Sleep Paralysis - Katie Gambrell

Through out high school, I would frequently take naps either between classes or after school because of having to wake up so early. Around the time of April, I had a crazy experience I had never had before while trying to take a nap. As I was drifting off into sleep, I felt a pressure close around my head, as if someone were hugging my head. Because I was half asleep, at first I thought it was my boyfriend awkwardly hugging me while I was lying down, but then it started to feel more like I was being suffocated. Finally I remembered that I was alone in my bed, trying to take a nap. I realized that I wasn’t fully asleep, but was caught in the middle of being asleep and awake. My body was asleep but my mind was still awake. I was able to think normally, but I couldn’t move at all. Even using all my force and strength, I could not manage to lift my pinky finger up. My eyes were caught between being half closed to fully closed, so I could see some of my surroundings but everything was fairly blurry. I watched as my mom passed by my bedroom, and I tried to scream for help, but I couldn’t open my mouth, and no sound came out. At that point in time I felt and literally thought I was paralyzed.

After about 5 or so minutes, I did end up actually falling asleep, and a few hours later I woke up normally. The experience really scared me, so I decided to go online to see if anyone else had experienced anything like I had. When I looked online, I found numerous websites about people who had experienced what I had, which I found out was called sleep paralysis. As I continued to read other people’s experiences, I found out that it is fairly common, and the one I had experienced, was nothing compared to what other people had. Some had experienced sleep paralysis at a completely different level, where while their mind was still awake, and their body was asleep, what they saw was what they should have been seeing while they were dreaming. So basically it was like they were awake while they were dreaming, but could not move or scream for help at all. A lot of other people also had experienced lesser versions, like I had, and had felt that same pressure as they were caught in the sleep paralysis. I ended up doing some research and many different countries have stories to explain sleep paralysis. Some describe it as a demon that takes control of your body, or will sit on your chest, and some describe it as a witch riding on your back. Most of the stories involve the paralysis being caused by a dark presence in the room, but personally I consider all those explanations as folklores, but found them very interesting nonetheless. Since April, it has happened about 5 or so more times, each one a little different from the last, but now that I have a better idea of what it is, it does not frighten me as much, but I don’t necessarily look forward to it if it happens again either.