The Neuroscience of Sleep Paralysis

Sleep paralysis is terrifying. Interestingly the brain waves during sleep paralysis show that it is a state between sleep and wakefulness. Learn more in this video.
Sleep paralysis refers to an inability to move while waking up. Conscious experience of this paralysis is often associated with frightning hallucionations. Up to 50 percent of people will experience sleep paralysis at least once in their life. However, only in about 5 percent of people is sleep paralysis a regular event.
In this episode the different types of sleep paralysis phenomena and experiences are explained and whether they are best described as a dream or hallucination. Different types of sleep paralysis include the intruder hallucination, incubus hallucination and vestibular-motor hallucination.
This will be followed up by describing a number of research studies that have investigated sleep paralysis. First, scientific evidence for muscle atonia will be discussed. Then, two electroencephalography, or EEG, studies will be described that investigated brain waves during sleep paralysis. Finally, imaging studies will be discussed that identify different brain regions.
At the end, factors that may aggrivate (or not) sleep paralysis will be mentioned.
In the next episode we will discuss another type of conscious dream: false awakening loops.
Time stamps:
0:00 Sleep paralysis intruder hallucination story
0:37 What is sleep paralysis?
3:22 Sleep paralysis types
8:39 Is sleep paralysis related to lucid dreaming?
9:34 Neuroscience research of sleep paralysis
17:01 What causes sleep paralysis?
References/Resources
Denis D. (2018). Relationships between sleep paralysis and sleep quality: current insights. Nature and science of sleep, 10, 355-367. doi.org/10.2147/NSS.S158600
Denis, D., French, C.C., Gregory, A.M. (2018). A systematic review of variables associated with sleep paralysis. Sleep Med Rev 38, 141-157. doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2017.0...
Mainieri, G., Maranci, J-B., Champetier, J., et al. (2021). Are sleep paralysis and false awakenings different from REM sleep and from lucid REM sleep? A spectral EEG analysis. J Clin Sleep Med 17(4), 719-727. doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.9056.
Takeuchi, T., Miyasita, A., Sasaki, Y., Inugami, M., Fukuda, K. (1992). Isolated sleep paralysis elicited by sleep interruption. Sleep 15(3), 217-225. doi.org/10.1093/sleep/15.3.217.
Valencia Garcia, S., Brischoux, F., Clément, O. (2018). Ventromedial medulla inhibitory neuron inactivation induces REM sleep without atonia and REM sleep behavior disorder. Nat Commun 9(1), 504. doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-02...
Narrated by: Miles Wischnewski
USE OF STOCK IMAGES AND VIDEOS
Occasionally we make use of stock images and videos (pixabay.com or pexels.com). We use these to make our videos more lively (better than looking at a blank screen). These stock videos should not be taken as an exact scientific reflection of the discussed content. In some cases they are not fully accurate. We try to have a high viewing pleasure, while at the same time create as little confusion as possible. Thus we aim to only use them when it is clear that they are not directly related to the discussed content.
CHANNEL GOALS
The Psyched! channel focuses on providing education about psychology and neuroscience. Here you learn all about human behavior, the mind and the brain. It is our goal to reach everyone, from people who are casually interested to academic researchers. As such we provide simple explanation videos as well as profound lectures. If you like our content, consider to subscribe!
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS
Instagram: / real.psyched
Twitter: / mileswischnews1
Website: www.mileswischnewski.com

[@ProbablyAEuropean]

I don't like how often people like to show images of the most terrifying cases of sleep paralysis. As it can be due to stress, its really not recommended to stress people out more about things that are in fact completely normal. Fuck i've had sleep paralysis while dreaming and then woke up after with sleep paralysis Sleep paralysis occurs to me about twice a month on average, an important part of this is to realize that you are under such a state, close your eyes and try moving the smallest body part you can first, and moving it as much with the greatest amplitude you can, try touching yourself with that bodypart or feeling something, you'll snap out of it within seconds

[@blaisenotpascal1052]

Fortunately, I have never hallucinated during sleep paralysis. The very moment I realize I'm having one I close my eyes and wait through it. The worst thing about it is the unsettling ringing/static sound.

[@lyleorilla2347]

The intense buzzing noise that you could thought a demon talking in to your ear, but if you listen carefully it just a buzzing noise

[@55320]

I've had it About 3 times in my life and the one time I had it I heard glass breaking throughout. Still wonder what it meant fr

[@sinnombre5466]

@@55320I’ve heard glass breaking without a full episode… I’ll just be half asleep hear what sounds like a glass bottle being thrown on concrete

[@kenyalmb]

Yo so U know when ur trying to sleep and you feel good for like a millisecond then it goes away and happens randomly again, imma just call it feel-good sleep feeling? fr I also heard a buzzing static sound and my vision was getting blurry and I felt like my heart was pounding four times and the feel-good sleepy feeling per second when I closed my eyes and listened, I could also kinda feel the presence of two people or demons. I had this sleep paralysis shit in the morning because I couldn’t sleep.

[@kenyalmb]

@@55320did ur vision go blurry and did u see like a blind spot on any of the sides of ur eye like it was a dark figure or something?

[@SQUID10boy]

Anyone else ever get sleep paralysis and hear a strong “buzzing” noise? That’s usually my first sign that I’m having an episode, as well as a sort of “hazy” vision followed very shortly by that feeling of helplessness and that there is something there.

[@77..4....]

I hear that buzzing when I'm about to astral project

[@la.o4226]

Also hear that buzzing and kind of vibrating sensation inside my head.

