Sleep paralysis stories typically involve unusual and frightening experiences. Perhaps you have one or two of these disturbing tales of your own to tell.
If not, I’ll first share one of mine to give you an understanding of what it can be like.
Then we’ll take a closer look at whether sleep paralysis demons or ghosts really exist. Or if science can provide a logical and comforting explanation.
My sleep paralysis experience
Imagine the following scenario: it’s been a long day, you go to bed later than usual and fall asleep quickly through sheer 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.
A weight pushing on your chest
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 last year and was a very unsettling experience. Fortunately, there was no demon, ghost or burglar in my bedroom.
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.
What is sleep paralysis?
Recurrent isolated sleep paralysis is classified as a parasomnia, which is a group of sleep disorders involving unwanted behaviors that accompany sleep.
The main symptom is being awake and unable to move your body. It might also be accompanied by hallucinations or dreams/nightmares whilst still awake.
It typically lasts from a few seconds to a few minutes before movement is regained. And although it may feel like it at the time, it’s not believed by medical organizations to be harmful.
What causes it?
The exact reason for why it happens to some people and only on some nights isn’t known. However, scientists do have a theory about what goes on during sleep paralysis.
During the night, you cycle through different sleep stages. When you enter the REM stage of sleep, your brain stops your muscles from moving – known as REM atonia. One explanation for this atonia is that it prevents injury from acting out your dreams in bed.
During sleep paralysis, the atonia starts, or continues, while you’re awake. And during this time, you might also experience what’s known as sleep hallucinations, or dreams while you’re awake.
So your body and brain are temporarily out of sync while transitioning between sleep stages, potentially creating a frightening experience.
As Dr. Michael J. Breus neatly explains:
Sleep scientists believe that sleep paralysis may occur when the transitions in and out of REM sleep and other sleep stages don’t go smoothly.
How many people experience sleep paralysis?
Sleep paralysis stories like mine are surprisingly common. In 2011, researchers aggregated 35 sleep paralysis studies to find out how many people had experienced it at least once in the past year, finding:
- 7.6% of the general population
- 28.3% of students
- 31.9% of psychiatric patients
And according to the handbook of sleep disorders, it will happen at least once in a lifetime of 40% to 50% of normal subjects, but is “far less common as a chronic complaint”.
Who is more at risk of having sleep paralysis?
Scientists might not know the precise reason only some people have sleep paralysis yet, but there are a growing number of risk factors becoming apparent.
For example, researchers who analyzed 42 studies found several risk factors and associated conditions:
- Sleep problems, changing sleep patterns and shift work.
- Sleep disorders such as narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnea, insomnia and nocturnal leg cramps.
- Stress.
- Some psychiatric groups, particularly those with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, anxiety and panic disorders.
- Substance and medication use.
- Physical illness.
- Personality and anomalous beliefs.
Is there a genetic component to sleep paralysis?
In 2015, British researchers published a study of 862 twins and siblings aged between 22 and 32. They did find some evidence of a genetic role, but only a small one:
In this sample of young adults, sleep paralysis was moderately heritable
Interestingly, they also found other independent risk factors, including:
- Disrupted sleep cycles
- General sleep quality
- Anxiety symptoms
- Exposure to threatening events
Polls – readers’ experience of sleep paralysis
I polled readers of this article for a year to find out what kind of sleep paralysis episodes they had.
Note that it’s likely that many people who search online about it will have had the more frightening episodes, skewing the results.
But they still provide a fascinating insight into what people experience and how they cope.
Poll 1
In poll 1, the most common episode was thinking there was a demon or other being in the room.
Poll 2
Poll 2 shows that many readers find sleep paralysis terrifying. Again, those who search online for it are likely to have found it particularly disturbing.
Poll 3
Poll 3 shows that many readers first experienced sleep paralysis during adolescence.
Poll 4
Poll 4 shows that most readers don’t experience sleep paralysis on a regular basis.
Poll 5
Poll 5 shows some of the ways readers deal with episodes. You’ll find more coping mechanisms below.
The not so scientific explanations for sleep paralysis
Since first writing this article several years ago, there has been an extraordinary number of comments. And the comments show that not everyone accepts the scientific explanation.
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.
Around the world
Cultural beliefs also appear to play a role in how sleep paralysis is perceived by some people.
In Fiji, for example, the demon is sometimes seen as a deceased relative coming back to discuss an important or unfinished matter.
In Chinese folklore, it’s also seen as a ghost rather than a demon or intruder.
Some people in Iran and Pakistan interpret it as demons or spirits taking over your body. This could be due to black magic performed by an enemy.
The common theme is that the entity is usually something to be feared. I’m yet to find a culture which believes it’s a friendly creature!
Sleep paralysis treatment
When to see a doctor
Fortunately, most people don’t experience sleep paralysis very often, and no treatment is usually required.
However, if the following apply to you, it’s a good idea to speak to your doctor:
- It happens regularly.
- You’re anxious about sleep paralysis and going to sleep.
- You don’t get enough sleep.
- You feel very sleepy during the day, sometimes fall asleep suddenly or lose control of your muscles.
What medical treatment is available?
If you see a doctor, they might take the following action:
- Refer you to a sleep specialist to assess if you have another sleep disorder, like narcolepsy.
- Treat any underlying psychiatric condition.
- Discuss any medication or substance use that might be a factor.
