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.
I was lightly dozing on my side when I felt a heavy weight upon me. A patch of static electricity was running down my back, like stroking me over and over. I could not open one eye, feeling that something was holding it shut, but the other was wide open. I used a great effort to raise my body up and turn over. The heaviness and static departed and I could open both eyes. I decided to get off the bed and walk around for a while.
Stella about the same occurrence happened to me this morning. I have suffered from sleep paralysis since I was little. Today was totally different. I kept going in and out of sleep this morning when I felt a strong presence jump on the bed and placed all their weight on me. I tried to open my eyes several times but it felt like someone was holding them shut. Finally, after 2 minutes I was about to open them but not move any part of my body for another 2 mins. This was a very scary occurrence.
Can you tell me more about your experience….could you hear static noise too?
I had this very exact experience early hours of this morning and it was frightening.
I laid on my side…I was already half-awake as my alarm had gone off. I suddenly could hear static and I was paralyzed. I felt crawling around my body and dropped an enormous weight on my back as if it were “spooning” me. When it stroked my back and my arms I felt static energy patches…
I work night shift, and after my shift one morning, I came home and went to bed. My husband was at work (he works days). I was sleeping on my stomach and at some point I woke up. I knew something was in the room, I knew I was scared but I couldn’t move. My eyes were open and looking at my closet, but I couldn’t move, and I could hear my dog sit up. Then it was like I was drugged and I went back to sleep, almost like when you have surgery. I woke up remembering everything.
I have experienced many of these in my lifetime, it is always a demonic/evil being. A few of them I’ve believed it was Satan himself. Laughing at me, talking to me. The experience of each one is getting worse and worse. I had one last night and it was the most terrifying yet! This one, the being actually gripped my arm and was pulling me from my bed while taunting me, laughing, being nasty. I could actually feel his long nails digging into my skin. I felt as if my husband recognized my plight, and they were playing tug of war with me. This most recent one has left me extremely terrified.
Whoa, I totally understand. I couldn’t really breathe and all I heard was laughing and whispering. I felt like demons were snickering because I couldn’t move.
I had this same experience, it kept repeating “do you still believe in your god now” and I was trying so hard to say yes. It took me forever to get back to the real world
I’ve been experiencing sleep paralysis for a few years now. At first only if I fell asleep on my back but now it doesn’t matter it just happens whenever. Are usually try to wiggle my head and then I could get my whole body to wiggle and that will wake me up. Tonight it happened to me four times in a row each time I was able to get my body to wiggle and then I could get up but every time I go to far back asleep it would happen again. The hallucinations are crazy while this is happening the last time does happen tonight I felt like my head was falling off the back of something maybe a wall or building something high up that’s how I felt. Good luck to any of you guys that are having this.
I saw my hand in a dream trying to push a demon away from me. He was naked and I could see it was a man. I attempted to pull his penis from his body but I couldn’t move my hand. My body was paralyzed. That’s when I woke up and saw him kneeling on top of my body almost in a position of urinating. That’s when I screamed “Jehova”. It’s a name connected to God and It worked. The figure disappeared. It woke my daughter who was also sleeping on the bed. I turned the light on and tried to sleep. When I felt sleepy again I turned the light off but soon turned it on again because the cat wouldn’t stop crying. Eventually, I was able to fall back asleep again. This happened about two nights ago around 3am. My one and only experience of this kind. Definitely paralysis of the body.
Yea, I always say Jesus about 3 times and then I can wake up.
My sleep paralysis story
I sleep on my stomach a lot. I had recently decided to read my bible & listen to more Christian messages on YouTube before bed. I had been doing laundry and cleaning the house all night and comfortably went to bed. I was a bit antsy, felt nervous for no reason and couldn’t get situated. I closed my eyes & drifted off to sleep.
Boom boom boom boom boom! I heard what sounded like someone running up or down the stairs. Immediately I woke and could see out my bedroom door into the living room. I started to get up and run in there to see what it was. I lifted my head off the pillow and immediately felt something lay on top of me. Something so heavy, I knew I couldn’t fight it. Like a steamroller that quickly started at my legs, over my back, and pinned my shoulders down to the bed. I was still looking towards the living room when I heard a voice. My eyes grew large and fear set in as I heard a demonic whisper say “Your girl ran.” …
It was right in my ear. I could feel the breath on my ear. It felt that close. Terrifying. I looked at the clock & it was 1:01am. So it was at exactly 1:00am when it took place.
Immediately I called out the name of Jesus. With the side of my head stuck to the pillow and my eyes about to bug out of my skull, I kept saying “Jesus”. For about 5 seconds I could do nothing but feel that weight on my back. In a split second I was released and was able to get up. It was so real, I realized I was wide awake and I’m writing about it now because it just happened. It was by far the most terrified and helpless I’ve ever been. I don’t know what “Your girl ran.” means, but just typing that again and re-hearing that makes me shiver with fright. Scared to go back to sleep. Absolutely terrifying.
