Is sleep paralysis real?

[Lucette]

okay so this is my second post, but this time I ask you guys a question : Do you think sleep paralysis is real? See, for the past few days I talk about it with a friend who keeps telling me that it's like a big ass nightmare, like soooo big you hallucinate things, like it's all confined in the world of dreams, right? My family says the same. But I disagree, I think people who have sleep paralysis are seeing real things. But only 3 points of view is not enough so I wondered what do you think about it?

[XenoFish]

http://www.sleepeducation.org/sleep-disorders-by-category/parasomnias/sleep-paralysis/overview-facts

[Piney]

4 minutes ago, XenoFish said:

http://www.sleepeducation.org/sleep-disorders-by-category/parasomnias/sleep-paralysis/overview-facts

You beat me to it. 

[XenoFish]

1 minute ago, Piney said:

You beat me to it. 

I wonder how many questions would be answered with a quick google search?

[XenoFish]

13 minutes ago, Lucette said:

okay so this is my second post, but this time I ask you guys a question : Do you think sleep paralysis is real? See, for the past few days I talk about it with a friend who keeps telling me that it's like a big ass nightmare, like soooo big you hallucinate things, like it's all confined in the world of dreams, right? My family says the same. But I disagree, I think people who have sleep paralysis are seeing real things. But only 3 points of view is not enough so I wondered what do you think about it?

In term of perception those things are "real" but not real at all. They are nothing more than a visual hallucination produced by a still dreaming mind. The consciousness app just happened to boot up while in sleep mode.

[Lucette]

6 minutes ago, XenoFish said:

In term of perception those things are "real" but not real at all. They are nothing more than a visual hallucination produced by a still dreaming mind. The consciousness app just happened to boot up while in sleep mode.

But how can you be sure? If it FEELS real, why wouldn't it be? There is so much we don't know about this world, or any other, there is just so many possibilities, I mean... you see what my point is, right?

[XenoFish]

Just now, Lucette said:

But how can you be sure? If it FEELS real, why wouldn't it be? There is so much we don't know about this world, or any other, there is just so many possibilities, I mean... you see what my point is, right?

I think a lot of us have had sleep paralysis. It's just a state of being awake yet still dreaming. Your body is reacting to something that is completely artificial. I go with the research and person experience. 

[Lucette]

2 minutes ago, XenoFish said:

I think a lot of us have had sleep paralysis. It's just a state of being awake yet still dreaming. Your body is reacting to something that is completely artificial. I go with the research and person experience. 

Alright, it's the logical option, I can understand that! that's what my friend tries to explain to me. And, well, really out of curiosity, how do you explain that a lot of them see all the same "shadow man"?

[XenoFish]

1 minute ago, Lucette said:

Alright, it's the logical option, I can understand that! that's what my friend tries to explain to me. And, well, really out of curiosity, how do you explain that a lot of them see all the same "shadow man"?

The "Shadow man" is an idea that's been shared memetically. So if you believe in such a thing, your mind will produce it as a hallucination. Same for ghost as well. Doesn't mean they are real at all. 

Just to let you know a meme is just an idea shared from person to person. Culture meme's such as the shadow man are often very descriptive. They evolve over time, spreading far and wide. But at it's most basic, it's a thought.

[seeder]

1 minute ago, Lucette said:

Alright, it's the logical option, I can understand that! that's what my friend tries to explain to me. And, well, really out of curiosity, how do you explain that a lot of them see all the same "shadow man"?

 

Ive had sleep paralysis.... its common and most of all natural... there is NOTHING supernatural or spooky about it.... tho I was confused and alarmed that I couldnt move a muscle...

shadow men never came into it...... that just sounds like some nonsense being told....to make the story being told seem more exciting...I couldnt even open my eye when I experienced it....after all I was suffering paralysis and that INCLUDES not being able to open the eyes

 

[Lucette]

28 minutes ago, XenoFish said:

http://www.sleepeducation.org/sleep-disorders-by-category/parasomnias/sleep-paralysis/overview-facts

about that article, it explains what an episode of sleep paralysis looks like, and I already know that, I wouldn't be on this website if my question only required a google research. And I'm here because I want more opinions, not more facts. Plus this article really doesn't help at all, it only : says what it looks like, tell you it's just dreaming, like, come on if you want to tell me this at least bring some scientific proof like what area of the brain it stimulates or something.