- Explain the biological processes involved in sleep paralysis to reassure you.
- Talk to you about developing good sleep habits. This is thought to help reduce the frequency of sleep paralysis.
Readers’ techniques for coping with sleep paralysis
Over the years, many readers have described how they cope with sleep paralysis, and I’ve created a list of the most frequent ideas below.
The first seven in the list are also 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 the 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.
How I recently stopped an episode of sleep paralysis
I successfully used two of the above techniques to stop a recent episode of sleep paralysis.
I woke to find myself in a strange position with my arms crossed on top of my body. And I could literally feel strong hands pinning my wrists to my chest.
I have to admit I was immediately petrified. The whole event was blurry, and I think I was having some dream overlap, but can’t remember exactly what now.
Stay calm and wiggle a finger
Two things sprung to mind after a moment of panic: stay calm and try to wiggle a finger.
The calmness I only managed with moderate success. But I did manage to focus my efforts on moving a finger. It felt quite odd – like my fingers were wiggling in different directions!
Eventually, I felt my arms loosen as well, and soon afterward I was able to shake the whole sensation away as I regained full control.
I then spent a few minutes doing some breathing exercises to ground myself and calm down, and then fell asleep again.
I think just knowing about the finger wiggling technique was enough for me to remember it when the sleep paralysis occurred.
Share your story of sleep paralysis
Have you had sleep paralysis? What happened, and do you have any suggestions to help others deal with it?
Please feel free to share your experience in the comments below.
one must ask Jesus Christ to come into their life. Yes, Demons do exist! I know I have experienced an episode with them. could say more but understanding will not come unless one becomes born again. meaning the spirit if Christ must be evident.
I’ve experienced sleep paralysis many times since I was 14. It has gotten worse for the past 3 months. I would get it every night, sometimes more than twice. I remember the worse i got it was seven times in one night. I would wake up but be too tired to stay awake and it kept happening. Finally I got up that last time and was able to stay awake and I was so frustrated and I just cried because I just wanted to sleep And I couldn’t. I still get it but not every night anymore and rarely more than once. I try to wake up my husband because every time I moan or groan in my sleep it wakes him up and he checks on me. But every time this happens I can’t wake him up. I feel like I’m being loud and moaning loud but he isn’t hearing me. I’ve tried going along with it once and it was the worst ever. I don’t understand why I get it so often.
I had this happen to me a few times when I was around 25. Feeling like I was paralized, trying to scream out but knowing no one could hear me,but the other part is I was being pulled back to sleep. I woke up but couldn’t stay awake. Now 11 years later it’s happening again the last 3 nights. I can hear something messing with something in my bedroom, I’m paralyzed, I try screaming, I start getting sucked back in to sleep.The first night I somehow managed to get my head against my wall and kept pushing it. My eyes were extremely heavy and I still felt pulled in to sleep. I finally semi woke up and eventually just stayed awake I was so scared. Today I took a nap and the same thing happened only this time something was touching my foot and I heard my dvds scrambling around. I’m sure its all in my mind but it feels demonic and extremely scary. I’ll try some of the above tips tonight for sure. The worst part is my kids are gone for the summer so it’s just me which makes it much scarier.
I have experienced sleep paralysis alots of times. During my school days when I was 15yrs old.
1st experienced I was sleeping next to my bed mate and all of sudden I saw a black covering guy trying to press my heart and I was trying to push him back.
2nd experienced it was last night I was trying to complete my project and after finishing the project i was ready to take a sleep so I went inside the hostel and saw some 4 senior girls were awake & gossiping, their bed is really far bcoz it’s a long corridor and bed is arrange according to classes.
So i went toward the god its a table were our god statues and images are there, sometime I used to pray to God that night when I was trying to pray to God all of sudden our storeroom door started to open like krrrrrraaàaàa I got little bit scared bcoz our side and storeroom lights were shut down only the light was there at senior girls bed side and light will hardly reach towards us.
So at seeing towards the storeroom door I said inside my heart that I’m not afraid of you coz I’m in front of god. After that I went to sleep and all of sudden I got into the sleep and I saw a witch like a women saying me like come I was immensely afraid and I was try to move my legs and hands but I couldn’t and I was yelling to senior girls which I saw them before like help me.
I couldn’t do anything and I started to recite my pray in my heart during that situation and it was gone and I wake up immediately and I was about to cry even I saw those senior girls still they were there.
Seriously i never saw a witch movie during my school days but after 11th I saw their image on internet and one of witch it kinda looks familiar. ??????????????
After that I experienced sleep paralysis quite alot but I used to face them bravely during that situation and it used to vanished so quickly.
The only one thing I wanna say is be brave or try to recite pray during sleep paralysis occur and try to keep god image below your pillows.
The last thing is I believe that sleep paralysis occur were evil spirits are present over there. ?
Even I have experienced alot of sleep paralysis during my school days when I was around 15yrs old.
experienced I still remembered that night when someone was trying to press my heart seating on my stomach and I can’t even saw his face I remembered only black covering face.
