of electrical current pass through my head from one ear to the other. There was no pain, it was just the most intense sound and I felt the shockwaves pass through my body as I felt myself become instantly paralysed.
Obviously, I went into total shock - my breathing came in shallow, ragged gasps and I felt terrified that something awful was about to happen to me! I tried in vain to cry out, and desperately sought to move, but there was nothing I could do. Fortunately, that was the worst of it. It took me about a minute, maybe two, to shake off the paralysis........although it felt like an eternity had passed, and it had taken all my reserves of strength to move just my little finger!
Turning on the light, I found that I was soaked with sweat.............I was tempted to go and wake my parents, but I know what their reaction would have been!
.........................................................................
Fast forward to just three years ago (I was twenty nine), and a similar event took place........only I found this one infinitely more terrifying!
Again, I awoke in the dead of night (around 3am), only this time I found myself instantly paralysed and overwhelmed by the same primal terror. Once again, I felt like a trapped, defenseless animal. My heart was beating at a ridiculous pace, the sweat pouring off me as my mind raced....
Although there were several simliarities with my previous experience, this time around I was instinctively aware that there was some kind of malevolent, evil presence in the room. Although I couldn't see anything in the dark, I felt as if this horrible spiritual entity was standing over by the door...
As I lay there, trying desperately to move any part of my body, I heard an inhuman, gravelly voice inform me that I was, "going to Hell."
I would like to point out that I was fully awake, and the voice came from outside my head. I am not schizophrenic!
Once again, the paralysis lasted perhaps another minute, and it took every last ounce of physical, and mental, strength to break free of the terror and reach out for the light switch.
It took a good twenty minutes to calm myself down. The bed was soaked with sweat, but in the end I managed to drift back off to sleep........although, thinking about it now, I'm not sure how I managed it!
Just writing this and reliving these two experiences sends chills down my spine! I can't help but keep checking over my shoulder every so often for fear there might be some horrific demon sneaking up on me!
I don't consider myself to be overly impressionable, and have, at times sought to explain away what happened that night as nothing more than a bad dream, or perhaps, the result of a heavy weekend. I've also looked into the medical explanation of sleep paralysis as a way to allay my fears.
Ultimately though, I feel it would be ignorant of me to try and rationalize the events that took place that night. Besides, I've always been very wary of people that seek to explain away the inexplicable with science, and feel that this is merely a way for cowardly types to avoid confronting the idea that there is something far more profound to this world we inhabit than the mundane, indifferent nature of our day to day physical environment.
As many people have pointed out - there is absolutely no harm in calling out for God's help. Whatever religion you choose to follow or, indeed, if you consider yourself an atheist (which I have been for many years....although, that's changing!), I believe the power of love and faith in a benevolent higher power may well help to overcome this most horrific of phenomena. I don't really know any prayers off by heart, but I'd like to think the simple action of calling for God's help can be enough.
Remember this people - there is no greater power in the universe than the power of LOVE! Love washes over everything and conquers all.........it really can be that simple! When you carry love in your heart it acts as a shield......a kind of spiritual force field, if you like!
Yours sincerely, Danny boy xxx
Now i know
I am 18 years old and i have experienced this before. I have a really hard time getting to sleep, mostly cuz i have a bad back and its uncomfortable to sleep, so i had gotten some sleeping aides. i took a few and laid down. within, i would say 10 mins, my head began to get really heavy, as if someone was holding it down. i dont remember falling asleep though. than i went to turn on my side and i couldnt move. it felt like someone was on top of me holding my body down, including my arms, legs, and head. i remember trying to call for my mom but nothing came out. than all of a sudden, i felt like i was floating, looking down i could see myself laying there... it was really weird i didnt know wat was going on. i told myself something isnt right and i need to wake up. but looking down on myself, i looked awake. i didnt see any figures as some do. i always thought maybe it was like a high from the sleeping aides but i have never experienced such a thing before. now i know what it was.
thanks.
First Encounter
This just happened to me last night around 3 am. I awoke suddenly with the room spinning around really really fast. I instantly closed my eyes back and within a near few seconds I hear strange voices. I was unable to move and I noticed I couldn't breath, plus I couldn't even scream. I felt really hot like I was on fire. All this lasted for about 20 seconds. I thought I was fearless until this event spooked up on me. I moved myself onto the sofa and tried going back to sleep. Then my eyes were seeing weird bright colors that didn't even exist. After that went away my vision was grainy/snowy. It finally went away and I was able to sleep correctly.
