Yates 1

Melissa Yates

Lindsey Slanker

English 1201-51104

04 August 2019

Sleep Paralysis

The world all around has a sense of typicality. There are certain roles in individuals lives

that purposely help them move on their way in society so they can live normally and in their

normal state of being; what they consider to be acceptable to their lives. People go on about their

business as they see fit and continue with their days accomplishing every task that requires their

time. They feel satisfied when all things fall into place and they call the day at its end, turn the

covers down in their beds, curl up with their loved one or themselves and drift off to sleep. But

what happens to the human body during the time of sleep?

Does the body slumber away into deep repose allowing the body to rejuvenate itself for

the next day or does the body do something different during sleep? These mysteries have been in

discussion in science throughout all of history with no one truly understanding the fullness and

complexity of sleep patterns and what happens during sleep. One question that seems to come up

in discussion is the theory of sleep paralysis. What is it? Why do some people experience this

phenomenon? What causes these occurrences to happen to some individuals and why does it

make people feel vulnerable to its mysterious happenings? Sleep Paralysis is common among all

populations and needs more research. People suffer with these occurrences and not enough

reassurance. They suffer silently with stress and anxiety because the lack of knowledge and

information.
 Yates 2

Through my own personal experiences, I can relate to the proposed logic solely in part

because I myself have had multiple occurrences with sleep paralysis. I have analyzed each

situation I have been in and tried to understand the meaning involved behind it, or why it was

happening to me. It didn’t start until I became an adult and it doesn’t happen often. It happens

every few years or so, depending on where I’m living in my life and mind. Throughout this

discussion, I will focus primarily on the different stages of sleep as well as the three different

forms of sleep paralysis. I will also include a personal interview and testimony on behalf of an

individual who suffers with this type of sleep disturbance.

What is sleep paralysis? According to Brian Sharpless who is in the Clinical Psychology

Program at the American School of Professional Psychology at Argosy University, Washington

DC, Arlington, VA, USA, states that sleep paralysis is defined as, “REM sleep based atonia

combined with conscious awareness.” Atonia is the term used to describe the affect when

muscles lose their strength. REM based atonia happens while we deep sleep and are in the dream

stage Through research and suggestions, sleep paralysis is thought to have three different forms.

ISP (isolated sleep paralysis), RISP (recurrent isolated sleep paralysis). ISP is termed for

individuals who have experienced this phenomenon at least one time in their lives. RISP is for

individuals who have experienced these five times or more and FISP (Fearful Isolated Sleep

Paralysis) which occurs to people who experience frightening instances where they feel as

though someone is in the room with them and FISP is what I suffer when I experience this crazy

phenomenon as I will explain a little bit later.

In an article written by Rita Aouad, MD of Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine Specialist

titled, “What’s Happening to the Body During Sleep Paralysis” The Ohio State University,

Wexler Medical Center, 09 March 2018, claims there are two parts of the sleep cycle consisting
 Yates 3

of REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep and NREM (Non-Rapid Eye Movement) sleep. She claims

that within the NREM there are three cycles in which we go through before we are in the dream

world which is the REM cycle. While the human body drifts into this REM cycle, the inspiratory

and expiratory function becomes rhythmic and the body starts controlling the respiratory system.

While being under this REM cycle, the human body produces a substance called glycine

that ultimately places the body into a temporary state of paralysis. If the human body didn’t

produce this substance, people would be more prone to accidents and injuries as they would flail

and swing and act out their dreams. After learning of this, I realized how great of a thing this is

because if people acted out their dreams while they were sleeping, could you imagine the injuries

a person could sustain. The human body is absolutely amazing in how it works!

After more research, Aouad stated that while sleep paralysis is rather frightening to an

individual, its merely the body waking up too soon and under the production of glycine.

Individual testimonies of people who have suffered with these disturbances stated that during

time of sleep paralysis, they have the feeling of something sitting on their chests preventing them

from breathing properly which produces the panic and anxiety followed by fear of sleep. After

doing the research and understanding the production of this chemical and knowing what it does

to the body, it helps inform an individual of what’s happening so that they are not living in fear

that something is going to happen to them.

