Telha
If you’ve encountered this phenomenon, you’ve likely experienced a sleep paralysis hallucination. These hallucinations often manifest during the transition between sleep stages, as described by the Sleep Foundation.
Sleep paralysis is categorized as a parasomnia, representing an aberrant sleep pattern. Scientific inquiry has meticulously examined this condition, alongside artistic representations and literary interpretations, occasionally misconstrued as encounters with supernatural entities. A study from 2019 involving 185 participants revealed that 58% sensed a “nonhuman” presence during these episodes, with 22% reporting humanoid figures in their midst.
The shared experiences of individuals grappling with sleep paralysis have given rise to recurrent themes in art and literature.
“The content of the hallucinations experienced during an episode of sleep paralysis can vary enormously, but certain themes tend to occur more often than others. One of these is that of demons, as beautifully illustrated in a famous painting, ‘The Nightmare‘ by Henry Fuseli, dating back to 1781,” Professor Chris French, head of the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit at Goldsmiths, University of London told the Telegraph.
“In Europe in the Middle Ages, sleep paralysis episodes were commonly interpreted as attacks by sex-crazed demons who would have their wicked way with their paralyzed, helpless victims. The male demons were referred to as incubi, and the females were known as succubi,” he added.
Furthermore, two additional types of hallucinations have been reported: intruder hallucinations, evoking a sense of dread from perceived trespassers, and vestibular-motor hallucinations, characterized by sensations of weightlessness or euphoria, akin to floating or flying.
Unlike nightmares occurring during deep sleep, sleep paralysis seizes the body while the mind remains awake, blurring the line between reality and the subconscious realm.
