posted on Mar, 3 2008 @ 05:24 PM
Sleep Paralysis (Wikipedia)
Sleep paralysis is a condition characterized by temporary paralysis of the body shortly after waking up (known as hypnopompic paralysis) or,
less often, shortly before falling asleep (known as hypnagogic paralysis).
Physiologically, it is closely related to the paralysis that occurs as a natural part of REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, which is known as REM atonia.
Sleep paralysis occurs when the brain awakes from a REM state, but the bodily paralysis persists. This leaves the person fully conscious, but unable
to move. In addition, the state may be accompanied by terrifying hallucinations (hypnopompic or hypnagogic) which cause an acute sense of danger.
Sleep paralysis is particularly frightening to the individual due to the vividness of such hallucinations. The hallucinatory element to sleep
paralysis makes it even more likely that someone will interpret the experience as a dream, since completely fanciful, or dream-like, objects may
appear in the room alongside one's normal vision. Some scientists have proposed this condition as a theory for alien abductions and ghostly
encounters.
The paralysis can last from several seconds to several minutes "after which the individual may experience panic symptoms and the realization that the
distorted perceptions were false". When there is an absence of narcolepsy, sleep paralysis is referred to as isolated sleep paralysis (ISP).
WG3