Sleep Paralysis
Have you ever woken up during the night feeling as though you cannot move or speak? Perhaps it feels like someone is sitting on your chest, or as if your body has turned to stone? Perhaps it’s accompanied by visual or auditory hallucinations.
Yes it is scary – but the good news this isn’t something supernatural or unnatural. It is simply sleep paralysis, and is something that can affect anyone.
Sleep paralysis occurs when there is disturbance in your progression through the normal sleep cycles. Usually when we enter deep sleep (REM Sleep), our body shuts off muscle movement to protect us from enacting out our dreams. We usually don’t notice this because our brains become less conscious. However, if you regain awareness during this time, you will notice that you cannot move or speak. This can be a frightening experience!