I’ve had several over the years with gaps in between of these sleep paralysis demon experiences. Recently I had one a few nights ago. I was lying on my right side in bed, and was falling into deep sleep, then suddenly I felt something jump on my left shoulder; then heard it hovering around my head. As it hovered around my head I heard it making these creepy animal like noises. I imagined it to be a small gargoyle with wings. I couldn’t move, I prayed inside my head over and over to Jehovah God to cast out this demon, and suddenly it was gone, and I awoke in the middle of the night, and told my husband about my experience. I know it must be demons. I’m a Devout Christian woman, whose always in God’s word, and always talking about God and Jesus. I’m married to a man that has issues with alcohol. Recently I found that he chews tobacco. The demons are attracted to people who have addictions.
Renea
I have been having these dreams since I was a kid but it’s become more regular and scarier as an adult. Just last week I dreamt I woke in bed and there was someone standing in the room then they crawled over to my bed and started grabbing at my feet. I couldn’t move but I could scream for help. I kept yelling at my boyfriend to get this guy off of my feet. When I woke up my boyfriend said I was really screaming those things and he didn’t know what was going on.
I’ve had sleep paralysis since I was a child. As a child I wasn’t terrified of it because I wasn’t experiencing hallucinations. As of 2015 it started getting worse I would have it almost every night I be in a state and feel like claws on my body it really terrified me when I first heard that evil voice whisper in my ear the voice sounded so clear it spoke English I was trying to block out what it was saying. I have sleep paralysis at least several times a month just had an episode Sunday it’s supernatural It feels like a spiritual attack it terrifies me to sleep it be times I’m fatigued try to doze off I feel a hypnic jerk on the right side of my face it startles me I’ve also had exploding head syndrome while dozing it feels like a gunshot going off in my head I think it’s all connected to Sleep Paralysis when I call Jesus during it I be feeling like I’m being shaken it’s real if I never experienced it I wouldn’t believe it Thanks 4 letting me share my experience
My experience is similar. I remember having my first episode as a toddler literally sleeping between my parents. As I got older I remember having sleep paralysis in school, on an airplane, at a friend’s house. To date, I experience sleep paralysis a few times each month. I’m relieved when I can go a few weeks without. I used to feel the pressure in my lower abdomen now its more in my upper chest area. When it’s really bad it can occur 2-3 times in one night. Over the past few years when I call the name “Jesus” I feel the same shaking in my head every time. I look at it now from a scientific standpoint and I hope there’s some natural relief to sleep paralysis. Drinking water before bed seems to help me. It’s extremely annoying. Also, counting helps me to relax while timing it. Eventually, I plan on seeing a sleep specialist. All the best to you and anyone else who shares any similarity. We’ll be alright.
I wanted to like your comment but I couldn’t lol here is your like 👍
I woke up at 4 almost 5 in the morning to something near my bedroom door whispering it was coming for me, that it was time for me to come with it. I felt my boyfriend next to me & when I tried to nudge him I realized I couldn’t move. I tried to yell his name but no words came out my mouth, all while this Thing was still whispering. I kept hearing the floor creak as it got closer. I couldn’t move, I couldn’t scream the only thing I could feel was the fear in my heart that was getting heavier by the second. When I heard the floor creak almost next to me I stopped trying to scream and said a prayer calling on the name of The Lord. I finally woke up and realized my boyfriend was gone. I grabbed my phone so I could use the flashlight & when I have seen the time I knew he had to have been gone for at least 20 mins. I called him & he was already almost at work. He stayed on the phone with me until I calmed down. I couldn’t stop crying, I never felt so much fear in my heart. I grabbed my iPad and researched why I experienced this.
I have been experiencing the same dreams or nightmares or something just yakking at my covers. I have a numbness throughout my body. I seem to think that I can actually see my room making me think I am awake. I am at a loss I don’t know what to do.
I know just how you feel. I’m sorry we all have to deal with this.
I have been having these episodes where I feel like someone is in my room with me and that my air conditioner has an evil demon in it talking to me. I can’t move or speak and it frightens me. Last night it felt like someone had climbed in my body which everywhere on my body was tingly and that I was being pulled down my bed. I was paralyzed with fright. I couldn’t tell out for help and then all of the sudden it stopped. My hair was standing up on my arms. I slept with the light on. I’m so glad to be reading these comments cuz I don’t feel alone. This is the first time I am speaking out about it.
I was lying on my sofa reading when I accidentally dozed off.
I suddenly opened my eyes and realized I couldn’t move. Both my hands were being held down at the wrists. I felt like something was trying to pull my soul(?) out of my body. I kept saying the prayer “Our Father” because I was extremely scared. At one point I heard a group of low voices chanting something next to me although I couldn’t see anything. My first (irrational) thought was that they were trying to steal my soul. As I prayed I suddenly felt a surge of energy through me. The chanting stopped and I could move just my fingers if I tried very hard. But the bad feeling came back after a few seconds and I was completely frozen again.
