Scarey nightime experiences - sleep paralysis

[Xzeta]

Many years ago when I lived in a ground floor flat (apartment) with my X husband – I woke up and was unable to move. I opened my eyes, and to the right of me was a huge book stand and on it with what seemed like a big hymn book. It looked very old and the pages were turning by themselves. I tried to call my husband lying next to me – but couldn’t. All I could think was to try and go back into sleep – I did and in the morning I was fine. I told my husband and he said that he had a similar experience the previous week but had not said in case he frightened me:

He had seen a monk like figure leaning over me – it had on a habit but he could only see blackness inside the hood and a vague outline of a face. He too had been paralyzed.

Some time later, it happened again – this time I was pregnant. I had seen some flowers that were for a funeral by my bed. Sad to say that my mother, and not long after the baby I had, died. Won’t go down there in this.

I had another experience many years later and that time I saw a Nun looking over me (bear in mind I am not much of a believer). I was able to force myself awake.

Then, I just moved in to a new house and it happened again. I didn’t see anything, just felt what seemed like a small animal walking over my legs. My cat died in the summer and I wondered at the time if it was him. We have a mum cat and her kitten now and whatever that feeling was has left.

I was told this happens a lot to people and that its called Sleep Paralysis.

Not sure if I am allowed to post links but here is some info on it:

http://www.stanford.edu/~dement/paralysis.html

Just wondered what anyone might think. TIA

[RamboIII]

Sleep paralysis is when your brain is still in the REM cycle, therefore not allowing you to move or speak. The images you saw were just tricks of the light. This is quite common, I have been sleep paralyzed before, never with monks leaning over me though.

[Xzeta]

Sleep paralysis is when your brain is still in the REM cycle, therefore not allowing you to move or speak. The images you saw were just tricks of the light. This is quite common, I have been sleep paralyzed before, never with monks leaning over me though.

Thanks - I have never met anyone else who's had it.

[Lord Storm]

In many cases of sleep paralysis people have seen a humanoid leaning over them or even kneeling on thier chest. The Humanoid usualy takes the form of an old haggard woman and is usualy refered to as "The Hag". Whether or not this is a real entity or just something conjured up by our mind while it is still locked in REM sleep but awake. If you do a search on the internet on "The Hag" it may throw up something, I havent looked myself. Either way it all seems very real at the time.

It is amazing what the mind can do. I was at work but very fatigued, my main goal was to stay awake as it was primary to my task..... I fell asleep with my eyes open. My mind started with a daydream which then overlayed itself on the buildings etc... in front of me so what I was looking at was an enhance picture of what my eyes could see. I did not even realise I was asleep, I thought I was wide awake. I got woken up by a car and watched the dreamscape literaly melt away leaving the real view my eyes were actualy looking at. It was rather supprising to say the least and my eyes were dry as hell as I must not have been blinking.

[Xzeta]

In many cases of sleep paralysis people have seen a humanoid leaning over them or even kneeling on thier chest. The Humanoid usualy takes the form of an old haggard woman and is usualy refered to as "The Hag". Whether or not this is a real entity or just something conjured up by our mind while it is still locked in REM sleep but awake. If you do a search on the internet on "The Hag" it may throw up something, I havent looked myself. Either way it all seems very real at the time.

It is amazing what the mind can do. I was at work but very fatigued, my main goal was to stay awake as it was primary to my task..... I fell asleep with my eyes open. My mind started with a daydream which then overlayed itself on the buildings etc... in front of me so what I was looking at was an enhance picture of what my eyes could see. I did not even realise I was asleep, I thought I was wide awake. I got woken up by a car and watched the dreamscape literaly melt away leaving the real view my eyes were actualy looking at. It was rather supprising to say the least and my eyes were dry as hell as I must not have been blinking.

In a way, that sounds like a similar experience then.

[coldethyl]

There's been an enormous amount of people that have come here thinking that they've experienced a demon or ghost only to discover sleep paralysis for the first time. For a long time several of us thought that we were going to have to put the information for SP on our computer clipboards because it was happening more than once a day! LOL

There's a range of sleep disorders out there that can cause all kinds of disturbances but SP is usually the culprit. A lot of minds have been put at ease when people find out about SP.

I don't think this link has been posted yet, so I'll post it!

[Xzeta]

There's been an enormous amount of people that have come here thinking that they've experienced a demon or ghost only to discover sleep paralysis for the first time. For a long time several of us thought that we were going to have to put the information for SP on our computer clipboards because it was happening more than once a day! LOL

There's a range of sleep disorders out there that can cause all kinds of disturbances but SP is usually the culprit. A lot of minds have been put at ease when people find out about SP.

