The science of sleep paralysis, a brain-body glitch making people see demons and witches
Sign up for CNN's Sleep, But Better newsletter series. Our seven-part guide has helpful hints to achieve better sleep.
Baland Jalal lay in bed terrified, experiencing his own real-life horror film.
Newly awake, the 19-year-old could see his surroundings but couldn't move or speak, and he didn't know why.
He thought, ''My God, what do I do?'' Jalal, now 39, said of that moment in 2005. 'I tried to call my mom (and) dad, but no words would emerge from my throat. … I had this ominous presence of a monster, and it lifted my legs up and down.
'It strangled me, trying to kill me. And I was 100% sure that I was going to die,' Jalal added. 'It literally feels like all the evil of the universe is condensed into a bubble, and it's in your bedroom.'
This type of hallucination is a hallmark for many people with sleep paralysis.
It occurs during transitions into or out of rapid eye movement, or REM, sleep, similar to a traffic jam at a busy intersection — your brain, awake and alert, and body, still asleep and immobilized, collide momentarily, said Dr. Matthew P. Walker, director of the Center for Human Sleep Science at the University of California, Berkeley, via email.
Following deep sleep, REM sleep is the next critical phase of sleep cycles, characterized by more dreaming that's also extra vivid and lifelike, and by faster heart rate and breathing. It's essential for memory, concentration, mood regulation and immune function.
Jalal's experiences propelled him to study this phenomenon around the world. He aimed to discover the cause of sleep paralysis, he said, and why some people with the diagnosis 'have these powerful encounters where it feels like evil of epic proportions.'
He has since earned a doctorate in psychiatry and is now a researcher in Harvard University's psychology department and a leading expert on sleep paralysis. He also treats patients struggling with it.
An estimated 30% of people worldwide experience at least one episode of sleep paralysis in their lifetime, according to the Cleveland Clinic. How many of those people have recurring and impairing sleep paralysis isn't clear, but the percentage is likely low, Jalal said.
Here's what else you should know about sleep paralysis and how it can be managed.
In REM sleep, our bodies are paralyzed so we don't act out our dreams and risk hurting ourselves or others, Jalal said. Sleep paralysis episodes are usually only a few minutes long but can last up to 20 minutes, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
During sleep paralysis, however, 'we regain consciousness before the muscles regain their freedom from REM-induced paralysis,' said Walker, who is also a professor of neuroscience and psychology at the University of California, Berkeley
About 40% of people with sleep paralysis have visual, auditory or tactile hallucinations, such as pressure on one's chest or feeling out of body, Jalal said. For about 90% of those individuals, the illusions are terrifying. They can include ghosts or cat- or alien-like creatures, and their actions can be as innocuous as simply approaching them or as nefarious as molesting or trying to kill them.
In Jalal's academic travels, he discovered the contents and interpretations of hallucinations, views on what causes sleep paralysis, and episode frequency and duration can all also have a cultural basis. People living in Egypt and Italy, for example, would often see witches and evil genies, hold them responsible and think they could die from sleep paralysis, Jalal said. People in Denmark, Poland and parts of the United States, on the other hand, have less supernatural or exotic explanations and less fear.
'Why do we see these monsters? Is it the dreaming imagery … that's spilling over into conscious awareness?' Jalal said. 'My answer to that is, according to my research, no, not exactly. But it's part of it.'
When you're aware yet paralyzed and confused, your natural reaction is to escape that situation. Your brain is bombarding your body with signals to move, but your body can't return any feedback.
Jalal's theory, in short, is that your brain says, 'to hell with it' and concocts a story it thinks your body must be facing to be experiencing such bizarre symptoms.
The reduced activity in your prefrontal cortex — responsible for reason and logic — also contributes to hallucinations becoming 'extremely realistic and emotionally charged, amplified by an overly active amygdala, the brain's emotional alarm center,' Walker said.
Though scientists know that wake-sleep glitch is what's happening during a sleep paralysis episode, they're not entirely sure why. But there are several factors that can increase the risk of fragmented sleep and sleep paralysis.
Those factors include stress and related conditions such as anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), bipolar disorder and panic disorder, experts said. Much of Jalal's sleep paralysis occurred when he was in school. Now when he has an episode once or twice per year, it's usually during a high-stress period, he said. (Once you've experienced sleep paralysis, you can be conscious of that during an episode but still feel afraid.)
Other common contributors are sleep deprivation, jet lag, an irregular sleep schedule, sleep disorders such as narcolepsy, and genetic factors, Walker and Jalal said.
Obstructive sleep apnea, substance use disorder and some medications — such as those for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder — can also raise risk, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
As scary as sleep paralysis may sound, it's not actually dangerous, experts said. But depending on how recurring it is, sleep paralysis can be a sign of an underlying sleep disorder, Jalal said.
