When filmmaker Carla MacKinnon started waking up several times a week unable to move, with the sense that a disturbing presence was in the room with her, she didn't call up her local ghost hunter. She got researching.

Now, that research is becoming a short film and multiplatform art project exploring the strange and spooky phenomenon of sleep paralysis. The film, supported by the Wellcome Trust and set to screen at the Royal College of Arts in London, will debut in May.

Sleep paralysis happens when people become conscious while their muscles remain in the ultra-relaxed state that prevents them from acting out their dreams. The experience can be quite terrifying, with many people hallucinating a malevolent presence nearby, or even an attacker suffocating them. Surveys put the number of sleep paralysis sufferers between about 5 percent and 60 percent of the population.

"I was getting quite a lot of sleep paralysis over the summer, quite frequently, and I became quite interested in what was happening, what medically or scientifically, it was all about," MacKinnon said. [Top 10 Spooky Sleep Disorders]

Her questions led her to talk with psychologists and scientists, as well as to people who experience the phenomenon. Myths and legends about sleep paralysis persist all over the globe, from the incubus and succubus (male and female demons, respectively) of European tales to a pink dolphin-turned-nighttime seducer in Brazil. Some of the stories MacKinnon uncovered reveal why these myths are so chilling.

Sleep stories

One man told her about his frequent sleep paralysis episodes, during which he'd experience extremely realistic hallucinations of a young child, skipping around the bed and singing nursery rhymes. Sometimes, the child would sit on his pillow and talk to him. One night, the tot asked the man a personal question. When he refused to answer, the child transformed into a "horrendous demon," MacKinnon said.

For another man, who had the sleep disorder narcolepsy (which can make sleep paralysis more common), his dream world clashed with the real world in a horrifying way. His sleep paralysis episodes typically included hallucinations that someone else was in his house or his room — he'd hear voices or banging around. One night, he awoke in a paralyzed state and saw a figure in his room as usual. [See MacKinnon's Artistic Images of Sleep Paralysis]

"He suddenly realizes something is different," MacKinnon said. "He suddenly realizes that he is in sleep paralysis, and his eyes are open, but the person who is in the room is in his room in real life."

The figure was no dream demon, but an actual burglar.

Myths and science of sleep paralysis

Sleep paralysis experiences are almost certainly behind the myths of the incubus and succubus, demons thought have sex with unsuspecting humans in their sleep. In many cases, MacKinnon said, the science of sleep paralysis explains these myths. The feeling of suffocating or someone pushing down on the chest that often occurs during sleep paralysis may be a result of the automatic breathing pattern people fall into during sleep. When they become conscious while still in this breathing pattern, people may try to bring their breathing under voluntary control, leading to the feeling of suffocating.

Add to that the hallucinations that seem to seep in from the dream world, and it's no surprise that interpretations lend themselves to demons, ghosts or even alien abduction, MacKinnon said.

What's more, MacKinnon said, sleep paralysis is more likely when your sleep is disrupted in some way — perhaps because you've been traveling, you're too hot or too cold, or you're sleeping in an unfamiliar or spooky place. Those tendencies may make it more likely that a person will experience sleep paralysis when already vulnerable to thoughts of ghosts and ghouls.

"It's interesting seeing how these scientific narratives and the more psychoanalytical or psychological narratives can support each other rather than conflict," MacKinnon said.

Since working on the project, MacKinnon has been able to bring her own sleep paralysis episodes under control — or at least learned to calm herself during them. The trick, she said, is to use episodes like a form of research, by paying attention to details like how her hands feel and what position she's in. This sort of mindfulness tends to make scary hallucinations blink away, she said.

"Rationalizing it is incredibly counterintuitive," she said. "It took me a really long time to stop believing that it was real, because it feels so incredibly real.

http://news.yahoo.com/strange-sleep-disorder-makes-people-see-demons-152946861.html

By the way, I'm not asking, I'm simply referencing for those who think that witches and wizards "press" them at night.

One can easily look up sleep paralysis.

jayriginal: By the way, I'm not asking, I'm simply referencing for those who think that witches and wizards "press" them at night.

One can easily look up sleep paralysis.

Nice one. What explanation do you have for those who wake up with scars from fights in their dream.