I don't think this link has been posted yet, so I'll post it!

Thanks for the link Coldethyl - I see it has appeared in art etc and that one depicts death sitting on the chest.

I am so glad to find others who have experienced it - really I am. No-one I know has and they look at me as though I am making the whole thing up.

[silentdan]

This is an interesting subject cause many years ago when i was like 10 yrs old i use to have similar experiences to.I use to live with my grand mother and at night when i use to go to sleep like 10 minutes in to it i would get a sensation like someone is climbing on top of me and i could not move a muscle.But i always somehow managed to force my self awake and one time i swear when i woke up i saw a figure of a little person sitting on my feet and i freaked out and yelled for my grand mother and went to sleep in her bed that night.Those experiences last like 2 yeas after that and then they were gone.

[Xzeta]

This is an interesting subject cause many years ago when i was like 10 yrs old i use to have similar experiences to.I use to live with my grand mother and at night when i use to go to sleep like 10 minutes in to it i would get a sensation like someone is climbing on top of me and i could not move a muscle.But i always somehow managed to force my self awake and one time i swear when i woke up i saw a figure of a little person sitting on my feet and i freaked out and yelled for my grand mother and went to sleep in her bed that night.Those experiences last like 2 yeas after that and then they were gone.

Someone did say that stress can be a big factor - I wonder why though we see such negative things - like the hagg and so on - why not something nice

[coldethyl]

Someone did say that stress can be a big factor - I wonder why though we see such negative things - like the hagg and so on - why not something nice

Well it has to do with the part of the brain that's triggered when the attack of SP occurs. Our 'fight or flight' syndrome has been activated in that state.

[Barek Halfhand]

He had seen a monk like figure leaning over me – it had on a habit but he could only see blackness inside the hood and a vague outline of a face. He too had been paralyzed.

Ive been working too hard, cut and paste works just fine....thanks!.............B

Edited January 11, 2007 by Barek Halfhand

[Lord Storm]

The chemicals in our brain that stop us physicaly acting to our dreams (forget thier names) are what cause the paralysis. Without the chemicals to dampen our brain signals to our muscles when we dream, we would beat the crap out of everything around us If those chemicals are still present on awakening we get the sensation that we are paralysed....not sure how to explain the strangulation in some cases where bruise marks have been found on the neck.

[coldethyl]

I found this:

Visual hypnagogic/hypnopompic imagery is often pleasant, even humorous, but it can also be terrifying (McKellar & Simpson, 1954; Mavromatis, 1987). Although hypnagogic and hypnopompic imagery are characterised by variety, Mavromatis (1987) has modified Leaning’s (1925) classification scheme and identified six recurrent themes: (1) Formless, e.g. waves, clouds of colour, (2) Designs, e.g. geometric and symmetrical patterns and shapes, (3) Faces, figures, animals, objects, (4) Nature scenes, e.g. landscapes, seascapes, gardens, (5) Scenes with people, (6) Print and writing, e.g. in real or imaginary languages. Visual hypnagogic/hypnopompic imagery has often been referred to as ‘the faces in the dark phenomenon’ because the seeing of faces is so common (McKellar, 1957).

Mavromatis (1987) provided a summary of auditory hypnagogic/hypnopompic phenomena:

"Auditory hypnagogic [and also hypnopompic] phenomena include the hearing of crashing noises, one’s name being called, a doorbell ringing, neologisms [new words or expressions], irrelevant sentences containing unrecognizable names, pompous nonsense, quotations, references to spoken conversations, remarks directed to oneself, meaningful responses to one’s thought of the moment." (p.81).

Other reported imagery includes music, bangs and explosions. Sometimes auditory hypnopompic imagery can take the form of a warning of impending danger or an important event; other times it may just be a feeling of foreboding (Mavromatis, 1987).

Sensations of smell (e.g. cigars, roses), taste (e.g. sweet), sensations of actively touching or being passively touched by someone or something, and hot or cold sensations, sometimes moving along the body, have also been reported during the hypnagogic and hypnopompic states (Mavromatis, 1987)..

A sensation of falling seems to be the most commonly reported sensation of movement. The experience is relatively common and is often associated with a bodily jerk and visual imagery, such as falling off a cliff (Oswald, 1959). Other sensations of movement may include floating, swinging, rocking, spinning, and being in or on a moving vehicle. Bodily sensations may include, for example, a feeling of energy flowing through the body, weightlessness, heaviness, tingling, numbness, shaking/vibrating, and elongation of the body. A sense of presence has also been reported (e.g. Ohayon, Priest, Caulet, & Guilleminault, 1996) and may coincide with both imagery and sleep paralysis (Conesa, 1995; Hufford, 1982; Rose & Blackmore, 1996; Spanos et al., 1993, 1995). Feelings of foreboding or being under threat, or more general feelings of confusion and disorientation, have also been reported.