I am 42 and still sleep with a closet light on and do not like the darkness. And it is, I thought, what I see while I’m laying in bed before I go to sleep. And even have felt and seen presences during the day. I have caputured orbs on video and have pics and even others witness these things while visiting me. I don’t dream that often but when I do I remember every detail! One dream I remember this pink bathroom and everything in it and there was blood everywhere. Years later I was traveling and stayed at a cheap motel for the nite and when I got into the room I went into the bathroom and BOOM..it was the bathroom without the blood thank goodness…I also have a recurring dream too ugly to tell and a good one of flying..even when I am awake I can think about the dream and I can actually feel the sensation of flying cuz it was that real. But something I have always known, I am protected. And I pray alot and God Bless everyone cuz life should be enjoyed
Hello !
I have always wanted to talk about my experiences of sleep paralysis ever since I was little and yes I have been going through this for many years and sometimes I am not afraid of it happening. The first time I remember it happening I was very young cannot remember my age then but it was one of my earliest memories that I would never forget. It was the out of body experience, my first time going through sleep paralysis. If I had to guess I was probably 6 years old just about to wake up from the weirdest dream but it was like my soul was pushed through the wall where the head of my bed was and pushed back into my body by creatures they weren’t scary to me they seemed kind. As my soul fell back into my body that’s when I woke up but my body was paralyzed not knowing what to do I just laid there calm waiting till I can move again. As I’ve gotten older I’ve experienced sleep paralysis In many ways many times till the point where I learned how to move my body again by counting to ten in my head and as soon as I get to ten I make my legs kick and as soon as I kick I make the rest of my body jump but it wasn’t always that easy sometimes it has gotten so bad to the point where I can’t breathe from freaking out that I can’t move. Learning more about it though I never thought it was sleep paralysis because when I read about it it was said that people’s eyes would be open mine have never been opened during these times. Sometimes when It happens I sit there for a minute or so taking it all in. I try to study it myself when it does happen as in my surroundings. I noticed that sounds are a bit louder I can actually feel everything in my room knowing where every single object is with my eyes closed. A family member or someone else in the house would be up in another room and I could hear them from a far distance like they were right next to me. It’s like my senses are expanded. I go through sleep paralysis a few times a year. As I’ve gotten older the numbers have dropped kinda upset about it though I always thought it was very interesting wish I knew more about it and about the dreams I have I feel like there’s a meaning and I want to look more into it. I have many stories to tell but I’m only going to tell one of the most strangest situations I’ve had. About a year ago, it was probably 4 or 6 in the morning I’m guessing I didn’t check the time when I woke up but I had woken up from a dream and by the way my fiancé was laying close to me our bed is against the wall and I usually lay at the edge of the bed while he sleeps on the wall side. In my dream I was being chased and stalked I have a lot of these dreams keep in mind. When I woke up I noticed a light shining through our bedroom window they were car lights I was so confused on how my fiancé didn’t wake up to the bright lights so I turned to him and tried to wake him up. Nothing worked we were still in the same position we were laying when we fell asleep. I wasn’t paralyzed during this time I was very frightened though because after I tried to wake him up I looked at the window and a tall black figure of a man came in through the window and started to walk towards me. At that point I decided to close my eyes and hope he would go away. He didn’t he actually started to pet my hair as I kept my eyes closed pretending to sleep. He didn’t harm me whatsoever he then left after a minute through the same window. That’s when I woke up again drenched in sweat laying in the same position I was thinking I had already woken up but it was a second dream. I had no idea I was still dreaming I woke up from a dream in a dream it felt so real. I had to wake my fiancé up to stay up with me for about an hour I was too scared to sleep for a while. Last time I experienced not being able to move as I’m waking up was when I was visiting family about a few months back. I haven’t went through sleep paralysis in a while I have no clue why wish I knew more about my condition and what my dreams mean. Well I hope my story was interesting contact me if interested in hearing more stories I never got to tell my story only my fiancé knows about it. I always wanted to know more so if you want to talk about it with me and fill me in on what you know please contact me whenever you can. Thank you!
Two nights in a row I saw a dark shadow figure hovering over me while I was sleeping. It was so real. I woke up instantly with my heart pounding. I woke up my husband both nights because he said I was screaming. I do not remember screaming. A few weeks ago I thought I was awake and saw the same dark shadow figure standing next to my bed. I could not move. I wanted to scream but couldn’t. I woke up my husband again because he said I was screaming. I’m not sure if this is considered sleep paralysis but it seems so real and is terrifying.
I was laying in bed on my stomach and the first thing I felt was like a hand slowly applying pressure on my lower back. Then I couldn’t move. After the pressure on my lower back went away I was able to move again.
I’ve just read some of the comments & found that many of the are from a much younger generation then myself who is in her 60’s. I have had occasional sleep paralysis happen at least 1-2 a year for approx 30 years and they are just as frightening as ever. Had one last night and as usual always feel that someone is in my room. I routinely sleep on my side which was the case last night but felt a pressure along my hip area like someone placed a heavy hand on me. I live alone and while this episode was happening I was wondering if someone actually got in my house but the told myself why would he (always a he) be on the far side of the bed if it was an intruder? When these episodes happen and the panic subsides I make myself sit up & make sure I am fully awake before trying to sleep again. I do believe that stress & occasion poor sleeping contribute to these episodes.
Hi,
About 20 mins ago I woke up – my eyes felt like they were open and I felt like I was being lifted up to the sky. The feeling of this was so strong it felt like I was being dragged up but my body paralysed. My ear had a really loud popped sensation during this and when I woke up. When I woke up i could see an alien face I was screaming as loud as I could but no sound was coming out. I was dropped to the other side of my bed. And finally woke up. Scariest thing I’ve ever experienced. But I woke up were I fell asleep which made me feel a bit safer! It’s so hot tonight so I fell asleep on my back and not under the covers which is something I never do.
