Is sleep paralysis scary?

Almost everyone has suffered from sleep paralysis at least once in their life. Like many others, I have long wondered and tried to find an answer to this strange phenomenon. Some of the explanations I've heard are so spiritual that it's chilling. In this article, we will together look at the phenomenon of sleep paralysis under many lenses to see through its nature and find ways to deal with it effectively.

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• 1. What is sleep paralysis?
• 2. Explaining sleep paralysis from a neuroscience perspective
• 3. What causes sleep paralysis?
• 4. How to prevent sleep paralysis?
• 5. How to get out of a sleep paralysis situation
• Epilogue

1. What is sleep paralysis?

Have you "experienced" like me?

I woke up in the middle of the night, looking at the corner of the wall… around me the room was still as quiet as before I fell asleep. Except for the strange thing that the desk lamp was still on, maybe I fell asleep and forgot to turn it off. But why is the drawer open? Then on my desk… someone was sitting there. An unidentified figure of a person perhaps wearing a school uniform. A stranger… why is in my room at this late hour.

My heart is pounding, I want to scream to scare the other person but why can't I make a sound like this. Throat is hard and dry. I wanted to sit up to take a stance, but my arms and legs couldn't move. Has overwhelming fear numbed me? I struggled, struggled hard, trying to get rid of the pressure that was pressing my whole body down, making me unable to move.

Then I waved away too, my right thumb pulling away first. Suddenly, as if I missed a step, I opened my eyes. I found myself lying on my back, sweat drenching my forehead, my heart still pounding and my breathing quick. That mysterious shadow disappeared without a trace. It was already bright outside, the lights were off and the drawers were still closed and tidy, as I usually carefully arrange every night before I go to bed.

I woke up in the middle of the night, looked in the corner of the wall… and saw a person there. Image source: wallpaperaccess

Have you tried to explain like me?

There was a time when I went through this often for several nights in a row. From the few details that differed from the moment I was struggling in panic with when I was able to regain control of my limbs, I dimly realized that those experiences were just dreams. My friends also have people, and they have a billion ways to explain.

My friend's grandmother explained that the shadow that overwhelmed her at that time was a "wood child" . It means that an injured bird came and landed and died on the tree. Its blood dripped and penetrated the tree to form a "wood". People cut down trees to make beds, people sleeping on this bed will be crushed by "woods". My friend heard that but didn't believe it, because it was sleeping on an iron bed and still had sleep paralysis.

There are many scary and spiritual interpretations

…

Another friend with sleep paralysis in Da Lat, opened his eyes to see a girl sitting on the edge of the bed looking at him. The next morning you hear that in that room there was a female guest who committed suicide before. My friend heard that but… didn't know whether to believe it or not. Still feeling scared though!

Some people sleep soundly in the city, when they go to their hometown to sleep every night, they are crushed. But since closing the window before going to bed, the following nights no longer have sleep paralysis. Others only get it during the stressful exam season – when the exam is over, it's over. Some people encounter it when they first move to a new place, and after a while they get used to the place, then it ends…

But in the end, still no one can answer why at that time, I or they tried desperately but couldn't move, why were we scared, why did the scene look so real?

2. Explaining sleep paralysis from a neuroscience perspective

Searching on YouTube, you'll find a number of people who have filmed their sleep over several nights with a sleep diary. In the times they encountered sleep paralysis, the scene or surroundings seen on the video did not happen anything unusual, mysterious or scary as what they remember they experienced.

So the first important thing to know: sleep paralysis is just a dream , not a reality.

If so, why is this dream so real?

Human sleep is divided into 2 main stages : rapid eye movement ( REM ) sleep and non-REM ( non-REM ) sleep.

During non-REM sleep , the brain, heart, and lungs slow down, and the body's temperature drops, helping the body stay in a state of quiet rest. But during the REM stage , the brain gradually works with a faster rhythm, the eyes move as if they are observing, the heart and lungs also work more actively, the body temperature rises almost when the person is awake. The only difference from being awake is that your entire musculoskeletal system is temporarily "locked" so that your muscles can rest and to avoid the unconscious movements in your dream that could cause you to experience problems. hazardous.

In sleep paralysis dreams, you often appear in the scene of the place where you fall asleep

Scientists think that at this time, the brain is "replaying" the events of the day to save memories into long-term memory. Often this whole process will take place in the unconscious, people do not know or only vaguely remember in the form of dreams. But if there is some physical or environmental disturbance that causes you to “wake up” and become conscious during this period, you will “see” vivid and detailed images that are lifelike.

And this is when the nightmare of sleep paralysis begins

When you "wake up from a dream", you think you are awake , your eyes are open. At this time, it is difficult to distinguish between reality and dream because the brain is "replaying" the information that it has recorded before falling asleep such as sleeping place, surroundings, people next to you, sleep time. night/day – ambient light). If you pay close attention, and (unfortunately) have been sleep-deprived many times, you may notice that there are slight differences between the scene you see during sleep paralysis and the reality after you actually wake up.

For example, you see the desk lamp is still on, the study desk is open even though you have turned off the light and closed the desk neatly before going to sleep. You can also try to call for help when you see your roommate studying, but wake up to find him sleeping without knowing anything. Similarly, the other images in this sleep paralysis dream are just simulations of the brain to rationalize the story to match your feelings at the moment .