Mavromatis (1987, p. 28) also points out that "very often hypnagogic [and hypnopompic] images are symbolic or metaphoric, and not infrequently autosymbolic, and therefore not always meaningless." The experient may sometimes become aware of the significance of the imagery (which may be known only by that person) during the experience or just afterwards. Such awareness is a characteristic of the ‘autosymbolic phenomenon’, described by Silberer (1965), which is an experience in which one’s thoughts or feelings at a given moment are translated into a symbolic form of imagery. However, Mavromatis (1987) adds that "awareness of the significance of the symbolism is not always present, and in the majority of cases imagery remains a puzzle until one begins to pay attention to it and enters into a form of ‘conversation’ with it." (p. 59).

It is clear that hypnagogic/hypnopompic imagery may be extremely vivid, is characterised by variety, may evoke both positive and negative emotions, may occur in more than one sensory modality, sometimes simultaneously, and may have some significance for the experient.

Source

[Barek Halfhand]

The chemicals in our brain that stop us physicaly acting to our dreams (forget thier names) are what cause the paralysis. Without the chemicals to dampen our brain signals to our muscles when we dream, we would beat the crap out of everything around us If those chemicals are still present on awakening we get the sensation that we are paralysed....not sure how to explain the strangulation in some cases where bruise marks have been found on the neck.

So thats what I sound like when I argue with myself! ................B

[bLu3 de 3n3rgy]

Thanks for the link Coldethyl - I see it has appeared in art etc and that one depicts death sitting on the chest.

I am so glad to find others who have experienced it - really I am. No-one I know has and they look at me as though I am making the whole thing up.

I've had SP for 10 years, so I'm another with it - Like Ethyl said, Alot of people with SP find their way here as many believe it to be something paranormal, most are glad to find out that it's just a sleep disorder

[Radian]

Someone did say that stress can be a big factor - I wonder why though we see such negative things - like the hagg and so on - why not something nice

IMO, It would only make sense to our mind's eye to adapt to the situation. If you feel this sensation that you are paralyzed and can't move- you get scared & PANIC, your mind is more than likely to present an image that fits the scenerio as to why!! -- You Panic and then see this bright beautiful angel, it just wouldn't justify being strangled or sufficating/paralyzed by the glorious entity... not really.

[Barek Halfhand]

There's been an enormous amount of people that have come here thinking that they've experienced a demon or ghost only to discover sleep paralysis for the first time. For a long time several of us thought that we were going to have to put the information for SP on our computer clipboards because it was happening more than once a day! LOL

There's a range of sleep disorders out there that can cause all kinds of disturbances but SP is usually the culprit. A lot of minds have been put at ease when people find out about SP.

I don't think this link has been posted yet, so I'll post it!

The Fist time yes but what of the other countless ensuing reccurences?..........B

Official apology

to Cold-E for the thread I trashed with more moronic attempts to cut and past replies to (in that case not current)threads! Im a Spaz not a meenie and thanks to Anvil for the heads up on the mis-posts!......Cold-Ethyle=Godess!

[Everybody's Fool]

i had SP not too long ago but at tha time i didnt know what was goin' on. tha visual my mind projected was my little brother & i thought i was talkin to him, but that woulda been impossible. anyway, he was at school at tha time. it was just weird cuz i knew i was paralyzed & couldn't move or talk but i thought i was talkin to him. anyway i eventually forced myself out of it. so thats my SP experience, if any1 cares

[Radian]

it was just weird cuz i knew i was paralyzed & couldn't move or talk but i thought i was talkin to him. anyway i eventually forced myself out of it. so thats my SP experience, if any1 cares

Many do care, and more than that find SP a fascinating subject.

[Radian]

I found this:

Visual hypnagogic/hypnopompic imagery is often pleasant, even humorous, but it can also be terrifying (McKellar & Simpson, 1954; Mavromatis, 1987). Although hypnagogic and hypnopompic imagery are characterised by variety, Mavromatis (1987) has modified Leaning’s (1925) classification scheme and identified six recurrent themes: (1) Formless, e.g. waves, clouds of colour, (2) Designs, e.g. geometric and symmetrical patterns and shapes, (3) Faces, figures, animals, objects, (4) Nature scenes, e.g. landscapes, seascapes, gardens, (5) Scenes with people, (6) Print and writing, e.g. in real or imaginary languages. Visual hypnagogic/hypnopompic imagery has often been referred to as ‘the faces in the dark phenomenon’ because the seeing of faces is so common (McKellar, 1957).