I hope this makes front page again, though the issue has come up countless times on NL. It can be a scary experience, but most would rather hold on to superstitious beliefs than give commonsense a chance.

I'll post a few questions I asked on another thread.

- Are there any Biblical or Quranic verses that explain these symptoms? Or are these mere superstitions based on too much naija film?

- Is the demon pressing you physically or spiritually? To what end?

- If a demon can press you while you sleep, why wouldn't it just do same while you're driving? It will be easier to kill you that way.

musKeeto: I hope this makes front page again, though the issue has come up countless times on NL. It can be a scary experience, but most would rather hold on to superstitious beliefs than give commonsense a chance.

I'll post a few questions I asked on another thread.

I think this is a distraction, an opportunity to tarnish the perspective of this thread by allowing an unrelated digression. If we can follow this on the science level without bringing religion into it, it will make more sense.
Let's not try to justify the research by holding unto the efficiency or lack of it in religion.

Reyginus: Nice one. What explanation do you have for those who wake up with scars from fights in their dream.

like seriously

Reyginus: I think this is a distraction, an opportunity to tarnish the perspective of this thread by allowing an unrelated digression. If we can follow this on the science level without bringing religion into it, it will make more sense.
Let's not try to justify the research by holding unto the efficiency or lack of it in religion.

How can you call my post a distraction? How long have you been on NL? The default answer to this is PRAYER. 'PRAY' and it will stop. If you are going to offer or even accept any scientific answer, one has to first show the ludicrosity of the religious position.
On the science level, it has been explained here on NL countless times.

Reyginus: Nice one. What explanation do you have for those who wake up with scars from fights in their dream.

Now this is interesting. I've never experienced this. All I've heard is tales. Have you?

I CAN OFFER A SOLUTION. WHEN YOU SLEEP YOU HAVE HEMODYNAMIC ALTERATION. THE HEART BEATS SLOWER AND DOES NOT BEAT SO HARD ( CHRONOTROPIC AND INOTROPIC COMPROMISE ). NUTRIENTS DONT CIRCULATE SO MUCH AROUND THE BODY. YOUR BODY HAS SLOWED DOWN CONSIDERABLY. NOW IF YOU HAVE A NIGHTMARE AND YOU PANIC AND WANT TO MOVE QUICKLY, THIS QUICK REACTION TO A NUTRIENT COMPROMISED BODY FURTHER CAUSES A CRASH IN YOUR DEFICIENCY THEREBY PULLING YOU IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION OF WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO DO. THIS IS THE SENSATION OF BEING PUSHED DOWN WHEN YOU WANT TO GET UP. THIS IS EXACERBATED IF YOU ARE AN ANEMIC PERSON WHO HAD COMPROMISED BLOOD SUFFICIENCY TO START WITH

* PLEASE DONT HOLD ME TO THIS EXPLANATION. I AM USING MY COMMON SENSE TO TRY TO EXPLAIN IT LOL *

LOOKS LIKE I AM ON THE RIGHT TRACK http://ehealthforum.com/health/is-this-sleep-paralysis-t316690.html <<< SHE HAS SEVERE ANEMIA AND IS ALWAYS HAVING SLEEP PARALYSIS

Everybody i trust failed me on this one. It is related to the comic movement and position of sleep which is always towards the ceiling, it happens btw 11:05 pm and 2:05am... Prof. Ebohon( a bini man) prof of witchcraft, oxford university

Front page material

Plus this question

If a demon can press you while you sleep, why wouldn't it just do same while you're driving? It will be easier to kill you that way.

Throws the demon assumption out the window

musKeeto:
How can you call my post a distraction? How long have you been on NL? The default answer to this is PRAYER. 'PRAY' and it will stop. If you are going to offer or even accept any scientific answer, one has to first show the ludicrosity of the religious position.
On the science level, it has been explained here on NL countless times.


Now this is interesting. I've never experienced this. All I've heard is tales. Have you?

