Sleep Paralysis/Hag Phenomena

monellia

I experienced sleep paralysis once. Unlike any nightmare I've ever had, it felt absolutely real. At first I couldn't tell whether I was dreaming or not but then it started to feel like I was totally awake. Someone (I could sense them) was dragging me down my bed by my foot. I couldn't move, I couldn't make a sound and I damn nearly felt I couldn't breathe. I could just feel myself being dragged down the bed by this force. I can't remember what happened next, but then I felt a presence in my room. I could make out the bleary outline of a dark figure beside the door. I thought it might have been my mam but I since I could neither move nor scream I had no way of knowing. I felt conscious, but totally paralyzed. Awful feeling :-/

I was totally freaked out by the incident for weeks until the topic of sleep paralysis and "night terrors" came up in RE class. It said in the book that someone experiencing a night terror wakes suddenly from a slow-wave sleep and often feels a presence in the room. The description was so familiar that I relaxed and haven't been bothered about it since.

mossie110

this happens to me very often about once a fortnight or so. i wake up, well my brain wakes up but the rest of body is still fast asleep, and a can say with my hand on my heart. it scares the s**t out off me every time it happens but thank god i don't get what other people get with people sitting on them, if that happened to me i would die,
no matter how much i try and shout and scream kick no good i just cant wake up, but one night when i was having one of these episode's i heard a pist noise and i woke up. the noise came for one off those air fresheners that go off every 9,18,36 min's so what i found out that i set it for 9 min's so if i have one of these bloody things again the longest it lasts is 9 mins cause the pist niose from the air-freshener is enough to wake me up.

mrenglish

Less than an hour ago I had an exerience that caused me to get out of bed and Google this.
I am not a believer in ghosts or spirits. This happened to me once before while I was living in Belgium. I was in my mid twenties and had arranged my room differently in my dorm room. I was sleeping and felt a 'sweet' presence as an arm from behind laid across my chest and a head came around to my right side of my face. I could feel the smile and smelled an almost sickening scent and realized the presence was evil, not loving as it had originally tried to appear. I knew that there was no way a person could be there as this is where my headbard now was. I realized that I was awake and wanted to yell, but couldn't move for several minutes as I felt its breath upon me. Its been about twenty years since then, and I am living in California. It happened again just now. Laying in bed next to my wife, I was dreaming that I was tired and laid down on the grass to sleep. I felt someone (a female) come up behind me and lay a leg against my arm and an arm across my waist as it began to touch me sexually. As I slowly awoke, I found myself hoping that is was my wife's touch, but knew it wasn't. I lay there awake for about ten minutes and did not feel threatened, but still felt the leg and arm upon me. More curious than anything I wondered when it would stop.

IvySherwood

Yesterday, I experienced what I think was sleep paralysis for the first time. I have heard about it many times. What I experienced was unlike anything that I have ever heard of except for the fact that I was paralyzed. I was completely awake, I swear to you. But I could not move.

It was in the afternoon. I went to school in the morning to take a final, and came back home to go back to sleep because I was so exhausted. I closed my blinds, my closet door, and my bedroom door in my room so I could make it as dark as possible in my room.

I slept for about 3 hours and then I woke to a strange sound. The sound that woke me was the sound of water being pored onto the carpet. The sound was coming from near my bedroom door. I tried to sit up to see what the sound was realized that I couldn't move. I tried with all of my might to move my arms and my legs and I couldn't. But my eyes were opened. I was asleep on the left side of the bed and I heard heavy footsteps approaching on the right side of the room, opposite of the side of the bed I was sleeping on. I knew I was home alone because my husband was at work but I tried to say his name. I couldn't turn my head so I couldn't see if there was anyone there.

Then I knew whatever it was that was in the room with me was not a physical being because it was then standing where my headboard is. A person couldn't have stood there like that. Then I felt REAL (I promise you I was not dreaming) hands were put on my shoulders. Not hurting me but pushing my shoulders down into the bed. It was as if a person was standing behind me and pushing my shoulders into the bed. It happened slowly and four times. It wasn't a jerking motion. It was as if someone was trying to gently wake me up.

