Sleep Paralysis – A Paranormal Phenomenon?

Very interesting stuff, and I am staggered at the number of people who have sleep problems. It has been said that I am a machine, and I am wondering now if it is so!

I go to bed around 3 or 4 am and it is a very rare night that I am not asleep within 1 minute or two, five at the very most - that is trouble getting to sleep for me.. I sleep on my back, and whilst I am asleep I hear nothing. Thunderstorms do not wake. I am waiting to see if Armageddon will

I sleep around 6 hours, awake up immediately. I cannot lie in bed and have to get up. Again it is rare event to be aware that I have been dreaming, and even rarer to remember what it was about. I am talking about maybe 10 or 12 dreams in my 3 score years. I have been a sleep walker once when i was 18, and only once as far as I know.

I suppose I am lucky, but I am also a little jealous of the dreamers.

I've encountered sleep paralysis once. If I didn't know about it beforehand, I probably would have freaked out. As it were, I knew about this phenomenon because my Chinese relatives would tell me stories about "ghost crushing body" (direct translation from Cantonese (Chinese)).

My Story
I woke up in the middle of the night and saw a shadow moving against the wall of my room. I thought it was my roommate returning home, so I tried to say hi. No go. I remember thinking that not being able to talk was weird, so I tried to get out of bed. Again, no go. I doubt the existence of the supernatural so I didn't freak out but, I have to admit, I was somewhat nervous. Luckily, after a few minutes, I regained control of my body.

Now, here is the strange part... my roommate didn't return home that night. And the shadow I thought I saw had sharp edges. Meaning that the object casting the shadow would have had to be pretty close to my wall and not outside my room. Did I mention I lived on the 12th floor?

Soooo, though I believe SP is simply a "body/mind thing", I don't know what to make of the shadow. Creepy, huh?

If you don't understand what I mean about the shadow thing, try this (assuming you can cast a shadow where you are):
- hold your hand close to a wall to cast a shadow
- note the sharp edges of the shadow
- move your hand away from the wall
- notice the shadow getting blurry around the edges?
- Gotta be close to the wall to get a sharp edge!

I don't know if it was paralysis, but I got on the couch this morning around 4:30 am because my back was hurting.(worked in the yard all day yesterday) Anyway I fell asleep and had a horrible dream. I looked out the back door and saw a large football shaped craft over our back field. It was making a loud sound like a weed eater or edger and had a car all mangled underneath and was headed toward our house. I looked over and saw my husband and he was falling to his knees as was I because it felt like the house was spinning. I'm looking at this thing and saying, "It's really happening". I woke up feeling a little dizzy, terrified and really glad it was daylight and only a dream.

reply to post by maybee


Hmm well it doesn't sound like sleep paralysis to me in all honesty.....Just a bad dream would be my guess.

I mean from what you said there doesn't really seem to be any 'symptoms' of SP at all.



[edit on 5-6-2010 by Rising Against]

Thanks for replying back. The reason I guess I replied was when I woke up I still had the dizzying unstable feel that I had in the dream. It seemed moments before I was dreaming about work, and out of nowhere came the aliens. Anyway feeling much better now. Have a good day.

reply to post by maybee


Well it does sound like a dream but pretty cool dream at that!! lol
Anyway thanks for posting it.

Have a great day as well!!

OP - great info and a lot applies to me (sleeping on my back, lack of sleep, etc.). I've never had the hag experience but did experience monkey like things attacking me once.

Regarding my SP, most times I get a horrible high pitched buzzing sound which triggers a moderate headache prior to the SP episode. If I can "shake it off", the buzzing while be greatly reduced and not trigger the SP but it takes a concentrated effort to not have it come back full force (moving around, sitting up, etc.). Plus the buzzing coincides with that drugged feeling luring me to sleep. Once in SP mode, the buzzing is gone. I've never read anything that addressed this issue and I know other people have mentioned it.

Have you ever read anything about the buzzing or know what I'm talking about?

reply to post by tacho


Thank you and in all honesty I've never once come across anything talking about this weird buzzing noise when one is experiencing Sleep Paralysis.....Lucky for you though I know for a fact it does happen because it happens to me also!

