Causes for Sleep Paralysis Also Known as Old Hag Syndrome
Most Montrealers complain they do not get enough sleep. Yet, sleep affects our physical and mental health. Not having enough sleep affects our mood, our stamina, our home-life and career, and our social relationships.
Sleep is an important human function which is essential for good physical health and good mental health even though sleep is so important many Montrealers take sleeping for granted. They either sleep too much or more often than not, sleep less than is recommended for good health. Montrealers will catnap rather than sleep, burn the midnight oil studying, play on the computer, or just insist that they are too busy to sleep.
Conditions that affect sleep, our health, and mental health include such topics as sleep paralysis also known as dream paralysis. For help in the Montreal area for sleep disorders in Montreal click here:
Mount Sinai Hospital Sleep Center
Sleep Paralysis: Causes
Factors that may trigger dream paralysis
- Attempting to create a lucid dream
- stress,
- some medications
- sleep deprivation
Causes for sleep paralysis
- Narcolepsy sufferers can suffer from sleep paralysis.
- Dream paralysis is also linked to epilepsy.
It is normal to experience paralysis during REM sleep because the body is protecting itself from being seriously harmed by acting out the content of a dream. However, people do not wake up during REM sleep. This sleep wake syndrome found in sleep paralysis is believed to be a malfunction of the neurological impulses sent out during the different stages of the sleep cycle. In REM sleep the Pons area of the brain releases chemicals to stop the sleeper from moving; but the chemical has not fully worn off as it should have when the person is about to wake up. That is why the sleeper who is between sleep and being awake cannot move. Also lower levels of melatonin seem to be implicated in preventing the body's motor function to return to normal during the wakeful state. It is at this time that the sleeper can experience the horrifying hallucinations.
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_paralysis
http://www.astralvoyage.com/projection/Catatonic.html
http://www.shaktitechnology.com/sp.htm
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art29750.asp
http://www.better-sleep-better-life.com/sleep-paralysis.html
Published by Carol Roach
Carol Roach holds a masters in counselling psychology. She worked as a therapist at the Douglas Hospital in Montreal before becoming a professional writer.Carol is the author of the book Picking Up The Piece... View profile
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6 Comments
Post a CommentThis is very informative. So many make sleep less of a priority than other tasks and this just proves we should put our priority on a good night's sleep.
Very well written. Thanks!
Never heard of this...great article!!!
It is so tragic that the more things they find answers for, the more things are discovered. Glad you are on the job to let us know, Carol! Thanks and good work:)
Well done!
Never knew of this disease, cheers :)