Sleep
Paralysis
by
Christopher Orapello
Have
you ever woken up unable to move, felt an evil presence,
and or witnessed a dark object, mass, or figure in the
room, possibly standing over you, on you, or next to your
bed? If so, you have possibly experienced a text book
example of a non paranormal phenomena known as Sleep Paralysis.
This
phenomena is believed to be associated with REM (Rapid
Eye Movement) atonia, an occurrence during REM sleep when
the muscles of the body are shut off by the brain so as
to prevent the sleeping individual from physically acting
out their dreams. Sleep paralysis occurs when the brain
wakes from REM sleep while the body is still experiencing
the state of atonia, but is still caught within a dream
like state which accounts for the hallucinations that
often accompany experiences such as these. The individual
may or may not be aware of the fact that they are awake
and so, may not remember the occurrence. However, there
are individuals who awake perfectly aware that they are
paralyzed and experience hallucinations as if they were
actually occurring which can be frightening.
Hallucinations
associated with Sleep Paralysis are often visual, auditory,
or tactile hallucinations. Visual hallucinations may contain
seeing dark masses or figures standing in the room, by
the bed, over the individual, or on the individual along
with a feeling of fear or dread. People who experience
these hallucinations often feel as if they are being attacked
or harassed by what they are witnessing. These hallucinations
have been suggested by some scientists to account for
claims of alien abductions, ghostly encounters, and or
supernatural encounters (such as incubi, succubi, psychic
vampires, or demons). The
Nightmare, a famous painting by Henri Fuseli,
is said to be a direct depiction of an incident of sleep
paralysis. The image shows a young woman lying on her
back with a ominous creature sitting upon her chest. Such
occurrences could have a terrifying impact on an individual
and allude to paranormal activity, but it is important
to realize that an experience such as this is not an indicator
of paranormal phenomena, because sleep paralysis is a
well documented, and studied, sleep anomaly.
Episodes
of sleep paralysis tend to last for only a few seconds and
are believed to be the result of periods of stress that
effect various areas of one's life causing them, for example,
to eat more, drink beverages containing alcohol or caffeine,
experience stress mentally, emotionally, or physically,
which in result may cause them to sleep in a supine (face-up)
position and or experience sleep disturbances as a result
of the stress.
Individuals
may only experience sleep paralysis once or twice in a lifetime,
but it is a more frequent occurrence for those suffering
from narcolepsy. Individuals on anti-anxiety medication
may have a greater chance of suffering from sleep paralysis.
There doesn't seem to be a direct cause for sleep paralysis,
but a system of causes due to stress which as a result enables
episodes of sleep paralysis to occur.
Treatment
for sleep paralysis often focuses on the reduction of stress
in a person's life and changes in one's lifestyle to promote
healthy forms of sleep.
Suggestions
Include:
- Meditation,
yoga, or some other stress reducing activity.
- Exercising
regularly but not before bedtime.
- Maintain
a regular sleep schedule allowing for 6-8 hrs of sleep.
- Don't
eat or drink products containing caffeine before bedtime.
- Take
a hot bath before bed to induce a relaxed state.
- Read
a pleasant book which encourages one's imagination.
If
you are experiencing this condition frequently, or simply
feel that it is effecting the amount of sleep you get, and
in turn is effecting your daily performance, then it is
often advised that one try the suggestions above or consult
a doctor to determine if there may be an underlining problem.