Aouad also stated that when people wake up during sleep paralysis, they experience

something called hypnopompic hallucinations which appear as evil or scary (FISP) when it is

simply something called sleep inertia; the time between being in deep sleep and waking up.

When the body hasn’t fully awakened and the mind is fuzzy, everything seems distorted. I

myself can attest to these ghostly hallucinations as these eerie instances overtake me as I sleep.
 Yates 4

Except my shadow stalker hovers in the cracks of an open closet door and stands over top of me

while I convince myself to sit up and leave my bed.

While doing more research, Aouad suggests that poor sleep and/or irregular sleep

patterns are a strong cause as to why people experience this as well as people who are trying to

regain their sleep schedule I can relate to this suggestion as I experience sleep paralysis the most

when I’m either extremely exhausted or under a severe state of stress related issues. As I sleep, I

tend to drift in such a deep state that it’s nearly impossible to wake me up. Even as a small child

I have always been a deep sleeper and there are reasons behind this.

After doing more investigation, Aouad suggests that other conditions such as nicotine

withdraws, substance abuse, disturbing nightmares, chronic pain, and frequent trips to the

bathroom all raise cause for sleep paralysis. She also suggests that people who have been

diagnosed with PTSD and people who are stressed are more likely to experience this crazy

phenomenon. Sadly, I can relate to these suggestions as well. I am a product of severe abuse and

I struggle with deep rooted emotional trauma that also contributes to my poor sleep patterns and

stress. Thus, the reasons why I’m such a deep sleeper and an extremely vivid dreamer always

dreaming of being trapped in buildings or on distorted landslides that resemble four dimensional

squares.

Although science states that there is no cure for sleep paralysis, there are ways to control

it according to Dr. Aouad. A medication known as prazosin is given to sufferers to reduce the

paralysis by reducing trauma induced nightmares. I personally have not included this medication

into my regimen as I prefer a healthier approach, so what I found that works for me is sitting

straight up in my bed and walking it off. I can’t simply open my eyes and make it go away. Also,
 Yates 5

good proper sleep without any stress or limitation seems to be beneficial for me in terms of

reducing the occurrences,

Annette Choi, author of, The Nightmare of Sleep Paralysis (2018) focuses on the part of

sleep paralysis that digs a little deeper into what happens to the body while it’s undergoes sleep.

She claims there are five stages of sleep that fall under the two main categories: NREM having

four parts and REM having one part. The first four parts being characterized under NREM (Non-

Rapid eye movement) sleep with each stage dictating the depth in which one is asleep. The fifth

and final stage is the REM (rapid eye movement) sleep and this is the stage in which dreaming

occurs.

Choi also claims that for this whole process to take place, its only between one and two

hours that our brains transverse from one stage to another then to our final stage of REM sleep.

Within the REM sleep pattern, Choi states that the brain is most active producing the most vivid

and emotionally charged dreams (Choi, 2018). “During REM, the body regularly inhibits its

motor neurons, paralyzing itself to prevent people from acting out REM’s elaborate visions and

causing harm” stated Choi (para 11).

After experimental research using lab rats, a team of expert neuroscientists at the

University of Toronto, determined there are chemicals within the brain that causes the paralysis

within the body. This chemical system is comprised of two parts. GABA which is Gamma

Amino Butyric Acid and Glycine. Scientists suggest that both chemicals work together to cause

muscle paralysis during REM sleep. By experimenting with the lab rats, researchers were able to

“measure the activity in facial muscles of rats experiencing paralysis and were able to identify

which neurotransmitter and receptor mechanisms responsible for causing sleep paralysis,” stated

Choi in her 2018 article.

 Yates 6

Figure 1-1 Depicts the chemical reaction taking place during sleep within the brain stem

and spinal column putting our bodies into a state of paralysis.