I’m writing this mostly to calm myself down as my heart was beating insanely and in fact I honestly feel like I was being abducted. I know my brain is playing tricks but it felt so real !! I’ve read a few articles and no one has mentioned aliens so that’s making me more worried but everything else fits in with the sleep paralysis so I’m going with that!
I’m going to try and go back to sleep – wish me luck!
don’t worry, Feeling like being abducted by aliens is very common
I have had this a couple of times and both times I was completely frozen and the feeling I was going through wasn’t a heavy feeling on my chest but I felt like something was grabbing my right breast I know that sounds silly, I tried to scream out to my husband and I just couldn’t, when the feeling went away I knew it wasn’t my husband touching me because he was on the other side of the bed, these incidents frightened me so much, I didn’t know what was happening but thanks to my son and this information I now know how to try and beat this.
I just woke screaming and crying from the worst episode I’ve ever had. I’m 47 and have had this occur maybe yearly. Generally I can eventually go back to sleep, even though I’m scared to. Tonight, not a chance. I’ve only ever had the feeling of something pinning me down before, but tonight was terrifying. It had a face and a goal and the more I struggled to wake up, the more it laughed at me and called me a tease. It also told me it planned to torture my soul forever. I’m still shaking. I’ve never experienced one like this before. I’d only been asleep for a few hours when it occurred. While it was occurring, I saw this thing/entity, but now, I couldn’t describe it if I wanted to, just evil…pure evil and terrifying. What it said to me was visual, not vocal, as in the words were spelled out and I could see them on it’s face or something. Ive read a lot about sleep paralysis, but I’m struggling to make any sense out of this one, and the more I try, the more I cry.
I have often experience sleep paralysis since I was a little girl (I am now at my 40’s), and I still continue to do so. I have learned to accept them as they happen, knowing that I am just in this awake-asleep stage. Though it still could scare the hell out of me every time, I am aware that it is just a dream, and I just have to will any part of my body to move to make the dream disappear.
Funny thing is, since often times all I really want is to get back to sleep, I again close my eyes for a second, and then, I experience the sleep paralysis again. It is a continuous cycle for a few minutes, until I would just give up and stand and get myself a glass of water, then I could fall asleep. But oftentimes a hug could make the cycle go away. A hug and a prayer :-)
Hi, My name is Seong and I recently moved to Australia as an international student living in the schools boy boarding house. about 4am the fire alarm in the boarding house went off and all of the stay in boys went out into the open, at about 5am we were allowed back into the dorm, and so I went back to sleep. Next i woke up up being unable to move and it seems as if someone was slowly sitting on my abdomen or chest(Not really sure) luckily my my blanket was blocking my vision. I went back to sleep after that. However not long after that it happened a second time, this time I was either in the Foetus or the Log position as my line of sight was facing sideways, What I saw was a female I presume with grey skin and a scarred face, it most likely is some character I saw from a horror game,movie,or online novels. But what scared me the most was the electric frequency that I heard , normally it would be low in volume and barely audible even when you focus, but I heard it loud and clearly buzzing in my ear, it was at least 10 times as loud as normal. This part particularly scared me as my dad is a firm believer in energy and electric frequency being spirits.Basically Chinese energy,or maybe some aspects if Buddhism(not sure on the Buddhism part as I do not partake in any religions or have any particular interests towards them. All in all it was an extremely scary experience and I hope that someone could explain why the electrical frequency was so loud.
Hey My name is Sandra. Uganda Africa I do experience sleepl palalysis am nearly becoming used to this condition but I usually experience it when I sleep during the day.. It’s not a comfortable situation coz sometimes it freaks me out am always awake ,I hear my neighbours outside talking and I feel like calling for help but unfortunately I can’t move or talk or do anything.. I eventually over come it by telling my self it’s not real calm my nerves and than Goodness I wake up.. Reading here several articles of people who experienced it made me feel good and I know u can over ce it too so if u find yo self in that episode just tell yoself u can do it and it’s not real.. Thanks for reading.. LOVE SANDRA
I was in bed last night with my daughter fast asleep at the side of me, i was watching tv. the next thing i knew there was a man at the side of my bed and it felt like i was stuck i couldnt move, i was trying to shout at him to leave me alone. I could see the tv on and the programme that i was watching, i could also see my daughter asleep. I know i was fighting and in my mind i was shouting at him to leave me alone. Eventually it ended and when he had gone i felt really groggy like i had been drugged im not sure what this was but it scared me and i dont know what happened to me. I would appreciate any help with this.
