this post was submitted on 24 Apr 2024
6 points (71.4% liked)

Sleep paralysis

31 readers
1 users here now

For the discussion of sleep paralysis aka night terrors or the old/night hag and many other names across a range of cultures.

Background reading:

Elsewhere in the Fediverse:

founded 6 months ago
MODERATORS
[email protected]
6
Sleep paralysis reading (feddit.uk)
submitted 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) by [email protected] to c/sleepparalysis
3 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

Fact:

  • The Terror That Comes in the Night: An Experience-Centered Study of Supernatural Assault Traditions by David Hufford - looks at sleep paralysis folklore and the wide range of people's experiences, with a New Foundland focus but generally applicable too.
  • Abducted: How People Come to Believe They Were Kidnapped by Aliens by Susan Clancy - examines at sleep paralysis' role in alien abduction cases (as well as other explanations)

Academic papers:

top 3 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 months ago (1 children)

I used to laugh at superstitious beliefs. While I understand that sleep paralysis is a natural phenomenon, it is SO REAL in a way that is horrible to confront while it's happening, and certainly after it you don't have an explanation for it. An uneducated sufferer might rationally come to the conclusion that evil spirits do exist.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 months ago

Oh indeed - I've had SP experiences that could easily be interpreted as demonic attacks, alien abductions or some kind of weird Satanic ritual. Without the context to interpret them it would be very easy to take them on face value.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 months ago

They're the main ones I've read - any other recommendations?