Paralysis after sleep: what to expect? Syndrome of the old witch: what is the danger of sleep paralysis

It's really scary, we know. For those lucky ones who have never had to experience something similar, we tell. You wake up (or fall asleep), and suddenly a feeling of inexplicable horror rolls over you. It can be the feeling of someone's presence in the room, rustling outside the door, or even voices. At the same time, you cannot move. You are fully awake, awake, but unable to move, as if your body were your coffin. After a few seconds or minutes it passes, you jump up, turn on the light and try to catch your breath.

Mechanisms of paralysis are known

When REM sleep occurs, our brain turns off some regions that are responsible for movement to protect ourselves. Not for any movement, of course, but for an active one. That is, if a saber-toothed tiger is chasing us in a dream, we do not jump out of bed and do not rush at full speed, wherever our eyes do not look. When we wake up, these departments, respectively, turn back on. But sometimes a failure occurs, and motor functions do not turn on immediately when a person wakes up. We woke up, but the brain did not have time to "turn on" all the necessary functions, did not figure out whether we were sleeping or already awake.

Ideally, a person should wake up during the stage of slow sleep, during this period the body rested and prepared for exploits.

There can be many causes of sleep paralysis.

And they all relate to certain sleep disorders:

• failure of biorhythms (for example, due to a flight to another time zone);
• lack of sleep due to stress and anxiety;
• depression;
• sleeping in an uncomfortable position (on the back or lying down on a limb);
• bad habits;
• taking certain medications - neurometabolic stimulants, antidepressants;
• mental disorders and diseases;
• genetic predisposition.

But, to be honest, no one will tell you the exact reason.

It occurs while falling asleep or waking up.

Sleep paralysis can be hypnagogic (occurring during the period of falling asleep) and hypnopompic, which manifests itself, in fact, at the moment of awakening. The first type is less common, it usually occurs when the body is already “asleep”, but the brain remains awake.

Sleep paralysis can sometimes cause hallucinations.

Unlike the nightmares that we see with our eyes closed during REM sleep, hallucinations in sleep paralysis can also occur when your eyes are open. As such, pictures are quite rare, but the feeling of someone's presence in the room is a fairly common phenomenon. Often this is provoked by panic, which seizes a person who realizes that he is not able to move.

It doesn't last long

From a few seconds to - maximum! - a couple of minutes. This time may seem like an eternity to you, but in fact everything happens very quickly. To calm down, try counting to yourself.

Sleep paralysis is not dangerous. Nearly

There is no evidence that sleep paralysis can cause any health problems. But. It can seriously frighten, and if a person suffers from cardiovascular diseases, paralysis can adversely affect his heart. Another danger is lack of awareness (it is from this danger that we are saving you now), when a person, experiencing sleep paralysis, is convinced that he is not all right with his psyche.

If this happened, what to do?

To begin with, calm down (yeah, easy to say!) And start, for example, counting out loud. Realize that this is a temporary and harmless state. The main thing is not to resist paralysis, otherwise there may be a feeling of suffocation, and we do not want this. Align your breathing, try to count the inhalations and exhalations. Alternatively, try moving your tongue, for example. Perhaps this way your body will wake up faster.

To avoid sleep paralysis - sleep!

The surest way to make sure that this does not happen to you is to optimize your work and rest modes. Sleep deprivation and stress can easily lead to sleep paralysis. Therefore, go to bed on time, turn off your gadgets a few hours before bedtime, take a relaxing bath and do not eat before going to bed.

For centuries, people have been convinced that sleep paralysis is caused by demons, evil spirits, and other hostile forces. Now we know that there is a reasonable scientific explanation for everything. Nearly.

Good night and sweet dreams!

Sleep paralysis (sleep stupor) is quite common. It is not included in the international classification of diseases for a number of reasons, however, there is a considerable amount of information in the scientific publications of foreign authors.

References to sleep paralysis can also be found in the writings of historians from around the world. There is a historical name for the phenomenon - "witch syndrome", which is explained by the outdated view of it as the arbitrariness of supernatural forces.

Data

As the name suggests, sleep paralysis is inextricably linked to the sleep process. This condition occurs at the beginning of falling asleep, or after waking up in the morning, but in any case - in the fast phase of sleep. In general terms, sleep stupor is characterized by complete immobilization upon recovery of consciousness upon awakening.

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In other words, being in a clear consciousness, a person is not able to perform any actions. This unusual phenomenon lasts only a couple of tens of seconds and is not life-threatening at all, but even such a time interval is enough to experience unpleasant, frightening and obsessive emotions.

So, people who have experienced a state of sleep stupor describe panic, fear of impending death, various kinds of hallucinations, difficulty breathing and other unpleasant sensations. According to statistics, this phenomenon has occurred at least once in a lifetime in almost 40% of healthy people, usually young people. Characteristic is the lack of need for special treatment.

A few other facts about sleep paralysis:

• an episode of sleep paralysis can be controlled and even prevented;
• the duration of the attack - from a few seconds to one or two minutes;
• You can completely stop the attack with a strong stimulus, for example, a loud sound or a flash of light;
• pathognomonic (cardinal) symptom - inability to speak and move;
• more often develops in adolescents and young people;
• quite widespread in the world, estimates range from 5 to 60%;
• safe for the body, but requires the exclusion of more serious health problems;
• There is wide variability in the frequency and intensity of paralysis in different individuals.