So you're not alone in that but then again I'm not really sure at this moment in time why it occurs but I'm sure there will be a source out there and when I find it (As I'll do some more research later on today!) I'll post it here or link it to you through a U2U if you wish as I’m guessing at this point it may interest you.

Out of pure curiosity though when exactly do you experience the buzzing noise?

Is it only leading up to SP?

How long does SP happen for you as well?

Again I only really ask out of curiosity as I’m interested if it occurs for you in the exact same way as it does for me.

Have a nice day btw!!

reply to post by Rising Against

I don't mind talking about SP. In fact, it took me years to find any information about it, let alone people that experienced it. I remember years ago (early 1980's) listening to a syndicated talk radio show and a guy called in and described exactly what I had been experiencing (SP) for a couple years. The announcer said he probably had mental problems and to see a shrink!

Anyway, the buzzing sound is kind of like a tv or computer hum type sound, starting at a low volume than increasing until my head hurts. I would say the sound occurs in half of my SP episodes. It always happens prior to me being paralyzed so I am completely awake at that point and can shrug off the SP. Once SP hits, the buzzing is gone.

I've never been on anesthesia, but that's how I would reference those type of SP episodes. Just a heavily drugged, high pitched, can't stay awake anymore feeling. Give in to it and it's just a couple seconds before it's SP time.

Regarding how long my SP episodes last. Seems like an eternity but it really depends on how I end it. If I change my breathing, my wife wakes up (very intuned to it) within 20-30 seconds. If I move a body part, maybe 2 minutes. But the last couple times, I've controlled it. No fear and can float around now but have to concentrate on not waking up - it's a very fine line.

I can't personally induce SP. Amazing that some people can.

I have to sincerely disagree with the OP.

You have made a very informative post based on what is admittedly considered 90% speculation by the scientific community who lacks the ability to properly investigate the phenomenon of what they call (HSP) due to their confined view of anything paranormal. The very word paranormal is all the evidence I need to prove my point.

I have had what is called (HSP) since I was 12, before the age of 12 Sleep Paralysis was not required for the paranormal things that happened to me in my life. I have had what you would consider hallucination enough to know that this stuff is as real as it gets, far more real then the comfy safe bubble you have tried to get me to believe with your OP.

I did enjoy the part of your thread where you talk about (HSP) being contagious and it affecting people in an entire region and then after a few years moving on. Did it cross your mind that perhaps this happens because a person who Has (HSP) moves to such a region beginning all the paranormal entities along with that person and then the entities following the person once he or she moves to a different location?

Nice thread but I totally disagree with your understanding of what is rational.

[edit on 6-6-2010 by Izarith]

reply to post by Izarith

far more real then the comfy safe bubble you have tried to get me to believe with your OP.

Well, No, I’m not simply trying to create a safe bubble to fool people into believing nothing can hurt them etc. I’m trying to show people what I believe to be true based on what I believe to be genuine scientific evidence.
I'm not sure how you came to that conclusion in all honesty.

I mean not once did I try and NOT use the truth and NOT once did I try and post something which I feel was used in a way to shield people from the truth.

Not that you said this exactly of course but I feel it was clearly hinted from you from your post but you must remember I’ve stated already in my opening posts that what I have wrote is what I believe to be truth.

Did it cross your mind that perhaps this happens because a person who Has (HSP) moves to such a region beginning all the paranormal entities along with that person and then the entities following the person once he or she moves to a different location?

Well that is a mere speculation (something you seemed to disagree with me for it seems) but by far more research really does need to be done in this area as well as SP as a whole tbh as of right now everything is just speculation.

Although I do still agree with that as I don’t believe that paranormal entities are the cause for SP or HSP as I’ve stated in my opening posts already.

Nice thread but I totally disagree with your understanding of what is rational.

If you disagree with my thread then that’s fine but nothing so far from what you have said has changed my mind on what I have wrote in my opening posts I’m afraid.
And believe me I'm always open to a change of opinion.





[edit on 6-6-2010 by Rising Against]

reply to post by Rising Against

Well, No, I’m not simply trying to create a safe bubble to fool people into believing nothing can hurt them etc. I’m trying to show people what I believe to be true based on what I believe to be genuine scientific evidence.
I'm not sure how you came to that conclusion in all honesty.

