Have you ever felt someone is strangling you during sleep? Your first guess would be it’s the sleep paralysis demon you have read tales about.
The feeling is usually like something is pushing you down with inhumane weight and you are moving out of body or may be stranded somewhere.
It may seem like something humongous and intense but in reality, it’s not. It’s simply an episode where you might start hallucinating that someone is intruding on your space but the temporary paralysis you feel is real and it happens during the time between your REM sleep and aroused state.
It might seem like a scene cut from a horror movie and some of you may be facing it due to trauma.
In this guide, we will delve deeper into sleep paralysis demon, what causes it, how it feels like, and ways to prevent it.
Table of Contents
What Is Sleep Paralysis Demon?
As the name suggests sleep paralysis us your muscles get locked and you start panicking as your mind gets into a fight-or-flight response.
But what exactly are sleep paralysis demons? Are these the sinister creatures you have read books about and sneaking under your bed or maybe the cupboards? So no, these demons are produced just by your mind making up all of this on its own.
Your mind can be extremely scary sometimes that it makes images of demons that will make shadows, hideous creatures, or sometimes huge figures that scare you to hell.
The word Demons might make you believe it’s something supernatural and exists in real but no it’s just your mind messing up with you. This matter is highly subjective and is perceived as per beliefs, cultures, and religions.
In several religions, demons are usually ghosts and witches but again it varies. So giving it one name won’t be fair and true.
What Happens In Sleep Paralysis?
Does it scare you? Well, it should as it usually comes with fear and extreme anxiety that may make you feel like it will last forever but the feeling goes away within seconds or sometimes minutes before your mind gets alert.
People in this parasomnia stage feel like someone hovering over their body.
As people feel like someone pushing them down heart beat increases tremendously. It sometimes suffocates people and induces fear and a feeling of dread.
A hallucination occurs during tk the phantom feelings and it could be visual, auditory, or usually felt physically. Around 20% of people face sleep paralysis and 75% hallucinate during this paralysis.
Types of Hallucinations
The kinds of hallucinations people usually feel during sleep paralysis are:
Intruder Hallucinations: In this type, you feel like someone is in the room and sneaking around nooks and that’s what induces sleep paralysis demon.
Chest-pressure Hallucinations: In this type, you feel pressure over your chest that induces a sleep paralysis demon pushing you into bed.
Vestibular-motor Hallucinations: You feel like you are moving out of your body and you are stranded in the air or flying.
All of these types are not something to be taken lightly and must be handled appropriately by proper medical advice.
Causes of Sleep Paralysis Demon
There could be multiple reasons that contribute to sleep paralysis demon.
It is still a matter of enigma what causes sleep-induced hallucinations but mostly it’s claimed that it occurs mainly during your REM sleep (i.e., when the human mind conjures up most dreams and you feel alert and fresh when you wake up).
These frightening experiences are hard to point out but hormones, several neurons, or even the survival instincts in your brain could be causing this paralysis.
Brain Malfunctioning
When your brain is malfunctioning, it conjures up images that look like human beings during hallucination attacks.
These functioning usually arise from sexual hallucination where sleepers usually face phantom touches in their limbs.
Panic Attacks & Fearsome Situations
During hallucinations, you may feel you can’t move even if you want. It makes you panicked and triggers the fight-or-flight response.
Usually in research fear without your heart and bring back sleep paralysis demon.
Disrupted Breathing Pattern
During REM (i.e., Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, the muscles become relaxed and it causes your breathing to slow down.
Keep noticing when your breathing pattern has diminished drastically and you feel the invisible weight on your chest and suffocation. The situation explains sleep paralysis and should be given attention.
Serotonin Hormone
Sleep paralysis demon may be due to hormonal imbalance. Serotonin usually gets activated to make you more alert about your surroundings and it suppresses REM sleep.
But in this condition, it activates even during sleep and you start hallucinating. It increases fear in people as they get stranded in half-slumber.
Tips To Prevent Sleep Paralysis Demons
You can opt for these methods that will help you to get rid of hallucinations and sleep paralysis demons. It even helps you to prevent underlying conditions triggering it:
Keep Yourself Updated About Sleep-induced Hallucinations
The more you understand your bodily condition, the less you will panic. By becoming well aware of sleep-concerned hallucinations, you will feel less confused and frightened.
The situation won’t seem alarming to you and you will feel somewhat calm.
Never Neglect Anxiety
Anxiety most likely occurs due to disrupted sleep patterns. When you are having poor sleep, and anxiety attacks start hitting you, you start having sleep paralysis.
To avoid getting tangled in this mess you must contact a psychiatrist so you can effectively push your anxieties to bay.
Calm Down Your Muscles Before Bed
You must relax your muscles before going to bed either by doing exercise or massaging with essential oils as it will let you sleep peacefully and even control the Occupancy of sleep paralysis.
Write Sleep Journal
Start writing a journal about the symptoms you most likely experience during the daytime and the nightmarish thoughts you have during the night.
It keeps a record and you can vent out your anxious frustration this way.
Having this record helps you to better understand your situation and you can effectively communicate with a professional as well.
Cuddling
Touching another person or cuddling another person will reduce the risk of sleep paralysis. As the feel of another human being relaxes your muscles.
Set Alarm Clocks
If your sleep paralysis demon Occupancy is frequent, you can set alarm clocks that will wake you up at due time to avoid getting affected.
Alternate Sleep Posture
It’s scientifically proven that changing sleep postures prevents sleep paralysis. Like if you sleep on your back, try sleeping on your side.
Improve Night Hygiene
Sleep paralysis demons as the name suggests are associated with sleep, so make your night hygiene good.
Keep a consistent sleep time, try to keep it as relaxing as possible, and avoid drinking coffee or alcohol before going to bed.
Turn off bright lights and other vibrating machines in your room.
But again there’s no alternative to medical guidance. These methods may prove to be effective but consultation with a mental health professional is mandatory.
Bottom-line
In conclusion, sleep paralysis demon has been experienced by many people. However seeing it rarely and going through all the sensations is normal but if it becomes frequent, then you must consult with a mental health advisor.
The phantom feelings during this paralysis are terrible and adversely affect your body.
But once you are well aware of the symptoms you most likely feel it becomes less threatening and isn’t scary anymore.
Once you reach the stage where you question why it’s happening then it’s halfway cured as your level of understanding and adapting to it is a major contribution to mental health recovery.
But the knowledge shouldn’t come from real-life horror stories usually featured in documentaries and movies as this will only feed the fear instead of extinguishing it.
Give it a thorough read and understand its basics and let me know have you feel such a phantom messing with your head.
FAQs on Sleep Paralysis Demon
Is Sleep paralysis related to evil?
It’s hardly related to any underlying mental conditions, but for a long time in folklore, it was associated with ghosts and witches making it evil.
Can you hear from your sleep paralysis demon?
Yes, you might hear, see, or feel touches from these creatures, which is most probably your hallucination.
You may like to read about the following:
- Does Nyquil Make You Sleepy? Description, Formulation, Impact, Drawbacks & Interaction With Food & Drugs
- The Science Of Sleep: How Natural Supplements Can Enhance Sleep Quality
- This Is How to Get on a Better Sleep Schedule
For more information, visit Whatsmind.com