I experienced this for the second time in my life, about an hour ago. The first time was awful, I literally saw everything happening to me as I thought I was screaming for help but no one could hear me. This last time though, tonight. I went to bed at a decent time. I took my 2 year old cousin and we were asleep by 10 pm. He woke me up at midnight because he had to use the restroom, so I took him and we went back to sleep. Around 2 am I believe is the time I looked when I finally woke up from this horrible experience. I was on my stomach and my face was turned to the side. At first it just felt a little uncomfortable in my surroundings and I tried to get rid of the feeling by moving by by the time I moved I felt my whole body just go numb. It then felt like my blankets were being pulled off of me and I was just going to let it happen, if it was something bad and all it wanted was my blanket it could have it, but then it was much more. It felt like someone or something was sitting on my back between my shoulder blades. So much weight, I couldn’t move. I tried screaming “get off of me” but I had to force myself to scream. But I was only screaming in my mind. Then it was like the more I tried to move and talk the more pressure and as if a hand was in the back on my head and neck with long fingernails going to my scalp the more I was fighting and It felt like a dog sniffing my neck and ears or so really creepy thing or person. So I relaxed my body a bit and I starting praying. Honestly, I haven’t attended church in a long long time. I’ve prayed maybe 5 or 6 times in my entire life, but I was desperate and I was alone and I was horrified. My two year old cousin, happened to roll over and touched my face and I instantly woke up. I immediately, jumped up and turned on every light in my path. I check on my cousin and I being 20 years old at now in bed with my grandparents and my two year old cousin because it was so real and I’m still so afraid to sleep. Like I said, this has happened to me twice but the first time was such a different experience, that this time was extremely mellow.
During sleep paralysis try to be brave and try to recite pray or imagine god picture.
Also you can keep your god picture below your pillow. ?
hello all i had the strangest thing happen to me this morning and i’ve looked and read other possibilities of what transpired this morning and from what all i’ve read doesn’t match what happened to me… last night one of my roommates left his dog in the living room,so i allowed him into my bedroom and he slept besides me.Well round 3am i woke up and both my legs,arms and neck where being pulled all the way back and i tried too gain control,but couldn’t move at all. It kinda felt like someone was on my back and was forcing my legs,arms and head from behind.. it only lasted for bout a min or 2.. But it was the 1st time i’ve experienced something like this…
My dog passed a few weeks ago and last night I felt him run up his steps and jump into bed with me, I heard heavy breathing and it felt like my dog was walking around my in bed, So I called out his name to remind him that I loved him, I really don’t think it was my dog after all, my baby was only 13 pounds and this animal felt like a much bigger animal .. I wouldn’t move or speak so as a child this used to happened to me a lot and my mother always told me to say the Lord’s prayer and it will go away. Since I miss my dog so much and wanted to think that was really him that came to visit me I waiting for awhile I was scared but the power was so strong I started to pray. I really hate to say this part but it felt like this ” thing” was trying to get me to have sex with it .. So I prayed harder and told God that I’m his child and I need protection and I heard it jump off the my bed and leave.
Oh my god!!Yes,you are not alone!!I’ve had this happen to me repeatedly all this week,on god!!It felt as if soneone was sitting on me AND like touching me sexually on my back!!!??I picture a cross in my mind and it get mad and gos away but the pressure gets stronger!
Last night around 3:30am I began to wake up slowly but my body remained paralyzed. As I began to wake, I knew that I had been having a bad dream. I couldn’t recall any visuals from my dream, just an overwhelming sensation of fear. As I drifted into a more conscience state, my eyes began to open slowly and I was starting to become aware of my surroundings. I could clearly hear my roommate coming home from work (I’m an incredibly deep sleeper in general, normally I would never hear him coming home), and I was aware that I was lying in bed next to my boyfriend. I realized that I was lying on my back, so I was desperately trying to flip over to my side. Waking up with this incredible fear has happened to me before, and I remembered that flipping to my side made the fear go away somehow. I still wasn’t fully awake though and I couldn’t move or kick this fear that seemed to totally engulf me. I was completely stuck, neither completely awake nor asleep. I could see a little girl in the corner of our bedroom, she had a pale face and darker hair and she was wearing black. She wasn’t doing anything, just standing there staring at our bed. Her image seemed to flicker a bit but that’s all. By this point I was beyond terrified, I tried to kick and scream but my body was too heavy to do anything. I felt like I was being choked by I don’t even know what, and I tried so hard to move but I just couldn’t. I began to scream my boyfriends name, I remembered I screamed it several times, I guess inside of my head, before my voice came to me and I was able to actually scream his name loud enough so that we could both fully wake up and he could turn on the light. I’ve had this happen to me before, but it’s typically just the scared feeling that isn’t accompanied by visuals or the choking sensation. Scary stuff!
Wow. My experience was very similar to this. But the girl was in fetal position and was in all white. And my fight mode came on and I starting beating her up but turned out to be nothing there. This was an out of body experience by the way.
I’ve had a few incidents but thankfully not often. The worst by far was one night upon waking from a nightmare I lay in bed eyes open & instantly got the feeling of a presence. I looked around & as soon as I lay my eyes on the bottom of my bed, a man dressed in a white vest, tight jeans & what looked like a stocking over his head. (Like a demon I guess you could say) was sitting looking at me, he seemed to catch on I could see him & he immediately started threatening to rape & kill me. He was pulling at my blankets & my legs. I tried to kick him & was all the while hoping that he hasn’t hurt my family in the house as well. As I fought him he grabbed my arm, at this point everything went black. As if I fainted. When I came around (not sure how much time had passed) I was in a panic & got up. My door was ajar & could see light streaming in. I met up with my mum who was having a late night cup of tea. She told me I was as white as a sheet. Since then I’ve had a man get into my bed & hold me like he was my boyfriend, even speaking a foreign language in my ear. Obviously terrified & numb but I found mouthing the words “f#&koff!!” Really helped. Sorry about the language but that’s how I handled my last experience.