The reasons

To date, sleep paralysis syndrome has been studied in detail by somnologists. It has been established that its occurrence is due to an imbalance between the regulatory influence of the brain and skeletal muscle tone. So, deep sleep is accompanied by maximum relaxation of the muscles, while the phase of superficial sleep is characterized by an increase in muscle tone and even the occurrence of some involuntary muscle contractions.

The alternating change of two phases normally occurs gradually, without sharp fluctuations in muscle tone and brain activity. However, in some cases, a person may suddenly wake up a little earlier than his muscles receive the corresponding signal from the brain.

The reason for this is an imbalance in the interaction of neurotransmitters such as melatonin, choline, serotonin. It also causes hallucinatory manifestations and disorientation in the environment.

After a couple of minutes, the muscles will respond to the late command and the person will be able to move. But it is in these couple of minutes, being conscious, that he is actually completely paralyzed and unable even to speak.

In addition to the immediate causes of sleep paralysis, there are predisposing factors. These include:

• hormonal disorders - the system of neurotransmitters is prone to misregulation due to an imbalance in other hormonal systems;
• previous use of psychoactive drugs and drugs, alcohol dependence;
• violation of sleep and rest (quick change of time zones, irregular working hours);
• chronic sleep deprivation;
• frequent stressful situations;
• associated mental disorders;
• genetic predisposition;
• young age;
• previous nervous shock - loss of loved ones, accident, fire.

In addition, the dependence of the onset of symptoms on the sleeping posture was noticed: more often, sleep paralysis occurs when falling asleep on the back, and extremely rarely on the right side.

Symptoms

Manifestations of sleepy stupor follow from its pathogenesis. In the vast majority of cases, a person, waking up, suddenly finds himself absolutely helpless. He is not able to move his limbs, call for help, while being in a clear mind and having clear thoughts.

This combination of symptoms provokes fear of impending death, a feeling of pressure on the chest, difficulty breathing and panic that is difficult to control. Neurotransmitter imbalance leads to the appearance of various types of hallucinations, more often visual and auditory (one of the names of the syndrome is hypnagogic sleep paralysis).

So, a person feels the presence or touch of an outsider in the room, hears other people's voices. Perhaps a false perception of opening doors, moving furniture and one's own body.

In addition, against the background of a panic attack, sweating increases significantly, the rhythm of breathing is disturbed, headache and myalgia occur. Remarkable is the fact that the attack occurs only during natural awakening and cannot be provoked by external awakening stimuli. After the restoration of a normal state, a person who clearly imprinted all his experiences is not sure of their reality.

Diagnostics

Since sleep paralysis is not a nosological unit and is not included in the International Classification of Diseases, a diagnostic algorithm has not been developed for it.

As a rule, they begin to think about sleep stupor on the basis of the subjective experiences of the patient, which are distinguished by a certain stereotype. Reasonable suspicion of this condition is supported by the identification of risk factors, clarification of the genetic history and the exclusion of more serious mental disorders. It can help to study the structure of sleep on special equipment.

It will not be superfluous to fix the symptoms and the conditions for their occurrence in a special diary if such signs appear regularly. In the event that the relationship of symptoms with signs of other neuropsychiatric disorders is clarified, diagnostics are carried out in the appropriate direction.

Treatment

It is useful for a person who regularly encounters witch syndrome to know the procedure for stopping this unpleasant and frightening condition. In most cases, you can take the necessary steps on your own, but sometimes the help of a loved one, such as a spouse or parents, can help.

First of all, when an attack of sleep paralysis occurs, in no case should you panic. If you experience a feeling of suffocation, it is important to remember that breathing is not actually disturbed. A few deep breaths help a lot.

You can also try to scream. Physically, the cry cannot be carried out due to general relaxation, however, the increased brain activity at this moment will give a signal to the muscles and bring the body out of the stupor. The field of relief of an attack is useful to wash with cold water and cheer up a little.

Rational therapy under the supervision of a specialist consists in taking antidepressants and drugs of other classes.

Prevention

Prevention occupies a leading place in measures to eliminate the manifestations of the witch syndrome. First of all, it is necessary to significantly reduce or completely eliminate the influence of provoking factors.

Getting rid of various kinds of addictions (primarily alcohol and drugs), avoiding stress, normalizing the daily routine, bringing sleep within the limits of physiological need - all these steps reliably prevent the violations in question.

Taking into account the dependence on the predominant posture during sleep, in some cases, seizures are reliably prevented by a simple change in body position when falling asleep.

• improving sleep conditions, within which you can change bed linen and pajamas, improve ventilation and indoor climate, optimize lighting;
• regular exercise should not end later than a couple of hours before bedtime;
• before going to bed, it makes sense to relax with a calm activity - it can be a good book or soothing music;
• television, working with a computer and a hearty dinner before bedtime are strictly prohibited not only in this context, but also in relation to all other neuropsychiatric disorders;
• daytime sleep, if necessary, should end before 15 hours and should not exceed 90 minutes;
• naps should be avoided during the rest of the hours, especially in the morning;
• It is very important not to be alone with the problem. By telling a loved one about what is happening and enlisting his support, you can eliminate one of the risk factors - anxiety and stress.

How to induce sleep paralysis

Sleep paralysis is not an unpleasant ordeal for everyone. There are a number of people who consciously tend to fall into a sleep stupor. It turns out that you can provoke an episode of paralysis yourself.

You just need to follow the following instructions:

Is it dangerous?

No less scientifically developed and recommendations for stopping the attack. Moreover, if sleep paralysis bothers you often enough, the person is subconsciously ready for the next episode, accepts it quite calmly and finds a way out of the situation without any problems.