Upon more review of the article, it states that when a person wakes up during REM sleep

cycle, they may have the feeling of being suffocated. Choi concurs that this is in part due to the

body being in complete control of us while we are sleeping. When we are awake and living our

lives, our breathing is irregular due to our voices, coughing, sneezing, laughing and anything else

we do when we expand our lungs but while a person is under REM state of sleep, our bodies take

control over breathing thus causing it to become rhythmic in its function and therefore people

feel they cannot breathe.

Under the title “What is Sleep Paralysis”, Choi also states that the part of the brain called

the amygdala, which is the control center that rejects or confirms danger is hindered while

sleeping and cannot register the correct information to determine whether a threat is genuine or

not. Within the article, under the title, “Glitch of The Brain”, Choi also discusses the ordinary
 Yates 7

triggers associated with sleep paralysis such as sleep deprivation, increase in stress, irregular

sleep patterns, mental health disorders and is common amongst students but most specific to

individuals with anxiety specific conditions as well as PTSD and panic disorders.

According to one study, researcher John Peever, Neuroscientist at the Toronto University

in the Department of Physiology stated that 80% of people who suffer sleep disturbances usually

develop a neurodegenerative disease such as Parkinson's disease and is also common amongst

sufferers of narcolepsy. Baland Jalal, a neuroscientist at the University of Cambridge and current

fellow at Harvard University, stated that the best way therapeutically to resolve these issues are

by utilizing meditation relaxation therapy in which its merely mind over matter in this situation.

A person must tell themselves that what they are experiencing is not a threat and will soon pass.

Moments like this require deep breathing and positive reinforcement to successfully overcome

these strange and unusual phenomena. In general, most people experience Isolated Sleep

Paralysis at least once in their lives due to unknown and random reasons whereas FISP is noted

primarily in people presenting with PTSD, anxiety, body mass, sensitivity and mood disorders.

After doing and interview on the 22nd of June 2019 with a long-time sufferer by the name

of James Robinette, he disclosed to me what it’s like for him when he experiences sleep

paralysis. Mr. Robinette stated that it started when he was only sixteen years old and he never

knew why it was happening to him. He stated that he feels like something is hovering over him

and he’s paralyzed and can’t move his body. He stated that while this is happening, he knows it’s

happening, but he can’t seem to get himself out of it. No matter what he tries to do to get himself

out of it, he always ends up going back to sleep and repeating the process because the paralysis is

so strong that he can’t control it. He stated the experience usually happens every few years and

he never understood it.

 Yates 8

It wasn’t until he became older that he linked this behavior to an old childhood trauma of

a time when a tree fell on him and it was compressing his airways causing him to feel suffocated.

He stated that for a long time he would have nightmares of the accident but later turning into

sleep paralysis. After asking a few questions, Mr. Robinette stated that during these moments of

sleep paralysis, he noticed that he’s lying on his back on the edge of the outside of the bed. He

stated that when he experiences this event, the dark shadow just stands there and hovers over

him. After reviewing the research results to him, he better understands what's happening and

why it's happening, and now he's feels he will be able to rest easier. It's important to gain public

knowledge over sleep paralysis so others will no longer view it as a threat.

Each testimony of sleep paralysis seems similar in the experiences and its eerie feeling

causes a sense of uneasiness amongst the sufferers with each one relating the cause based on past

trauma or situations that made them feel fearful. This even holds true to me. When I experience

sleep paralysis, it’s when my life is full of stress and at its hardest points. When these

disturbances happen, my sleep becomes distorted and my level of awareness is weary.

As I lay in my bed not being able to move my body, my eyes fixated half open and half

closed on a crack in the closet door. A sense of eeriness that lurks all around me as I can’t move

my arms. I know that I must sit up in bed because if I don’t, I will continue to be stuck in this

abnormal realm. After doing the research, I realize that what’s happening to me is that I’m

waking up under REM sleep and my eyes are bouncing all around looking at the closet door thus

causing the appearance of an intruder in my closet and that's why I experience these intruder

hallucinations and it's because I’m in sleep inertia.

