My Myths: 2

Hi! Readers, I am back again with another story about sleep paralysis so....

What is Sleep Paralysis then, It is the inability to move or speak as you’re waking up.

An episode of sleep paralysis can occur when you’re just falling asleep or just waking up. You feel paralyzed and are unable to speak or move. It can last for anything from a few seconds to several minutes, and feel quite disturbing.

While experiencing sleep paralysis, you might hallucinate vivid (producing powerful feelings or strong, clear images in the mind) waking dreams, which can lead to feelings of intense fear and high levels of anxiety.

When this occurs while you’re waking up it’s termed ~Hypnopompic~ sleep paralysis. When it occurs while you’re falling asleep it’s known as ~Hypnagogic~ sleep paralysis.

You may also experience:-

1) feeling as if something is pushing you down

2) feeling like someone or something is in the room

3)feeling fear

4)hallucinations

5)difficulty breathing

6)feeling as if you’re going to die

7)sweating

8)muscle aches

9)headaches

Sleep paralysis is a temporary loss of muscle function while you’re sleeping.

Imagine, You wake up in the middle of the night and there it is; A menacing (suggesting the presence of danger; threatening.) presence that you can first feel and then see when you open your eyes. Scared like the dickens (used for emphasis, or to express annoyance or surprise when asking questions.), you try to scream and bolt...... but you can’t. It’s like you’re paralyzed or being held down by an evil presence.

What in the world is happening? Three words: sleep paralysis demons.

It’s a thing, and you’re not the only one who’s experienced it (some comforting).

What is this “demon” that leaves you trapped in your body, unable to move or scream? It depends who you ask.

For some it’s a faceless, shapeless presence trying to suffocate them. Others describe it as a creepy old hag with claws. Some see an alien and experience what they believe is a full alien abduction (the action of forcibly taking someone away against their will.). And for others, the demons look like a dead relative.

Different cultures have different explanations for sleep paralysis demons.

Are these ‘demons’ real?

The short answer is….. sort of.

The paralysis is real. It’s called sleep paralysis. The phenomenon of ~seeing~ something demon-like, while experiencing sleep paralysis is also real. It’s called a hypnagogic or hypnopompic hallucination.

As for the demon itself, it’s not real (I can promise).

Sleep paralysis demons may not be real, but that doesn’t make the experience of being trapped in your body with the sense or vision of one any less terrifying.

Imagine the following scenario: It’s been a long day, you go to bed later than usual and fall asleep quickly through sheer (pure or complete) exhaustion, but instead of waking up peacefully in the morning, you half wake in the middle of the night. And in the darkness of your bedroom, it slowly dawns on you that you can’t move your body…and that someone, or something, is watching you.

You feel a weight on your chest, pressing you down and preventing you from sitting up and not only is your whole body paralyzed, but you can’t so much as move your lips to call out for help.You’re not sure who or what is pushing on your chest. Even though you seem to be able to move your eyes just a little, it’s too dark to see anyway.

Regardless, you just feel that there’s a presence there. Something strange. Something frightening.

This happened to me, when I was eleven and was a very unsettling experience. After a minute’s panic, the feeling passed. And I was then able to stumble to the bathroom to make sure my face wasn’t decorated with demonic symbols. It was a classic case of sleep paralysis.

The not so scientific explanations for sleep paralysis. Interestingly, some people struggle to accept it even though they consider themselves to be scientifically minded generally. I think these cases highlight just how realistic the experience of sleep paralysis can be, how it can linger in your memory and makes you question what happened for a long time afterward.

The possibility of demons, ghosts, spiritual beings, and aliens all crop up from time to time in the comments too. And while many people accept their experiences as hallucinations or dreams, some people choose to believe another explanation – that those entities are real.

Despite these beliefs, there’s one clear theme: nothing bad ever actually happens, other than being frightened and perhaps losing some sleep after an episode.

Lists of things suggested by sleep experts. The rest are a mix of personal opinions. Please bear in mind that none are guaranteed to work:

Don’t let yourself become too sleep-deprived.

Stick to a regular sleep schedule.

Try to reduce stress and anxiety in your life.

Try to vigorously flutter your eyelids or move your eyes, as this tends to be an area of the body that’s less affected by paralysis.

Focus on wiggling just one finger or a toe.

