WHAT IS SLEEP PARALYSIS
WHAT IS SLEEP PARALYSIS?
Article FAQ about Sleep Paralysis by our SysOp Vi Kipling.
Sometimes, in the middle of the night you waken suddenly absolutely terrified, with such a feeling of dread, fear and evil within the room and surrounding you. You cannot breathe and there seems to be such a lot of pressure on your chest as though some person (or thing of some description, but certainly with weight) is sitting on your chest. This is more commonly known as The Old Hag Syndrome and dates back to medieval times when it was thought that evil witches, demons or incubi, visited people at night and sat upon them. Whatever, or whoever, is causing this pressure seems to be causing you to suffocate and the more you struggle to move, the more you cannot. You hear voices and there are dark shadowy figures within the room. This is possibly one of the most frightening experiences you can have and because you do not understand what it is happening, it is made even more frightening through your lack of knowledge and experience. It is also not helped by the fact that there are some very strange films and television programmes regarding visitations from dark spirits and demons in the dead of night. So you feel fear, which is understandable.
SLEEP PARALYSIS - a common medical condition
However, you don’t actually need to be so afraid as what you are experiencing is an episode of Sleep Paralysis which is a common medical condition and is classified as a Sleeping Disorder and is well known in the medical profession. This disorder is practically always accompanied by The Old Hag Syndrome.
What are the symptoms of Sleep Paralysis?
Symptoms are often complete to partial paralysis of arms, legs and upper torso, a tight or heavy pressure on your chest sometimes with a choking sensation and these episodes almost always take place just as you are drifting off into sleep or emerging therefrom. Perhaps the most frightening of the symptoms are the audio and/or visual hallucinations which cause people to believe that they are in the presence of monstrously evil beings.
How does sleep paralysis relate to dreams?
It is a well-known and documented fact that Sleep Paralysis links to the dreaming stage of our sleep, indicated by REM (Rapid Eye Movement). When dreaming it is important that our body does not act out our dreams or we may end up fighting our partners, trying to run, dance, swim etc. In order to protect us, therefore, our brain switches off our muscles, or relaxes them to the point of paralysis.
Waking up while your body is still in this state is pretty horrifying for you are in a betwixt and between stage; sleep is trying to drag you back down but your conscious mind is awake and beginning to panic because of the paralysis; fear is a powerful emotion and can release images, sounds and a creation of all pervading evil which we would not normally experience in our normal state of awareness and for this reason we are convinced everything is coming from outside ourselves.
SLEEP PARALYSIS - a condition experienced by one third of the population
About one-third of the popular has suffered some form of Sleep Paralysis with most of them experiencing a horrifying event. Research shows that it does run in families and if people were to talk about such episodes within the family, this would be of benefit to sufferers of this condition.
Is sleep paralysis a paranormal event?
Many people think an episode of Sleep Paralysis is a paranormal event; a visitation by a ghost or spirit, or even the preliminary paralysis which can occur before your spirit leaves your body when enjoying an Out of the Body Experience. This is not the case. If fear is involved then it certainly isn’t a visit by spirit for they bring so much love the whole atmosphere of the room is suffused with this love and if it is the start of an OBE then if you do not leave your body, it is Sleep Paralysis.
