The Terrifying Reality of Sleep Paralysis
Sleep paralysis is an occurrence which can be extremely frightening for the individual who is affected by it. In some cases this condition occurs when narcolepsy is present however it may also occur on its own as well. It is believed that a large majority of the population has had some sort of experience with sleep paralysis at least once or twice throughout their lives.
When a person is just beginning to fall asleep or preparing to wake up there is a stage of sleep when the body shuts down. In most cases the person is not consciously aware of this stage of sleep as it generally occurs when a person is already beginning to doze off or just about to wake up. In some cases however the mind works faster than the body and awakens before this stage is complete.
When a person suffers from sleep paralysis they often awaken to find that they are unable to move or speak. This state of paralysis often only lasts for a few seconds but can last as long as a few minutes in some cases. For those who experience this occurrence this inability to move or speak can be quite scary. What is often even more terrifying than this however, is the things which many individuals have reported seeing when sleep paralysis occurs.
Many individuals who encounter this brief period of paralysis during semi sleep have reported awakening to feel as if someone is in the room with them or even attacking them. Many of these people go on to say that the things they see are malevolent or evil beings.
Many people contribute the things a person may see during periods of sleep paralysis to hallucinations. The reason for this is because these images are often described as so fantastical that many believe they simply can’t be real.
Sleep studies indicate that this particular sleep disorder may be caused by various issues such as the following:
- Sleep deprivation
- Irregular sleep schedule
- High levels of stress
- Sleeping on your back
- Narcolepsy
- Panic disorder
- Sudden changes in lifestyle or environment
- Excessive alcohol consumption combined with lack of sleep