Revealing the Terror of Sleep Paralysis

To help people understand a condition that frightened her at night, Ranita Roy used photography to visualize her experiences.

 Spine-Chilling Stories of Sleep Paralysis

We explore the phenomenon that debunks demonic possession.

Understanding sleep paralysis: a terrifying but unique state of consciousness

Sleep paralysis episodes typically occur either early in the night, as someone is falling asleep, or towards the end of the night, as someone is waking up.

Awake in a Nightmare

From ancient demons to alien abductions, paranormal tales reveal that “sleep paralysis” may be as old as sleep itself.

Ever wake up to a numb, dead arm? Here’s what’s happening.

Waking up in the middle of the night to discover one of your arms has lost all feeling is frightening. At first, the limb is limp and flops around like a useless bag of bone before coming back to life with a flood of "pins and needles" sensations.

Freaky Sleep Paralysis: Being Awake in Your Nightmares

You wake up, but you can’t move a muscle. Lying in bed, you’re totally conscious, and you realize that strange things are happening. There’s a crushing weight on your chest that’s humanoid. And it’s evil. You’ve awakened into the dream world.

Rodney Ascher's New Doc 'The Nightmare' Reveals the Real-Life Horror of Sleep Paralysis

Sleep paralysis is a nightmare experienced while you're awake, paralyzed in your bed while dark figures lurk nearby. Ascher's new documentary explores the terrifying experience.

Sleep Paralysis is a Literal Nightmare

"We know that during REM sleep, our brain blocks the motor neurons that allow us to move, essentially paralyzing the body so that we don't act out our dreams." (Otherwise, most of us would need to sleep in a steel case.) But occasionally—and for reasons scientists don't totally understand—we wake up before those motor neurons have a chance to fire up again, leading to a semi-conscious paralysis that only lasts a few seconds but can feel agonizingly long in the moment.

Sleep Paralysis or Folk-Tale Motif

Sleep paralysis is extremely common. Many people will experience it at least once in their lives. Some people experience if with some regularity. The experience can be terrifying and the hallucinations can seem very real. Many people swear that they are awake, and, in a sense, they are–more or less.

Struggling with Sleep Paralysis? Learn How to Treat It

For many people, there is no need for a sleep paralysis treatment. Once they understand what is causing the temporary paralysis, they can feel at ease and know that it is not dangerous or harmful. It’s not necessary or even recommended to seek treatment for sleep paralysis in most cases.

The terrifying symptoms of sleep paralysis revealed

Sleep paralysis episodes typically occur either early in the night, as someone is falling asleep, or towards the end of the night, as someone is waking up.

What It’s Like to Have Severe Sleep Paralysis

The experience is often accompanied by some kind of hallucination, usually something scary; people report feeling as if they’re being pinned down by a huge weight on their chest.

What predicts distress after episodes of sleep paralysis?

Ever find yourself briefly paralyzed as you're falling asleep or just waking up? It's a phenomenon called sleep paralysis, and it's often accompanied by vivid sensory or perceptual experiences, including complex and disturbing hallucinations and intense fear. For some, sleep paralysis is a once-in-a-lifetime experience; for others, it can be a nightly phenomenon.