Sleep paralysis demons are nightmarish hallucinations that often accompany sleep paralysis attacks. This condition occurs when the temporary paralysis called rapid eye movement, a normal feature of REM, the stage of sleep in which dreaming occurs, persists for several seconds or minutes after waking. As the line between sleep and wakefulness blurs, people see, hear, or feel things that are not actually there.
In one study, more than half (58 percent) of 185 patients diagnosed with sleep paralysis reported feeling a presence in the room, usually a nonhuman, and 22 percent reported seeing a person in the room, usually a stranger.
Professor Chris French, Head of Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit at Goldsmiths, University of London, gave the following information about the place of sleep paralysis in history:
“The content of hallucinations seen during sleep paralysis can vary greatly, but some themes tend to emerge more frequently than others. One of these is demons, as beautifully depicted in Henri Fuseli’s famous 1781 painting The Nightmare. Sleep in Europe in the Middle Ages Paralysis events were often interpreted as attacks by demons who possessed their paralyzed, helpless victims by evil means. Male demons were called incubi and females were called succubi.
The Nightmare painting by Henry Fuseli
THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF HALLUCINATIONS
There are two main types of hallucinations associated with sleep paralysis, both of which can seem very real and incredibly scary. Hypnagogic hallucinations occur while falling asleep, while hypnopompic hallucinations occur while waking up.
Both tend to occur during REM when you are partially conscious, thus causing us to see a distorted version of what is already there. For example, wind coming through the window evokes a shadowy figure hiding behind the curtains, or a pile of pillows turns into a monster emerging from under the bed.
HOW DOES SLEEP PARALYSIS MAKE SOMEONE WHO EXPERIENCES IT FEEL?
Betul Rauf, who holds a doctorate in Sleep Research at Goldsmiths, University of London, said, “Hallucinations can be classified into three main categories; intruder, incubus and vestibular-motor (VM) hallucinations,” and gave the following details:
— Intruder hallucinations involve feeling and/or seeing something threatening in the room. Nightmarish hallucinations, which often tend to occur together with intruder hallucinations, are marked by a feeling of pressure on the chest and a feeling of suffocation.
— Unlike intruder and incubus hallucinations, VM hallucinations are sometimes associated with feelings of happiness. These hallucinations include ‘phantom experiences of movement’ such as the sensation of floating, spinning or flying, as well as perceptions of changes in body position or size.
— While sleep paralysis demons occur when the body is temporarily inactive while the mind is awake, nightmares occur within a dream narrative and lack the physical sensations of paralysis.
— In nightmares, although individuals are temporarily frozen due to fear, they usually retain the ability to act or react within the dream scenario. In contrast, during sleep paralysis they experience a temporary loss of muscle control, a defining feature that distinguishes it from nightmares.
WHAT CAUSES SLEEP PARALYSIS?
Experts think this condition is linked to stress and anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), sleep deprivation and substance abuse. Research shows that many people experience stressful life events or emotional changes before these seizures, and there is also a link to the neurological condition narcolepsy, which interferes with the brain’s ability to control wakefulness.
WAYS TO DEAL WITH SLEEP PARALYSIS
The best way to exorcise sleep paralysis demons is to realize that they are not real and that the paralysis and hallucinations will dissipate within a few minutes. It may also be helpful to learn how to interrupt attacks while they are occurring.
Betul Rauf said trying to make small, deliberate movements, such as repetitive blinking or wiggling fingers and toes, to end the paralysis could be ‘disruption strategies’. Some experts believe that the practice of lucid dreaming, in which you learn to control your dreams, no matter how fanciful it sounds, can also help patients overcome these frightening hallucinations.
HOW TO PREVENT SLEEP PARALYSIS?
Prioritizing sleep hygiene, such as sticking to a regular bedtime, keeping screens out of the bedroom, and making sure you get at least seven hours of sleep can reduce the risk of experiencing sleep paralysis.
It’s also helpful to keep a sleep diary to help identify any triggers and take steps to manage stress and anxiety. If attacks become more frequent or severe, antidepressants and low-dose medications with expert advice may help break the cycle.
The Telegraph’s ‘A shadowy figure at the end of your bed? Compiled from the news titled ‘There’s an entirely rational explanation’.
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