[Lucette]

2 minutes ago, XenoFish said:

The "Shadow man" is an idea that's been shared memetically. So if you believe in such a thing, your mind will produce it as a hallucination. Same for ghost as well. Doesn't mean they are real at all. 

Just to let you know a meme is just an idea shared from person to person. Culture meme's such as the shadow man are often very descriptive. They evolve over time, spreading far and wide. But at it's most basic, it's a thought.

okay, I get your point, it actually makes sense.

[XenoFish]

https://www.harrishealth.org/en/news/blog/pages/what-happens-to-the-body-and-brain-during-sleep-paralysis.aspx

Wow another google answer for you.

[Lucette]

10 minutes ago, XenoFish said:

https://www.harrishealth.org/en/news/blog/pages/what-happens-to-the-body-and-brain-during-sleep-paralysis.aspx

Wow another google answer for you.

ooooh my god alright I can hear that

[XenoFish]

1 minute ago, Lucette said:

ooooh my god alright I can hear that

You're only going to get so far on a forum. Mostly links and research directions.

[Lucette]

Just now, XenoFish said:

You're only going to get so far on a forum. Mostly links and research directions.

really? well **** I wanted to talk, debate, and stuff you know. 

[XenoFish]

1 minute ago, Lucette said:

really? well **** I wanted to talk, debate, and stuff you know. 

You can still do that, but you should also do more in depth research on your own. I'm sure here soon you'll get a few other members with different perspectives. But treat them as such. 

[Lucette]

8 minutes ago, XenoFish said:

You can still do that, but you should also do more in depth research on your own. I'm sure here soon you'll get a few other members with different perspectives. But treat them as such. 

yeah I usually do research but I guess I got carried away by this subject since it's been on my mind for three days now

[XenoFish]

1 minute ago, Lucette said:

yeah I usually do research but I guess I got carried away by this subject since it's been on my mind for three days now

I had a subject on my mind for 20 years. It happens. The best thing with a personal interest is to never take it serious. Just enjoy the learning process.

[seeder]

My first sleep paralysis happened in a weird way....tho nothing supernatural of course....I was in bed alone....had gone to sleep....and at some point I became aware of a really weird noise....as my mind woke up, I realised that the sound Id heard....was actually the sound of ME....snoring gently...

I laid there and sure enough, it WAS me....I felt heavy, like I was stuck to the bed.....and was aware of being my thoughts rather than being a body....I COULD FEEL MY BODY....my chest rise and fall with each breath....I could sense the snoring coming from seemingly my throat/nose area...  I found it quite strange....but realised I was having some sort of sleep disorder... I found it amusing to be wake inside an otherwise sleeping body....and felt my face move into a smile....tho it didnt feel like "I" was smiling....just felt my face smiling...

there was no fear, nothing spooky....after a minute or two I tried to turn over and get back to sleep properly....thats when I found I could NOT move a muscle...

as it was my first time I got a bit concerned that I knew I was awake....yet by body was fast asleep and I couldnt move it...!!

Then I started to try and fight it....I think mentally I made such a huge effort that I snapped out of it, and could move my body.... and as it was such a weird experience the first time....but NOT scary.... I rolled onto my side and went back to sleep till the morning..

Its happened at least twice after that....but only after many years had passed

[Lucette]

5 minutes ago, seeder said:

My first sleep paralysis happened in a weird way....tho nothing supernatural of course....I was in bed alone....had gone to sleep....and at some point I became aware of a really weird noise....as my mind woke up, I realised that the sound Id heard....was actually the sound of ME....snoring gently...

I laid there and sure enough, it WAS me....I felt heavy, like I was stuck to the bed.....and was aware of being my thoughts rather than being a body....I COULD FEEL MY BODY....my chest rise and fall with each breath....I could sense the snoring coming from seemingly my throat/nose area...  I found it quite strange....but realised I was having some sort of sleep disorder... I found it amusing to be wake inside an otherwise sleeping body....and felt my face move into a smile....tho it didnt feel like "I" was smiling....just felt my face smiling...

there was no fear, nothing spooky....after a minute or two I tried to turn over and get back to sleep properly....thats when I found I could NOT move a muscle...

as it was my first time I got a bit concerned that I knew I was awake....yet by body was fast asleep and I couldnt move it...!!