Thus, sleep paralysis syndrome is a benign, non-life-threatening condition. With the exclusion of risk factors, high-quality diagnostics and adequate therapy, in most cases it is possible to completely get rid of unpleasant symptoms.

Sleep paralysis is a condition close to natural paralysis that occurs at the moment of waking up or during falling asleep. The inability to move may appear in the waking state with complete relaxation. As a rule, such a phenomenon causes fear in people who are aware of everything that happens, but cannot control their own body. The frequency of occurrence of sleep paralysis attacks can be different: someone encounters it only once in a lifetime, and someone is bothered by it several times a night.

So, many people, one way or another, are prone to mysticism, the phenomenon of sleep paralysis has received many fantastic explanations. However, experts say that this phenomenon only means that the body has completely gone through all the stages of sleep. It is worth emphasizing that such a condition is not dangerous to life and health and is very rarely caused by any mental disorders. The phenomenon of narcolepsy, caused by severe drowsiness and impaired regulation of the periods of wakefulness and sleep by the brain, is sometimes considered as the cause of sleep paralysis syndrome.

Sleep paralysis occurs immediately at the moment of falling asleep or waking up, while a person cannot move or speak for several seconds. Many patients claim that in addition to intense fear at such moments, they experience something similar to suffocation attacks. Sleep paralysis attacks occur with equal frequency in men, women and children. There are cases when this phenomenon occurred in all members of the same family, although the role of hereditary predisposition to such a condition has not been proven.

Provoking factors

Sleep paralysis itself is not a disease, therefore information about it is not contained in the ICD-10, however, a lot is known about this condition to specialists dealing with sleep problems. Sleep paralysis syndrome is explained by the fact that the entire period of sleep is divided into certain phases. Being in the so-called phase of REM sleep, the muscles of a person relax. This condition can be compared to sleep paralysis. However, with all this, the work of the brain does not stop, but, on the contrary, becomes more active, and during dreams, the sleeping person moves the eyeballs at a fast pace.

Unlike this period, during sleep paralysis, the brain is not just activated, but awakens. That is, first his area that controls consciousness wakes up, and only then the rest of the parts responsible for motor activity. At the same time, often with sleep paralysis, there are such unusual symptoms as the so-called "waking dreams", which many call hallucinations.

Sometimes the causes of sleep paralysis lie in very specific disorders, such as somnambulism or narcolepsy. Narcolepsy refers to daytime sleepiness, in which a person is able to fall asleep anywhere and in any position for literally a few minutes or seconds. Somnambulism is characterized by certain processes in the brain, which are in many ways similar to sleep paralysis: in the phase of slow sleep, the brain wakes up only partially, only in this case the area responsible for motor activity awakens, and consciousness remains in a disabled state. If the phase of non-REM sleep is replaced at some point by REM sleep, sleep paralysis may occur.

In healthy people, this phenomenon can also occur quite often. Its main causes and predisposing factors are identified by experts as follows:

• insomnia, lack of proper sleep and rest;
• a shift in daily biorhythms, which occurs, for example, when the climate zone changes;
• stress, disorders of the nervous system;
• hereditary predisposition;
• various mental illnesses;
• drug or alcohol addiction;
• taking certain medications, such as antidepressants;
• According to some experts, the phenomenon of sleep paralysis is more common in people who prefer to sleep on their backs.

signs

The main symptoms of sleep paralysis include several rather unpleasant effects:

• inability to move and speak;
• panic fear, often accompanied by a feeling of suffocation, a feeling of squeezing or finding some heavy object on the chest;
• visions or "waking dreams", the plot of which is usually that the sleeping person feels someone's presence in his room: it can be people, scary monsters, etc.

Sleep paralysis is especially difficult for those people who have not even heard of such a phenomenon before. They experience an acute fear of death, a sense of threat that is very difficult to get rid of. Visual and auditory hallucinations at the same time greatly increase the feeling of fear.

Diagnostics

During the initial diagnosis of the condition in question, the specialist examines the patient's symptoms that cause severe discomfort, contribute to disruption of the normal sleep pattern, provoking daytime sleepiness and constant fatigue. The doctor may ask to describe the manifestations of sleep paralysis in as much detail as possible, since comprehensive information about the patient's condition is very important to develop the correct therapeutic tactics. A detailed patient history is also required.

In modern medical practice, a diagnostic method is common, which involves keeping a patient diary for several weeks. As a rule, during the examination, patients are also given a referral to a somnologist - a specialist who studies sleep problems.

Therapy and prevention

Most experts believe that sleep paralysis itself is a fairly harmless phenomenon, but it is worth paying attention to the fact that it often acts as a symptom of other diseases. In most cases, in order to get rid of this condition, special treatment is not required, but it is very important to try to eliminate the factors that provoke it. If a patient has narcolepsy, somnambulism and other pathologies, appropriate therapy is prescribed.

To eliminate sleep paralysis, specialists usually offer patients special corrective techniques aimed at improving sleep habits - a person should sleep for at least six to eight hours every day, while always going to bed and getting up at the same time. Drug therapy, which consists of taking antidepressants, can also help regulate sleep patterns.

During an attack of sleep paralysis, experienced experts advise you to try to awaken your own body, that is, put it into action. You can try to move your eyes, tongue, fingers. Attempts must be repeated until control over the body is fully restored. You can also try to concentrate on counting, arithmetic, etc. Such intellectual activity will help wake up the brain.

The experience of sleep paralysis is a very powerful experience that can instantly change a person's worldview from a materialist skeptic to a convinced mystic who is ready to see manifestations of otherworldly forces even where they do not exist.