I have a kitten. She was up running rampant all night. At some point I was aware that she was up on the bed romping around but I didn’t move because that just gets her excited. Suddenly something much larger and animal like jumped up from the bottom of the bed but I couldn’t see what because I couldn’t lift my head. Simultaneously the kitten jumps sky high ( I could see her she was on my chest) and then leaps off the bed. Whatever was down below then jumps off too! I am terrified it is going to get her but can’t move for another 30 seconds. Second time in a month something has jumped on my bed. I can feel the bed move and the weight of the animal. Terrifying!
Hi everyone my name is Elyssia and I’m 19 years old. About an hour ago I had the most horrifying experience. I was up on the phone with my friend and suddenly fell asleep. I had a dream that I was in my room and my blow dryer turned on and I unplugged it and it kept going, began to spark and all the power went off in my room. I proceeded to call for my mother and she came but suddenly disappeared and I woke up. After I woke up I called to my friend on the phone and they were still on the line and I dozed into a second dream but this time it was like my eyes were used as a window to another place. My eyes were completely open but I was taken to a dark beach with some kind of memorial with a large chair made out of sand and a bunch of comic books and toys that a little boy would have. Somehow my friend I was on the phone with moved the chair without being there and a little boy’s name came into my mind that I’ve never heard of before. I than said to my friend “the little boy’s name” doesn’t want you to move his chair. After this I suddenly realized that I was taken to some kind of memorial where a little boy must have past away. I kept calling out my friends name about 3 times and than my body went into a complete shock. I was back in my bedroom and was seeing Sparks before my eyes and my room was shaking, I couldn’t move and felt like I couldn’t breathe, my heart was pounding. The door knob on my closet started shaking, I felt like someone or something was coming for me. I suddenly woke up and immediately started to cry, the little boy’s name disappeared from my mind and I explained what had happened to my friend on the phone and asked if they heard me calling their name and they told me they only heard me gasping a few times making out the word help. I’ve had minor experiences before but nothing like this one..it was so real, I’m scared to fall back asleep again.
I’ve experienced sleep paralysis 3x in my life. The first was a few months ago. It wasn’t super horrifying but I still felt fear. I woke up with my jaw shaking and feeling very strong vibrations in my head. It’s like my brain has a vibrating cellphone in it. And I tried to move, but I can’t. I don’t now if my eyes were actually open, but I’m fully aware of my surroundings. I tried to scream but no voice would come out from my mouth and it was very difficult to move my lips. Then I tried to move my finger. I had to put all my strength in moving it though. When I did, I regained consciousness and I can move again.
I felt extreme terror when I experienced my 2nd sleep paralysis. It occurred just last Saturday. The same things happened to me, my brain was still vibrating, except I now hallucinated. I dreamed I was in my room, still lying on my bed, and as if a big face of a melting doll was in front of me and was looking at me. I feel as if something was trying to possess me. In my dream I was already praying. I could not move and I was shouting but no voice would come out. In my dream I fell from my bed and my body was spinning on the floor. But I am fully aware that in reality, I was still on my bed and not moving. Suddenly I was able to move my head and I regained consciousness. I woke up feeling very terrified.
The 3rd experience wasn’t as horrifying as my 2nd. It occurred last Sunday, a day after I experienced my 2nd paralysis. It was in the afternoon. I fell asleep while reading a book. I still felt vibrations in my head as if I have a vibrating phone in it. Then I felt as if someone or something was rolling my body back and forth and I can’t stop myself from rolling on the bed. Then someone knocked on my door and I regained consciousness.
I’m trying to have healthy sleep habits by minimizing my coffee intake, since I’ve had trouble sleeping due to too much coffee.
Thank you for all the tips I’ve read in this blog. I’ll try to apply some of them. I hope they work.
I have sleep paralysis since I remember and it had always scared me, until I understood the scientifical explanation behind it, since then anytime I experienced it, I’m able to remain calm because I realize that I’m not dying and I can still breath, and the “demons” in the room are just my imagination, but that feeling of calm didn’t last long, after I was finally “ok” with sleep paralysis, and I felt I could handle it, I started experiencing something completely different, I wake up paralyzed, feeling a demon holding me down, but now I can scape, immediately from the bed, and walk around my house, and I can see whatever Monster is in my room and I’m able to grab them and push them out of my room; it feels like I leave my body on the bed, and I can see really clear, around me, but I know I’m not awake, so I spend the next 10 minutes looking for somebody within my dreams to go to my room, and start shaking or slapping my body, so I could go back into it and wake up, the problem, is that while I’m in that state I get confused and sometimes can’t tell if I’m awake or asleep.
I was recently a victim of a sleep paralysis episode. I am a 15 year old female. It scared me so bad. My brain woke up but I could barely even open my eyes. I didnt get any feelings of something that wasny there but I had hallucinations and lucid dreams that were so vivid they may as well have been real mixed with reality. The hallucinations scared me like a really bad nightmare and when I tried to get up to turn my light on I discovered I couldn’t move. I tried so hard to move my body but I physically couldn’t. It was like I had some sort of mental block. I couldn’t even make any noise. I couldn’t cry or scream for help, which scared me even more. Aftwr about 15 minutes of this hellish experience I was able to move and turn my light on and the hallucinations stopped. But then I cried. For hours. Starting at 4 am. It was the scariest thing I’d ever been through and now I will not let myself fall asleep for fear of that terrible paralysis occurring again.