Then I started to try and fight it....I think mentally I made such a huge effort that I snapped out of it, and could move my body.... and as it was such a weird experience the first time....but NOT scary.... I rolled onto my side and went back to sleep till the morning..

Its happened at least twice after that....but only after many years had passed

I understand now that you did not find it spooky, it's a pretty weird experience as you said but nothing harmful right? I would react the exact same way if It happened to me!

But you do recognize that some people can have a completely different experience, which might be much more scary, like seeing things that seems like they want to hurt you. I never lived it and I don't want to, so the only way for me to talk about it is trusting people's testimony. And there is so many stories about sleep paralysis feeling like a real danger, you know?

That's just what I do, I trust people, but I'm not stupid tho, I can tell when something is made up.

[seeder]

7 minutes ago, Lucette said:

I understand now that you did not find it spooky, it's a pretty weird experience as you said but nothing harmful right? I would react the exact same way if It happened to me!

But you do recognize that some people can have a completely different experience, which might be much more scary, like seeing things that seems like they want to hurt you. I never lived it and I don't want to, so the only way for me to talk about it is trusting people's testimony. And there is so many stories about sleep paralysis feeling like a real danger, you know?

That's just what I do, I trust people, but I'm not stupid tho, I can tell when something is made up.

 

always remember...that the web is pretty much unregulated and people can write and post anything....so there is LOTS of BS out there

[Lucette]

14 minutes ago, seeder said:

 

always remember...that the web is pretty much unregulated and people can write and post anything....so there is LOTS of BS out there

No I know, stories that I've heard don't come from this forum only don't worry, I just thought that if I wanted answers, here I would have more chance to find people with open minds if you see what I mean

[Orphalesion]

I have had sleep paralysis several times in my life,never saw a shadow man, saw a small insect thing once, but I'm pretty sure that was a left-over fragment from a dream I had just before/during waking up and entering the sleep paralysis.

With the Shadowmen there's also to consider that it is a relatively common shape (the human form) that's often on our minds, and that in a half-conscious state like sleep paralysis things can easily become blurry and shadow like. So there's nothing necessarily supernatural about "him". Even the image of a shadowy figure wearing a detective's hat (the so called "hatman" of many online stories) has been part of our culture since, at the very least. the days of pulp novels and film Noir, so it isn't really weird either that lots of people would see "him".
It's cultural osmosis, people see stuff a in a lot of different places and it enters their subconsciousness and then it appears in dreams or hallucinations.

You can observe that in looking at how the visions have changed over time; in the Middle Ages it was demons, angels, fairies, goblins that sit on your chest and other such spooks, today it's the shadowmen and butt-probing aliens. So either the demons and fairies of yore all came together and decided collectively to transform into fedora-wearing shadow silhouettes and little grey men with large heads, or they are dream images shaped by our consciousness.
I go with dream images.

[Lucette]

1 hour ago, Orphalesion said:

I have had sleep paralysis several times in my life,never saw a shadow man, saw a small insect thing once, but I'm pretty sure that was a left-over fragment from a dream I had just before/during waking up and entering the sleep paralysis.

With the Shadowmen there's also to consider that it is a relatively common shape (the human form) that's often on our minds, and that in a half-conscious state like sleep paralysis things can easily become blurry and shadow like. So there's nothing necessarily supernatural about "him". Even the image of a shadowy figure wearing a detective's hat (the so called "hatman" of many online stories) has been part of our culture since, at the very least. the days of pulp novels and film Noir, so it isn't really weird either that lots of people would see "him".
It's cultural osmosis, people see stuff a in a lot of different places and it enters their subconsciousness and then it appears in dreams or hallucinations.

You can observe that in looking at how the visions have changed over time; in the Middle Ages it was demons, angels, fairies, goblins that sit on your chest and other such spooks, today it's the shadowmen and butt-probing aliens. So either the demons and fairies of yore all came together and decided collectively to transform into fedora-wearing shadow silhouettes and little grey men with large heads, or they are dream images shaped by our consciousness.
I go with dream images.

Yeah yeah you're right.. it's no mystery that our mind is highly influenced by culture, so it could be our subconscious... well then what do you think this means? we can interpret dreams so we can interpret sleep paralysis right? My friend said it's our troubles and stuff that "haunt" us, like, our mind telling us "you have this issue" by showing us these creepy ass hallucination, but I low-key disagree, I think we have a lot of other way to externalize our problems (including basic dreams).