Such an experience is not forgotten!

In a state of sleep paralysis (or sleep (night) stupor, as it is also called), people experience strong emotions and sensations. As a rule, these effects are very frightening in themselves. But, in addition, after the fact, when trying to realize what it was and where it came from, a person does not find a rational satisfying explanation. And it scares no less than the night experience itself.

Hence, there are explanations of the night stupor by the influence of otherworldly entities, such as: mara, kikimora, brownies, etc. Already in the early medieval texts on Christian demonology, there are references to succubi and incubi - female and male night spirits, respectively, who visit people in their dreams. In the mythology of the Sumerian civilization - the oldest known - there are references to the night demon Lilith, who kidnaps (kills) children and seduces men. Kabbalah also speaks of Lilith. According to one version, she became the first wife of Adam, but was created not from his rib, but from clay (ash), like Adam himself. Lilith rejected Adam, turned away from God and left Eden, and later became a demon herself.

Thus, legends about nocturnal supernatural entities are present not only in popular beliefs and superstitions, but also in developed mystical traditions that cover issues - no more, no less - of the structure of the entire universe. And to dismiss such legends would be too short-sighted and presumptuous. It is also foolish to deny the existence of a mystical, more precisely, a magical component in states of sleep paralysis.

In this article, I will review this unusual phenomenon. I will also tell you a little about the medical, rationalistic explanations of sleep stupor - especially since I do not see anything that would contradict the magical point of view in them.

What is sleep paralysis

Let us first describe the effects that accompany this state.

• Actually, paralysis itself - the body cannot move. Don't move a finger or turn your head.
• The feeling that someone or something is pressing on the chest, less often - holding hands, legs, or covering the whole body in general.
• It is difficult or impossible to breathe. Pain in the body.
• A clear understanding that in the room, besides you (and the one who should be nearby), there is someone or something else. This entity does not necessarily suffocate you, or touch you in any other way, but is present nearby, telepathically controlling your body and consciousness.
• Sounds are heard that can be very loud, or the volume suddenly increases to unbearable. Sounds can be like a squeak (high pitch), or a roar (low pitch), or generally an atonal rasp.
• Visions of supernatural, inexplicable entities - demons, shadows, spirits, even ... aliens.
• The feeling that you have been kidnapped, moved to another space. In a spaceship, for example, aliens.
• Other non-descriptive audio-visual hallucinations other than those mentioned above.
• Fear.

The traditional frightening effects of night paralysis are listed here. They are experienced by most affected people. I want to emphasize that I am wary of the word “hallucinations”, because what a person sees and hears may indeed be a hallucination, or maybe not. As a magician, I do not exclude the possibility of spontaneous contact, the possibility that an ordinary person can see an otherworldly entity.

I don't even deny the existence of aliens. Who knows what happens in the depths of the universe? But I am sure that most of those who talk about aliens most likely interpreted in their minds the images of the astral world that they spontaneously discovered in this way.

In addition to negative frightening effects, night paralysis can be accompanied by pleasant, interesting sensations. For example:

• Out-of-body or out-of-body experience. (Although this can also frighten an unprepared person.) We are talking about the exit of a subtle energy body from the physical shell. In this case, you can see yourself sleeping from the side. In this state, one can travel both in the physical world and in the astral world.
• Feelings close to near-death experiences (NDEs) are, in fact, usually pleasant.
• Feeling of bliss, euphoria.

However, people experience such phenomena much less frequently than negative experiences.

The effects can be different and, as you can see, even contradictory, but what is sleep paralysis ...

…From the point of view of medicine

Sleep has two phases - fast and slow. In the fast phase, people dream, their brains are more active, and their muscles relax. A drop in muscle tone is necessary for the body to remain calm during sleep. For example, somnambulism (sleepwalking) is a consequence of the fact that when falling asleep, the muscles do not relax, and a person moves, walks in a dream, and performs some actions.

Night paralysis happens when the body has already relaxed (already asleep), and the mind is still awake. All sorts of nightmares and unusual experiences arise due to the lack of habitual bodily sensations in the brain. For example: a sleeping person’s breathing slows down, and if his consciousness suddenly wakes up, but his body doesn’t, then there will be a feeling that it’s hard to breathe, something interferes with this, presses on his chest, etc.

According to statistics, sleep stupor affects about 10% of the population. Most people experience this condition:

• whose activities require a strong mental strain (students, when preparing for exams, for example);
• whose life and work is accompanied by severe stress;
• abusers of alcohol or psychoactive drugs;
• not observing diet and sleep patterns.

This is about healthy people. In addition, sleep paralysis is experienced by more than half of those suffering from narcolepsy.

... From the point of view of esotericism and magic

Almost everything that doctors say about sleep paralysis is true. And I cannot but agree with this - with everything except one thing: rationalists completely deny the connection between sleep stupor and otherworldly forces. I will now talk about this connection.

Firstly, I will make a reservation that situations are not excluded when the phenomenon of nocturnal stupor is not associated with otherworldly activity, especially if there are clinical prerequisites (narcolepsy disease, for example). Another thing is that the mechanism of sleep paralysis is not explained by medicine.

Stress, mental stress, confusion in the daily routine, alcohol - accompany many people in life, because we do not live in a sanatorium. Why is sleep paralysis so rare?

Because this is a state in which there is contact with otherworldly entities, with the world of subtle energies, etc. There are many names, but the essence is one.