Ofcourse, anything becomes a distraction when it deviates from the central defining factor. What we have here is scientific and so it should remain if we are to follow a consistent train of thought.
But I understand that Nairaland atheists are only good at hanging on the shoulders of religion to pass across their point.
By the way, it happened to my neighbour.

obadiah777: I CAN OFFER A SOLUTION. WHEN YOU SLEEP YOU HAVE HEMODYNAMIC ALTERATION. THE HEART BEATS SLOWER AND DOES NOT BEAT SO HARD ( CHRONOTROPIC AND INOTROPIC COMPROMISE ). NUTRIENTS DONT CIRCULATE SO MUCH AROUND THE BODY. YOUR BODY HAS SLOWED DOWN CONSIDERABLY. NOW IF YOU HAVE A NIGHTMARE AND YOU PANIC AND WANT TO MOVE QUICKLY, THIS QUICK REACTION TO A NUTRIENT COMPROMISED BODY FURTHER CAUSES A CRASH IN YOUR DEFICIENCY THEREBY PULLING YOU IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION OF WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO DO. THIS IS THE SENSATION OF BEING PUSHED DOWN WHEN YOU WANT TO GET UP. THIS IS EXACERBATED IF YOU ARE AN ANEMIC PERSON WHO HAD COMPROMISED BLOOD SUFFICIENCY TO START WITH

* PLEASE DONT HOLD ME TO THIS EXPLANATION. I AM USING MY COMMON SENSE TO TRY TO EXPLAIN IT LOL *

Hmmm. How does this reduce my question?

Reyginus:
But I understand that Nairaland atheists are only good at hanging on the shoulders of religion to pass across their point.
By the way, it happened to my neighbour.

I'm quite sure you are aware this thread was posted in the religion section, for an intended audience. Don't tell me you'd rather shy away from the solution religion offers to this experience?

btw, it's a sad day when you of all Xtian posters decides to make crass, davidylanic generalizations about atheists.. There are atheists who also hold on to superstitions, ooman for example

musKeeto:

I'm quite sure you are aware this thread was posted in the religion section, for an intended audience. Don't tell me you'd rather shy away from the solution religion offers to this experience?

btw, it's a sad day when you of all Xtian posters decides to make crass, davidylanic generalizations about atheists.. There are atheists who also hold on to superstitions, ooman for example

I'm aware this is the religion section. But let's shy away religion to help our consistency. Only what I'm asking is, if you are going to hold the scientific claims he presented as true, you must have come to a perfect understanding of it. You don't accept it because the sciences says it is, but because you've come to appreciate the contents in the article.
Whatever we are going to discuss/debate here, we must do it in line with the already established texts of assessment, which is above. Perhaps, when we are exhausted with what we have, a new dimension becomes reasonable.
And like I said earlier, let's discuss independent of religion.
Yes, we can.

Reyginus: Nice one. What explanation do you have for those who wake up with scars from fights in their dream.

I've seen this happen to a very close friend. She was physically injured..like blood and torn flesh. I'll like to have an explanation on this too.

An0nimus:
I've seen this happen to a very close friend. She was physically injured..like blood and torn flesh. I'll like to have an explanation on this too.

I expect jayriginal and his brothers to explain this scientifically. I don't want to be disappointed.

Reyginus: I'm aware this is the religion section. But let's shy away religion to help our consistency. Only what I'm asking is, if you are going to hold the scientific claims he presented as true, you must have come to a perfect understanding of it. You don't accept it because the sciences says it is, but because you've come to appreciate the contents in the article.
Whatever we are going to discuss/debate here, we must do it in line with the already established texts of assessment, which is above. Perhaps, when we are exhausted with what we have, a new dimension becomes reasonable.
And like I said earlier, let's discuss independent of religion.
Yes, we can.

lol. Alright, bro.

So are we still on sleep paralysis or mystery marks?

musKeeto:
lol. Alright, bro.

So are we still on sleep paralysis or mystery marks?

We are trying to explain mystery marks with sleep paralysis.
Purely science.

Reyginus: We are trying to explain mystery marks with sleep paralysis.
Purely science.

I once woke up to find myself bleeding from my right hand

Only to later remember that i had a dream in which I got so angry that I punched the window close to me.
Does that count as mystery marks?

Heatblast:

I once woke up to find myself bleeding from my right hand

Only to later remember that i had a dream in which I got so angry that I punched the window close to me.
Does that count as mystery marks?

Yes. The mystery being talked about here is the translation of the unreal phenomenon to a reality.

Reyginus: Yes. The mystery being talked about here is the translation of the unreal phenomenon to a reality.