Don’t take recreational drugs or drink alcohol in the evening.

Don’t sleep on your back.

Stay calm.

Tell yourself that you’re in control. You can order the experience to stop.

If you feel a weight on your chest, imagine there’s something friendly causing it.

Film yourself sleeping so you can see there was nothing in the room.

Don’t think about what it could be. Your imagination will probably make up something scary in the darkness.

Organize your bedroom in a way that makes you feel safe and secure.

Don’t hang dressing gowns, coats, or hats in places that make them look like figures in the dark.

Sleep with a night light, music, or radio on.

Remind yourself that nothing bad will happen.

Imagine your body rolling from side to side in your mind and count each roll. Focus on this and try to grow the capacity for movement from there.

Count numbers to focus your mind on something else.

Don’t sleep with a high pillow.

Keep your eyes shut and try to clear your mind.

Squeeze your eyes tightly shut if you can control the muscles.

Keep well hydrated – drink water before going to bed.

Talk about it to family or friends – they may have experienced it too.

If you have it once, get out of bed for a while to reset the brain.

Many people say prayer helps. Some also say that calling on their religious beliefs and commanding what they see to leave helps them.

Check if any sleeping pills or herbal remedies you’re taking are causing it.

Use sleep paralysis to lucid dream by relaxing and going with the experience instead of fighting it.

Once the episode has passed, tell yourself that you overcame it, are not afraid and will always overcome it.

So maybe, you want to hear my story, let's begin....

From childhood I really had a bad habit of watching horror movies and shows, even tho I had nightmares pretty often but I didn't stop watching it and one day it became terrible.

It was a typical night. I was about eleven when it happened, nevertheless it would change my life forever. Cold, freezing winter beat down hard on my house. We didn't need any conditioner (even tho who needs cold air in winters). It turned into night. After my dinner, bedtime approached. As it became ten o’ clock my mother told me to go to bed. I went up to my room and saw it raining outside and in a moment it stopped, completely stopped raining. The wind was blowing on my window.

I slept on my bed and slowly but surely I started to fall asleep. Not long after I dozed off. Suddenly with a clicking noise, I woke up and slowly opened my eyes. I felt strange and scared. Soon I realized I could not move, and was completely paralyzed.

I looked to the left of my bed, saw my bed stand, closet, wall hanging clock (I pretty much remembered It was around 4:10 am, and it was still dark outside) and I.......... umm............ yeah, there was a shadow in the background. There was a sense of sadness and despair, but somehow it felt as if I was not really in my physical body.

The shadow in my room manifested (show a quality or feeling by one's acts or appearance; demonstrate.). What I saw, I cannot explain. It was a very tall creature that seemed to have no feet, just blobs of dark matter for legs, it had huge arms stretching past its waist, and the face was horrifyingly blank. It was a strange black color. I tried to scream but I couldn't speak. I tried to move but I could not move. Suddenly, I was overcome with a sensation of pure fear running through my nerves. I tried to close my eyes and eventually it seemed to all be over as quickly as it had begun.

After that, the tall creature slowly sat next to me and started speaking (even though its face was pure blank),

"How have you been?I have been seeing you for so many days, I guess you didn't know it well. Wait! Why are your eyes closed, you know it's kinda rude not to listen to your guest."

I felt so terrified and said one thing in my mind that it is just a nightmare. It will go very soon. That figure's voice was deep and husky. It then continued speaking...

"I see you maybe can't hear me", It paused for a sec and then said "then let me come next to you".

Then he came right next to me, right in front of my ears, I even felt it's hot, heavy breath. It said....

"Don't worry you will die soon".

After that I heard a Click sound again, I turned to look at the clock and than again I turned my head to look at the tall creature and that's it it was gone.

After that i cured up and sat on my bed and recalled all the memories that happened just now, filled with fear.

I had a lot of nightmares as a child but not worse than this. Earlier there would be at least one nightmares every month, sometimes I saw a being, sometimes a presence and sometimes voices I could not make out. It was a very traumatizing experience from my childhood.

(Even though! I did stop watching horror movies but...... just for a month. You know childhood habits, it doesn't go that easily )

Have you had sleep paralysis? What happened, and do you have any suggestions to help others deal with it?

“I was forgetting that. The extraordinary thing about the story, it literally happened to me when I was eleven. bye see you in my following story.”