Night stupor as an exit to another reality

I think most of my readers are aware that the unified nature of man is not limited to the physical body. Therefore, I will not expand in detail. I will only say that in various mystical and occult traditions there can be a different number of subtle bodies - from one to a couple of dozen. Most often, energy, mental and are separately called. I usually do not make such a division in my articles, so as not to complicate things. All these bodies are woven from subtle energies, therefore, in general, we can talk about the astral energy-information field or the human body. It is he who comes into contact with the other world.

Again, I emphasize that I avoid the word "supernatural" because I consider the subtle levels of reality as natural as the material plane. It's just that they are still inaccessible for technological measurements and scientific study. However, the possibility of their existence is already recognized not only by magicians.

Above, I named a whole scattering of phenomena that accompany the state of sleep paralysis. You can see that they are very different and even contradictory. Gamma sensations - from horror to bliss. This is explained by the fact that sleep stupor is a state of only the physical body, and a variety of things can happen to the energy body at this time.

They can be broadly divided into three groups:

• spirit attack;
• mage attack;
• spontaneous exit from the physical body and sensations close to near-death experiences.

The attack of spirits should be considered the impact of negative astal entities, endowed with the ability to act arbitrarily. These include all sorts of maras, bats, succubi and incubus. Why are they attacking? Because they saw such an opportunity - for example, a weak protective biofield of a person, or violations in the astral connections of energy exchange, which allow foreign egregors to wedge in.

Some malevolent spirits may be associated with the place. For example, brownies. Or if in a house in which a person is tormented by bouts of nocturnal paralysis, there is a restless spirit of a suicide (or).

Magic attack is almost the same. The only difference is that otherworldly entities pay attention to a specific person at the behest of the magician. It can also be the subtle body of the sorcerer himself, who is trying to "process" your astral field.

In the case of influence from spirits or magicians, the half-awakening of a person in a state of nocturnal stupor can be either an accident or a planned effect. For example: if the purpose of magical influence (, for example) is to torment the victim with sleep paralysis and nightmarish sensations.

If the causes of sleepy stupor belong to the first or second group, then one cannot do without the help of a magician.

Now about the reasons for the third group ...

During sleep paralysis, spontaneous exit from the physical body is possible. The sensations that a person experiences in this case are often called "out of body experience". They are close both in nature and in nature to near-death experiences (NDE), that is, to the experience of a person who has experienced a coma, clinical death.

During clinical death, the subtle body leaves the physical shell. The same result can be obtained in other states, for example, in meditation, in trance (shamanistic ritual), with sensory deprivation, etc.

Sensory deprivation (i.e. limitation) is when conditions are created under which most of the usual sensations that enter the brain through the senses are blocked, such as vision, hearing, tactile perception. Let me remind you that the phase of REM sleep is physiologically characterized by deprivation of tactile (bodily) sensations and visual information (unless, of course, you do not sleep with the lights on).

In the case of a coma, the effect of sensory deprivation occurs, so to speak, in the brain itself, because its cells experience oxygen starvation.

Of course, these states are all different, but they lead to one thing - to the exit of the astral body from the physical shell.

Is sleep paralysis dangerous?

If its causes are not related to magical intervention or the actions of otherworldly forces, then no. Doctors advise to normalize sleep, work, nutrition, etc., give up alcohol and drinks that stimulate the nervous system (coffee, strong tea), avoid stress and overwork. That's all "treatment".

When to beware of night stupor:

• If you have had such experiences, but there are no clinical prerequisites for them (I have already mentioned narcolepsy), then it is better to turn to a magician for a diagnosis. Sleep paralysis often indicates a hostile invasion of your astral field by malevolent energy entities or a magical attack.

• If you experience an "out-of-body experience" during sleep paralysis, it means that you are naturally highly sensitive and active in the subtle body. Perhaps you have a talent for practicing magic, or there were sorcerers and shamans in your family. But you have to be careful here:

Your openness to the astral world also means that you are more vulnerable to the influence of otherworldly forces. And - for any impact, including negative ones. Even if you practice entering the astral plane consciously, then you should protect yourself - put up powerful magical protection.

Frequent experience of "out-of-body experience" during sleep stupor may indicate.

Sleep paralysis as a magical practice

It is believed that shamans and sorcerers specifically achieve this state for astral travel and magical practices. This is not true.

Firstly, this is not the most convenient and, so to speak, unprofessional way. There are many others - meditations, lucid dreams, rituals, etc.

Secondly, sleepy stupor is called that - because this condition is involuntary, but pathological. Whether it's from a physiological point of view, whether it's from a magical point of view.

Therefore, I will say it again: if you, without any preparation, are trying to “master” subtle energy plans with the help of, among other things, states of night paralysis, then keep in mind that this is dangerous. Invading the world of otherworldly entities without recklessness. As they say, do not wake up famously ...

How to get rid of sleep paralysis

Most people do not experience sleep stupor regularly. More often than not, everything is limited to one unpleasant experience. But even in this case, I advise you to contact an experienced magician for diagnosis. Even a single phenomenon may indicate a very strong damage or. "Very strong", because the weakest and less dangerous influences do not manifest themselves in this way.

In principle, an experienced magician will be able to inflict a strong negative so as not to manifest himself, therefore sleep paralysis as a result of a magical attack is a magician's mistake. Of course, if such an effect is not planned by itself as a corruption aimed at exhausting and devastating the victim's energy resources.

The causes of sleep stupor can be different, therefore, the ways to get rid of the disease are different. It may be necessary to cleanse the place, expel the spirit, or correct the astral field, remove the negative. That is, magical actions can be performed both on a person suffering from night paralysis and on his habitat. The specificity of the rituals in each individual case is different.

