Sleep Paralysis Also Known as Old Hag Syndrome

Previously published in Examiner

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

Montreal Sleep Clinic

Sleep Paralysis: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment for Dream Paralysis

Sleep paralysis is also known and dream paralysis and is a terrible nightmare which occurs when a person is between sleep and wakefulness. In this type of sleep disorder, sufferers hallucinate about terrible creatures in their room and yet they are incapable of moving. The hallucinations include the feeling of an old hag on their chest holding them down. For this reason sleep paralysis is also known as old hag syndrome.

Prevalence of sleep paralysis

It is estimated that as much as 80 percent of people may experience this horrifying nightmare at least once in their lifetime.

The symptoms of sleep paralysis are:

The inability to walk or talk while experiencing night paralysis - This night paralysis can last for quite a few minutes and is very frightening. The sleepers may panic because they are not sure what is happening to them, they cannot move, yet there are all kinds of scary things around them.

• A feeling of intense pressure on the chest accompanied by the unable to move
• Hypnagogia -, is a state of being awake, yet asleep.
• Very vivid hallucinations
• Loss of muscle tone (catalepsy)
• A floating feeling such as an out of body experience
• Sensing other people or creatures in the room
• Seeing through closed eyes
• Acting out a dream without actual physical movement

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