I kept praying and screaming (inside my head because I couldn’t move) and finally I woke to realize that I had been asleep the entire time.
Funny thing is, I’ve had an experience of sleep paralysis before where I couldn’t move but I had never felt anyone else or heard any voices before. I hadn’t been scared that time. There was something definitely different this time from my previous experience.
Last night I felt like I was in a very deep sleep when all of a sudden I “woke up” and couldn’t move at all. I quickly realized this was sleep paralysis and decided not to worry. I knew I’d eventually “fall back asleep” if I just prayed and stayed calm. But then I felt a body up against mine. I was laying on my side and it felt like a demon was literally cuddling me. And then I heard a very low shaky voice whisper in my ear. It was whispering gibberish and breathing heavily. I could feel the warmth of its breath on my ear and everything. I was thinking to myself that this is weird and horrible, but its just sleep paralysis and it will be over soon. But then it clearly said to me “I can hear your thoughts.” That scared me really bad so I was able to very quickly open my eyes and look at my wall with all my posters and I suddenly was truly awake and could move. The “demon” thing was gone but this situation has left me spooked due to how realistic it all was. Has anyone else vividly heard and felt the “evil presence” during SP before or was there a real demon with me.
Hey guys if you ever get sleep paralysis …I know it’s scary but look up some sleep paralysis memes …. they usually help me laugh and make it seem less scary. take care you guys.
I’ve had two experiences in my life the first one didn’t make any sense cause I was awake and I was anywhere from 6 to 9 years old at the time I woke up got out of bed in the morning went to my mom’s room saw this big yellow man kinda like what you would see in a thermal scope he rushed at me I was scared I crouched and covered my head and after a few moments I took my hands off my head and looked up he was gone I don’t feel like that was sleep paralysis but I had to share my experience but the second time I had it I was sleeping on the couch and I didn’t feel any presence or out of body when I woke but my face was in the pillow and I couldn’t move I was suffocating and literally screaming into my pillow to wake up I couldn’t breathe eventually I came to and snapped out of it and got up and was breathing really heavy.
I found your website because I had an experience last night. I was sleeping on my side with my right arm extended over my head. I felt a not very friendly presence pull on it and it felt like it wanted to draw out my spirit. I started fighting it with my mind. It stopped and started again. I saw one of my cats in the midst of the tussle. I picked her up to protect her with my left hand. Then I commanded the being to stop by the power of Jesus and it let go and slipped away. I woke up and had to walk around a bit. I have never used Jesus to aide me like that before. I will from now on if it happens again. It was really scary. I thought it wanted to kill me. Thanks for posting this article it helps me feel less alone. That others have similar experiences.
I used to meditate before going to sleep however I started having night terrors or lucid dreams. I really enjoyed having lucid dreams which is why I would meditate before going to sleep, but last night I had my second sleep paralysis which scared me really bad.
I heard knocking, desperate knocking, at the front door and that’s how I “woke up” and I tried to wake my husband but I couldn’t talk so in my sleep I “went back to sleep” trying to ignore the knocking. The knocking started again even louder and I heard someone saying “maintenance” and they opened the door next thing I see is a black figure walking into our room with a flashlight and moving our covers and trying to pull me out of the bed. All I could do was look at my husband sleeping next to me. Somehow I was able to tell myself this is a sleep paralysis just breath, I started breathing and was finally able to wake up my husband still thinking there was someone in the room.
I have had other times when I go through a sleep paralysis but they had not scared me as much as this one. I guess I’m more scared about humans than ghost or demons 🤷🏻♀️
This just happened like 15 minutes ago. I felt my head lift up very gently and my pillow was moved out from under my head and my head was set back down very gently. And I woke up and put my pillow back and that’s when it happened a really loud ringing sound in my ear and a loud pop. I started to scream but nothing came out. And I started hearing deep voices. One said “open your eyes” and the other very angrily said “breathe” and a few seconds later I woke up. I used to get SP every day, I’d sometimes get it while awake during the day. This is the first time in a week that it’s happened. I did the complete opposite of what the voices said, I squeezed my eyes shut and I held my breath, but whilst trying to keep my eyes shut it was almost as if something was trying to force them open. The same thing happens to my aunt but her blankets get pulled off her.
I want to understand, it’s been a while but it happened again. My body was elevated in my sleep and I can see my family there trying to bring it down. I started hearing myself praying. This is the second time I have experienced it but it’s been a while and I wanted to understand why that happens. I know that we all at some point have SP going on I just never heard of anyone having it like me. Can someone explain?
Omg reading all these comments i don’t feel as alone..ive had this condition most of my life and i even though it scares me to death i just keep it to myself..until now. Lately they are becoming frequent and since the latest one last week im like im in the nightmare on elm street movie trying to stay awake..its making me very ill..i felt something on me and i saw an outline of hair right near my face. I heard laughing and my hands at some point went up in the air as if i was fighting it off then they were pinned back down and i was frozen and screaming but it wouldn’t couldn’t out if that makes sense! There was something else there also on the right hand side. My eyes rolling back and too frozen but blurry. It lasted a long time then when it finally all stopped..i jumped up banged on all the lights and i was breathless my heart racing i started to cry..it was horrible i cant forget it and im so scared of my room now..i dont know what to do.