Regular episodes can also lead to anxiety around sleep and then avoidance of sleep, Jalal said. This pattern can interfere with your daily energy and ability to function. And if you often have frightening hallucinations, that can lead to anxiety or trauma-like symptoms.
Sleep paralysis can be significantly alleviated with several practices or treatments, Walker said — starting with healthy sleep habits, for one. That includes seven to nine hours of restful sleep nightly.
Maintaining a sleep schedule consistent in quality and quantity 'acts like tuning your internal clock, reducing the chance of disruptive wake-sleep overlaps — much like ensuring all parts of an orchestra are synchronized for perfect harmony,' Walker said.
Also prioritize stress management, by using, for example, mindfulness and relaxation exercises, Walker said. Therapies can relieve certain underlying issues triggering sleep paralysis, including cognitive behavioral therapy, especially the version for people with insomnia.
In more serious situations, medications are sometimes used, Walker said. Those include SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) or tricyclic antidepressants that can help manage a smooth flow between sleep stages or even reduce the REM phase of sleep.
Generally, boosting the brain's serotonin levels somehow compensates for the loss of the REM phase, Jalal said. But rarely, long-term antidepressant use has been linked with REM sleep behavior disorder.
While the aforementioned treatments can help reduce the frequency or length of sleep paralysis episodes, there isn't yet a gold-standard treatment that can stop an episode once it's happening.
Jalal has been trying to officially create one over the past decade, though, and it's self-inspired. Called meditation relaxation therapy, the treatment reduced sleep paralysis by 50% after eight weeks for six people with narcolepsy, compared with a control group of four participants, found a small pilot study Jalal published in 2020. He currently has another study of the same treatment with more participants underway at Harvard. And the steps of Jalal's therapy are as follows:
Cognitively reappraise the meaning of the attack. Close your eyes and remind yourself that your experience is common and you won't die from it.
Emotionally distance yourself from it. Tell yourself that since your brain is just playing tricks on you, there's no reason for you to be scared or risk the situation getting worse because of your own negative expectations.
Focus on something positive. Whether it's praying or imagining a loved one's face, this refocusing can make thoughts more pleasant rather than monstrous.
Relax your muscles and don't move. Some experts say trying to slightly move your fingers or toes one by one may help you come out of an episode sooner. But Jalal's fourth step advises against this movement since you'd still be sending signals to paralyzed muscles and maybe triggering hallucinations.
Viewing your own biology in a more objective way by learning more about the scientific basis of sleep paralysis is also helpful, Jalal said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
This Under-the-Radar Healthcare Stock Could Be a Solid Income Play
CVS Health Corporation (NYSE:CVS) is one of the best dividend stocks for a bear market. Even during economic downturns, people continue to rely on medications, essential consumer products, and affordable local healthcare. CVS Health Corporation (NYSE:CVS) serves as a convenient healthcare and retail destination within communities. A row of shelves in a retail pharmacy, demonstrating the variety of drugs and over-the-counter products. The company's overall business remains solid, thanks to its diversified operations and multiple sources of revenue. In recent years, it has expanded its presence in primary care and launched a subsidiary called Cordavis to focus on developing and marketing biosimilar drugs. Its broad reach across communities and wide range of services are key advantages. Lately, higher Medicare usage and increased post-pandemic healthcare costs have impacted the company's revenue and earnings growth. However, CVS Health Corporation (NYSE:CVS) remains profitable and maintains a solid cash position. In the most recent quarter, it reported $4.6 billion in operating cash flow. Looking ahead to 2025, the company has raised its full-year operating cash flow forecast from around $6.5 billion to approximately $7.0 billion. In addition, CVS Health Corporation (NYSE:CVS) appears to have significant room to grow its dividend. With a cash payout ratio of just 30%, even doubling that figure would still leave it within a sustainable range. Due to this strong cash generation, CVS Health Corporation (NYSE:CVS) has maintained its payouts since 1997. Currently, it offers a quarterly dividend of $0.665 per share and has a dividend yield of 3.96%, as of June 17. While we acknowledge the potential of CVS as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: and Disclosure. None.
Medscape
2 hours ago
- Medscape
Fast Five Quiz: How Much Do You Know About Bell Palsy?