I wanted to ask who the entity was, because my older brother committed suicide 2 years ago and hasn't tried to contact me since he died. I wondered if maybe he was paying me a visit, although I doubted it because whatever or whoever was in the room with me had a sort of evil presence.

So, with ALL of the strength I had in my body I forced the words out of my mouth "Who..... Are..... You?" And in a creepy, low, scratchy, man's voice (which made me know it was NOT my brother) the voice said, mockingly, "Who are YOU?"

What happened next was the strangest part of all. The entity, entered into my body. I knew this because my body suddenly jerked and instantly I felt like I was on fire inside. Literally, my whole body (only inside) felt like it was a million degrees. Now I knew that since it was inside, I didn't have to use verbal words to communicate with it because it would be able to hear my thoughts. My leg (which I didn't move on my own) elevated up into the air, like the entity was trying me out or something. So I said to it, "I am not for sale. You cannot have me." And a moment later I could move again and the heat left my body.

I laid there when it was over, just kind of in shock. I was not afraid, my pulse was not elevated, I didn't experience adrenaline. I just laid there and wondered what that thing was and why it came to visit me, and even more curiously, why it asked me who I was.

What do you think? Am I crazy or did I get a visit from a supernatural being?

Ronan|Raven

Has happened me a few times over the years. The first time was the most terrifying experience I have ever had. I found it hard to sleep for nights after and I was 22

This dark shadowy figure at the bottom of my bed, the more I tried to get away the more one felt imobilised. Not much fun at all!

emermc

Wow that was some dream!! It has happened me too, with a shadowy figure at the foot of the bed. It started climbing up the bed on to of me. I was totally freaked out & couldn't move. I was so scared but I'd heard of similiar dreams from people so I've learnt to just relax & concentrate on wrigging a toe or a finger.

Susannahmia

I only experienced sleep paralysis twice thankfully but the first time was truly terrifying. I remember waking up and not being able to move or open my eyes. It felt like there was a load of people or things all around me whispering and I was sure that they were evil entities and planning to hurt me but I couldn't make out the words.

The second time I couldn't move and was scared but no feeling of strange presences thank god.

mk6705

This has happened to me two or three times, the first two weeks apart and the next one a few months later.

The first time it happened, I woke up and tried to move but couldn't. It was like a brick was tied to my arm, I just couldn't move it. I remember also feeling a little difficulty breathing, but nothing that major compared to what people are describing here. I managed to move after a few minutes after really concentrating on moving my arm, but it scared the absolute living F***ING S**T out of me.

The second time, I didn't take much notice that it was happening, and it just kind of faded out (I may have fallen back asleep). The third was the same.

ratmouse

First off, I'm not a believer in ghosts or spirits. Unless people go intentionally looking to contact such, I don't believe they will ever appear to you. However, for so many years now, I've experienced sleep paralysis but just didn't know what it was until a couple of years ago. When I was still living at home in my parents house (old house, grew up here too) I slept in several different bedrooms over the years yet the horrible dreams/SP only happened in one particular bedroom so I did start to wonder was it maybe something to do with this particular bedroom and maybe the previously hous eowners who lived in the house many years ago and had some connection to this room for whatever reason. However, as years went on, I noticed it happened if I stayed in a hotel room and it has happened since I moved into my own newly built house so I definitley stopped believing that it was anything to do with old houses, etc. Then, I did some research into it and found out how common it was. Found that very reassurung but it still didn't help deal with the actual experince as it was happening. For me, when it happens, I can never open my eyes, move any part of body or scream/shout/make a noise even though I'm trying my hardest. It only happens when I sleep on my back which I only do if I'm completely exhausted. Also, as another poster described, I've learned now to tell when it's about to happen, even though I'm supposedly asleep. The sign that it's about to begin for me is that the bed and/or my body only own start to lift off the ground and spin uncontrollably around the room. For many times that this has happened, I've done my best to try keep my whole body held tightly to the bed or to call for help but neither ever worked. Now, I'm fully aware of what it is and so I just go with it but it's till very frightening. The only consolation is knowing that it will be over and nothing ever happens in the end. There is nearly always a presence of something else either in the room or about to enter the room. Another thing that seems to happen and I've a feeling that this is specicif to me, is that my mind tells me to try use all my strength to bless myself and then it'll be ok and sometimes, whether it actually happens or it's in the dream as I never seem to be able to move any part of my body, I think I manage to bless myself and then the persence goes away, the spinning ends and the SP stops. It happens less and less now and I do my best to ensure that I don't sleep on my back which, luckily is not the normal position that I sleep in. I think being aware, in your half concious state or whatever state it is that you are in, of what is about to happen and therefore just going with and realizing that you won't come to any harm makes it easier and also makes it finish faster.