I have been experiencing
I have been experiencing sleep paralysis for a very long time i never knew that it was a disorder until today this happens to me a very lot sometimes more than once a night i could be trying to go to sleep then all thinking that i am sleep i am still actually awake sometimes it is very hard to breath i hear loud and strange noises surronding me see things that are not even actually around me and it scares me half to death i actually thought it was something just wrong with me for the longest im so glad i found out im not the only one with this promblem but also i could be trying to move around but it dont work i try to scream or talk but nothing comes out this is a very scary feeling for me each time.Then when im in the bed with my boyfriend and he is awake i be hoping he would bump into me or something so i could get out of this feeling it even somethings feel like im about to die and im never going to get back up because i be so stuck and unable to move i hate this feeling with a passion i havent even never told anybody about this before because i thought they might think im crazy or losing my mind lol
Sleep Paralysis
This never happened to me til I was about 19 and I'm 21 now. I'd feel like I'm dreaming but one of my eyes are open and I can't move and I can see the alarm clock. And I try screaming but I don't know if anything comes out. And it's like things are happening around me when no one is there or they're asleep. But the things I see or hear aren't scary, it would be friends or family around. One time my fiance was next to me asleep and I guess I was dreaming my mom was there and kept on saying (in my head) push me so I can move. I also try to rock myself to get myself out of this state. And it's only happened two places I think, my brothers apartment and my apartment. Is this thing dangerous? And why didn't it happen til I was older.
HAPPENS ON A REGULAR BASIS ...
Thank GOD, that all my sleep paralysis moments are actually GOOD if I think about it ... first of all, I usually sleep for 5 hours - 6 hours MAX a night, I am 22 years of age, I love waking up early, usually at 5-6am. My experience is just like many here, I get in to this paralysed state if I go BACK to sleep in the morning so after going for a piss at 6, if I decide to jump back in to bed. I usually have a dream that feels sooo real, and then I suddenly wake up, but my body is paralysed, almost asif its healing/regenerating (I go to the gym so feel as if my muscle tissue is mending itself, weird I know, but I strained my wrist the other day and I could actually feel it resting and getting better while I was in this paralysed state). Any way, the dream I had was that my dad bought a yellow Mustang and I tried getting out of bed wanting to drive it ... but I couldn't move because I was in a sleep paralysis. The scary part was the fact I wasn't going to be able to drive this car because dad was about to leave to go to work in half an hour and I was simply dying to take it for a spin before hand ... for me that was scary? LOL ... thing is, I tried so hard to get my body to move, but then for literally 5 seconds I thought forget it, and go back to deep sleep, but then I panicked EVEN more and suddenly managed to open my eyes and my wrist was in sharp pain like I disturbed its healing and I just generally felt groggy ... and then to top everything off, looked out the window in to my driveway and didn't find the mustang. It was all a dream ... :(
I understand the science
I understand the science behind these episodes and have had regular experiences myself since longer than I can remember. After extensive reading I am still convinced this phenomena is spiritual.
These bad/evil spirits feed off fear and the only way I have found to get rid of them completely is to truly accept that they can do no more than scare you, and then rid yourself of all fear from them.
I still get SP now and then, with the same sense of evil. I just egg them on and almost say to them ' come on is that all you have?' They dissappear alot faster than when I used to freak out and try and fight them.
Each to their own and whatever works use it. All the best to everyone.
Evil is all I see.
I have had this sleep disorder for awhile and I hate it. Everytime I have a dream, it seems like ill wake up half asleep with one eye open while having muscle spasms. While all this is happening I'm unable to move and their is always some evil crazy looking person staring at me. It gets so bad that this evil person will always try to bite me with it's sharp teeth or stab me or get really close to my face where I can't turn away. It gets really annoying and its scary. Anyway to fix this ?
:P
same here man, my brother thought i was retarded but after I showed him this he changed his mind about me. not because there was alot of people who was getting this but also HE WAS getting it too. LOL
I have been looking
I have been looking everywhere on the internet for what I actually have and I finally found it. I JUST now had one of these. I heard the loud buzzing in my brain but couldn't move. After a little while of trying I finally could. I just started getting them a couple months ago and when I get them I just try to relax and watch tv after they occur. I'm glad to know that there are more people out there with this problem.
Wow.
