The Nightmare (1781) by John Henry Fuseli
I don't know if people who believe in supernatural phenomena are more likely to suffer from sleep paralysis - or if, in fact, it's the other way round and those prone to the latter condition are more likely to see spooks, spirits, and succubi - but there's evidence to suggest a connection between what is a fairly common disorder and the conviction amongst some that there are occult forces at work in the world.
For those who are unfamiliar with the term, sleep paralysis refers to those times either just after waking or just prior to falling asleep, when a person is semi-conscious but unable to move or speak. During these episodes, which usually last no more than a couple of minutes at most, people often report hearing strange noises or feeling an unusual presence in the room. Some also report out-of-body experiences, or breathing difficulties due to a tightness of chest.
Obviously, this can be frightening and the fear is very real even if the ghost or demon that is thought to have triggered it is not an actual entity, but is, rather, a hypnagogic hallucination, something which can be far more vivid than a regular dream.
The condition can occur in those who are otherwise perfectly healthy (and perfectly rational). Often, it's triggered by sleep deprivation or psychological stress, such as the grief caused by the death of a loved one. Cases of recently bereaved widows hearing the familiar sound of their dead husbands' footsteps on the stairs at night are not uncommon, for example.
Obviously, this can be frightening and the fear is very real even if the ghost or demon that is thought to have triggered it is not an actual entity, but is, rather, a hypnagogic hallucination, something which can be far more vivid than a regular dream.
The condition can occur in those who are otherwise perfectly healthy (and perfectly rational). Often, it's triggered by sleep deprivation or psychological stress, such as the grief caused by the death of a loved one. Cases of recently bereaved widows hearing the familiar sound of their dead husbands' footsteps on the stairs at night are not uncommon, for example.
Interestingly, it's believed that sleep paralysis plays a significant role in generating fantasies of alien abduction, as well as paranormal activity. Ultimately, the content (and interpretation) of a sleeping subject's dreams, nightmares, and hallucinations tends to be determined by their cultural background. Thus, whilst Americans mostly worry about extraterrestrials and Egyptians are troubled by jinn, only a melancholic Scotsman is haunted by the sound of a ghostly piper patrolling the ramparts.
Anyway, I hope this reassures those who fear things that go bump in the night: just relax, roll over, and go back to sleep in the knowledge that - more often than not - there is nothing to fear but fear itself. Or, as my MR therapist says, allow cognitive reappraisal to bring emotional regulation.
Oh, and one more thing - don't eat cheese before bedtime!*
Anyway, I hope this reassures those who fear things that go bump in the night: just relax, roll over, and go back to sleep in the knowledge that - more often than not - there is nothing to fear but fear itself. Or, as my MR therapist says, allow cognitive reappraisal to bring emotional regulation.
Oh, and one more thing - don't eat cheese before bedtime!*
Notes
See also the 2015 documentary dir. Rodney Ascher, The Nightmare, which examines the issue of sleep paralysis via an extensive series of interviews with sufferers, dramatically re-enacting their experiences. The film seeks to demonstrate how a wide range of spooky phenomena can often be attributed to this recognised - but little studied - medical condition. The official trailer can be watched on YouTube by clicking here.
* This sounds like a joke or a reference to an old wive's tale, but Dickens, like many great 19th century thinkers - including Nietzsche - took diet seriously and knew that eating the wrong foods at bedtime could have undesirable side-effects. In A Christmas Carol (1843), Ebenezer Scrooge attributes the ghost he sees to "an undigested bit of beef, a blot of mustard, a crumb of cheese, and a fragment of an underdone potato".
For the latest scientific research on this question see: Dan Denis, Christopher C. French, and Alice M. Gregory, 'A systematic review of variables associated with sleep paralysis', in Sleep Medicine Reviews, (April 2018), Vol. 38, pp. 141-57. Click here to read online.
See also the 2015 documentary dir. Rodney Ascher, The Nightmare, which examines the issue of sleep paralysis via an extensive series of interviews with sufferers, dramatically re-enacting their experiences. The film seeks to demonstrate how a wide range of spooky phenomena can often be attributed to this recognised - but little studied - medical condition. The official trailer can be watched on YouTube by clicking here.
* This sounds like a joke or a reference to an old wive's tale, but Dickens, like many great 19th century thinkers - including Nietzsche - took diet seriously and knew that eating the wrong foods at bedtime could have undesirable side-effects. In A Christmas Carol (1843), Ebenezer Scrooge attributes the ghost he sees to "an undigested bit of beef, a blot of mustard, a crumb of cheese, and a fragment of an underdone potato".