I think I am officially going insane. I’ve had this happens to me ever since I was 13 I’m 22 now. But what happened last night I can’t get over it. I experienced SP and felt my soul leave my body and legit saw myself laying there. There’s was someone else in the room taking control of me. When I woke up I started to cry because it was an overwhelming sensation. I called my boyfriend and had him on the line with me. I fell “asleep” again happened to me again but it got much worse. I honestly can’t tell if it my mind playing tricks in me. But I was fully awake and saw every little game this other ‘thing’ that’s was in the room with me do. From trying to be me and telling my boyfriend “babe babe” to legit seeing this thing but my phone on mute so my boyfriend won’t hear a thing. Standing beside me and behind me tapping on my chest. I was screaming to please stop but all she did was laugh.
I wish I could tell the difference between reality and a vivid dream.
seems like they get worse every time.
No your not going insane please don’t think like that you will end up sick..im the same and im on the right side of 50..just about lol ..most of my life since my early teens never telling anyone….they are getting worse..it made me do a ouija board on my own..what the heck have i done..pls see my post if you can find it…after looking into things paranormal wise and bearing in mind I’ve always been sceptical. But i now know I’m an empath also..i wish you luck take good care
Well I am not really good in speaking English. I am 17 but I can remember seeing something like a demon entering my room smiling at me and I can’t move I became dumb I try shouting but I can’t. I couldn’t shout or do anything it looks like It lasted for hours This happened around last year and it makes me remember when I am young I can’t remember my age but i will be around 6 or 7 I sleep in-between my mum and dad and I could remember dreaming clearly of being chased by a leopard or some kinds of animal and I couldn’t run fast. I always feel like something is holding my legs and I couldn’t even move at all. It happen years after years with different teens chasing me like mad man-animals and so many more.
My husband leaves for work around 4:00 am every day for work. I usually wake up at the same time to make him some coffee before he leaves. So I was up and after he left I told my sister to come down and sleep with me. we were talking about “Freemasons” & how supposedly the have young kids trafficking them and we were up talking about it. my sister later ended up falling asleep, I was awake or so I thought I was awake. out of nowhere I’m looking directly at my closet and saw some towels fall out of my closet, I got scared and then saw some papers flying. I thought i was going crazy. then I saw my water bottle right next to me table bed moving and going up in the air. my body felt paralyzed and I couldn’t speak I felt like I was screaming inside. I was trying to speak and say ” The blood of Christ has the power” and I couldn’t speak my lips felt glued to each other I felt a tightness in my body. I knew felt a bad presence in my room. I then later felt my voice screaming inside me and I reacted and all of a sudden didn’t feel tight or paralyzed anymore. I quickly looked over to my sister and thought she had heard me scream but she didn’t she was still asleep. I felt like a crazy person I didn’t know what it was I had gone through but I know I wasn’t dreaming. I was wide awake!! Does anyone know if this was actually sleeping paralysis or just something else?
Hi Kelsey.. I feel you..its horrible isn’t it…but wow what happened to you..sounds a terrible experience..bless you. I’ve posted my story
Mel 😇
The same thing happened to me last night I don’t think it has any to do with sp to be honest I’m a man and I was scared to death I was awake on the laying down I felt something or someone holds me down with there hands I tried to talk but I couldn’t I tried to move but I couldn’t I felt like I was screaming n side it was a scary experience maybe one day soon someone will figure this out
I have experienced similar phenomena to your experience on several occasions. I would wake up in the middle of the night, half-paralyzed. Then I’d see flashing lights outside the blinds of my window, as if a train were passing by it, so bright they were visible through my flapping curtain. The sporadic/rhythmic lights would illuminate the ceiling, which was covered in papers that were seemingly being held up/pushed up there by a ceaseless gust, I could see them rippling as the lights flashed from my window. But above all, the strangest thing was something I’ve heard being referred to as “exploding head syndrome”, though the definition of this word has changed over the years for whatever reason. I would feel a growing pressure in the center of my head, and a ringing in the ears that gradually increased in strength and pitch. I actually thought that I was going to go deaf. It also felt like wind blowing in my ears. It eventually all faded away. This has happened a multitude of times, though not as frequently anymore. At that time, I was recording and remembering a lot of my dreams, I could remember up to 17 on a good night, after this whole exploding head business I stopped recording and remembering them, possibly out of fear/dissuasion. If it couldn’t get any weirder, when I explained what had happened to my mother, I was 17 at the time, she experienced the same exact phenomena after a nap at dusk, though she claimed she felt that it was a presence or entity that was the cause of it, which she felt “entered the room”, moving towards her. I felt it to be more impersonal, but who knows. Really weird stuff.