JulietW

The solution to the awful sleep paralysis nightmares for me was never ever to go to sleep on my back. This sounds really simplistic but it has worked for me. I had sleep paralysis nightmares from the age of 18 until my mid 20's. I had variations on the same theme, something in the room, a dark energy creature which would slowly come closer to the bed. I could feel its hatered and that it was intent on killing me and then i would feel it trying to suffocate me. I would trash about in my head and fight as hard as i could and eventually i would wake up. Sometimes i would think i had woken up only to go straight back into the nightmare again. In college i even slept on friends bedroom floors to feel safer but it made no difference, the sleep paralysis happened anyway.
I eventually noticed that when i fully woke up from the nightmare i was always on my back, every single time. So the next night i made sure to sleep on my side or stomach and it worked, no sleep paralysis. It has been about 11 years now since i worked this out and i only have the occasional episode and its always because i accidently drifted off to sleep while on my back. Try this, i know it sounds simple but it worked and still works for me. I hope it works for you.

cocoshovel

Ive had a few experiences where I have felt a presence in the room with me but that was only about 2 or 3 times a few years back and they were no where as near as bad as what you say.

2011 has been the worst year for sleep paralysis for me, as in its happened most often. Seems to be happening at least once a month but sometimes up to 5+ times. For me it only happens just as Im nodding off, when I get abruptly awoken and find myself unable to move anything but my neck slightly. Its very hard and almost feels as if its fighting back trying really hard not to move. The thing that frightens me the most is how I always find it very hard to breathe, and end up struggling as hard as I can to snap my body out of the paralysis.

Past experiences I have felt heavily drunk as I nodded off and heard lots of shouting/noise in a strange language. I have felt and heard stuff in my room, and only thought I saw something about once before during this. But the strange thing is, it always happens just as Im drifting into sleep and never any other time.

Terry Cotta

I get this a good bit. As mentioned above it always happens when you sleep on your back.

I get the usual stuff - presence coming in my bedroom door, something climbing on top on me. It also happens for no reason in a dream when I interact with someone. If they touch me the paralysis starts and I wake up feeling a cold sensation where I was touched.

I'm fairly used to it at this stage and I usually just stay asleep. There's a very strange floating sensation if you don't fight the paralysis, especially when there seems like something is on top of you. Sometimes I even go asleep on my back on purpose just to feel that sensation.

If the paralysis freaks you out, just don't sleep on your back. Even if I'm sleeping on my side but slightly leaning back it'll happen.

LaVail

I have had a few of these over the years and I felt that they shook me up for a day or so after. Each time I had them I was in the middle of a nightmare, I could think really clearly and I kept telling myself to sit up in the bed or make a roar so I could wake up but each time I tried to sit up/roar I couldn't. I kept trying this over and over but all I could manage was a mumble and each time I tried to get up it felt like somebody was sitting on me forcing me down.

After reading some of the posts above about dreams/nightmares like this only happening while lying on your back, it was the same in my case. Each time I have had these dreams I was asleep on my back.

Also I have noticed that when I have these dreams/nightmares It always starts when I'm nodding off and I know it might sound weird but when I'm relaxed with my eyes closed and on my back I start felling a sensation of floating, then I start seeing random shapes or figures in the flashing colours inside my eyes (don't know if that makes any sense, it's hard to explain) Sometimes the random colours/shapes will start to resemble people running/horses jumping or other random stuff,