[@Ricki_Snow]

Yes, every time. The feeling of a presence in the room is also common and very unsettling , and although I've gone through many episodes of sleep paralysis and despite being aware of it when it happens it's still hard to control the feeling of helplessness

[@eipi5173]

I "wake" up and find myself speeding towards a bridge support on the interstate. Both hands lying in my lap with no ability to move them to avoid certain death. I wake upon impact. Same "dream" for last 15 years 3 times a month. I cant describe the terror. Different dreams before that one but all experiencing the moment of death. Im 70 y/o and been having thses damn things since i was 5 y/o. The terror never lessens.

[@kenyalmb]

I got mine today in the morning maybe it was cuz I didn’t sleep the whole night and was getting sleepy at like 6:30-7AM I was contemplating getting a cup of coffee to stay awake a little longer but I decided to close my eyes for like 3 seconds instead and I’m assuming I went to sleep at that part and at that same time I also got a false awakening dream where I just scrolled through tiktok something about murder hornets then I felt this tingle sleep feeling it was feeling so good and wanted to stay in bed so it lasts longer but like a few seconds later I noticed I had like a blind spot on the top right corner of my eye and thought I just had my finger on my eye but I moved my head down and noticed my hands and I still had the blind spot then my vision got blurry and the ambience changed to this static like buzzing sound almost as if when your yawning hard U can hear like the blood flow, it was a similar sound only it sounded more violent and that tingle feeling became violent and my heart was pounding so fast about 4 times per second when I closed my eyes there was so many things rushing through my head, fear, anxiety, I opened my eyes intentionally just to look at the hallucination and only saw half of it, it was a pitch black human figure that was like 8 feet tall staring me down as I’m feel like I’m having some sort of panic attack with my eyes closed, my heart racing so fast that I felt my body shaking and with my eyes closed, every heartbeat was creating like a white light, during all of this I was trying so hard to move but it was impossible, as if I was trying to hit a PR on bench press or something but yeah I woke up pretty quickly the blackness faded and I told my siblings about it, the reflections on the mirror were distorted but now I know at this time I’m not dreaming.

[@Heleninhalinda176]

I have sleep paralys every month or so, mostly I hallucinate that I'm moving very very slowly, asking my wife to wake me up, sometimes I just fly away to oblivion, and I also experience a sensation of electricity in all my being, similar to the body feel of hallucinogens like LSD

[@RenGalafuze]

The electric sensation all over my body is very much what I feel. It’s terrible.

[@sawmooeh8480]

oh. this is the first time i see a video mentioning false awakening. I have talked to a lot of people and nobody has experienced or even understand what i was describing.

[@jackparsons4217]

Recently my sleep paralysis has developed into a feeling of being dragged to the side of my bed and even recently being dragged off the edge I know that it is supposedly well documented but can’t find any sources explaining why this feeling occurs the main thing I want to know is whether I am actually moving or if it’s all in the mind, very hard to tell with SP

[@ericcloud1023]

I think i just had my first sleep paralysis episode, i semi-came to with the overwhelming feeling something was climbing up my lower body to my chest, but it wasn't like a pressure. rather it was like as it moved up it put pressure on my bed but sucked all strength from my muscles, to the point i had to force out a "huuuuuuuu" because i couldn't scream help. an overwhelming sense of fear...i'm in no way religious, and as soon as i was able to spring out of bed i immediately calmed down, but if i didn't have a laymans understanding of SP & an interest in neurology/psychology I'd be absolutely convinced that something demonic narrowly avoided getting me. i can rationalize it...but im still anxious about going back to sleep.....

[@real.psyched]

Yep, that sounds like sleep paralysis. You never get used to it really, but the rationalizing becomes easier. ;)

[@Tiffanylouisekelly]

Everynight 😢 I turn it in to lucid dreaming, it’s amazing 😻 ❤😂

[@darthbango1999]

I feel like I'm losing my ability to breathe. I'll start snoring and making choking noises. My wife knows to shake me if she hears or sees me struggling.

[@real.psyched]

Definitely not a nice experience! :(

[@noduh736]

I do the same thing I try to reach up and pull my eyes open cuz I know its happening I just have no control of it

[@urbanskum3182]

I just suddenly become aware in my dream and everything is colder and darker then something happens and I wake up and cant move for about 10 seconds, in my head I am calling my wife to shake me awake but she said I am not moving and breathing funny.

[@bffkiwi394]

COOL... Got here from Reddit

[@real.psyched]

Awesome! glad you enjoyed it!

[@bffkiwi394]

@@real.psyched Yes, I did. Do you have a TikTok or IG I can follow? Cool.

[@real.psyched]

We do! But I should state that we are not very active on either of them. We plan to upload more short videos on TikTok, but we are not sure when will get serious (life just has too little time). TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@realpsyched?lang=en IG: instagram.com/real.psyched/

[@jeanninebuquet9635]

I have sleep paralysis where I hear people on my house and I can't get up to stop it I don't know if it's real I hate having this disorder and would like help I've had it for 20 years

[@real.psyched]

I know how you feel! I have for 7 years now

[@foreignboiii4350]

Did you know you create your sleep paralysis it started with a thought

[@UNCLEJAYONVIDEO]

I’ve noticed that. But everytime I snap out of it I try to remember what the thought was and can never remember what it was.

[@lyleorilla2347]

You can't create sleep paralysis in your thought, if you start to see thing in your pitch black vision. It mean that you're now at the dreaming state. Your thought become the thing that you see on your dreaming state which is the next stage of SP

[@foreignboiii4350]

@@lyleorilla2347 we don’t all have the same level of awareness I be remembering everything in and out my sleep

[@jkd2817]

Yea not really