I’ve experienced sleep paralysis before back when i was probably about 16 years old. Im 21 now and what i experienced tonight was so terrifying that i had to come to google and read other stories. I fell asleep around 10:00pm And at about 12:30am is when I woke up stuck and afraid.
Honestly, i don’t even remember what i was dreaming about before i found myself staring at what appeared to look like me. Im glad it wasn’t anything extremely petrifying to look at but Obviously it wasn’t me and it just took the shape of me which is still pretty scary. it wasn’t hovering over me or touching me it was standing on the side of the bed watching me with its head cocked to the side and every time i would peek at whatever it was it would get closer and closer and its face started to shift and its mouth got wider and drooped so low as if it was shifting back into its true forum. I felt like my eyes were open and i could vividly see this being but its no way possible because i saw the door being opened as well and thats how that thing got in but when i opened my eyes the door was shut. My sister was also asleep next to me and i remember grabbing her foot trying to wake her up and i kid you not i felt it all but when I finally woke up her foot was under the cover and she didn’t feel me touching her at all. And what makes it even weirder is that while i was experiencing this she was having a nightmare as well. But what she saw was completely different.
Just last night I had a manly figure, He woke me up, or something did, and turned my whole upper body, so I was leaning on my side, on my arm propping myself up/ I turned my face or head toward him, or something helped, to help me lock eyes on and see him. The form was shadowy, and dark, but there wasn’t a face. For some reason his face was empty…. but how could I see the detail around his head and hair, but not the details of the being, just the edges… then I enveloped myself back into sleep, and I was shut off. Like a power source that was turned on, then shut off. I have had numerous, including out of body, and double out of body experiences…. this has only gotten more intense as my Chakras have been opened. Definitely been an interesting, to say the least….experience.
I have experienced SP for many years, I can’t remember when it started but definitely in my early years and I am now in my early 40s. However, today I experienced a doozy when taking a nap in the early evening. The dream started off normal with individuals I am familiar with but ended with me waking up and vaguely viewing (it’s never clear if my eyes are truly open or just slightly opened or it’s all in my head) my window with the curtains slightly opened with daylight still coming through so I knew it wasn’t dark and it in fact was still daylight once I was fully awake. I was laid on my side, couldn’t move but think I was somewhat back coherent. I began to hear my name being called by someone. I could feel the individual who sounded like my significant other however he was not here. The figure gets in the bed with me and it feels like he hugs me from behind and grabs my hands as he continues to call out my name in what sounds like a whisper but the craziest thing is that I could smell the breath of the individual and it wasn’t pleasant. It felt so real. Maybe it was own sleeping breath, lol? I finally wake up but my anxiety has been on 10 all night. This one was one of the uneasier experiences. I will call on God tonite before heading back to bed and pray for peace which always helps. Use your faith/higher power to push through it! It’s a terrible experience but all in our head!
I am just 16 and I am experiencing this SP since my childhood though not regularly. I was so used to it that I learned to calm myself whenever it occurs to me. But just this past few months, my last SP episodes left me really scared. There was this night that I don’t know how I fell asleep, and I was really nervous because it happened again for almost after three years. I can’t move a single muscle and I was gasping for air, I feel like drowning, then my eyes noticed something on my curtain, there’s a big lizard on it, just a shadow. Then the moment I woke up, I saw a figure of a heart for a second. Like it just flashed in my vision. And then the last one I had, it was the MST terrifying of all. I am calling out for God’s name, I am reciting a prayer, but something’s preventing me to do it. Whenever I try to utter a word, I would feel the pressure on my chest, and if I try again, there will be a vibration both in my ears. But I didn’t let them win. I prayed until I wake up, and it really left me afraid cuz I felt the slight pain on my ears due to some kind of vibration. Though I know I just hallucinated.
Tonight something happened to me. I have never had sleep paralysis before and I was not paralyzed. I was having a nice happy dream, opening gifts with my sister. One of the gifts was a large wind chime. In my dream I was looking for a place to hang it. Suddenly I was woken up by my hair being “tugged”. I have very long hair and have had all my life. It was forceful to make no mistake of what I felt. I instantly woke up straight from my sleep and was terrified. I rolled onto my back (was on my left side when sleeping) and I began to look around. My heart was beating faster than it ever has. I looked at my phone to check the time, 2:20 am so this happened minutes before. I must make it clear I was not paralyzed, whatever just happened to me woke me up out of a deep sleep and my dream was not scary. I am not sure what to think. Reading your stories helps but I am truly questioning what the heck really just happened to me. Because safe everyone, there is something going on in this world and it’s not all good. God Bless!
