Sleep Paralysis: Awake But Still Asleep

Posted by sara bennani on September 26, 2009
Sleep Paralysis: Awake But Still AsleepHiro TakahashiA person may wake up and find himself unable to move or speak as if he is frozen. He also may hear footsteps, see a ghost-like creature, or feel someone sitting on his chest. Throughout the history, people considered this phenomenon as work done by evil spirits. However, the modern science can explain the terrifying event as a Sleep Paralysis.A Sleep Paralysis is possibly a hereditary disorder in which one experiences very frightening seconds or minutes of total body paralysis with little respiration and eye movements (1). A victim in this state feels awake, but he cannot move or speak (2). In addition to the immobility, the common symptoms include feeling choked or suffocated, hearing strange noises like footsteps and voices, seeing beings or dark shadows, and feeling an existence of someone in the room (1). Although these symptoms often direct the victims to believe in ghosts, mistransmission of neural signals in the brain causes Sleep Paralysis. When a person sleeps, his brain sends signals to inhibit any muscle contraction (3). If he comes into consciousness before the brain sends signals to activate muscle contraction, he cannot move his body, and consequently, become "paralyzed"(2).While the modern neuroscience can describe the state of Sleep Paralysis as some errors of the neural transmission in the brain during REM sleep, a person who has seen or heard ghost-like figures/voices may easily believe that evil spirits fully controlled his entire body. However, the images or noises, which the victim believes that he has seen or heard, are most likely hallucinations; and hallucinations, too, can result from the brain activity._________________________________________Imagine waking up from a deep sleep ... only you can't open your eyes, speak, or move. Although your brain is awake and active…..You are concious, but your brain is still telling your body that you are asleep.Did anyone ever experience something like this ? If yes, share with us your experience and what do you think about it?

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Replies

  • sara bennani September 30, 2009 15:57
    hi kamel ,
    you right we should think God for protecting us , thanks my friend for your nice reply
    best wishes

    kamel Adas said:
    Hi Sara,
    I have never experienced that before but i think it's a good way to lead us crazy! Thanks God for protecting our minds.Thank you for this nice information.
    Kamel
  • sara bennani September 30, 2009 15:49
    hello dear Emilie,
    you are welcome and I wish it will never happen to you , thanks for your nice comment
    have a sweet time

    Emilie said:

    Hello my dear Sara:
    Thanks alot for this lovely topic...It is useful ..I didn't face this matter before but I am aware now if that thing happen to me....Thanks alot my dear .Have a nice day...
    Emi.
  • kamel Adas September 29, 2009 21:28
    Hi Sara,
    I have never experienced that before but i think it's a good way to lead us crazy! Thanks God for protecting our minds.Thank you for this nice information.
    Kamel
  • Emilie September 29, 2009 20:29

    Hello my dear Sara:
    Thanks alot for this lovely topic...It is useful ..I didn't face this matter before but I am aware now if that thing happen to me....Thanks alot my dear .Have a nice day...
    Emi.
  • sara bennani September 28, 2009 22:18
    hi Reem,
    you are welcome my dear and thanks for sharing your experience with us , I'm happy this article helped you to find a reasonable explanation .
    have a sweet time

    reem ali said:
    Hello Sara
    Exactly I experienced that. I felt someone walks beside me. I couldn't shout or do anything. after a few moment, I realized there was no anything. That was very frightening. Thanks Sara. Now I can know why did that happened to me.
    Wonderful time
  • Reem Ali September 28, 2009 21:56
    Hello Sara
    Exactly I experienced that. I felt someone walks beside me. I couldn't shout or do anything. after a few moment, I realized there was no anything. That was very frightening. Thanks Sara. Now I can know why did that happened to me.
    Wonderful time
  • sara bennani September 28, 2009 20:58
    hi JORDAN,
    I'm glad you like this topic , I read about it in the internet and I thought it's interesting so I've decided to share it . you are right R means rapid , REM means Rapid Eye Movement
    thanks for your nice comment
    have a nice time

    JORDAN said:
    hi Sara,
    well it's cool topic. fortunatly, i have not encountred or happened to me like this incident. thanks God!. in general nice subject but i wonder what REM stands for?R=real, rapid, or something else?
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