Last night I woke to find a young man standing at the foot of my bed. He was wearing white shorts and a white Tee shirt with a white shirt unbuttoned. He was an unclear ghostly image. He then shook my bed then ran out the door.
You could say I saw a demon (I don't believe in ghosts), you would be incorrect. You could say I had a hallucination, and you would be correct, sort of.
What this is? Sleep paralysis.
Sleep paralysis is a feeling of being conscious but unable to move. It occurs when a person passes between stages of wakefulness and sleep. During these transitions, you may be unable to move or speak for a few seconds up to a few minutes. Understand that a few seconds can seem like an extended period.
The issue is that being in REM sleep you can still dream. In that it is scary your minds builds things, scary things. Like nightmares you can see, or believe you can see.
It is not indicative of a mental illness but is a disruption in the sleep cycle. Children have these, we call them night terrors. The developing mind of a child is prone to that.
I have had these off and on throughout my life. Always associated with extreme or prolonged stress. That is a trigger, and a common one.
Of course when I fully wakened I knew what it was, still shaken though. It is unsettling.
Last night I woke to find a young man standing at the foot of my bed. He was wearing white shorts and a white Tee shirt with a white shirt unbuttoned. He was an unclear ghostly image. He then shook my bed then ran out the door.
You could say I saw a demon (I don't believe in ghosts), you would be incorrect. You could say I had a hallucination, and you would be correct, sort of.
What this is? Sleep paralysis.
Sleep paralysis is a feeling of being conscious but unable to move. It occurs when a person passes between stages of wakefulness and sleep. During these transitions, you may be unable to move or speak for a few seconds up to a few minutes. Understand that a few seconds can seem like an extended period.
The issue is that being in REM sleep you can still dream. In that it is scary your minds builds things, scary things. Like nightmares you can see, or believe you can see.
It is not indicative of a mental illness but is a disruption in the sleep cycle. Children have these, we call them night terrors. The developing mind of a child is prone to that.
I have had these off and on throughout my life. Always associated with extreme or prolonged stress. That is a trigger, and a common one.
Of course when I fully wakened I knew what it was, still shaken though. It is unsettling.
I will preface this with I am not trying to be offensive.
Why would "Sleep Paralysis" be any more believable in explanation than a ghost, hallucination or demon? Just because "scientists" have studied a thing, come up with their own explanation, and then, supposedly, built "evidence" that they are correct, doesn't mean they have come across some universal truth. If you are a believer, and I think you are, then you should realize that the "Scientific Method" is a device invented by man and as such is fallible. That doesn't even come into play here as I know of no instance that this has been replicated in a controlled environment.
IOW, Sleep Paralysis is just another possibility for unexplained phenomena. IME it appeals to non-believers in the supernatural and those striving for a scientific explanation to everything. I have no idea what you experienced but IMO Sleep Paralysis is no better of an explanation than the others. It is a common thing, regardless of what it is.
Last night I woke to find a young man standing at the foot of my bed. He was wearing white shorts and a white Tee shirt with a white shirt unbuttoned. He was an unclear ghostly image. He then shook my bed then ran out the door.
You could say I saw a demon (I don't believe in ghosts), you would be incorrect. You could say I had a hallucination, and you would be correct, sort of.
What this is? Sleep paralysis.
Sleep paralysis is a feeling of being conscious but unable to move. It occurs when a person passes between stages of wakefulness and sleep. During these transitions, you may be unable to move or speak for a few seconds up to a few minutes. Understand that a few seconds can seem like an extended period.
The issue is that being in REM sleep you can still dream. In that it is scary your minds builds things, scary things. Like nightmares you can see, or believe you can see.
It is not indicative of a mental illness but is a disruption in the sleep cycle. Children have these, we call them night terrors. The developing mind of a child is prone to that.
I have had these off and on throughout my life. Always associated with extreme or prolonged stress. That is a trigger, and a common one.
Of course when I fully wakened I knew what it was, still shaken though. It is unsettling.
I will preface this with I am not trying to be offensive.
Why would "Sleep Paralysis" be any more believable in explanation than a ghost, hallucination or demon? Just because "scientists" have studied a thing, come up with their own explanation, and then, supposedly, built "evidence" that they are correct, doesn't mean they have come across some universal truth. If you are a believer, and I think you are, then you should realize that the "Scientific Method" is a device invented by man and as such is fallible. That doesn't even come into play here as I know of no instance that this has been replicated in a controlled environment.
IOW, Sleep Paralysis is just another possibility for unexplained phenomena. IME it appeals to non-believers in the supernatural and those striving for a scientific explanation to everything. I have no idea what you experienced but IMO Sleep Paralysis is no better of an explanation than the others. It is a common thing, regardless of what it is.
I did consider that since I do believe in demons, though not ghosts. Just too many times frankly. All while a child then when I was under extreme stress in the Navy. After the Navy suffering from PTSD. For it to stop and only come back after years of stress taking care of Diana. I don't believe it's demonic.