It happened to me at 02:15 this morning. When I first got into bed at about 21:45 I felt that something was wrong, like something was in my room and I was being watched. Being the optimist that I am, I overlooked it and tried to fall off to sleep. It was a bit of a struggle as my neighbors have a tendency of noise-making around bedtime but I managed to eventually fall off to sleep. At around 02:10 in the morning, I felt as if I was half-awake and half-asleep. I haven’t experienced the sensation of being paralyzed as the name sleep-paralysis suggests however what I did experience was the most intense numbness in my right arm. It was so numb to the point where I couldn’t feel it anymore and I started to panic in my sleep. I finally managed to open my eyes and what I saw terrified the life out of me. I saw my right arm being lifted up and some of my fingers twitching although I couldn’t feel myself doing it, and frankly, I wasn’t doing it to begin with. I got up screaming and suddenly felt that there was another presence in the room with me, particularly behind my pillow. So I screamed as loud as I could and ran out of my room and into the spare room. After that I felt the numbness of my arm go away but im Still baffled by this encounter. It was the most scariest experience of my life and now i don’t know how I’m going to sleep tonight. Is this also a sign of sleep paralysis or was my mind playing tricks on me cause of the lack of blood flow in my right arm, particularly caused by my bad sleeping posture?
I had something similar tonight. My left arm I was breathing on it and it was warm and in my dream I felt and saw a dark hand grabbing my hand and I was in my old apartment and I go so scared and other things happened thought not relevant. When I finally woke up out of it I saw I was breathing on me hand. But I’ve been having quite a lot of sleep paralysis with demon figures and I hate being anxious to fall asleep.. because of that reason I don’t doubt that even though you may have cut circulation in your hand, and I was breathing on mine that it still has to do with spirits and I hate that because I pray so I’m not sure why I have these dreams often.
It happened yesterday. In my dream, my bed was placed in front of a small restaurant. I layed on my back. It was midnight and the streets were empty. I looked through the window and saw three men. One was an employee talking with a guest or a friend and the third one was sitting way back in the corner, not eating his meal, just staring at me. He wore a huge hat and a coat. Suddenly the first two guys went into another room. Then the man stood up and walked over to me. He sat down at the end of my bed. I had this feeling that he was gonna rape me so I tried to move, to get out, to run away but I couldn’t move at all. He was stretching the sheets so tight that they fixated me. I tried to scream but nothing came out, apart from snorting noises which I really made, they woke me up.
Never had an issue till last night. I have been under stress at work lately, and it has been pushing me into a depression
I fell asleep and had a dream my wife and I were walking through this house, nothing scary but a little creepy and I was trying to help her find her way through it, when suddenly I could just feel this cold chill go over my body and my eyes shot open.
I was on my side and I could see my wife watching YouTube on her phone. I tried to move my leg, toes, fingers, anything. Tried asking her for help, tried screaming, couldn’t even let out a whimper. And I could just feel like every hair on my body was standing up.
All the while the room got darker like someone placed a dark veil over my eyes, and I just feel a dark presence enveloping me, and I don’t know why, but my mind immediately thought of a witch. And I just hear this deep growl and feel like she’s trying to pull me down to hell.
I finally snapped out of it and shot up literally screaming. I feel better after reading up and learning most likely it’s just stress getting to me, but I have been very jumpy today.
I had my third experience today in the last 4 months during a nap. Point to note that I was working on something important last few days so I wasn’t getting enough sleep per night. This experience was the scariest one. I could feel someone over my body and I could hear they talking and I also felt the breath (no smell but the air) first I was pinned down and then it was like I am about to be dragged down. I was not able to see anything but I felt that my eyes are wide open and I wasn’t able to move any part of my body. The whole thing lasted only a few seconds but it was extremely scary and hard to describe.
On the previous occasion, it was a very quick episode where I felt that someone came right next to my face while I am sleeping and said a single word – hello. but in a very deep and chilly voice. I stay alone.
I had my first experience with this today during a nap! I am 24. I fell asleep on my back, which I have never done so I’m assuming this is why it happened. I couldn’t move or talk, and luckily my alarm went off within a minute of it happening and that triggered my body awake. I did not experience any dark figures or feel any presence in the room. I simply just couldn’t move! It was very strange!!!
I’ve had episodes of SP since I was around 19. I’m now 31 and occasionally have it, though I think I have it more often than I realise but have become so adept at moving to wake myself up that I do it as soon as SP begins and then fall back to sleep barely noticing it’s happened. Only occasionally do I have a scary experience. The most recent being the sensation of a being at the side of the room and feeling like I was being lifted into the air and shook like a rag doll. All my adolescent memories of SP have this same occurrence, so I knew what it was and knew I just had to move to wake up. This time however, once I woke up, I looked to the right and could see someone sitting in a chair beside my bed staring at me. There is no chair beside my bed, so I accepted it as a hallucination (scary though it was), told myself it wasn’t real and walked directly through it on my way to the bathroom. When I got back to my bedroom I was relieved to see the hallucination had gone
Feeling like I was being lifted into the air and shook like a rag doll. I always have these.
