Sleep Paralysis

[Marukai]

Has anyone here ever experienced Sleep Paralysis? I am researching what it exactly is. Many of the documentaries on SP have been leading towards Malevolent manifestations. Then there are the psychiatric doctors that simply dismiss it as a psychiatric problem, just like Demonic Possession. Psychiatric doctors call Demonic Possession Demonomania or Demonopathy. So what is everyone's thought about SP?

[RandallS]

So what is everyone's thought about SP?

It seems to be a physical medical issue that does not usually involve mental illness or entities of any sort. For example, see Sleep Paralysis at WebMD.

[Laveth]

It seems to be a physical medical issue that does not usually involve mental illness or entities of any sort. For example, see Sleep Paralysis at WebMD.

 

This. While you're asleep, your nerves have a temporary disconnect from certain bodily functions (such as limb movement) for safety reasons. If it didn't disconnect, you'd be physically acting out your dreams every night and that just leads to worlds of problems when you walk into a pool. Sleep walking is thought to be a partial issue with that disconnection triggered by mental conflict.

When sleep paralysis occurs, basically you wake up before your body has had the time to remake that connection and voila.

[Sage]

This. While you're asleep, your nerves have a temporary disconnect from certain bodily functions (such as limb movement) for safety reasons. If it didn't disconnect, you'd be physically acting out your dreams every night and that just leads to worlds of problems when you walk into a pool. Sleep walking is thought to be a partial issue with that disconnection triggered by mental conflict.

When sleep paralysis occurs, basically you wake up before your body has had the time to remake that connection and voila.

 
I don't think I've ever experienced sleep paralysis, thank goodness. It sounds terrifying!

Do you know the reason why some people do jerk and twitch in their sleep? Is it synapses randomly connecting?

[Laveth]

I don't think I've ever experienced sleep paralysis, thank goodness. It sounds terrifying!

Do you know the reason why some people do jerk and twitch in their sleep? Is it synapses randomly connecting?

 
That's about it, and the disconnect isn't all encompassing. There are glitches, particularly during significant emotional happenings during nightmares/dreams (it's a survival thing, if something scary wakes you up your body wants to be able to escape or fight back).

Not everyone has a complete disconnect either, there are always variations in everything related to biological and psychological functioning.

[Annie Roonie]

It seems to be a physical medical issue that does not usually involve mental illness or entities of any sort. For example, see Sleep Paralysis at WebMD.

I agree and I am convinced that my Chiari Malformation plays a role in why I have sleep paralysis. It is not an uncommon hereditary condition. Something like 1 in a thousand have it and they never know unless it is found in an MRI. Usually people find out they have it when getting MRIs for other issues. I think it's probably a shit ton more common than is currently thought though.

Basics of it are that the skull is too short and the cerebellum ( and sometimes medula and more) get squished out the back and pressed against the spinal cord causing it to act like a straw with a hole in it for spinal fluid going to (and from I think) the brain. Sometimes it gushes crazy big and sometimes nada, so everything the brain needs spinal fluid for can be impacted. And the cerebellum itself has some trouble being all squished and then squished some more with head against pillow. And it controls those things that fail during sleep paralysis too. The connection makes sense to me and I have been keeping track of it since going to a neurosurgeon to see what I could do about my symptoms (which is not much unless it gets worse and then it's only brain surgery to chip the skull open more - and that's not as effective as the web would have it according to the neurosurgeon).

As far as sleep paralysis goes, I know when I will be experiencing it sometimes, or when it is more likely. If I wake up in the middle of the night and I have been sleeping on my back with my head in a specific position of smushitude, I am either in for a hag waking, migraine developing, or some wicked weird stuff throughout the day.

[iulla]

As far as sleep paralysis goes, I know when I will be experiencing it sometimes, or when it is more likely. If I wake up in the middle of the night and I have been sleeping on my back with my head in a specific position of smushitude, I am either in for a hag waking, migraine developing, or some wicked weird stuff throughout the day.

Same here.  Lying on my back seems to be the most constant position for my getting sleep paralysis, though I did have it once while lying on my side.  I used to get it more when I was severely stressed out, too.

Seconding the medical explanation as well.

And sleep paralysis isn't always frightening.  Sometimes, for me, it's just the paralysis, no hallucinations involved.  Sometimes, when there are hallucinations, instead of being afraid I get really pissed off at whomever I'm seeing (usually the old hag) and try and angrily swat them away with an arm.  

Try being the key word - it's hard to do when you can't actually move.

