Writer: Jaqueline Goh
Introduction
Last week, my sister told me about a horrible experience she had the night before— she was lying in bed, drifting into a dream, when suddenly, she jolted awake. She mentioned feeling paralyzed and being unable to move despite being conscious. Having never experienced such discomfort before, I was naturally curious to dive deeper into what this was. Sometimes, she said she even saw a strange figure leering eerily at her, stuck with a supernatural face staring right into her until she fell asleep again.
Through a short Google search later that day, I learned that this spooky phenomenon was called “sleep paralysis,” a sleeping disorder that can instill a lot of fear and panic.
What is Sleep Paralysis?
Sleep paralysis is the “feeling of being conscious but unable to move” for up to a few minutes. Some will experience a deep pressure down their chest (similar to choking) and even horrifying hallucinations like the clown you see in the It movie [1]. It is important to note that sleep paralysis can begin at any age [2]. However, initial symptoms usually show up in childhood to young adulthood, intensifying in one's twenties and thirties [1][2].
The prevalence of sleep paralysis in the human population is quite common, around 20% have experienced it at least once [1]. So it shouldn't be a cause for much concern unless it is recurrent.
According to WebMD, symptoms could include [1]:
Atonia; Feeling unable to move or speak
Difficulty breathing
Hallucinations
Chest pressure
A sense of suffocation
Feeling separate from yourself, or out-of-body
Feeling in danger
Risk Factors
Sleep paralysis initially shows up in your teenage years, but usually gets worse by the time you hit your twenties and thirties. A lot of this is attributed to the risk factors you’re exposed to at a more mature age, including [1]:
Lack of sleep
Inconsistent sleep schedule
Mental health issues (traumatic events)
Sleeping on your back
Sleep problems (narcolepsy, nighttime leg cramps)
Use of certain medications (for ADHD)
Substance abuse (alcohol)
The Science Behind Sleep Paralysis
Sleep paralysis happens when you “regain awareness going in or out of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep” when your body hasn’t completely switched sleep phases or fully woken up yet [3].
During the non-REM phase, parasympathetic tone increases, and sympathetic tone decreases. In contrast, sympathetic tone surges during REM sleep, preventing the movement of your body in response to dreams by paralyzing your muscles [2]. This allows you to remain still during the REM phase [3].
If you gain consciousness during REM sleep, it creates dissociation between your perception and motor control. During REM sleep, a person also develops a “hypervigilant state”, originating from the midbrain that adds to fear and paranoia. Researchers have even suggested that a possible cause of REM sleep disorders lies in the flawed structure of the brainstem [2].
Your brain does all this to stop you from acting out your dreams as this can cause you to move around, therefore creating the risk of injury [3].
Diagnosis
According to the Cleveland Clinic, a healthcare provider can perform these tests to rule out sleep disorders [3].
Polysomnogram: Overnight sleep study that monitors breathing, heartbeat, and brain activity— helps uncover sleep apnea.
Multiple sleep latency test (MSLT): Measures the amount of time taken to fall asleep and the type of sleep experienced during a nap— uncover issues like narcolepsy.
Coping Strategies and Prevention
Here are some helpful tips on how to deal with it at the moment and how to prevent it in case you’re feeling emotionally distressed or anxious as a victim of sleep paralysis:
Prevention:
Be mindful of your internal clock: consistent and regular bedtime.
Calm your mind: journaling, meditation, breathing exercises, warm bath.
Set the scene: dark and quiet space, set thermostat, comfort items like plushies.
Sleep on your side.
Lead an active life by exercising regularly.
Improve eating habits. [4]
Coping Strategies:
Tell yourself that this will end: Remember that hallucinations are temporary and that they are not real. In a few minutes, it will be over, and in no way will it affect you physically.
Meditate: Think about a loved one, or a memory, or even send a prayer.
Relax: Avoid flexing your muscles or controlling your breathing— it may trigger panic when you cannot move.
Focus on moving individual body parts: Wiggle your fingers, twitch your toes. This may help in ending an episode. [4]
Myths and Folklore
It is no surprise that many cultures have created folklore to explain the supernatural experience of sleep paralysis. After all, it feels just like a horror movie that one can experience in real life.
Albania: “Mokthi,” a male spirit with a golden fez hat that can grant a wish, who appears to women who are suffering [5].
Bengal: “Bobay Dhora” is believed to be caused by a supernatural entity called Boba. Boba attacks a person by strangling him when the person sleeps on their back [5].
Japan: "Kanashibari," tied up in supernatural chains containing spirits [6].
Philippines: “Bangungot,” a deadly nightmare blamed on spirits [6].
Thailand: “Phi Am,” a ghostly oppression [6].
Cambodia: "The ghost pushes you down," the visitations from deceased relatives [6].
Brazil: "Pisadeira", a creepy crone that targets those that sleep too full and flat [6].
Mexico: "se me subió el muerto," translating to "the dead climbed on top of me"
United States: Space alien abduction.
Newfoundland: “Old Hag”, and victims report a “person or an animal sitting upon their chest”. Some suggested cures include sleeping with a Bible under the pillow, calling the sleeper's name backward, or sleeping with a Hag Board [5].
Some of us may have grown up hearing these stories, and it can be extremely creepy to learn that you are being visited by a deceased ancestor, or having a witch sit on your chest. It is interesting how we humans used to weave up stories with such creativity to explain the unknown. Now that we have science to back us up, you can be rest assured that those folklore are only myths.
Sources & Works Cited
[1] Beth Roybal, Sarah Amandolare, “Sleep Paralysis: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, and Prevention.”, WebMD, https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/sleep-paralysis July 21 2024.
[2] Maheen Farooq, Fatima Anju, “Sleep Paralysis.”, StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK562322 September 4, 2023.
[3] Cleveland Clinic, “Sleep Paralysis: What It Is, Causes, Symptoms & Treatment.” https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21974-sleep-paralysis Accessed July 30, 2024.
[4] Help Guide.org, “Sleep Paralysis: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment” https://www.helpguide.org/articles/sleep/sleep-paralysis-causes-symptoms-and-treatment.htm July 19, 2024
[5] Wikipedia, “Sleep paralysis” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_paralysis, Accessed July 30, 2024.
[6] Georgia Austin, “Sleep Paralysis in Different Cultures: Folklore, Myths, and Cultural Perspectives.” Pillow Sleep Tracker, https://pillow.app/article/sleep-paralysis-in-different-cultures-folklore-myths-and-cultural-perspectives, Accessed July 30, 2024.
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