Sleep Paralysis 

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Yes, there is. I want to tell you about a terrifying phenomenon which I've experienced myself.

Now, a lot of you have nightmares. I guess everyone has been in one at least once in their lives. And most of the time, they are not very amusing and probably most of you don't like having them. But what if I tell you that you're actually lucky that it was just a nightmare. Because there is a more spine-chilling phenomenon at play.

It's called sleep paralysis. One of the most terrifying phenomenon, sleep paralysis is the frightening ordeal of waking up in the middle of the night and temporarily unable to move a muscle or even speak. It's like waking up, trapped in your own body; your mind is awake but your body is not.

Now, I'm going to tell you what makes it even more scary:

You witness horrifying visions and hallucinations.

People with sleep paralysis have witnessed frightening visions and sensations.

Some have felt excessive weight on their chest, like an unseen force is pinning them down to bed. People have even heard breathing and grunting sounds, just behind their beds. Many have even claimed to have seen figures while in sleep paralysis.

You cannot wake yourself up.

You can always wake up from a nightmare but you cannot wake yourself up from sleep paralysis. Because, you are not dreaming. You cannot do anything. You just have to wait for it to end.

You may see things you won't like.

Many people have seen scary visions, hallucinations and even ghostly figures and entities while they were trapped in sleep paralysis. Some even heard those figures grunting, laughing or speaking (including me).

Now what's more chilling is the fact that many people have seen the same thing. People from all around the world, with no contact whatsoever, have reported seeing the same vision or entity.

One such entity is the old hag. She is a hideous old woman who visits people while they are sleeping and sits on their chest. The victim wakes up in sheer terror and is unable to move, because of the weight on his/her chest. She laughs at the horrifying ordeal the victim goes through in a menacing laughter. A lot of people from all around the world have claimed to see her during their episodes of sleep paralysis. And she isn't a newcomer. Throughout the history, she has been described and witnessed in different parts of the world.

In Scandinavian folklore,it is believed that sleep paralysis is caused by a mare. It's the soul of a cursed woman who has her own body to terrify other people in their beds. Guess where the word 'nightmare' comes from?

This brings us to the question: Is sleep paralysis a medical or supernatural phenomenon?

Science says it's common in the age group of 16–43 years old, but people younger and older than that have also experienced it. They say lack of sleep and anxiety are the major causes behind sleep paralysis. Well, I used to have sleep paralysis when I was 6–7 years old and continued experiencing it till my late teens. And I used to have adequate sleep and almost zero stress. In reality, there is no definitive cause.

The good thing is there have been no evidence that it can kill you…

But that doesn't makes it any less scary.