I mean not once did I try and NOT use the truth and NOT once did I try and post something which I feel was used in a way to shield people from the truth.

Not that you said this exactly of course but I feel it was clearly hinted from you from your post but you must remember I’ve stated already in my opening posts that what I have wrote is what I believe to be truth.

I understand,

And you did present the information very well, but threads leaning toward science regarding SP and HSP never represent the fact that the scientific inquiries that lead to the speculations of modern academic definitions of the causes of SP and HSP have as much bases as the toothless hillbilly ringing the town bell and shouting through the streets that there is an old hag sitting on his chest at night while he cant move.

You would think science could do better and the fact that it's having such a hard time leads me to question it's validity.

Well that is a mere speculation (something you seemed to disagree with me for it seems) but by far more research really does need to be done in this area as well as SP as a whole tbh as of right now everything is just speculation.

Although I do still agree with that as I don’t believe that paranormal entities are the cause for SP or HSP as I’ve stated in my opening posts already.

Yes but based on scientific fact due to it's questionable speculations the paranormal can not be ruled out as one of the causes of SP and HSP. Right?

If you disagree with my thread then that’s fine but nothing so far from what you have said has changed my mind on what I have wrote in my opening posts I’m afraid.
And believe me I'm always open to a change of opinion.

It's a matter of perspective I would say.

But know you I would like to say to readers who get SP and HSP and are terrified of it, remember it could very well be nothing paranormal at all. Could just be a sleeping disorder. I just think differently based on what i have experience.

And and the tips for braking out of SP in the OP were a great contribution to people who get it. I would ad that trying to stay calm and knowing that it will pass soon enough is also a thing to remember.

reply to post by Izarith

You would think science could do better and the fact that it's having such a hard time leads me to question it's validity.

Well I'm not so sure in all honesty, I mean i think the explanation that I posted makes alot of sense and does seem to explain why we experience SP...HSP on the other hand is more of a grey area IMO.

Yes but based on scientific fact due to it's questionable speculations the paranormal can not be ruled out as one of the causes of SP and HSP. Right?

Oh please do believe me when I say I 100% agree with that.

I'm actually a big believer in the paranormal (I tried to mention that first off in this thread) and you have no idea just how much I want to find (might I add..I am looking )that undeniable evidence to prove it's existence once and for all which is also probably what contributes to me being as skeptical as I possibly can in all honesty as we 're only going to find it IMO if we're skeptical when looking into 'the paranormal' so we're tackling it from the fairest position instead of blindly believing in it and ignoring all the possibilities of what it really could be.

Just my opinion of course but Yes I am a big believer in the paranormal, I study it a lot and Of course I’m looking for it as well.

Anyway I just want to direct you to my 4th post from this thread if it's ok as that explains a bit about my opinion on the paranormal here.

So Yes, I completely agree that the paranormal can not and should not ever be ruled out..In fact I think it's slightly irresponsible to just rule it out without any reason to do so.

BTW just so you know I've experienced SP alot as well and actually it's probably the main reason why I chose to really try and look into it and find out exactly what was happening to me because to be perfectly honest I was freaking terrified at first. lol

I mean I didn’t know what the hell was going on as it just started randomly one day and continued to happen and my first thought was ‘OMG this has got to be paranormal!!’.

But I’ve now found a much more plausible and easily explainable explanation that makes perfect sense to me.
Of course I'd just like to make clear again that I would never rule out the paranormal still.

And and the tips for braking out of SP in the OP were a great contribution to people who get it. I would ad that trying to stay calm and knowing that it will pass soon enough is also a thing to remember.

Thank you very much!
It only seemed right as this was someone I looked for in great detail when it first started happening to me (remember..I was terrified lol) so it was more than relevant IMO.

Also Yes staying calm would be a huge benefit as well but frustratingly it’s alot more easier said than done but a must know!

Great point!


