If you believe that you have survived alien abductions multiple times or that your body has been taken over by demonic forces you cannot possibly explain nor perceive, think again. There is a sleeping phenomenon called sleep paralysis which manifests through your disability to wake up physically even though your mental self is fully awake.
Reasons behind Sleep Paralysis
This confusing state of body and mind stems from a lack of coordination between your brain, your body and the sleeping processes you undergo. People may experience this phenomenon only once or twice in their lives. On the other hand, there are individuals who suffer from sleep paralysis regularly, even several times during a single night. Even though you might feel that you cannot breathe, talk or move during sleep paralysis, this issue is not a serious one and does not trigger any significant health problems.
Other reasons behind sleep paralysis include insomnia, sleep deprivation or changes in sleep schedule, jet lag, environmental or lifestyle changes happening recently, mental disorders or stress. Additionally, sleep paralysis is more likely to affect you once you are sleeping on your back, or after you have taken certain medications or psychoactive substances.
Deeper Insight in Sleep Paralysis
Sleep paralysis takes place during our dreaming phase, also known as REM phase of sleep. Here, the brain manages to snap out of sleep while your body remains affected by this state. In some cases, sleep paralysis may manifest through hallucinations and an acute sense of panic, making people very frightened and uneasy, incapable of waking up completely.
Signs of Sleep Paralysis
During your sleep paralysis experience, you may experience smells and sounds regularly while facing audio and visual hallucinations. Additionally, you might think that your body is levitating. All this time, you cannot move it, feeling a great pressure on the chest area, making you uneasy, as if you have breathing problems. During all these mixed sensations, people undergoing sleep paralysis may believe that there is someone else present. Hence the alien abduction theories.
One in every 10 people in the world is believed to have suffered from sleep paralysis at least once in their lives.
Treatment for Sleep Paralysis
You can prevent sleep paralysis by making sure you sleep for at least 8 hours every night. If stress prevents you from sleeping regularly, regulate your sleep schedules with antidepressants. On the other hand, if an underlying health problem is causing sleep paralysis, have it diagnosed and treated as soon as possible.
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