Last night I have a very unusual experience, many people in my family refuse to believe it accept my mother, she has experienced a similar sleep paralysis before. I woke up at about 2am confused whether I was in a dream state or reality as I had believed I was texting on my phone when I was not. After this realisation I discovered I was awake. I attempted to move but figured I could not move any part of my body, I felt an eery feeling that something was leaning over me touching my face and I panicked. I did not let myself lie there and be afraid I used every will in my body to escape and to move, doing so I managed to drag myself right out of my body, when I looked back I saw myself lying on the bed eyes open with a strange looking creature making eye contact, every time I let go of the ground I felt myself being pulled back into my body, to move any body part was a struggle and pained me. I used equipment in my room to pull myself determined to go into my auntie. I saw her sitting up reading a book but she didn’t see me I jumped off the ground to land on her but failed I screamed and screamed but I couldn’t get anything out of my mouth and she couldn’t hear me. I than snapped back into my body and woke up. I went straight into my auntie where she was sitting up reading the book I had just seen her read in my dream. Did I experience a real outer body experience? Every second I pulled away from my body I felt sicker and weaker, feeling as if I had just done a severe swim when I woke up. Terrorfied to sleep tonight.
To come out of sleep-paralyzis I struggle hard to open my eyes, when I am able to open them I have to struggle to keep them open, however it is hard……. generally I go back to the same state I came from & I have to work on it again…… once I am able to open my eyes again I may succeed in keeping my eyes open….. after a while I am able to resume normal sleep!
Just had my first experience of it about 40 minutes ago. I stayed up for 31 hours and last night I went to bed about 10pm. I woke up the first time at 8:30am and wrote down the dream I had in my dream journal. After finishing I set an alarm for 11 and went back to sleep, I then wake up to darkness with the inability to move or speak. I tried calling my friends name but words weren’t coming out. I saw waves of darkness, like the pitch black I was seeing was moving in a wave motion. I also felt several hands press down on my blanket at random times. It turns out I was completely under my blanket, and I’m very thankful for it, but also a little mad I didn’t get to see anything frightening… Not sure how I got out of it but I want it to happen at least a couple more times.
I’m 19 and I’ve been dealing with this for awhile so I get used to it and I can’t move unless somebody say name or touch me, but today this time it was different it was something I’ve never experinced. I already had bad dreams at this point and I woke up and I was trying to fight to wake up. I fought it for about a good 30 seconds and i felt something grab me and close my eyes and it was a sound going through my head like somebody was there and I made a sound at first it wasn’t coming out then somebody that was laying beside turned around and touched me and I finally woke up. I felt something was there and I know it is.
Last night I had very weird dreams with a lot of elements of sleep paralysis. I slept in the room where I used to have such sleep paralysis attacks last year. This year when I began to sleep in that room again in the end of the May, nearly 10 months after the last sleeping in that room, everything seemed OK. And there were no troubles untill last night.
I am nighthawk, often spent late night reading books, listening to music. The last night I was reading book from 2am to 4am, I had to read War and Peace to the end, only few pages remained. While I was reading I fell asleep, so I ended reading and started to sleep. Soon after I fell asleep, I heard my mom and brother are walking upstairs, my brother shouted something to my mom, he seemed to be quite angry with her, and he went in probably his bedroom. My mom went in my room and she was watching me how I sleep. In the physical world our dog is ill last week, so was in that dreams. I turned myself 90 degrees, my legs were on the floor, I was so sure I’m not dreaming. I felt like my mom and brother went upstairs to my bedroom and the living room because of our dog. Before the dreams started my mom really went upstairs, but as she told me after the dreams, she didn’t go upstairs again. Also not in my room.
And now THE SCARIEST part of these dreams. I felt some hands on me, they were probably male ones. I felt somebody was caressing my body, I was turned to the wall, this caressing was quite unpleasant, like burglar wants to carry me out of the room and kidnap me. I was unable to see that person because I was paralysed. I wanted to see the face of that person. I felt afraid, my mom will be afraid in the morning because I will be missing. That person wasn’t only caressing me, but it also had some libid instints, I felt it was leaning over my body to kiss my face. The person was behind me, my face was turned against the wall. Suddenly I woke up, breathing hard for a half minute. Outside was lighter, the day was beginning. I almost didn’t move in the physical state, so that turning for 90° was astral movement. But I was shocked because I had sleep paralysis again, first time after the last summer, when I was often sleeping in that room. I will have to sleep in the living room, where I nearly don’t have sleep paralysis. Last June I had one in that living room. It’s interesting I used to have pleasant astral dreams in the living room some monthe ago, where I was leading my body through the room, once I found myself on the road under our house about 1990, when the road was still macadam path, I also lucidly saw my late father that December, about 10 years after his death. But my bathroom is quite more unpleasant and unexpecpectedly gives me a lot of sleep paralysis attacks. In the afternoon, when I have siesta, everything is normal in my bedroom, the sleeping is quite pleasant, the problems are only the nights. The sleep paralysis attacks began in the springtime 2015, then no problems until the last summer, when they were quite often and also violent. This year this sleep paralysis is the first one.
I mean “But my bedroom is quite more unpleasant and unexpecpectedly gives me a lot of sleep paralysis attacks.”