Bell palsy, or idiopathic facial paralysis, is the most common peripheral paralysis of the facial nerve (cranial nerve VII). Many cases of facial nerve paralysis have identifiable etiologies, such as stroke, Lyme disease, or Ramsay Hunt syndrome, but Bell palsy is, by definition, idiopathic in nature. How much do you know about Bell palsy and its management? Check your knowledge with this quick quiz. Type 2 diabetes is associated with several types of peripheral neuropathy, including Bell palsy. The prevalence of peripheral neuropathy among patients with type 2 diabetes has been calculated to be as high as 53.6%. In one retrospective cohort study, 33% of participants with Bell palsy had coexisting type 2 diabetes. Additionally, obesity might increase the risk for Bell palsy. Some studies have concluded that there is a slight female preponderance among patients with Bell palsy, whereas others have found no sex predilection. Even if female sex is not a risk factor, evidence suggests that Bell palsy is associated with pregnancy. The median age of onset is 40 years, and patient age < 15 years is not a risk factor. However, Bell palsy has been identified in children and even infants. Facial nerve trauma can certainly cause symptoms resembling Bell palsy, but Bell palsy is idiopathic and does not have a traumatic etiology. If these symptoms resulted from trauma, the diagnosis would be traumatic facial nerve palsy rather than Bell palsy. Learn more about Bell palsy epidemiology. Lagophthalmos, but not true eyelid ptosis, is a characteristic feature of Bell palsy. Symptoms of Bell palsy typically have a rapid onset, manifesting from 24 to 72 hours and often resolving or partially resolving within a few weeks to 3 months. In Bell palsy, facial paralysis is usually unilateral, and bilateral facial paralysis should lead to consideration and evaluation for other etiologies. Hearing loss is not a typical symptom of Bell palsy. The presence of hearing loss indicates an association with an upper motor neuron lesion or a lesion involving more than the facial nerve. Learn more about Bell palsy presentation. A rapid evidence review on Bell palsy points out that, as the condition is idiopathic, laboratory diagnostics are not required for a diagnosis. Clinical practice guidelines from the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery concur that diagnostic testing is not needed to identify Bell palsy. The guidelines recommend that clinicians should not obtain routine laboratory testing in patients with new-onset Bell palsy, pointing out that this approach is not cost-effective. However, both the rapid evidence review and guidelines state that laboratory testing can help identify systemic causes of facial palsy symptoms, such as Lyme disease or diabetes, when reasonable clinical suspicion exists. Learn more about workup for Bell palsy. Oral corticosteroids are recommended in a rapid evidence review as the first-line treatment for Bell palsy. Guidelines from the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery also recommend this approach in patients age = 16 years with Bell palsy. Antiviral monotherapy has not been demonstrated to influence recovery and should be avoided. However, combination therapy with oral corticosteroids and antivirals should be considered, as this approach consistently results in lower rates of synkinesis and might reduce rates of incomplete recovery. Local injectable anesthetic would not be an appropriate therapy because it would not address the underlying cause, lower motor neuron palsy. There is no evidence-based role for local anesthetic in the treatment of Bell palsy. Electroconvulsive therapy is mostly used in the treatment of severe mood disorders. The mechanism of action would not be expected to be useful in the treatment of facial nerve palsy. Learn more about management of Bell palsy. Along with the Sunnybrook facial grading system, the House-Brackmann scale is widely used to qualify symptom severity of Bell palsy. A patient with obvious facial weakness, inability to move the forehead, incomplete closure of the eyelids, and mouth asymmetry with maximal effort would be grade IV, moderately severe symptoms. Grade I is classified as a normal presentation with full facial function in all areas. Grade II is characterized by slight facial weakness on close inspection, slight synkinesis, and no lagophthalmos. Grade III would exhibit moderate symptoms with noticeable, but not severe, synkinesis; obvious facial asymmetry but not disfiguring; complete eyelid closure with effort; and slightly weak mouth even with maximal effort. Learn more about Bell palsy prognosis.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
SpaceX launch scheduled Sunday in California. Will it be visible from Palm Springs?
Coachella Valley residents could catch a glimpse of a SpaceX rocket streaking across the sky this weekend, with a Falcon 9 rocket launch tentatively scheduled for Sunday afternoon. The Transporter-14 mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County will carry 70 payloads, including "cubesats, microsats, re-entry capsules, and orbital transfer vehicles," into Earth's lower orbit, according to SpaceX. While schedules can shift, the 57-minute launch window is slated to open at 2:18 p.m. Sunday. Backup opportunities are available at the same time Monday. The scheduled mission marks the latest of several SpaceX launches visible from the valley and across Southern California in recent years. A live stream of the rocket launches has typically been available on SpaceX's X account starting a few minutes before liftoff. Following the launch, part of the Falcon 9 rocket is planned to land on a drone station in the Pacific Ocean. SpaceX will provide livestream of the launch on its website beginning about 15 minutes before liftoff, along with updates on social media site X. Tom Coulter is a reporter for The Desert Sun. Reach him at tcoulter@ This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: SpaceX launch scheduled Sunday in California. What to know