I'm of the opinion that both are different issues. Let's not muddle them up. I'll share my personal experience of mystery marks in about an hour. Quite busy now.

Heatblast:

I once woke up to find myself bleeding from my right hand

Only to later remember that i had a dream in which I got so angry that I punched the window close to me.
Does that count as mystery marks?

That IS mystery mark, but people will believe what they want to, especially as they've just been 'possessed'. The scars, which are not even common, are aquired unwittingly, one way or the other.

musKeeto:
I'm of the opinion that both are different issues. Let's not muddle them up. I'll share my personal experience of mystery marks in about an hour. Quite busy now.

No wahala, if you think so. I will be be waiting.

wiegraf:

That IS mystery mark, but people will believe what they want to, especially as they've just been 'possessed'. The scars, which are not even common, are aquired unwittingly, one way or the other.

Can we explain these ways scientifically, judging sleep paralysis or any other?

Reyginus: Can we explain these ways scientifically, judging sleep paralysis or any other?

Yes

Ok reyg, what do you think more important as far as seeing stuff is, your eyes or your brain?

wiegraf: Ok reyg, what do you think more important as far as seeing stuff is, your eyes or your brain?

Lol, big bros don show.. I feel safer now..

@Rey: I'd like you to consider SLEEPWALKING as a cause of the MYSTERY MARKS, rather than SLEEP PARALYSIS. Whereas sleep paralysis keeps you stuck in a position usually, Sleepwalkers arise from the slow wave sleep stage in a state of low consciousness and perform activities that are usually performed during a state of full consciousness. These activities can be as benign as sitting up in bed, walking to the bathroom, and cleaning, or as hazardous as cooking, driving,violent gestures, grabbing at hallucinated objects,or even homicide.. --- Source:wikipedia

I've personally experienced sleepwalking. I attended a boarding school during my secondary school years. Our dormitory was a large room with beds arranged beside cupboards in three files. In my fifth year there (SS2), I'd wake up and walk round the hostel, moving cupboards and some beds around. This cause quite a scare in the hostel.. see as people start to dey pray for my deliverance, lol...

Truth is, in the mornings, it was difficult to recollect doing any of this. I remember getting so pissed off the first time it happened, I got into an argument with my bunkmate for moving my cupboard.

Whatever that person was experiencing could be similar to this. I'd advise you set some recording device (audio or video) to record him/her while sleeping (privacy issues dey your hand o). Those marks/scars could very well be self-inflicted.

wiegraf:

Yes

Let's do it then, you lead me.

wiegraf: Ok reyg, what do you think more important as far as seeing stuff is, your eyes or your brain?

My eyes is worthless without my brain.

musKeeto:
Lol, big bros don show.. I feel safer now..

@Rey: I'd like you to consider SLEEPWALKING as a cause of the MYSTERY MARKS, rather than SLEEP PARALYSIS. Whereas sleep paralysis keeps you stuck in a position usually, Sleepwalkers arise from the slow wave sleep stage in a state of low consciousness and perform activities that are usually performed during a state of full consciousness. These activities can be as benign as sitting up in bed, walking to the bathroom, and cleaning, or as hazardous as cooking, driving,violent gestures, grabbing at hallucinated objects,or even homicide.. --- Source:wikipedia

I've personally experienced sleepwalking. I attended a boarding school during my secondary school years. Our dormitory was a large room with beds arranged beside cupboards in three files. In my fifth year there (SS2), I'd wake up and walk round the hostel, moving cupboards and some beds around. This cause quite a scare in the hostel.. see as people start to dey pray for my deliverance, lol...

Truth is, in the mornings, it was difficult to recollect doing any of this. I remember getting so pissed off the first time it happened, I got into an argument with my bunkmate for moving my cupboard.

Whatever that person was experiencing could be similar to this. I'd advise you set some recording device (audio or video) to record him/her while sleeping (privacy issues dey your hand o). Those marks/scars could very well be self-inflicted.

Interesting. Do you want to argue this based on sleepwalking? Let's make it clear, before somebody begins to shift goal posts.

Reyginus: Interesting. Do you want to argue this based on sleepwalking? Let's make it clear, before somebody begins to shift goal posts.

musKeeto:
@Rey: I'd like you to consider SLEEPWALKING as a cause of the MYSTERY MARKS, rather than SLEEP PARALYSIS.