Mavromatis (1987) provided a summary of auditory hypnagogic/hypnopompic phenomena:

"Auditory hypnagogic [and also hypnopompic] phenomena include the hearing of crashing noises, one’s name being called, a doorbell ringing, neologisms [new words or expressions], irrelevant sentences containing unrecognizable names, pompous nonsense, quotations, references to spoken conversations, remarks directed to oneself, meaningful responses to one’s thought of the moment." (p.81).

Other reported imagery includes music, bangs and explosions. Sometimes auditory hypnopompic imagery can take the form of a warning of impending danger or an important event; other times it may just be a feeling of foreboding (Mavromatis, 1987).

Sensations of smell (e.g. cigars, roses), taste (e.g. sweet), sensations of actively touching or being passively touched by someone or something, and hot or cold sensations, sometimes moving along the body, have also been reported during the hypnagogic and hypnopompic states (Mavromatis, 1987)..

A sensation of falling seems to be the most commonly reported sensation of movement. The experience is relatively common and is often associated with a bodily jerk and visual imagery, such as falling off a cliff (Oswald, 1959). Other sensations of movement may include floating, swinging, rocking, spinning, and being in or on a moving vehicle. Bodily sensations may include, for example, a feeling of energy flowing through the body, weightlessness, heaviness, tingling, numbness, shaking/vibrating, and elongation of the body. A sense of presence has also been reported (e.g. Ohayon, Priest, Caulet, & Guilleminault, 1996) and may coincide with both imagery and sleep paralysis (Conesa, 1995; Hufford, 1982; Rose & Blackmore, 1996; Spanos et al., 1993, 1995). Feelings of foreboding or being under threat, or more general feelings of confusion and disorientation, have also been reported.

Mavromatis (1987, p. 28) also points out that "very often hypnagogic [and hypnopompic] images are symbolic or metaphoric, and not infrequently autosymbolic, and therefore not always meaningless." The experient may sometimes become aware of the significance of the imagery (which may be known only by that person) during the experience or just afterwards. Such awareness is a characteristic of the ‘autosymbolic phenomenon’, described by Silberer (1965), which is an experience in which one’s thoughts or feelings at a given moment are translated into a symbolic form of imagery. However, Mavromatis (1987) adds that "awareness of the significance of the symbolism is not always present, and in the majority of cases imagery remains a puzzle until one begins to pay attention to it and enters into a form of ‘conversation’ with it." (p. 59).

It is clear that hypnagogic/hypnopompic imagery may be extremely vivid, is characterised by variety, may evoke both positive and negative emotions, may occur in more than one sensory modality, sometimes simultaneously, and may have some significance for the experient.

Source

I had to repost this! It seems apparent a vast majority of SPs are portrayed as "hauntings" here--

[Barek Halfhand]

I had to repost this! It seems apparent a vast majority of SPs are portrayed as "hauntings" here--

thanks sunny i dont wanna read all that rite now but now I GOTTA!

(only post during commercials!)..... BH

[Radian]

if you read thru a lot of that stuff, it sounds almost the same as everyday haunting complaints that come on the board-- and I believe in hauntings too! So that's not skeptic's view, it just seems to odd they are so close in similarity.

[Blueguardian]

i have no idea about this SP thing,sure scientists say that there is a explination for it, but seriously dont they have an explination for everything, i would possibly laugh if theyve been lying this whole time about it just so it doesnt cause a panic, im saying this because people have heen hurt during it with bruises and stuff, i dont think science ever explained that from what iv read, i have never actually had it so i guess my opinion isnt as important in a way but im still entitled to it , im not saying that i dont fully agree with science on this one, i definatly wouldnt rule out some kind of spirit/ spirits/demons causeing it.

[Radian]

i have no idea about this SP thing,sure scientists say that there is a explination for it, but seriously dont they have an explination for everything, i would possibly laugh if theyve been lying this whole time about it just so it doesnt cause a panic,

& I pray to the living GOD you're wrong!

SP I can understand the biological aspect of it to some extent. When, or if, it progressess to Astral projection, then I'm very concerned.

[coldethyl]

i had SP not too long ago but at tha time i didnt know what was goin' on. tha visual my mind projected was my little brother & i thought i was talkin to him, but that woulda been impossible. anyway, he was at school at tha time. it was just weird cuz i knew i was paralyzed & couldn't move or talk but i thought i was talkin to him. anyway i eventually forced myself out of it. so thats my SP experience, if any1 cares

Of course we care!

Yours is a great example because your experience wasn't scary. That shows that they aren't all scary.