[edit on 6-6-2010 by Rising Against]

Here is the truth about 99% of all sleep paralysis. I say 99% because who knows, maybe aliens do abduct people this way sometimes. I cant prove they don't. Its never happened to be, but i have experience the paralysis before, and actually we all do whether or not we know it.

the first thing to understand is REM sleep-

REM sleep
The first rapid eye movement (REM) period usually begins about 70 to 90 minutes after we fall asleep. We have around three to five REM episodes a night.
Although we are not conscious, the brain is very active - often more so than when we are awake. This is the period when most dreams occur. Our eyes dart around (hence the name), our breathing rate and blood pressure rise. However, our bodies are effectively paralysed, said to be nature's way of preventing us from acting out our dreams.
After REM sleep, the whole cycle begins again.


so when we sleep, our body is turned on an autopilot if you will. all essential functions like breathing and circulation and controlled by the pons and the medulla oblongata.

So the brain effectively paralizes us while we sleep. but not perfectly. And thats what im arguing SP is. every once in a while, the brain doesnt quite waken up all the way, or it has to fight for conscious control back from the autopilot. For proof that this system isn't perfect, people do still move slightly in their sleep, especially when having a particularly intense dream.

reply to post by Rising Against


We used to live in an area popular from UFO sitings. I had the view from my window exactly on the spot. It was expected 1996 the 3 eclipses which was set to be a date when UFO's would retuning to the site of the Observatory.
In that room two strange incidents occurred, one of those incidents totally pushed my way of thinking, actually providing me evidence that I should believe in paranormal existence.

One evening I went for a drink with my boss and the Oxford rowing team, along with some student form the science labs at university. I left early that night because I had felt suddenly drawn of energy- that night laying in my bed I felt an electronic current running through my body that woke me. I had decided that this was caused by the alcohol. Having the absolute fear of life rush through me I was sure that I would become paralyzed for ever. So I tried to fight it. My body felt heavy I could not move or lift my limbs. I could feel this current passing through my neck and believed if I did not fight it I would either die or be paralyzed for eve. It had been nearly 2 or 4 years since I had slept in that room and only a month or so earlier I had been sleeping in the Basement- where a Lighting ball had come in through the sky light. I hid under my Duvet- well what the hell else can you do? Luckily this lightning ball was pretty much contained in a sphere of energy that spread out almost like a drop of water and vanished as the electric current lost its energy. I could feel the current travel over the duvet which vibrated pressure with a slight humming noise. It lasted only for a few seconds. It would have been good to have watched more of this blue and pink lightning. Even to feel it again.
In the year 1996 during the period of the 3 eclipses my self and a large group of friends were caught in a storm. There were two groups non of which speak together today, and two which are totally of in a different circle today. There was one group of girls that were there but did not move when the lightning came- they all said that the went off the other direction and did not see the lightning.
Down one half of the street it was Raining and down the other it was dry. The news reports had read that we would be expecting some tropical thunder storms unnatural to our climate. Never seen anything like it at all before. It did not look natural the sky was forming the geometric shapes in more than 2,3 colors- the topic of the conversation was duck to hide from the lightning- to which Olly replied " what is the point in ducking, the best thing to do is run!" because the thing looked to big to duck from.
The Girls went into a house down the middle of the street.
The neighbors had seen our group running and screaming as we ran down the street and they had wanted to know what had happened.
By the time we had reached the end of the road we were totally drenched in rain and too shelter in a pub where Elvis was singing and had bumped into another group of friends. Their was only one other person that lived down that street that had seen us running in the rain and the lightning.

Well done, OP. This is my first post, and it's no surprise to me that this is the first topic I'm choosing to reply to, as I've experienced four extremely mortifying episodes of sleep paralysis throughout my life; three between the ages of 5-11 and one when I was 19 or 20.

Three of the four were accompanied by intensely vivid visuals. I had a shadow figure looming over me, I had a small creature flapping its wings against my window blinds causing them to shake while I felt the moving air hitting my face... the experiences were out of this world.

Then again, I simply cannot discount the power of the human brain. It is as undiscovered as our oceans, although we've made significant progress over the past several decades. I have an immense respect for science. Because the descriptions of hypnagogic hallucinations fit my experiences so well, and because these episodes have been studied in controlled environments by highly-educated and meticulous individuals, I feel that it would make little sense for me to refuse to defer to them.