Moreover, I strongly do not recommend solving the problem yourself (doing something like the one in the photo above). First, you need to know exactly how to solve it - what kind of magic to use. And secondly, unprofessionally performed so-called "village magic" is often ineffective, but can aggravate the situation.

If you contact me for help, I will start with a thorough diagnosis of the situation and only then tell you what is the cause of the problem and how I can help you.

The video below is a fragment of the ritual. The sorcerer strengthens the energy-informational field of a person suffering from attacks by astral entities that cause sleep stupor.

When a person wakes up in horror from the feeling that someone terrible is sitting on his chest and choking him, this only means that he met with sleep paralysis, which means that panic is inappropriate. The state on the verge of sleep and reality has been playing such “fun” games with the human brain and body since ancient times. To counter this harmless but frightening phenomenon that irritates the nervous system and interferes with normal sleep, you just need to deal with it and help yourself.

What is sleep paralysis or "old witch syndrome"

Sleep paralysis is one of the interesting physiological phenomena studied by somnology (medical and neurobiological research of sleep), which since ancient times has a mystically frightening name "old hag syndrome" or "old hag".

Sleep stupor or paralysis is a specific condition that occurs on the border of sleep and awakening, manifesting itself in the form of severe muscle weakness - short-term muscle paralysis, which is not pathological in nature and does not threaten health.

It seems to a person that he is fully awake, but is unable to move, although he sees and hears everything. At the same time, such a phenomenon is accompanied by a feeling of intense fear, and not only because of the inability to move or speak. The “victim” feels an invisible heaviness and pressure in his chest, as if an evil witch, as in ancient beliefs, sits on his chest and is about to strangle him. For this reason, the majority associates this state with the attack of otherworldly forces, and if 200 - 300 years ago they were witches, spirits, brownies and genies, then today they are mainly aliens, "aliens".

For one person, an attack of sleep stupor can happen once in a lifetime, for another - several times during the night, which is directly related to emotionality and the state of the nervous system. Single attacks of this type of sleep disorder in healthy people are noted in 30 - 40%, periodic in 5 - 6%.

Based on long-term studies, doctors say that the syndrome is completely harmless.

The main thing to remember is that during sleep paralysis, nothing threatens a person, he will not die, he will not go crazy, he will not fall into a lethargic sleep. He wakes up and everything will be fine.

Causes and risk factors

Based on many studies in neuropsychology and neurochemistry, it has been established that sleep stupor develops as a result of a disorder in the function of sleep regulation. In this case, the following happens: certain parts of the brain have already “woken up”, and the muscle reaction is delayed, or, conversely, the muscles completely relax, ahead of the moment the person is completely immersed in sleep.

Forms of manifestation

It is known that sleep includes phases of REM and non-REM sleep (FBS and FMS, respectively). According to the time of development, two forms of muscle stupor are distinguished:

1. In form I (hypnagogic), the old witch syndrome occurs in a semi-drowsy state, and the moment of entering REM sleep (FBS) has time to be recognized by the brain. Normally, when falling asleep, the brain turns off a couple of seconds before the physiological relaxation of the muscles, so the person does not remember when this happens.
2. In II (hypnopompic) and the most common form, sleep paralysis overtakes the "victim" upon awakening at the stage of REM sleep. And most often - if he lies on his back, especially - with his arms thrown over his head.

Much less often, muscle paralysis happens if a person sleeps on his stomach and on his side. And it never occurs when the alarm goes off, the light is turned on in the room, or forced to wake up. That is, the old hag syndrome develops only at the time of the natural transition from sleep to awakening, and vice versa.

What Happens When a Witch Attacks

Doctors consider sleep paralysis as a functional (not painful) condition in which the processes of turning on consciousness and the muscular system do not work synchronously (not simultaneously).

Hypnagogic paralysis

If, when falling asleep, the muscles managed to relax, and the body practically “fell asleep”, but the consciousness has not yet turned off, the person feels that he is not able to move and even utter a word, and since he does not know the reasons, he has a real panic.

Hypnopompic paralysis

Occurs at the moment of awakening. The deeper the sleep, the greater the relaxation of the muscles. In the FBS phase, the muscles are practically disabled, and brain activity, on the contrary, is sharply increased (we have dreams).

If at this moment the part of the brain responsible for consciousness is half awake, and the part of the brain responsible for motor functions is still "dozing", the person is aware of reality, but since the signals to the neurons of the muscle fibers have not yet reached, he is not even able to move, which gives rise to a sense of defenselessness and horror.

To come into tone, the muscles need time from 5 - 10 seconds to 2 - 3 minutes. This is how long sleep paralysis lasts, but this short-term state seems to stretch for many tens of minutes. At least, this is how a person who has been attacked by an “old witch” feels.

Risk factors

Although in the vast majority of affected cases, the syndrome is not associated with neurological or psychiatric disorders, it is not uncommon in people suffering from certain types of parasomnias (sleep disorders) such as narcolepsy (irresistible drowsiness) and somnambulism (sleep walking).

In rare cases, along with a variety of other symptoms, sleep stupor can be a symptom of manic-depressive psychosis (bipolar disorder).

It should also be emphasized that very frequent visits of "witches" are typical for people suffering from vegetative-vascular dystonia with panic attacks. This further upsets the nervous system, so such patients need to understand the essence of sleep paralysis and not be afraid so as not to provoke a panic attack.

