Sleep paralysis

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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:

Sleep paralysis on Wikipedia
Night hag on Wikipedia

Elsewhere in the Fediverse:

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submitted 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) by [email protected] to c/sleepparalysis

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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:

Cheyne, J.A., Rueffer, S.D. & Newby-Clark, I.R. (1999) "Hypnagogic and Hypnopompic Hallucinations during Sleep Paralysis: Neurological and Cultural Construction of the Night-Mare". Consciousness and Cognition 8, 319-337.
de Sá, J.F.R. & Mota-Rolim, S.A. (2016) "Sleep Paralysis in Brazilian Folklore and Other Cultures: A Brief Review". Frontiers in Psychology 7, 49-56.

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 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 5 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 5 months ago

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