 Yates 9

Figure 2-1 displays a representation of what it’s like for me when I experience sleep

paralysis. A closet door half opened seems to trigger it as it expels darkness within the room. The

man is sleeping, but the hands behind him represents being trapped and cannot escape; the

feeling of being paralyzed. For others, the experiences vary from each individual with each one

resulting in the same thing; fear and panic.

After reviewing statistics of the cause and affects, Sharpless stated that 7.6% of the

general population experience at least one incident of sleep paralysis episodes throughout their

lives. Compared to the increased rate for active students being 28.3% and clients with psychiatric

disorders making up 31.9% of the affected individuals it would be safe to say that stress related

instances such as school work, a busy and hectic life schedule, financial struggles and worries

make probable cause for someone to experience sleep paralysis.

Sharpless also suggests that people who sleep in the supine position, which is lying on

their backs, tend to suffer with sleep paralysis more so than if you were laying on your side or

belly. According to the study, exploding head syndrome is also linked to sleep paralysis.

Exploding head syndrome is something that happens while falling asleep that causes a person to
 Yates 10

hear loud noises, startling them awake. It is not dangerous to the individual yet is rather

frightening and certainly scary. As you can clearly see through research, stress and trauma play a

big role in an individual experiencing sleep paralysis.

Diagnosing an individual requires a certain criterion before they can be given the

diagnosis of sleep paralysis. There are also no medical tests that can be done to verify the

disorder. The most useful tools used are different interviews and questionnaires. They were

designed to target certain symptoms of sleep paralysis.

James Estrin wrote an article titled “Revealing the Terror of Sleep Paralysis” The New

York Times, 02 May 2019, based on an interview with a woman named Ranita Roy who claims

to have suffered with sleep paralysis in the past. Roy claims to have been startled awake and

instantly had an uneasy feeling that an intruder was in her room. At that moment when panic set

in, she realized she couldn’t move a single muscle in her body. Roy stated of the uneasy

experience, “I wanted to open my eyes and run away from the room but couldn’t; it felt like

someone was looking at me in the room but when I opened my eyes there wasn’t really anyone

there” (para 2)

Throughout the article, Roys events of the incident were described and how it affected

her afterwards. She talks about the stress involved and how it made her feel when people started

doubting her. Roy stated that she utilizes imagery to visually explain what it was like for her

while she was under this fearful and disturbing state and
 Yates 11

claims that after she started recreating her dreams through images, the sleep paralysis

disappeared.

The following sections discussed next will be based around a study co-organized by

Denis, Dave the author of “A Systematic Review of Variables Associated with Sleep Paralysis.”

in ScienceDirect on April 2018. Denis dedicated a journal entry into identifying potential risk

factors associated with sleep paralysis and determining what possible triggers were related to

recurrent issues with this phenomenon. The probable and possible causes mentioned will be from

the journal entry itself and the figures obtained were included in the document. While there are

many factors associated with this disorder, it is however very prevalent within mental health

disorders from post-traumatic stress disorder to the smaller scale of panic disorders that sleep

paralysis occurs. Denis states in this document that during sleep paralysis, the ocular and

respiratory system are the only systems unaffected by sleep paralysis and the perception of their

surrounding environment is clear and unaffected. He also suggests that during sleep paralysis a

person may suffer any of the three types of hallucinations individually or combined.

The first hallucination is known as the intruder hallucination. This is when the patient

feels there is a presence in the room with them when they are under this paralyzed state. The

second type of hallucination is the Incubus stage which is the feeling of pressure on the chest

decreasing the ability for the lungs to expand fully and efficiently thus making the person feel

like they are suffocating. Finally, the third type of hallucination is the V-M hallucinations

(Vestibular-Motor) which is defined as the illusory feelings of movement. During the study,

different variables were included when determining the risks associated while they are under this

paralyzed state.
 Yates 12

Hereditary factors associated with sleep paralysis have been confirmed however actual

disorders that cause this phenomenon is uncertain. While researching demographics, they found

that age was not a link to this occurrence’s however the sex of a person plays a role in the likely

hood of that person experiencing sleep paralysis. In most countries, sleep paralysis probability is

higher in females than it is with males but among Hmong immigrants and United States, research

found that men were more likely to experience this phenomenon than women.