I keep having a dream like that my chest feels heavy and it’s like I am half asleep and half woke and some dark pressence lifts my body off of my bed and usually sets it on the outher side and the wierd thing is when I wake up I am on the side the dark pressence set me, but my last dream like this the dark pressence lifted me verticle in the air and this time I was able to fight it and throw myself on my bed again and throw the covers over my face I was so freaking scared I know I am not imagining this dream that keeps reoccurring I even thought about talking to a priest.
It happened yesterday afternoon, I was having a nap when suddenly I became nearly awake where I saw someone trying to burgle and come in, it was the window I was lying close to and the boy saw me but instead didn’t go, he stretched his hands to get things from the room but the more I try to get up or scream for help the more my strength failed. I couldn’t shout and I was so frightened but I quickly jerked myself out of sleep.
It was horrifying though not the first time.
I used to have them growing up. I can remember two distinct instances that I will always remember. First, when I was 6, I remember falling asleep. But in the middle of the night I woke up in complete cold sweat, and I couldn’t move. The first thing I noticed was a red light coming from the foot of my bed. Then, I looked to the right, and noticed a black mass standing right next to me. It was in the shape of a giant goat standing on its hind legs, with a humanoid shape to it. And it had three holes in it. But it didn’t do anything besides look at me. I closed my eyes, and after what felt like forever I opened them again and the thing was gone. The most recent one happened when I was 17. I remember dreaming about being trapped inside a house and there was like a slave master that was using psychological torture on me. And whenever the dream ended, the exact same thing happened again. And I remember forcing myself to wake up because of how terrifying the dream was, but when I woke up I couldn’t move. I felt like someone was watching me. I looked to the corner of my room and a shadow figure was standing there glaring at me. I saw it smile, and walk up to me. I tried calling for help, but nothing came out. And it got right in my face and he whispered “help you how?” Then he backed away and walked through my door. At this point I could move again but was too scared to go see where it went. I don’t know if these things were actually there, or if it is sleep paralysis. All I know is it’s never pleasant to meet your demons.
I had a pretty average dream yesterday in which I was another person, nothing special. I went to sleep in a bed very similar to mine and all of a sudden I was in my bed. A strange hooded figured was standing next to me, not taller than a child, static and not moving. I say he was hooded because his head seemed like he had a hoodie but he was pitch black, although there was little light coming from the shutters. I woke up terrified and screaming.
This strange experience ended when I woke up, screaming and sit on the bed. I was sleeping on my back and after waking up I felt like if I had mildly acid reflux. I was alone. I had some shivers afterward. Extremely scary but kinda amusing.
Use this information as you wish and compare to your experiences, I believe in God but I don’t think this is more than a hallucination.
I’ve had one experience like this. I was dead asleep, lying on my back and I heard something yelling in my ear. I tried to turn to look at it and I realized something was forcing me down. Like the rides at the fair that spins so fast it forces you against the wall. The way it was screaming it sound like it was high pitched. It also was like a sucking gasping sound. It felt like it was trying to suck something out of me. Even with the force of whatever was holding me down, I managed to turn my head and toward it. As soon as my head was facing toward it, It all stopped. Weirdly enough I fell back asleep right after. Never experienced again since. My faith in Jesus Christ has given me the peace of knowing He defeated all the evil in this world. I have victory through Jesus.
I have often wondered if people who suffer from sleep paralysis and think that the episodes are demon related are religious. I have suffered from it from teen years and had it fairly regularly (a couple of times a month). I am not religious and have had the feeling people were in the room and all that but never thought of them as demons. I think we think they are related to what we fear the most, mine are that I am dying.
I always found a regular sleep pattern keeps it in control and both my father and I lucid dream and try to change the scenario so it’s not too scary.
I have a relationship with god and yes I do believe they are spirits/demons and I have been having them a lot lately making me a hit anxious to sleep. I have a lot of my dreams in the same places like old apartments or my old rooms. I’m not sure why this has been happening more often but I hate going through this
I’ve had a couple of bad dreams but I think this one terrified me more only cause I was clueless of what it was. I remember it so clearly. I was having a nice dream then all of a sudden I was laying on the edge of my bed in my room. it was pitch black and I was facing my wall. I could hear footsteps or something moving around the room when suddenly I felt something touch my head holding me down and everything got cold. I tried to yell but I couldn’t make out any words. I’m not sure what I did but I ended up waking myself up from it.
I’ve been experiencing sleep paralysis as long as I can remember. My childhood memories of past dreams are full of S.P. episodes. I’ve had these so much that I’ve actually pinpointed and figured out what causes mine how to trigger them but more importantly avoid them. Ive seen the shadows over me in the corners and in the doorway. When I was 22 I actually for the first time fell asleep and experienced one with my bedroom light on and what i saw staring me in my face when I woke up changed my entire belief system. My best description of what I saw can easily be seen for yourselves. Silly as this may sound ill say it anyway. To all you who have ever seen the movie titled Rise Of The Guardians. Yes, it looked exactly like the movie villain Boogey Man. So back to what triggers mine, this might make a lot of sense to most of you. Mine occurs when or if I eat swine before I sleep. Porkchops are the worst also pepperoni is just as bad. I’ve actually recently had an experience with another person in the room and it was a well-lit room and I experienced a completely different horror. I’ll explain for anyone interested.