I keep having sleep paralysis ...like every time I finish taking a nap in the afternoon, and then when I want to sleep it starts to happen. Before I tried avoiding the sleeping paralysis by eating snacks before I go to sleep, It helped me before..but not anymore. I am at a stage where in my sleep, my heart beats faster..and louder..I feel like my heart is going to JUMP out and i feel like suffocating. I suffocated before, and I still couldn't wake up. luckily, my brother made a loud noise, so I was able to wake up. for me, if anyone makes a noise, or if they talk i will immediately wake up.
Anyways, back to my experience. Although my sleeping paralysis makes my heart beat faster, and makes me suffocate, it some how.."sucks" me in too. Before I was able to wake up from the sleeping paralysis BY MYSELF, but now if I don't try to wake myself up in my sleep it drags me in closer until I can't even TRY to wake up anymore.
Somehow I feel like my next stage is going to be hallucinations..I hope not.. I sleep by myself.
Only sleeping paralysis happens to me if I sleep/nap two times in a day.. I just took a nap today and I'm going to sleep after I post this comment, I hope I won't get that stupid sleeping paralysis.
I am only 14 years old. I started having sleep paralysis when I was 13.
Turning 15 soon**
Too scary to mention online
My experiences far exceed anyones. I have read every single persons experience, but mine can be developed into perhaps the scariest movie ever made.
There are only two explanations (1) SP or (2)Incubus -----http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incubus_(demon)
To give you a glimpse of one experience. I always feel a sensation that something evil is in the room, this is how it always begins.
There is always a dark shadow resembling a male figure that slowly approaches me. In this instance it came very close to me (most of the time i sensed it had sexual intentions). I was in a state of paralysis but at that point I previoulsy promised myself if it ever happened again, i would attack it. So when it got very close, I pretended to have my eyes fully closed with the intention it thought i was sleeping so it would come even closer. As soon as it did, i jumped at it, placed my hands around its neck and squeezed as hard as I could. A distorted devil like face appeared (horrific face)and it made a high pitch sqeeling noise (simliar to a pig) but this was a squeel like ive never heard before. I know my attack shocked and terrified the thing. The sqeel was so loud and terrifying that it woke me up. I then rose from my bed (totally 100% awake) and looked into the mirror, only to see that the thing was
swaying side to side at a very high speed. This image lasted for 20-30seconds..
Perhaps you can only visually see these things when looking into a mirror when you are fully awake..It didnt appear for another two years after that.. Perhaps it new that I was too strong and not afraid to fight..
I have more experiences like this, and am happy to share.
And yes, most of the time it happens when laying on my back.. Funny thing is when you die, you are rested on your back in the coffin.. Coincidence, maybe..
Kosta (33 years old) Australia
Hate this
First time this happened was at a friends house. I jus woke up, couldn't move my eyes, body or say anything and my eyes were focused on the bathroom door. I saw a dark figure walk out and stare at me. It resembled an old woman in a black dress (looked like something somebody would wear in their coffin at a funeral), and stared at me for a good 3 minutes. During the time I felt no emotion, not even fear. Then she disappeared and a couple seconds later I saw a hand cover my face and that's when I "woke up again". I wasn't scared until after it happened and after telling my friend about it, he said he saw the same thing in his room before, and said it could possibly be his late grandma. The second time this happened, which was just an hour ago, I saw a larger dark figure, but only the silhouette of it, and it seemed to notice me when I woke up because it started squealing, somewhat like a pig but different, like it was mixed with a record being rewound, and much much louder. Than it hit the floor with a thud and disappeared. Creepiest thing ever, and I know there's a logical scientific explanation but I'm a somewhat spiritual person and I don't think science alone explains this.
I don't think it's evil
...but I can certainly understand how a person suffering from it can draw that conclusion. I've had it since around the age of 10 or so, to different rates of occurence throughout my life, and it can be quite a terrifying experience. I've never had a visual hallucination but often I will hear footsteps or feel an ill-prescence drawing closer. Sometimes the sense of fear and panic will cause me to force myself awake, and other times it's gone so far that I felt moved outside of my body to different parts of the room or different rooms in the house, only to panic at that point and wake up. I truly believe there's a scientific explanation for it. The funny thing is, I do believe in demons and spirits and such, but I simply don't buy that there's one out to get me while I sleep. To believe that would be to give into the fear. So I always have it in my mind to not be afraid the next time it happens, although it seems impossible with no luck so far. There's always next time.
My first experience.
