Sleep Paralysis
June 29th, 2004
Today on the train I had my first encounter with the strange phenomenon known as sleep paralysis. One moment I was comfortably dozing, the next I was awake but completely unable to move. From my closed eyelids to my leaden limbs I was conscious, but utterly frozen. It was very, very strange…
Sleep paralysis happens when a normal brain function goes slightly awry: During normal REM sleep the part of the brain that controls movement becomes paralysed – a necessity, as otherwise we’d physically act out our dreams. I remember once seeing a clip of a sleeping cat who had this paralysis effect somehow bypassed. The dreaming cat was jumping around and swatting the air, acting out his dreams of catching birds (cats dreams must be good fun).
The sleep paralysis effect occurs when the switch that releases the paralytic hold on the body for some reason doesn’t flip. An alert mind in a totally locked body is the result, and if you’re thinking that this sounds pretty scary, you’re spot on.
This morning I’d been drifting in and out of sleep all the way in – I’m feeling drained right now after the exertions of the stag. I remember coming-to somewhere around City Thameslink thinking that I had a few more minutes to doze. Next thing I know, I can feel and hear the train pulling into a station but can’t move at all. Particularly worrying was not being to open my eyes, although it felt much more like I just couldn’t see than I had my eyes closed.
I began to panic just a little, thinking (with dream-like logic) that I’d miss my stop and be late for work. After a moment rationality kicked in and I realised consciously that I was in sleep paralysis – a phenomenon with which I’m familiar from back when I used to get the Fortean Times.
Lots of the personal accounts of people suffering sleep paralysis speak of being unable to breath, and of a great pressure on the chest. It’s the origin of all kinds of myths like the succubus and the old hag – but I felt none of that. In fact I was quite chilled once I’d sussed what was going on, and shortly after that I came out of it.
The whole experience can’t have lasted more than 5 seconds, but it was fascinating and I hope it happens again. Some people can apparently learn to control it and that could be interesting…
Let me know if you’ve ever had the experience – Lara’s just reminded me that she did once in our old house and it scared her silly.