I had such experience, it went on for a month, it stopped after i used holly water all over the apartment. It was horrible, it started with specific noise on the walls, then the same story, “demon” laying on me preventing me from standing up. One of the times I woke up and I felt it on my back, I tried to do a push up, I moved a little then it pushed me down, I managed to turn somehow, it was standing near me on the bed, it was laughing, a small creature, with sharp teeth and dark eyes it was. I asked a friend to sleep in the same room with me one night because I was ruined, I didn’t sleep for days. He didn’t believe me of course, but in the morning he told me that he heard the same noise, which marked the beginning of the horror. I use holly water every year on my apartment, now everything is OK. For me this was the scariest experience of my life.
It’s 11.51 pm almost midnight am visiting my dads house his no longer alive ..I been sleeping in his room every since my visit for the at week ..and tonight I was shocked and felt a heavy feeling on top of my body ,I was shouting for my brother he could not hear ..it went on for 50 seconds ..I tried to wake up ..it pushed me back down …it felt like someones presence, very scary ..I now have swopen rooms with m brother I will sleep with the light on ..doubt I will even fall asleep again the last time this happened was last year in a hotel on vacation …felt like a lady was pulling me of the bed I hate this feeling and experience .thank for this page .god bless and protect everysingel one of you .
It never ends for most
I have had sleep paralysis all my life my Stated as a very young child the only part of my dreams I enjoy is the flying visiting different places , I got to where I don’t let it effect my sleep as much anymore at one point throughout growing up I got to where Id completely refuse sleep
At night i have always had this question on my mind can you assist in an answer how come the paralysis never hit Dearing the day ? I do sleep some better now . Gauss kinda use to what type of demons or angels will appear in the dark , the one that still stops my heart is the dark shadow with the red eyes that’s the only one I hate seeing in my paralysis state of mind I gave him a name I call him the old soul made of darkness
I write books ect upon all my dreams
Anything that I hear under paralysis I write in a book or in poems I noticed when I pray in my paralysis state of mind it anger’s the old soul he fights me that much harder and I pray that much deeper the more I pray the faster I awake one thing I am blessful for what good comes out of these dark dreams is writing and I stop sleep walking it was really scary waking up in the middle of the night outside . good luck to you all may God bless you all my paralysis never ends I don’t think there is a cure
It’s nice to see I’m not alone lol I use to think something was trying to take over my mind body and soul . now I just like oh no again tonight . I enjoy reading here and I have every symptoms an experience every single episode that was placed in here that you ‘all all speak of on nightly basis if I’m lucky I’ll get one night without the paralysis episodes that’s almost never it just gets worse with each night . The only cure that I know that there is just learn how to cope
I am 20 years old and this has happened to me about 6 times now. It started about 2 years ago and I had no idea what it was. I only realised what is was after about the 3rd time it happened to me and I was watching a movie with mum that had sleep paralysis in it. It completely opened my eyes to what was happening to me!
I usually wake up early hours of the morning after having a nightmare and lay in bed not being able to move. I get the “Demon” feeling, that there is something in my bedroom and I’m too terrified to move, and can’t even if I wanted to.
It takes me a few minutes to calm my brain down and try to not be petrified and realise that there is nothing there. Once I calm myself down then I focus on my body. I firstly try and move my fingers and hands and then work it around my body, until I am able to move and then quickly get up and turn on a light.
It always takes me a while to calm down fully and go back to sleep. I wish I didn’t get this, because I don’t get scared easily at all! I love all scary movies, I study psychology and criminology and nothing really makes me scared or freaked out these days. But when this happens to me it is like every nerve in my entire body is petrified and cant move and is so scared. I hate the feeling.
It is good to know that other people suffer from sleep paralysis too and that they are only feelings in my body that I am able to slowly control.
It happened to me last night and I woke up about 2am and was able to get out of it a bit quicker then usual. So hopefully that is a sign that I will be able to control my body and the fear a bit better in the future
I am 51 and I just had my experience of sleep paralyisis last night. I was sleeping on my stomach and I felt like i was in the loo at the same tiime I am unsure where I was but I felt two arms come around my shoulder and hold my hands down from behind. Initally i gave in a bit and the arms just kept tightening I felt they were womans arms but suddenly I got the feeling they were a mans arms and i imagined a cloaked figure. This was the moment my brain started thinking is this how people die in their sleep give in and into that darkness so I fought back and it was not that hard to pry myself free I almost felt as if it allowed me to do that. Next thing i know I am pushing my face off the pillow and struggling to get in an upward position.
Now i dont know about demons or anything like that but it definitely felt like a cloaked dark figure behind me and it was scary.
I got up put on the lights and sat up till 6 am listening to prayers on the lap top and felt a bit better it was not onmy chest it was on my back i felt this as i was sleeping on my stomach
Does anyone have this when falling asleep?
Ive exsperenced this before last one i had must of been 10 months ago but tonight i had this tonight 30 mins ago. Thanks for the help
I use to have this happen to me. I luckily sleep on my stomach so I don’t see any demons, but I always feel a presence of something hovering over my back and a sense of pressure pushing down on me. My eyes are open but I can’t move or speak at all, usually last 5 to 10 seconds.
I haven’t had it happen since I read about Sleep Paralysis and understand what going on with the body. I feel for anybody that sees demons, that has to be horrendous because you know your awake and not dreaming.