Sleep Paralysis: Let's Understand It - 10 Interesting Facts About the Mysterious Happening

Centuries have passed, yet nightmares about sleep paralysis have baffled and terrified many a poor soul-from the time of the ancient tales of demons sitting on chests to the time of the modern-day explanation with neurotransmitters, which blur all boundaries between dreams and reality. Imagine waking up, fully conscious yet unable to move-almost unable to try and remove that awful film of sweat that covers your face. This is how sleep paralysis feels. Now, let's look into this enigmatic happening and what can cause it.

What is sleep paralysis?

Sleep paralysis is a condition wherein the brain is awake but is disconnected from the rest of one's ability to move the body. In other words, one's brain is awake while the body remains in sleep mode, completely paralyzed and unable to utter a word or say anything. Many report a weighted sensation on the chest-making it hard to breathe-with common terrifying hallucinations included. Such experience can be so vivid and disturbing that it has often been confused with supernatural events like demons or even an alien abduction.

But never fear! Lurking behind such alarming episodes, scientific reasons are never too far away. In this post, we consider 10 real-world, scientifically-backed facts about sleep paralysis to help people understand this bizarre nocturnal nemesis.

1. Sleep Paralysis Primarily Attacks Adults

Even though sleep disorders affect millions of individuals regardless of age, sleep paralysis generally begins during adolescence and in some instances, it may persist until adulthood. It is, however, a more common condition among adults, in particular, who have very stressful or sleep-deprived lifestyles.

In fact, it was estimated by a few new studies that 70 million Americans have sleep disorders, and sleep paralysis usually happens when one has very disturbed sleep. So, if you are having irregular sleep, or if you get stress more often, you can easily be prone to such ghostly conditions.

2. The Brain Comes Back Well Before the Muscles Do

Not among many other features of sleep paralysis, all pave the way for a particular characteristic of this sleep disorder-that is, your brain wakes before the body can. While usually sleeping, neurotransmitters such as GABA and glycine shut off our muscles so that we do not physically act out our dreams.

This system breaks down in sleep paralysis. The brain is awake, but the musculature is frozen, and there comes a disconnect with the signal arising from the brain to the actual act of the body. Quite simply, the brain forgets to turn on the musculature, and you are awake yet paralyzed.

3. It Also Tends to Happen Closer to Morning

You may also have realized that sleep paralysis usually occurs during the early morning hours. This is because sleep becomes lighter as the night progresses. Thus, the terminal stages of sleep are those in which the brain may easily wake up yet the body is still in deep stages of sleep.

Studies suggest that deep sleep is more persistent closer to morning, making it more likely for sleep paralysis to occur during this time. If you’ve ever woken up early only to find yourself immobilized, you’re not alone—it’s a common experience.

4. It May Relate to Other Sleep Conditions

Sleep paralysis does not act alone. More often it comes with narcolepsy or a neurological disorder resulting in sudden attacks of uncontrollable sleepiness; those suffering from narcolepsy can thus have sleep paralysis since transitions between sleep and wakefulness are disrupted in both conditions.

Whereas perhaps Hollywood might have narcoleptics just suddenly falling asleep in the middle of an activity, real narcolepsy is a hell of a lot more complicated. One symptom that shares similarity with sleep paralysis is irregular transition into and out of sleep.

5. The Episodes Can Last for Several Minutes

Episodes of sleep paralysis generally last from several seconds to a minute; however, some episodes may persist for several minutes and, in rare cases, even longer. Due to the feelings of paralysis and often accompanying hallucinations, these episodes seem endless, especially to people who are not familiar with this phenomenon.

While it is very terrifying, knowing that it is temporary will, to a degree, help alleviate the anxiety of the sleep-paralysis episode.

6. The Experience Tends to Be Well Remembered

It is often well remembered because one's mind fully awakens while in a state of sleep paralysis. Regular dreams and nightmares do not last long once one has woken up since the unconsciousness views them as something unreal. Sleep paralysis degrades the demarcation between sleep and wakefulness, and it is hard to sort out what was real and what was dreamt.

Also, it's the fear and the panic accompanying the episode that activate emotional parts of the brain and thereby increase memory. That would be one good reason why most of the terrorizing sleep paralysis episodes are so well remembered.

7. Hallucinations Are Common – and Frightening

In addition, it became infamous for its associated hallucinations as well. Scores of victims report ominous figures, demons, or monsters sitting on their chests. It could be because of an enormously high level of consciousness during paralysis, mixed with the normal predisposition of the mind to make sense of the feelings of suffocation and pressure.

These hallucinations occur on the cusp between falling asleep and REM sleep. Most dream imagery occurs during this period; thus, the terrifying images can be as real as any image experienced during wakefulness, making it even more fearful.

8. It Is Associated with REM Sleep

Most dreams occur when the individual is in deep sleep, otherwise known as rapid eye movement, or REM sleep, which starts an hour and a half after falling asleep. An individual experiences REM sleep several times during the night, with each sleep cycle of REM being longer than that preceding it.

It occurs during a shift out of REM sleep; thus, it is more likely to happen later in the night or in early morning after REM stages have become longer. Since the body is naturally paralyzed during REM as a means of preventing ourselves from acting out our dreams, this explains sleep paralysis: the brain awakens, yet the body remains paralyzed.

9. There Might Be a Genetic Propensity

It has also been a subject of research that sleep paralysis might be genetic: You'll most likely have it if a first-degree relative-parent or sibling-ever had an episode. An estimate by one twin-study research published in the journal The Journal of Sleep Research estimated that over 50% of sleep paralysis is genetically influenced, which should say much about your genes and their probable contribution toward the emergence of the condition.

10. It Can Be Prevented

Fortunately, sleep paralysis is a factor that often can be prevented because it usually occurs due to some kind of trigger. Common triggers include sleep deprivation, stress, anxiety, and depression. Other factors that may trigger sleep paralysis include the usage of certain kinds of medications.

You may also alleviate sleep paralysis by having regular sleep and wake times, maintaining a sleep-conducive environment, and keeping stressors at bay. Prevention aims at trying to avoid disruptions in sleep and allowing normal sleep patterns to run their course.

Conclusion

Interesting, because it is somewhat terrifying in its volume; it affects so many people in the world. Of course, understanding the basic science behind something can always temper a lot of the fear. The paralysis occurs when the brain and body fall out of sync during the transition between sleep and wakefulness, resulting in temporary paralysis and often with vivid hallucinations.

You can also reduce the risk of sleep paralysis through good sleep hygiene and avoiding stress. Share this article with anyone you know who might have had such a terrifying experience, and make sure they truly understand what happens and how to avoid experiencing it.

If you want to know the details of sleep paralysis, then do visit our YouTube video "If You Get Sleep Paralysis, Don't Open Your Eyes!" for detailed information.