Last night I woke to find a young man standing at the foot of my bed. He was wearing white shorts and a white Tee shirt with a white shirt unbuttoned. He was an unclear ghostly image. He then shook my bed then ran out the door.
You could say I saw a demon (I don't believe in ghosts), you would be incorrect. You could say I had a hallucination, and you would be correct, sort of.
What this is? Sleep paralysis.
Sleep paralysis is a feeling of being conscious but unable to move. It occurs when a person passes between stages of wakefulness and sleep. During these transitions, you may be unable to move or speak for a few seconds up to a few minutes. Understand that a few seconds can seem like an extended period.
The issue is that being in REM sleep you can still dream. In that it is scary your minds builds things, scary things. Like nightmares you can see, or believe you can see.
It is not indicative of a mental illness but is a disruption in the sleep cycle. Children have these, we call them night terrors. The developing mind of a child is prone to that.
I have had these off and on throughout my life. Always associated with extreme or prolonged stress. That is a trigger, and a common one.
Of course when I fully wakened I knew what it was, still shaken though. It is unsettling.
I will preface this with I am not trying to be offensive.
Why would "Sleep Paralysis" be any more believable in explanation than a ghost, hallucination or demon? Just because "scientists" have studied a thing, come up with their own explanation, and then, supposedly, built "evidence" that they are correct, doesn't mean they have come across some universal truth. If you are a believer, and I think you are, then you should realize that the "Scientific Method" is a device invented by man and as such is fallible. That doesn't even come into play here as I know of no instance that this has been replicated in a controlled environment.
IOW, Sleep Paralysis is just another possibility for unexplained phenomena. IME it appeals to non-believers in the supernatural and those striving for a scientific explanation to everything. I have no idea what you experienced but IMO Sleep Paralysis is no better of an explanation than the others. It is a common thing, regardless of what it is.
I did consider that since I do believe in demons, though not ghosts. Just too many times frankly. All while a child then when I was under extreme stress in the Navy. After the Navy suffering from PTSD. For it to stop and only come back after years of stress taking care of Diana. I don't believe it's demonic.
As a believer, you know that you can't be possessed by a demon, but demons still like to mess with Christians from the outside. I'm not saying that's what it is...just saying. Secondly, you can believe or not believe in ghosts...up to you. That said, and I'm sure you actually believe in them, just not that they come back from the dead in the sense that Casper does or some such. But, consider that the Bible does say that it is very uncommon, but it also gives at least one example of that very thing happening.
I used to have occasional occurrences of what I assume was sleep paralysis but it's been a long time since the last episode now.
Mine never involved any 'dream' images' but more like my brain was awake but my body wasn't. I would struggle in my mind to move my hands, fingers, legs, feet, toes, open my eyes trying to fully wake my self up.
It was always scary but the first few times were real scary. Over time the more it happened I started to recognize it and the less scary it became. I never did become even remotely at ease with it, though.
The only thing I can think of what I imagine the feeling might be comparable to is being in a coma and realizing it then struggling with all your will power trying to force yourself to wake up.
What caused it to ever start and why I hasn't happened again, I haven't the slightest idea.
If you believe the supernatural types, they would say you are most connected with the spiritual side when you are in that stage of sleep where you are nearly awake.
Last night I woke to find a young man standing at the foot of my bed. He was wearing white shorts and a white Tee shirt with a white shirt unbuttoned. He was an unclear ghostly image. He then shook my bed then ran out the door.
You could say I saw a demon (I don't believe in ghosts), you would be incorrect. You could say I had a hallucination, and you would be correct, sort of.
What this is? Sleep paralysis.
Sleep paralysis is a feeling of being conscious but unable to move. It occurs when a person passes between stages of wakefulness and sleep. During these transitions, you may be unable to move or speak for a few seconds up to a few minutes. Understand that a few seconds can seem like an extended period.
The issue is that being in REM sleep you can still dream. In that it is scary your minds builds things, scary things. Like nightmares you can see, or believe you can see.
It is not indicative of a mental illness but is a disruption in the sleep cycle. Children have these, we call them night terrors. The developing mind of a child is prone to that.
I have had these off and on throughout my life. Always associated with extreme or prolonged stress. That is a trigger, and a common one.
Of course when I fully wakened I knew what it was, still shaken though. It is unsettling.
This has happened to me three or four times in my life. Once I was fully awake (just woke from a nap in a comfortable chair), but was completely unable to move for what seemed like a minute or two.
If you believe the supernatural types, they would say you are most connected with the spiritual side when you are in that stage of sleep where you are nearly awake.
Supernatural types look at every occurrence as supernatural. Alien types look at every such thing as aliens. Skeptical and logical types, like me, look at what it is most likely to be, an anomaly in the sleep pattern.
Sleep paralysis or night terrors are as old as mankind, and form a large section of traditional folklore and bard traditions.
My favorite is from "1001" Arabian nights, were the degeni sets on the end of the bed and flips beans at the dreamer.
