In France, 20% of the population has already experienced sleep paralysis, relate TF1. An experience frequently described as frightening. There are many theories on the matter, blurring the origin of the phenomenon. Between supernatural beliefs and scientific facts, the explanations are legion and very different. We take stock.
What is sleep paralysis?
From a scientific point of view, sleep paralysis is a sleep disorder characterized by a temporary inability to move during the transition phase between sleep and wakefulness. During this period, the body is paralyzed but the brain remains conscious. What cause hallucinations and more generally a strong anxiety.
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Hallucinations can last from a few seconds to several minutes. If the phenomenon can be scary, it does not represent any danger.
Who can be a victim of sleep paralysis?
Simply put: everyone. However, several factors can more easily trigger the phenomenon. Stress, anxiety, lack of sleep, and heavy use of drugs or alcohol can facilitate the onset of sleep paralysis.
What are the hallucinations of sleep paralysis?
Hallucinations that occur during sleep paralysis can be visual, auditory, or tactile. They are often very realistic, and therefore disturbing. In general, people with sleep paralysis feel unsafe or threatened.
Visual hallucinations can include images of strange creatures, menacing figures, complex geometric shapes, or objects that seem to float around the room. Auditory hallucinations take the form of whispers or strange, unexplained noises.
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Tactile hallucinations manifest as a feeling of pressure on the chest or the feeling of being touched by something or someone.
What place for the supernatural?
Sleep paralysis has often been associated with supernatural beliefs and mystical explanations for centuries. Stories of nightmares, frightening visions, and supernatural creatures visiting sleepers in their sleep are common in cultures around the world, and sleep paralysis has often been used to explain these strange phenomena.
In some cultures, sleep paralysis is seen as the result of possession by demons or evil spirits, while other cultures see it as the manifestation of a ghost or supernatural being.
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It is obviously important to clarify and remember that science has provided answers on sleep paralysis, which is above all a physiological phenomenon.
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