Thinking you've woken up, you'll try to move or sit up. Of course, these efforts failed because during REM sleep the motor signaling pathways were blocked. This is similar to disconnecting the fuse of the circuit, so even if the switch is turned on, the fan will not be able to spin.

You start to wonder what's going on

When you see someone in your dream, you will try to ask for help. Or if you are alone, you will try to struggle. You can only move your fingers or the side of your feet with your best efforts. The brain rationalizes this immobility by creating images of fear that are threatening, of you being tied up, or of having invisible pressure on you.  

Being tied up is a way the brain rationalizes the experience of not being able to move during sleep paralysis. Image source: news-medical.net

Like in many other nightmares, you start to worry, fear.

Your heart will beat faster, you will breathe faster, you will sweat. After an "extraordinary and sudden" effort, you finally wake up, fully awake, able to move your limbs with ease with some vague anxiety and confusion in your heart.

3. What causes sleep paralysis?

Why do some people experience sleep paralysis more than others? With the same person, why have periods of many nights in a row, and periods of long time without a single episode? Why is it easier to sleep in a strange place than in a familiar place? The reasons why you are more prone to sleep paralysis are listed below:

3.1. The leading cause is stress

Psychological stress or anxiety from work and life can alter sleep more than you think. Chronic prolonged stress induces cortical excitation, which upsets the REM and non-REM cycles of sleep. The vague anxiety when sleeping in an unfamiliar place, sleeping alone… also makes you more susceptible to sleep paralysis.

3.2. The next cause is the sleeping position 

Studies show that sleeping on your back, especially with your arms or pillows placed on your chest, makes people more prone to sleep paralysis. Because lying on your back or placing objects on your chest can obstruct the airway and put the brain in a state of hypoxia. The state of hypoxia leads to rapid breathing and rapid heart beat. This condition is easy for the brain to interpret as a fear and create dream stories to rationalize this fear.

3.3. Upsetting sleep cycles or habits

The shift watch with incomplete sleep on duty tours shortens the sleep phases and causes them to overlap. Because you can't sleep deeply enough, your brain can "wake up" during these transitions. And if you "wake up" during the incoming REM sleep phase, you'll experience sleep paralysis.

This is often seen in medical staff, during their nights on duty, and is also often engrained in hospital mystery stories.

3.4. Other causes

In addition, some substances you often use such as coffee or alcohol, or some medications can also cause discomfort.

Some physical diseases or mental disorders also make you dream more and do not sleep deeply, wake up tired: sleep apnea syndrome, anxiety, depression, adaptation disorder ...

4. How to prevent sleep paralysis?

Equip yourself with stress management skills:

You need to know if you're under stress, if it's too much, and how to reduce it.

>> See more at the article: Living in harmony with stress – identifying a friend

Equip yourself with “sleep hygiene” skills : learn about good habits that can help you sleep better.

>> See more: Learn about how to sleep better here: The doctor tells you 9 easy and effective ways to sleep

If sleeping on your back often suffers from sleep paralysis, try changing your position to lying on your side and hugging a pillow. The prone position is not recommended because it is also not conducive to breathing and can cause compression of other body parts.

Lying on your side helps to reduce sleep paralysis.

Don't oversleep: The restorative deep sleep state is usually present only during the first three to four sleep cycles (about the first four and a half to six hours). The longer the sleep, the shallower and more REM sleep it takes. So oversleeping can increase the time spent in REM sleep, which in turn increases the likelihood of sleep paralysis.

Ensure adequate oxygen and ventilation during sleep: open a fan with a slit in the door or open the air conditioner; rooms are not too crowded; do not place your hands or heavy objects on your chest or neck (be aware that necklaces and jewelry can be common inserts); Do not cover your face with blankets, put pillows on your nose and face.

5. How to get out of a sleep paralysis situation

People are often afraid of what they do not understand

Be calm, for you know that this is only a dream. The images you see in your dreams, though very scary, are not real.

Realize you're in a dream

• Observe for something amiss in the surroundings: is there anything different from the scene you know, has the location of an object changed, or is there someone who just couldn't be there. Find the unreasonable points that show you are in a dream.
• Realizing that you can't move as you want is a sign that you're dreaming. Do not be afraid.

Calm down

• By taking a deep breath

And get out

• Feel yourself moving in small muscle areas such as fingers, toes, face...
• Select an area, such as a finger/hand, focus all of your attention on that area and pull it out forcefully.
• One of those strong grips leads to a feeling of stagnation, and you come out of your dream, literally opening your eyes and feeling your limbs move normally again.

If you wake up in the middle of the night. Trying to get back to sleep right away can lead to the next episode of sleep paralysis and many more after that. If this is the case, sit up , drink a glass of water, calm down, and then go back to sleep.

Epilogue

Thus, in the article, we had the opportunity to learn what sleep paralysis is . It is known that in addition to the usual explanation in folklore, there is still a scientific basis to explain this phenomenon. If you are suffering from sleep paralysis, try the methods mentioned above. If you have your own tips, please share them in the comments below to let everyone know. Or if you want to talk to your doctor more about your concerns, don't hesitate to contact your doctor.