Unveiling The Mysterious Truth About Sleep Paralysis

Up to as many as four out of every 10 people may have sleep paralysis. People with sleep paralysis often see a bloody monster with horrifying claws standing next to the headboard, sometimes sitting on their bodies.

At that time, they seem to be awake, but they can’t move their body, not even a finger. They have trouble breathing and fear starts gripping they are constrained by a force beyond their imagination.

After years of research on this phenomenon, researchers have come up with the term “Sleep Paralysis” to define similar hallucinations. Are there really any forces standing next to your headboard and haunting your sleep?

If you are down in the dump, let’s explore the mysterious truth about sleep paralysis. When you can’t move your body and dream of the bloody monster standing next to you or sitting on top of your body, your mind is filled with various scary images.

Now, let’s put this phenomenon from a scientific perspective. What is sleep paralysis?

According to BBC Future, this phenomenon has been recorded since ancient times, at least since 400 BC. This phenomenon was first mentioned in Zhou Li, an ancient Chinese book about sleep and dreams.

Sleep paralysis is characterized by a discrete period of time during which voluntary muscle movement is inhibited. Meanwhile ocular and respiratory movements are intact and one’s sensorium remains clear.

These episodes can occur after you fall asleep or before you start waking up. And they are most likely to happen when one sleep in a supine position.

Over the centuries, people have described symptoms of sleep paralysis in many ways. They are often attributed to an “evil” presence. The survey indicates that the image often appears in the minds of sleep paralysis victims in the shadow with an unknown face. Others see old witches with long noses and terrifying smiles. Besides, the most haunting envision involves the abduction of aliens.

What triggers sleep paralysis? When you sleep, your body shifts between REM (rapid eye movement) and NREM (non-rapid eye movement) sleep. NREM process allows your body to become relaxed and restore itself. Once the NREM process is completed, your body shifts to REM.

Your eyes move quickly. Dreams start to occur but your body still remains relaxed. During REM sleep, your muscles are “switched off.” If you become aware before the REM cycle has finished, you may notice that you can’t move or speak.

Sleep paralysis doesn’t pose a serious risk, but there are various people who have experienced this phenomenon a couple of times.

Sleep paralysis may run in families. Other factors that may be linked to the phenomenon include lack of sleep, changed sleep schedule, sleeping on the back, and mental conditions like stress or bipolar disorder. Other sleep problems like narcolepsy or nighttime leg cramps, use of certain medications such as those for ADHD, and substance abuse also contribute to this phenomenon.

Is a scary force really standing next to your headboard, hovering over your body, sitting on it and makes you feel like you can’t breathe?

Jalal and his colleague, Devon Hinton, from Harvard Medical School, studied the symptoms of this phenomenon in two different societies and cultures which are Egypt and Denmark.

They found that, compared to the Danes, the Egyptians suffered more from sleep paralysis and feared that this phenomenon could lead to death.

In terms of spirituality, Egyptians are very religious while Denmark is one of the most atheistic countries in the world.

According to the survey, most Danish attendees said they thought sleep paralysis was caused by psychological factors along with the malfunction of the brain or lying in the wrong position. Meanwhile, the Egyptians believe in supernatural force. Jalal and his colleague concluded that those with supernatural beliefs often experienced greater fear during the sleep paralysis process.

It may be true that fear also causes people to experience this phenomenon more. Therefore, fear and spirituality are also factors causing sleep paralysis. In other words, people collect symbols in their brains, which represent the everyday pressures of life.

There is no demon standing next to your headboard or sitting on top of your body.

What are some natural ways to keep sleep paralysis away? Relieve your stress, especially before going to bed. That means to actively treat any mental health problem if it puts you under stress, causing sleep paralysis. Try new sleeping positions if you always lay on your back. And be sure to see your doctor if the phenomenon prevents you from getting a night of good sleep. If you like educational videos, check out Youtube channel Scholastic Indian.

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