I sometimes will have it, but it was always someone standing and watching me never close, but never too far either, so I always dismissed it, not wanting to think about it but then this one night I did my nightly routine pray and went to sleep. I suddenly felt someone behind me touching my shoulder, breathing a little heavily and whispering I didn’t hear anything it said except one when it said I will soon understand and that I belong to it I woke up with a cold sweat, especially since I don’t sleep with anyone. This one felt scarier so much that I couldn’t ignore it like the rest, this one felt too real. I keep trying to forget about it but honestly I can’t so the next few nights I would rub Holy Oil on my forehead and heart, so I wouldn’t have these moments anymore. I was glad that it did work but I still think about it a lot and even feel it again as if I’m reliving it.
My first episode was this past January and i could see a “mass” with no distinct form over my body holding each limb. But yesterday its happened 2 consecutive times the very instant i fell asleep. 1st time I was rushed and felt like it grabbed me and was spinning with me in its arms and i woke up yelling from trying to break free. 2nd time it rushed me again but I could hear it panting like an excited for like it was happy it had frequent control and i woke up screaming in terror…. I just had my 4th episode 10 min ago, I was barely starting to close my eyes but still conscious and my foot had a random ‘knee jerk’ reaction going up then again but to the side then I slipped into sleep… I’ll never forget it’s laugh. You have no idea how bad i want to believe it’s not demonic, i cant help but feel like it is and that its close to achieving what it wants to do with me
My first episode was in my late 20’s and continues 20yrs later. When they first began I sought out my Dr who said it was probably narcolepsy and referred me to a sleep clinic. I never went. Currently when I have them they happen in twos. It doesn’t matter if it’s day or night. They seem to happen when I am waking up not falling asleep. I feel like I am falling. My whole body goes numb, especially my face and arms. I can’t move, or breathe. I try really hard to yell hoping someone would hear me and shake me out of it… then it’s over. I am aware of what’s happening and know it won’t last more than a few seconds but its terrifying. I also know I will have another one the next time I fall asleep because they happen in 2 sets for me. Then I can go months or a yr with no episodes. Only once, about 3 yrs ago did I see a presence during an episode. A classic demon figure at the foot of my bed. Horrible.
Have you seen it? Do you know what it looks like? I’ve been having almost the exact same experience for years. But mine is a little different in a sense. Mine is always chasing me and always up trying to pull me off the bed or pulling me somewhere at unknown fast speeds. I’ve had it for as long as I can remember. It’s almost as like it following me. Because it comes and goes. Sometimes it will disappear for a year or two. But the strangest thing I noticed that I haven’t read anybody experience yet is know I can almost sense and tell when it will happen while I 100% awake. I get that feeling like being watched by something you can’t see. And incredibly Erie that makes my all my hair stand on edge. No joke on these days I know what I’m up for as soon as I fall asleep. When this happens i try my hardest not to sleep. By going by the oldest saying of ‘look your fears straight in the eye’ I’ve thought of that but have you ever been so scared out of your wits you too afraid to turn around. This thing whatever it is gives off such a horribly bad aura that it seeps evil to me
Now being older and used to it. I’ve tried turning around and looking at it but when I do it disappears like I’m refusing myself or something to see what it is. If makes any sense I don’t know but regardless of what other people or doctors will tell what ‘they’ think to believe.
Can they absolutely be right about something they cannot see? They can run tests of a million kinds and come out only with what they are content on believing. But they don’t have proof of anything not being real either.
How do you know that you, yourself is real?
Thank you! I agree with you 100%. Some of the experiences I’ve had, happened before I even laid down to sleep. Some in the middle of the day when I was home alone. It wasn’t a numb feeling for me, everything was very intense. Climbing up my body while laying on my stomach, (they claim paralysis happens on your back) feeling something crawl up my body, breath on my neck, snarling at me just before what felt like a mouth touched the back of my neck! And to further discredit science, the lights were all off in my hallway but I heard steps there before they continued into my bedroom, I even kept one eye open staring into a mirror with one eye to see if anything was visible before it even climbed on top of me. The footsteps sounded more like rapid pitter patter around my bed back and forth just before the weight on my body caused me to completely freeze, not out of paralysis but the worst fear i could have ever imagined. Btw, I have never believed in the supernatural beings being able to touch, or make sounds or give signs, but over the course of 2 years I would experience different things that gave no reasonable explanation. I was never under the influence of meds, alcohol, drugs, etc. In fact I was quite healthy and renovating my house that had been vacant for over 10 years. Maybe everyone believes there is a scientific explanation for everything but I know in my heart the truth. It was a demonic presence that was haunting me and I’m just glad it stopped after seeing a friend who was a Reiki specialist. And even though I never spoke to her of those experiences, they never happened to me again, but rather began affecting other family members who lived in my home.