Sleep Paralysis Research Paper

Sleep paralysis goes by many different names, and one famously known name for it is Old Hag Syndrome. For some people who have had episodes of sleep paralysis, they might have experienced an inanimate being known as the old hag. The hag has been said to sit on your chest while you are frozen, crushing your chest and making it hard to breathe until the episode is over and you are able to move. “In Newfoundland sleep paralysis has been called an attack of ‘Old Hag’” (Heffron, Thomas). In a paper by N C. Ness, multiple people had reported of seeing the same old hag on their chests while being paralyzed, and by the description of each of their encounters, researches were able to trace back the old hag to the clinical condition, sleep paralysis.

Sleep paralysis is a sleep disorder. It is classified under a parasomia usually associated with REM sleep.

Sleep paralysis on the other hand is something which is not as scary for me as it is for people since I learned to escape them very early.

Myths are defined as traditional stories, especially, concerning the early history of people creating explanations for some natural, social phenomena, and usually involves supernatural events. In this case, sleep paralysis was an unexplained phenomena and it still has some mysterious aspects today. Furthermore, myths were created about sleep paralysis to help create an explanation, but these myths include

Did you ever awaken and find yourself unable to move? Perhaps you sensed a presence in your room or a pressure on your chest. This is sleep paralysis. It is a common disorder that affects millions of people. Most believe it occurs as we are on the edge of REM sleep. The disorder has been connected with such hallucinogenic events such as alien abduction or an evil presence. Sleep paralysis is an inability to move or speak, occasionally accompanied by hallucinations, for up to several minutes upon awakening or just before falling asleep.

Night terrors are a form of a sleep disorder in which a person experiences episodes of screaming and intense fear while partially still asleep. According to the Mayo Clinic, “Sleep terrors affect almost 40

There is not at this moment a known cure for sleep paralysis, yet there are symptoms that are attributed to causing it. I found in Scientific American that factors include: going to sleep while lying on the back, and also when feeling stressed or experiencing a disruption in normal sleep patterns (jet la attributed g, caffeine, alcohol). I found on Stanford University's website that good sleep hygiene may prevent sleep paralysis. These preventive measures include: getting enough sleep, reduction of stress, exercise regularly (but not too close to bedtime), and also keep a regular sleep schedule

Credibility Statement: Having a sleep disorder, myself, I know how important it is to get the recommended sleep each night. According to Alina Bradford in the article "Sleep Paralysis: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment"(2017), Sleep Paralysis is described as the inability to move or speak immediately after waking up.

Why do we have sleep paralysis? Almost everyone has at least one episode in their lifetime. Sleep paralysis is one of the scariest, mysterious, things anyone can experience. It has you up the rest of the time wondering why it happened, or why you couldn’t do a thing at the moment you were having it. It is also known as rapid eye movement (REM). It is where you’re awake but your body is not. 5-60% of people have sleep paralysis.

Have you ever felt sleepy? No doubt, you have before. Sadly, just the thought of even a wink of sleep can cause paralyzing fear. The fear of sleep is known as somniphobia. It has different causes, varying symptoms, and can be overcome by some.

Sleep Paralysis is a phenomenon resulting in temporary inability to move or speak upon waking or falling asleep. It occurs when the brain and the body are not quite on the same page when it comes to sleep. In normal REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, neurotransmitters in your spinal cord prevent you from moving during dreams, perhaps to keep you from acting out your dreams. When REM ends, their hold lifts. But if you wake too quickly, you might emerge mid-paralysis.

To start off, sleep paralysis is known as a sleep disorder that’s causes temporary inability to move or speak that can occur when waking up or falling asleep. According to www.alaskasleep.com,

Nightmare Disorder is also known as Dream Anxiety Disorder and is identified as a parasomnia. Parasomnia's are when someone exhibits abnormal behavior during their sleep that can lead them to being diagnosed with Sleep Walking, Sleep Terrors, Sleep Paralysis and of course, Nightmare Disorder. This disorder can simply be described by having recurring nightmares and they tend to create anxiety for those

Night terrors, nightmares, and sleepwalking are all cases that fall into sleep disorders called parasomnias. Parasomnias are disruptive sleep disorders that can occur during arousal from either rapid eye movement or even non-rapid eye movement. Children from the age’s four to twelve of ages experience night terrors.

According to a study in 2011 by Pennsylvania State University, 7.6 percent of the general population has problems with sleep paralysis. The trouble is that sleep paralysis can be dismissed as no more than a vivid nightmare. Studies have proven that sleep paralysis can happen to anyone and indeed will at some point in their life; however, it is possible that an episode can go unnoticed. Sleep paralysis occurs at one of two times: Hypnagogic sleep paralysis occurs as one falls asleep. Hypnopompic sleep paralysis occurs as one awakes from sleep. In both cases, it is believed to be a result of disrupted REM sleep which routinely induces complete muscle atonia, relaxing and easing the body into a state of voluntary paralysis. This is to prevent sleepers from acting out their dreams, potentially harming themselves in the process.