The Norse Mermen are another, as well as the Old Hag stories, (witches)
most religions encourage the relating of these in their public meetings to help their members through the experience, or other motives
The experience can be invoked sometimes by giving (not counting Hallucinogens) beta blockers, which suggest that (getting away from the psychologists terminology, who think they own the definitions) that the Circadian rhythm has started the cortisol pathway, and their isn't enough epy to "wake" the dreamer.
these trance like states can also be mimicked by low thyroid.
The experience can be invoked sometimes by giving (not counting Hallucinogens) beta blockers, which suggest that (getting away from the psychologists terminology, who think they own the definitions) that the Circadian rhythm has started the cortisol pathway, and their isn't enough epy to "wake" the dreamer.
these trance like states can also be mimicked by low thyroid.
Had a dream I sleepwalked into my new, hot stepsister's room and climbed into the sheets with her.
Well, it is considered good to wake the sleep walker up but you need to do that without startling them. Grabbing and crunching your nut bag would be a startling wake up.
I've played with it whilst in that state and found that one can move the tongue, the eyes, and control breath function. That is it. My wife was inches away from me when I purposely breathed heavily (almost a cough) into her face to help to jar me awake, it worked.
I've experienced situations a few times where I was willing myself to awaken and I couldn't force my eyes to open.
I think it was due to sleep depravation. I was working a 3-2 rotation of 12 hour days (3 on, 2 off, 2 on, 3 off) and we rotated from day shift to night shift every 30 days. It was insanity. after about 3 months you never slept more than 3 hours at a time. I would have never taken the job had I known they were going to do that. They started it about 6 months after I got hired. I worked it about 6 more months. It will shorten your life.
I went to the boss, said, "Put me on one shift or the other". He said, "Can't do it."
I told him to send what they owed me to my address and left.
I've experienced situations a few times where I was willing myself to awaken and I couldn't force my eyes to open.
I think it was due to sleep depravation. I was working a 3-2 rotation of 12 hour days (3 on, 2 off, 2 on, 3 off) and we rotated from day shift to night shift every 30 days. It was insanity. after about 3 months you never slept more than 3 hours at a time. I would have never taken the job had I known they were going to do that. They started it about 6 months after I got hired. I worked it about 6 more months. It will shorten your life.
I went to the boss, said, "Put me on one shift or the other". He said, "Can't do it."
I told him to send what they owed me to my address and left.
Those swing shift schedules can be tough on both the body and mind. One place I worked back in my younger years the swing shift schedule was 7am to 7pm, then 7pm to 7am, 7 days a week during the busy periods, with a weekend off every few weeks to a month to allow for shift change.
I've had sleep paralysis all my life. Also known as "incubus". I'm 61 now and now they are spaced out to about 1x per year or so. Early on it was at least 1x per month. I believe too, that stress is the cause. I wake up to some state of consciousness and I realize i cannot move and cannot breathe. It seems like it lasts a minute or maybe a little more.
I read up on it and the trick to beating the episode, knowing you cant move, much less get up, is to start small. Try and wiggle your toes, then your feet....then your leg, all while telling yourself you are not paralyzed. Works like a champ for me. I tell myself "Alright, your toes are working...its ok. Let's try your feet....See? Everything's working now..." I laugh it off now and go back to sleep. It used to scare the [bleep] outta me.
I've had sleep paralysis all my life. Also known as "incubus". I'm 61 now and now they are spaced out to about 1x per year or so. Early on it was at least 1x per month. I believe too, that stress is the cause. I wake up to some state of consciousness and I realize i cannot move and cannot breathe. It seems like it lasts a minute or maybe a little more.
I read up on it and the trick to beating the episode, knowing you cant move, much less get up, is to start small. Try and wiggle your toes, then your feet....then your leg...
I suppose Etoh may be correct. I had tested a hair low on thyroid years before.
It was later when I had a few episodes but also had it in dreams at time as a kid.
What do you know, I commanded satan to get behind me in the name of Jesus. Haven't had it since and nowadays my thyroid levels always show to be normal.
I suppose Etoh may be correct. I had tested a hair low on thyroid years before.
It was later when I had a few episodes but also had it in dreams at time as a kid.
What do you know, I commanded satan to get behind me in the name of Jesus. Haven't had it since and nowadays my thyroid levels always show to be normal.
Sleep paralysis or night terrors are as old as mankind, and form a large section of traditional folklore and bard traditions.
My favorite is from "1001" Arabian nights, were the degeni sets on the end of the bed and flips beans at the dreamer.
The Norse Mermen are another, as well as the Old Hag stories, (witches)
most religions encourage the relating of these in their public meetings to help their members through the experience, or other motives
The experience can be invoked sometimes by giving (not counting Hallucinogens) beta blockers, which suggest that (getting away from the psychologists terminology, who think they own the definitions) that the Circadian rhythm has started the cortisol pathway, and their isn't enough epy to "wake" the dreamer.
these trance like states can also be mimicked by low thyroid.