I am fifteen years old, and just had my first experience of whatever you want to call this. It happened about four hours ago, so around 7 a.m. I was watching tv and just dozed off. Then I woke up, but I couldn't move. My eyes were open just barely. I could see my pillow and my hands, that were clasped together. My WHOLE body was tingling.. Like when your leg falls asleep. I knew I was awake, but I couldn't move a single part of my body. I imagined I was leaning forward on my bed almost rolling off, then I would catch my self. I did that two times, but It didn't really happen. I was still stuck there, motionless. I tried to swallow, but I couldn't. Then I tried to move my hands, and legs, which failed also. I could see my hands still, and I could hear the sounds of the tv. I finally heard my dogs barking, which immediately woke me from this. I was trying so hard to get up so when I finally could move I almost jumped out of my bed. I didn't hear anything weird, nor did I see any ghosts or whatever. I also didn't feel like I was being held or like someone was in the room. It was just me, everything in my room was the same as it was when I was awake. Anyways, I told my older cousin about it. She said something like walking, and outer body experience. I also told my father, he had no explanation so I google'd it, and found this site.
Hasn't happend again.
Nothing like that has happened to me since then.
The exact same thing
The exact same thing happened to me, except for the dogs barking. But it wasn't a first experience for me, I've been having this kind of experience since I was a teenager, I'm 26 now. Scary, but good thing we didn't experience what others did, like the ghost and the evil spirits that seem to be near them. Good to know that it's not really a dangerous thing, and based on my research in the internet, we should learn to relax while we're experiencing it and that it's also good not to fight it.
A way Out and Back to Reality
You know I've been through this my whole life and I finally got an answer on this subject. Ask your self how much do you really believe in spirits,ghost etc.? Sometimes we might find out that we believe in this stuff a lot...and that's basically the point, the more we believe in this the more it happens to us. The way to get out of this is to simply start being skeptical about what it is your going through. Think about it. Why is it the people that you live with are not going through it but you? The answer is simply because you believed in it more than anyone else from the very beginning. It's always the skeptics that don't get attacked or see none of these demons or ghosts simply because they are SKEPTIC. Think about how many times you've seen it on tv where, some person in the house sees it but no one else does and on top of that no one believes that person, well that's because they are skeptical about it, but once those none believer find out that ghost do exist...what happens then?....they start seeing the ghost more frequently. The reason they start seeing the ghost more, is because they start having fear of them and that is what the ghost or demons "feed on" is fear and things only get worse. But once we aren't afraid anymore then it doesn't happen so often or at all. Start questioning everything and brush it off like its nothing, have faith, don't be scared and do what ever you want to do, don't let anything control your life and make you miserable. It's your life and you control it, not anyone else but you. It's time to start being a "skeptic" and you will see that nothing and no one will get in your way. It's time to take back what is yours, It's time to take back your normal life back and live happy.
Sleep paralysis and Night terrors
I have been getting sleep paralysis since I was about 19 years old. I am now almost 22. Even though I've been getting them for a while, they still terrify me. The hallucinations are horrible, but what's just as bad is this feeling I get as I'm trying to wake up and get out of the paralyzed state. I try my hardest to move my body and I'm almost there right when I get sucked back into sleep and this happens repeatedly until I finally wake up. I wake up screaming and frightened. I used to get them a lot, but thankfully I can go a couple months now without getting them. Some of the hallucinations I've experienced are violins getting louder and louder, my family walking around me talking very fast, my dogs scratching at my door and barking, evil dark images shooting at me and cats fighting. I have no idea where they come from or why they happen to me. To top it off, I also get night terrors. Lucky me. I wake up from a nightmare screaming and crying because what I just dreamed was so terrifying, but I can never really seem to explain what happened. I then keep myself up for hours until I feel calm enough to go back to bed. Thankfully I also get these rarely. I'm glad to know though that I'm not alone and many others go through similar experiences.
Sleep Paralysis: Awake But Still Asleep
Hello my people,
I am a 45 year old male and have some VERY scary frightening experiences during day nods during work and night sleeps. I begin to fall asleep and suddenly see this woman standing over me with a Kroger sack face and long hair I feel as though had she me. I was completely awake but could not move or speak. When I tried to move my feet it appears that she started hit at them. Thank God that I was finally able move. That was most frightening sleep paralysis I have ever experienced. Here is another one that happen to me today at I was standing in this stadium near a table this man walk me takes my money Again I was awake but could not move. I just thought I would share these frightening sleep paralysis experiences.