Race also factors in when determining probable causes and African Americans

experienced a higher incident of Sleep paralysis compared with Caucasians. Stress and trauma

were also studied and verified as these two things can significantly influence the occurrence of

sleep paralysis especially CSA which is termed Childhood Sexual Abuse is involved. During

times when sleep paralysis is occurring with these affected individuals, they experience vivid

recollections of the abuse because they are under the hypnopompic hallucinations known as

intruder and Incubus hallucinations.

Sadly, I can highly relate to this more so than most and after doing this research, I realize

where my paralysis stems from and why a half opened closet door triggers it. If you really think

about that concept, it’s quite frightening as I no longer view it the way I used too. Now, I’m

fearful to have them because it’s an uneasy feeling, but then again, it could make me even more

aware of what’s happening when its happening. With cases like these, people who have

experienced CSA typically do not experience the VM hallucination during these attacks (Denis

2018)

General health problems can make a person vulnerable to mishaps such as sleep

disturbances and during the study, they show that in a lab setting, individuals experiencing sleep

paralysis had an increase in diastolic blood pressure and a decrease in systolic blood pressure.
 Yates 13

Depersonalization, derealization, and amnesia are all a part of the process of waking up and if an

individual is an imaginary thinker or tends to have delusional behavior, sleep paralysis increases

whereas daydreaming is not linked or associated with sleep paralysis.

Through thorough investigation and research, many differing variables attribute to sleep

paralysis, but the subject is very hard to understand. Even with years and years of training, this

strange occurrence isn’t understood too well and definite hard proof information isn’t easy to

come by largely in part due to people who suffer with these incidents tend to not share what’s

happening to them with anyone because they are too ashamed or embarrassed to inform anyone

of those occurrences.

Sleep paralysis has been defined in many ways and its termed differently throughout the

world, but all in all, it’s the exact same thing. Some cultures believe these strange happenings

occur based on paranormal activity and alien abductions, some believe it’s a different realm of

spirits and ghosts and they simply don’t want to believe it’s anything else. Some people love the

idea of being spooked out and scared, such as myself and believing that ghosts and aliens are to

blame, and some would like to know what’s causing it.

Though science can prove multiple factors related to sleep paralysis, this topic is still

highly unknown and under researched, but we can rest assured knowing that what happens to our

bodies while we sleep is what is considered to be a normal state of being and is not life

threatening or dangerous. Thus, knowledge is power, and the world would feel safer and rest

easier knowing the process in which the body partakes in during the hours the body is at rest. It’s

interesting the concept really and quite strange that this happens to people. But it all falls under

the unknowns and the more research that is done, and the more field studies that can be
 Yates 14

accomplished, the closer science may come to finally finding out what happens to the human

body when it sleeps.

 Yates 15

Works Cited

Aouad Rita, MD. “What’s Happening to the Body During Sleep Paralysis.” The Ohio University,

Wexler Medical Center. 09 March 2018, https://wexnermedical.osu.edu/blog/whats-

happening-to-the-body-during-sleep-paralysis

Choi, Annette. “The Nightmare of Sleep Paralysis.” Nova, Aug.6 2018,

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/the-nightmare-of-sleep-paralysis.

Denis, Dave. “A Systematic Review of Variables Associated with Sleep Paralysis.”

ScienceDirect. April 2018.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1087079217301120

Estrin, James. “Revealing the Terror of Sleep Paralysis.” The New York Times. 02 May 2019,

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/0 -the-terror-of-sleep-paralysis.html.

Robinette, James. Personal interview, 22 June 2019.

Sharpless, Brian A et al. “Isolated sleep paralysis and fearful isolated sleep paralysis in

outpatients with panic attacks.” Journal of clinical psychology vol. 66,12 (2010): 1292-

306. doi:10.1002/jclp.20724

CORBIS IMAGE, “How Sleep Paralysis Works”, 01 August 2017. Black Diamond Social Club.

http://www.blackdiamondsocialclub.com/single-post/2017/08/01/How-sleep-paralysis-

works