[Annie Roonie]

And sleep paralysis isn't always frightening.  Sometimes, for me, it's just the paralysis, no hallucinations involved.  Sometimes, when there are hallucinations, instead of being afraid I get really pissed off at whomever I'm seeing (usually the old hag) and try and angrily swat them away with an arm.  

Try being the key word - it's hard to do when you can't actually move.

Same here. It isn't always frightening and sometimes just annoying to have to wait it out. I have thought that perhaps without conscious awareness of what is going on, another part of the brain may use the avenues that do work to remedy the situation. Like sending thoughts that might wake a body up and scary works really well for that. Once I realized what was happening consciously, the hallucinations I had changed and I took that as an opportunity to examine what my brain was shooting out and ask myself why certain ideas provoked awareness and waking.

But that opportunity has faded too, and so still being restless waiting, I try to go back to dream which often seems in a room next door with paper thing walls. I figured it could help me with lucid dreaming (which in turn can help me with journey and other issues) and why waste the opportunity for that? It's been useful but there is a physical price for it too. Still, I'd have the headaches, nausea and other unglamorous stuff even if I didn't use the wait time. Might as well get something from it if I can.

The hag is interesting to me because it fits with the scary thought provocation to waking at least for some. I remember when I was in elementary school and was told all about the devil. That fella made more appearances during paralysis than the hag for me. It's made me consider that fears imbued by cultures and possibly even some inborn more archetypical fears have purposes that aren't so obvious such as getting bodies to be alert. And thinking about why those images are frightening and why they are recognized by the brain (even if the waking self is unaware of them or the fear associated with them) is even more fun for me.

[yewberry]

I don't think I've ever experienced sleep paralysis, thank goodness. It sounds terrifying!

I had a couple episodes of sleep paralysis at 13 and 16.  It's apparently pretty common among adolescents and probably hormonal.  I experienced not only an inability to move, but also auditory hallucinations, specifically evil laughter, both times.  I also had the apparently common sensation that someone was sitting on my chest, pinning my arms.

Having been through it, I can see how these episodes took on mythical significance over the centuries.

Brina

[Marukai]

I had a couple episodes of sleep paralysis at 13 and 16.  It's apparently pretty common among adolescents and probably hormonal.  I experienced not only an inability to move, but also auditory hallucinations, specifically evil laughter, both times.  I also had the apparently common sensation that someone was sitting on my chest, pinning my arms.

Having been through it, I can see how these episodes took on mythical significance over the centuries.

Brina

It's great that everyone added their thoughts about SP, but I'm still wondering if there is a supernatural factor at work. Many people on Youtube state that they see a dark shadowy humanoid that stares or sometimes tries to enter the persons body. It really makes me wonder...

[video=youtube;gxcnijVF-iw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxcnijVF-iw[/video]

[Marukai]

It's great that everyone added their thoughts about SP, but I'm still wondering if there is a supernatural factor at work. Many people on Youtube state that they see a dark shadowy humanoid that stares or sometimes tries to enter the persons body. It really makes me wonder...

[video=youtube;gxcnijVF-iw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxcnijVF-iw[/video]

 

[Emma Eldritch]

It's great that everyone added their thoughts about SP, but I'm still wondering if there is a supernatural factor at work. Many people on Youtube state that they see a dark shadowy humanoid that stares or sometimes tries to enter the persons body. It really makes me wonder...

 
YouTube videos have also stated that vaccinations cause autism, the Royal Family are lizard people, and that .

If you do want to read up on possible paranormal links between sleep paralysis and things like Old Hag syndrome, you can gt yourself a copy of The Terror That Comes in the Night: An Experience-Centered Study of Supernatural Assault Traditions by David J. Hufford.

[Darkhawk]

It's great that everyone added their thoughts about SP, but I'm still wondering if there is a supernatural factor at work.

 
Since there is simultaneously no way of knowing and the phenomenon is adequately explained by known science, you're really unlikely to get a whole lot of help with that problem.

[HeartShadow]

It's great that everyone added their thoughts about SP, but I'm still wondering if there is a supernatural factor at work. Many people on Youtube state that they see a dark shadowy humanoid that stares or sometimes tries to enter the persons body. It really makes me wonder...

 
More accurately, you WANT to believe it's super-cool heebie-jeebie stuff.

Just like everything else you want to be uber-spooky heebie-jeebie stuff.  Reality isn't NEARLY as fun as ooky-spookyland!

[yewberry]

It's great that everyone added their thoughts about SP, but I'm still wondering if there is a supernatural factor at work.

Of course you are.

Brina