The factors predisposing to the onset of an imbalance in the regulatory mechanisms of sleep include:

• violation of the quantity and quality of sleep (lack of sleep, insomnia, frequent changes in sleep patterns);
• hereditary predisposition;
• acute stressful situations and latent (hidden) long-term psycho-emotional stress, often not realized by the person himself;
• long-term use of certain medications, including tranquilizers, antidepressants;
• dependence on alcohol, drugs, substance abuse;
• having restless legs syndrome;
• the habit of sleeping lying on your back.

The “old witch” visits people of different sexes and ages, but more often teenagers from 12 years old and young people under 25 years old are subject to her “attack”.

Symptoms and signs

External manifestations and internal sensations with different forms have both similarities and differences.

Table

Diagnostics

For most people, sleep paralysis is not a pathology. However, given that in rare cases it can be one of the symptoms of mental disorders, it is better to consult a doctor for a diagnosis, especially if:

• sleep paralysis does not occur once, but develops regularly, and even more so if it happens every night, day or several times a night;
• the symptoms of nocturnal stupor are very pronounced and exhaust the nervous system;
• a person cannot figure out what is happening to him, and is very afraid;
• the syndrome is accompanied by other sleep disorders (sleepwalking, irresistible daytime sleepiness, nocturnal insomnia, vivid nightmares);
• sleep paralysis develops in parallel with other unpleasant symptoms: panic during the day, the development of unmotivated aggression, a feeling of split personality, excessive suspiciousness, suspicion.

To make an accurate diagnosis and exclude mental illness, the following methods are used in practice:

1. Keeping a diary, which describes all cases of nocturnal paralysis with detailed sensations and symptoms, indicates concomitant diseases, risk factors (for 4-6 or more weeks). Based on the diary, the specialist will quickly determine the cause of sleep paralysis in a particular case.
2. Polysomnography is a computer study of sleep with data recording on a polysomnogram.

If the old hag syndrome does not have serious pathologies in the psyche, no abnormalities are detected on the polysomnogram. In addition, this study helps to identify other parasomnias (anomalies in behavior during sleep).

During the examination, if all the signs are severe and disturb the patient, he is referred to a somnologist - a doctor who studies sleep disorders.

Treatment

Most often, the syndrome does not require special treatment. If this condition torments a person, it is recommended to study the algorithms for getting out of it. If it is a sign of neurological disorders, therapy should be aimed at these diseases.

How to behave during an attack of sleep paralysis

It is difficult to block an attack of sleepy stupor of one's own free will in the first seconds, since common sense in half-asleep has not yet awakened either. But to drive away the "evil witch" is quite within the power of any person.

First of all, a clear realization is needed that a person’s experiences at the arrival of the “old witch” do not have any otherworldly power, are short-lived and harmless. This thought should be the first one, which, like fire in the night, will warm the soul and calm the frizzy nerves.

To cope with panic during an attack of sleep stupor, you should adhere to the following rules:

What NOT to do:

• no need to feverishly resist muscle weakness, since it has been proven that until the muscles “wake up”, the fight against paralysis will increase panic, creating a feeling of being bound by invisible fetters;
• no need to hold your breath, which often happens when you are frightened - this leads to the accumulation of carbon dioxide in the lungs and aggravates the feeling of being unable to breathe;
• you should not breathe quickly and shallowly - this leads to hyperventilation (excessive ventilation of the lungs), which, again, exacerbates unpleasant experiences.

What you NEED to do to wake up from a nightmare:

• do not strain, but try to relax;
• inhale deeply;
• since a person is not able to unstick his lips, it is necessary to make a sound from the nasopharynx such as a moan, growl or “mooing” - as loudly as possible;
• close your eyes sharply, even if they are closed;
• start moving your tongue or puff out your cheeks;
• try to make a small movement - move your thumb on the hand or foot;

In addition, intellectual “movements” of the brain help a lot, for example, counting from 1 to 10 and back, or a vivid memory of events that happened the day before, and not necessarily a pleasant one (for example, how you were scolded at work for being late);

Such actions quickly enough help to begin to control your body.

When Prayer Is Priceless

Reading a prayer will help both the believer and the atheist. Since it is difficult to concentrate in a state of panic, it is better to say to yourself a short but most effective magic spell in Christianity - the Jesus Prayer.

After an attack

After the final awakening and throwing off the "shackles of the old witch" follows:

• roll over to the right side;
• drink water with a sedative tincture;
• for those who do not have diabetes, you can eat a delicious candy or a piece of milk chocolate (this, firstly, stimulates the production of “happiness” enzymes and calms, and secondly, increase the sugar content in the blood, which decreases at night, causing a drop in pressure, which can also indirectly influence the development of the syndrome);

Some calm down when they turn on the light, wash themselves with cool water, but such actions are usually very invigorating. And in such cases, it is better to work out a certain scheme of actions yourself, which definitely works.

Based on research data, people with an analytical, critical mindset get out of sleep paralysis calmer and faster, “turning on” logic, and are less depressed after an attack.

After a Dementor attack, a smart professor advises Harry Potter to eat a chocolate bar, because it helps well after an attack of sleep stupor

Medical treatment

If sleep stupor causes significant anxiety and does not allow sleep, or if a specialist identifies a more serious cause of this condition, the patient is prescribed medications, including antidepressants, tranquilizers.

It is extremely dangerous to take them on your own with this type of sleep disturbance, since very often they themselves are factors provocateurs of the syndrome. It requires a very careful selection of dosages and the appointment of specific drugs with a minimum "side effect".

