"Oh, here we go the abduction explanation -" is probably what many "believers" think and say in disgust when they hear the words "sleep paralysis".
In The Mammoth Encyclopedia of Extraterrestrial Encounters (2001), Ed. Ronald D Story, regarding the 1975 case of Pat Roach (originally using the pseudonym of Pat Price to protect her identity) Kevin D. Randle summarises the case and notes that "...we now know about a psychological phenomenon called "sleep paralysis". The Roach abduction now appears to be a classic example of sleep paralysis." It was suspected as alien abduction initially as one of her children claimed to have seen a "spaceman"
Randle is, of course, incorrect in writing that we now know about sleep paralysis.
The first mention of a treatment for sleep paralysis was noted in the 7th century by Byzantine physician Paulus Aegineta. The folklore and mythology up until medical research explained SP as caused by succubi and succubus, demons, fairyfolk and in modern times, aliens.
How Is Sleep Paralysis Diagnosed? If you find yourself unable to move or speak for a few seconds or minutes when falling asleep or waking up, then it is likely you have IRSP -isolated recurrent sleep paralysis. There is often no need to treat this condition.
Between 8% and 50% of people experience sleep paralysis at some point in their life. About 5% of people have regular episodes. Males and females are affected equally. Sleep paralysis has been described throughout history as I noted and it is believed to have played a role in the creation of stories about alien abduction and other paranormal events. That abduction researchers using hypnosis carried out no research is obvious as some of their cases would have been immediately solved, however, there is no money or prestige in solving cases.
The main symptom of sleep paralysis is being unable to move or speak during awakening and you may well think that you are struggling when in fact you are motionless. You may well imagine sounds such as humming, hissing, static, zapping and buzzing noises are reported during sleep paralysis. Other sounds such as voices, whispers and roars are also experienced. It has also been known that one may feel pressure on their chest and intense pain in their head during an episode. These symptoms are usually accompanied by intense emotions such as fear and panic. People also have sensations of being dragged out of bed or of flying, numbness, and feelings of electric tingles or vibrations running through their body.
Sleep paralysis may include hallucinations, such as a intruding presence or dark figure in the room, suffocating or terrifying the individual, accompanied by a feeling of pressure on one's chest and difficulty breathing.
Looking at SP and its history and treatment I would recommend Sleep Paralysis, a Medical Condition with a Diverse Cultural Interpretation authored by Esther Olunu, Ruth Kimo, Esther Olufunmbi Onigbinde, Mary-Amadeus Uduak Akpanobong, Inyene Ezekiel Enang, Mariam Osanakpo, Ifure Tom Monday, David Adeiza Otohinoyi, and Adegbenro Omotuyi John Fakoya and published in the International Journal of Applied Basic Medical Research 2018 July-September: 8(3): 137-142
In the last five decades I have been on some sharp learning curves and I need to point out that I have learnt a great deal about SP because I suffer from it. When I was around 13 years of age there was no paralysis but I woke to see a semi solid figures clad in medieval armour in the low lit room. Did I panic? No. In fact looking back my reaction surprises me. I simply muttered that the area had no medieval settlements or battles so "you are not a ghost" -this was obviously a waking dream.
My first recollection of SP was that it was terrifying as I could not move a muscle, speak and I seemed to not be able to breath. The next time it happened it was no less scary and after about five times when it happened it was a scare but I said (internally) "You know what's happening. Try to move a finger or toe or deep breath" the SP still runs its course but I know what is going on and many do not.
Waking dreams and SP. I was once woken at around 0230hrs -I saw the clock on the wall- as the glass on the front door shattered loudly. I struggled to wake myself up as intruders would be in the house and my sister was sleeping in the next room. "Come on wake up properly!" is all I can recall thinking while listening out for further sounds of the intruders. I eventually stood up with a stick in my hand ready to tackle the intruders. Nothing. At this point I realised something was not right and suddenly swore as I realised that my struggling to get up probably never happened as I was lying motionless.
Auditory effects are a pain in the backside. I have, on several occasions, clearly heard the front door bell ring and struggled up to find that it was 0500hrs, 0650 hrs and 0800hrs and that the doorbell had not been rung. There are others of course but the point is that at the time I would have staked money that these sounds were all 100% real. No doubt.
Sleep Paralysis and all it entails is the first thing that any investigator needs to rule out (I'll mention that my book UFO Contact? deals with SP and other possible causes of supposed alien abduction including Ruth Syndrome).
Am I saying that alien abductions do not take place? Well, we can argue over the semantics about "abduction" but I would be a complete moron if I stated "never ever happen". The fact that we have no 100% solid evidence such as an artefact (if you are ever abducted STEAL something!) we have to go by the percipients as well as third party evidence and we do have that.
What I am stating is that we have to look at every possibility first and if you have three women in a car chased along a road by a UFO and they are abducted and someone independently reports a big light following a car along that specific road and there are UFO reports at the time that indicates something.
Every person claiming to have an experience needs to be treated with respect, listened to and and questioned in a friendly, casual manner and their history looked into. If it is SP then explain that to them. If you do and they bay "No I was abducted!" then you have done your work and people believe what people want to believe.
You do not want to immediately tell someone "Yeah. That's sleep paralysis. Forget about it -never happened" only to have them respond "Oh. I never realised so all four of us were affected by that?"
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