Sleep Paralysis: What It Is, Why It Happens and How to Avoid It
Sleep paralysis is not a dream: you wake up but cannot move. Discover why it happens, what the figures you see are, and how to reduce episodes.
What is sleep paralysis and why does it happen
Sleep paralysis is a real phenomenon, not a dream, in which you wake up conscious but unable to move your body for a few seconds or minutes. It occurs in the transition between REM sleep and wakefulness: the brain has woken up, but the system that inhibits muscle movement during sleep, so you do not physically act out dreams, is momentarily still active. It is an experience that is frightening the first time, but which poses no physical danger. It affects between 8 and 40% of the population at some point in their lives.
Typical symptoms of sleep paralysis
During a sleep paralysis episode you may experience: inability to move your body, head, or speak; pressure on the chest or a feeling of suffocation; hypnagogic or hypnopompic hallucinations — images, shadows, figures, or sounds that are not there; a feeling of a strange presence in the room; and in some cases, a sensation of floating or separating from the body. Episodes last from a few seconds to two minutes, though subjectively they can feel much longer.
Why you see figures or feel a presence during paralysis
Hallucinations during sleep paralysis have a neuroscientific explanation. The brain in REM phase generates vivid images. When awakening is partial and abrupt, those images filter into waking consciousness before dissipating. The most common pattern across all cultures is the perception of a threatening presence: a figure, a silhouette. Today we know it is the product of amygdala hyperactivation, the brain fear center, during REM phase, combined with body immobility.
Causes and risk factors of sleep paralysis
Sleep paralysis is more frequent when you sleep on your back, have an irregular sleep schedule or shift changes, suffer from high stress or anxiety, have chronic sleep deprivation, consume alcohol or certain medications close to bedtime, or have narcolepsy. Systematic sleep deprivation, changing time zones, and periods of high emotional pressure are the most common triggers in people without another underlying condition.
How to break out of sleep paralysis when it happens
The most effective technique during an episode is not to panic, which prolongs the state, and to concentrate on moving a small part of the body: a finger, the toes, the eyes, or slightly moving the lips. You can also try breathing deliberately and deeply. Some studies suggest that closing your eyes and trying to fall back asleep can interrupt the episode faster than fighting the paralysis. The key is to remember, even within the experience, that it is temporary and not dangerous.
How to prevent sleep paralysis: helpful habits
To reduce the frequency of episodes: maintain a fixed sleep schedule, going to bed and waking at the same time every day; sleep 7 to 9 hours; avoid alcohol 2 to 3 hours before bed; practice stress management techniques such as breathing, meditation, or moderate exercise; avoid sleeping on your back if that is your usual posture; and get natural morning light to regulate your circadian rhythm. If episodes are frequent and cause you significant distress, consult a doctor.
Sleep paralysis and spirituality: what different traditions say
In almost every culture there is a name for sleep paralysis: the medieval European incubus, the Latin American old hag, the Anglo-Saxon hag, or the Japanese kanashibari. All share the image of an entity that paralyzes the sleeper and produces terror. These consistent descriptions across cultures isolated from each other reinforce the hypothesis that they are hallucinations generated by the same neurological mechanism, not supernatural encounters. Understanding the phenomenon does not make it less intense, but it does allow you to face it more calmly.
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