Self-approved over-the-counter sedatives:

• Novo-Passit (Great Britain) in syrup and tablets;
• Unisin (Finland);
• Alvogen-Relax;
• liquid extract of passionflower;
• Valevigran (in capsules);
• tincture of elusive peony, valerian root, motherwort;
• Motherwort extract in tablets;
• Persen and Persen-forte;
• Valoserdin, Valocordin, Corvalol;
• Bellanaminal;
• Afobazole;
• Dormiplant;
• Tenoten;
• Valosedan;
• Sedariston;
• Nervoflux;
• Adonis bromine;
• Bromocamphor;
• herbal preparations Fitosed, Fitosedan.

Many sedatives, including herbal ones, contain components that are not recommended for children, women who are expecting a child, people with heart conditions or high blood clotting. Certain substances provoke. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully check the composition of the drug and contraindications.

Folk remedies

Sedatives of traditional medicine have a positive effect on sleep processes and the nervous system. But, since any medicinal herbs have contraindications (for example, oregano, hops, tansy are not recommended during pregnancy), home recipes should be treated with the same caution as when using pharmacy drugs.

Some recipes:

Infusion of cyanosis blue

Blueberry azure is almost 10 times stronger than valerian root as a soothing herbal remedy. The infusion is used for depression, nervous disorders, fear, heart neurosis and even rabies.

For 200 ml of boiling water, take a teaspoon of crushed dry rhizomes and cyanosis barks, keep for half an hour in a water bath (or insist 8 hours). Drink infusion of 50 - 100 ml after meals.

Milk pine broth

A handful of pine needles are boiled in milk (250 - 300 ml) for about 10 minutes. Drink a tablespoon up to 4 times a day, after meals.

Valerian milk

Milk (warm boiled) and valerian root tincture are taken in equal proportions, mixed and drunk three times a day, 150 ml each.

Infusion of flowers and herbs

A good sedative is obtained from a mixture of rosehip flowers, oregano stems, valerian roots and sweet clover, mint, which are taken in equal proportions. Two tablespoons of the mixture is poured with boiling water (1 liter), infused for 20 minutes, filtered and taken 100 ml before meals 3 times a day.

oatmeal broth

Oat grains (400 - 500 grams) are washed in cold water, poured with boiling water (1 liter) and boiled until the grains are half soft. Drink a glass every day, adding honey.

hawthorn tea

Dry hawthorn fruits in the amount of 2 tablespoons are poured with boiling water (2 cups). Infuse the drink for 2-3 hours and drink in small doses (2 teaspoons) up to 5-6 times a day before meals and always at bedtime.

Photo gallery of medicinal herbs that help with sleep paralysis

Aromas to help you relax

If not, do not ignore the opportunities that aromatherapy gives a person. For this purpose, aromatic candles, pads with "sleepy" herbs, warm baths, to which decoctions of herbal preparations are added, are also used. If oils are used, they must all be exclusively natural.

Juniper, chamomile, lavender, cypress, bergamot, chamomile, orange help to fall asleep calmly. Ylang-ylang, sandalwood, rose, neroli relieve fears and anxiety. Vanilla oil works great as a delicious relaxing agent.

With faith in the other world

If people suffering from sleep paralysis are strongly influenced by the occult or are simply unable to free themselves from the irrational fear of the hostility of the "old witch", it will not interfere at all, but only calm the presence of "light" plants in the room.

Since ancient times, herbs and their smoke have been used, which surround a person with protection from bad dreams, spirits and other inexplicable phenomena. The strongest include: wormwood, laurel (ordinary bay leaves), thistle, juniper, blue cornflower, basil, consecrated willow.

Prevention measures

There is no need for specific prevention, all measures are elementary and logical. If this condition is provoked by neurological disorders, dystonia, panic attacks and any nervous tension, prevention provides for the mandatory identification and treatment of these diseases.

People who are healthy to one degree or another should change their lifestyle:

• develop a rest regimen for yourself, which includes a mandatory 7-8-hour night's sleep;
• wake up on an alarm clock, a television timer, which will eliminate sleep stupor, which develops only during natural awakening;
• ask loved ones to wake themselves up in the morning and at night if they observe strange symptoms (groans, tension in the facial muscles, feeling that the person is having a nightmare);
• acquire outdoor sports habits (running, walking, football);
• do not exercise and do not eat before bed, as the activation of muscle fibers and digestive processes will interfere with restful sleep;
• if possible, "get away" from stress, prevent conflicts, and if they are inevitable, treat them as natural situations (a matter of life, as Carlson says);
• before going to bed, use sedatives, warm baths, relaxing massage, drink herbal tea, milk with honey;
• for those who love sweets - do not deny yourself pleasure, except for the use of dark chocolate and cocoa;
• turn on beautiful, relaxing music before going to bed in a well-ventilated room;
• exclude mental activity before bedtime: watching news and movies, computer games and active communication in social networks, preparing for lessons, exams, nightly intellectual work (this activates the brain, which cannot relax for a long time).
• do not sleep on your back with your arms behind your head.

Thus, in most cases, sleep paralysis is a physiological condition and is not a sign of insanity or mental pathology, but simply indicates that the nervous system is exhausted by stress, anxiety, or works in a state of prolonged stress.

The old hag syndrome does not pose an objective threat to either health or life. It is possible to prevent night attacks by optimizing sleep patterns and lifestyle. If the syndrome develops against the background of panic disorders, parasomnias, including sleepwalking and neurolepsy, a psychotherapist and a somnologist will provide the necessary medical assistance.