Nonetheless, no matter what, to this day in my mid-30's, I still get the creepy-crawlies when I think about those four events. I can still feel the wind against my face from the wings, and I can still see the shadow looming over me, with certain death impending... and I'm still not positive that I'm in awe of the power of my brain, or in awe of the creatures showing interest in me in the night. It depends on whether I'm listening to my brain or my heart.

reply to post by Rising Against

But I’ve now found a much more plausible and easily explainable explanation that makes perfect sense to me.
Of course I'd just like to make clear again that I would never rule out the paranormal still.

I see, well I guess you are more objective in your perspective of SP than I previously imagined heh.

My whole dilemma when it comes to open discussions about SP and HSP is that no one can or should be an authoritative specialist. No person of science nor the witch Doctor down the road should tell a person who gets SP why or how it happens to a person.

Not saying that you did, especially since you provided pretty objective information even if it was sided toward science. That and scene is a hell of a lot safer than the crazy nuts who claim to know the negative paranormal effects of SP. Plus information is never bad.

SP is very personal and it presides in the realm of speculation so I'd say SP is what ever a person believes it to be. And to many people it is, which is why people who claim to know why SP happens like the people who think they have a position of authority on the subject of "Old Hag Syndrome" are very dangerous and cause more damage than good with their claims of the old hag making a person ill and such.

"Old hag syndrome" be it what it is will hurt you if you believe it will so it's always important to remain positive. Be it a sleeping disorder or paranormal you are the SP experiencsor and only you determine if SP will cause you harm no matter what happens during a SP episode.

I myself have never seen the Old Hag and I don't wish to, But I have been payed a visit by Mr hat. To my surprise he ran in fear when I forced open my eyes, he even yelped LOL. Must have been a noob.

Thank you very much!
It only seemed right as this was someone I looked for in great detail when it first started happening to me (remember..I was terrified lol) so it was more than relevant IMO.

And thank you for the great information, tips and discussion.

But if you would consider listening to some advice about SP...

Look at it as a gift, one that no matter how scary or terrifying it gets some times you can learn to make the most of it and learn so much about the mind and soul.

And if one day your ready and willing think about the odds of SP turning from CSP to HSP simply by opening your eyes...literaly...during an episode.

If you think about it, SP is so terrifying what do you think the percentage of people keeping their eyes close is to those who force them open, I wonder if the percentage resembles that of people who get CSP Vs HSP. Muahahahahahah

I had two new episodes of SP this weekend. it seems to happen to me more and more. The first one happend saturday morning after i got up and had some brakefast. i got done eatting and went back to bed. Feel asleep and got SP. Nothen bad happend because i filled my mind with positive things when it happend. and i later go out of it.

The secound one happend last night and lasted about a min. Again nothen bad happend. i was thinking positive the whole time in SP. im really trying to take control of this thing when it happens to me.

I see, well I guess you are more objective in your perspective of SP than I previously imagined heh.

Haha well like I've said before I like everyone else (Which I assume is the reason we all continue to come back to this site) just want to find some truth in a world filled of the unknown and we're just trying to find a way to understand for whatever reason whether it be for personal gain or much more.

I mean I just want to understand this subject more and once and for all find the smoking gun which proves for me and hopefully others whether it’s real or not...This is why I continue to research and investigate continually, I just hope I'm not wasting my time as well in all honesty.

And for sceptics I feel I should add I also think anything is possible in our little world and I believe we don’t know enough to say otherwise just yet IMO.

Anyway I'm not going to try and reply to every point you made but instead say I do in all honesty agree with just about everything that you wrote apart from it being sided towards it being science based which it most certainly was but I don’t think that's a bad thing really.

I think like you said it's better than going down the opposite road and being like 'crazy nuts who claim to know the negative paranormal effects of SP' and science is beneficial (it’s nowhere near perfect) but it’s the approach I try and take most of the time.

Also I think it’s a great message that you're trying to send as well with what you wrote and I really do hope more people see your posts and take something from it!!

reply to post by camaro68ss


Well that's great and IMHO a not so easy thing to achieve as SP can have the potential to be terrifying for some...Especially those who are unfamiliar with what it's all about and it's background etc.

Hopefully though with this thread more people will try and do the same and turn it into a positive experience!

.....Well that's the idea anyway.