The History Of Sleep Paralysis

Introduction:

The human brain is a complex part of the human body. Our brain holds many of the greatest mysteries of the human functions. Sleep is a very complex thing, something that is not exclusive to humans, but something that is done by all living things. Although not commonly known, even plants sleep. For instance, deciduous trees living in colder climates tend to lose all their leaves and go into a “sleep” like stage where they need minimal nutrients to survive (Borel). However, sleep for humans is far more complex than the sleep of plants. Humans (and other animals, explained in “Do Animals sleep?”) sleep during the night (although it can differ for some), and during the duration of the sleep have dreams (Langley). Through experiments

As stated in the name of the condition, the person having the sleep paralysis is unable to move.

Although those are the most common, there are a few more symptoms that are also common. For instance, the article by Dan Dennis suggests that, fear, feeling a “presence” in the room, pressure on the chest, troubles breathing, and usual sensations can also be present in sleep paralysis (Symptoms).

History of Sleep Paralysis:

The history of sleep paralysis is a well-documented one. From the earliest times with written documents and painting that have survived, sleep paralysis has been very much well-documented. One document I found during my research that stood out from the rest is a quote from a Dutch physician named Isbrand Van Diemerbroeck found in an article written by Dan Dennis,

“’…in the night time, when she was composing herself to sleep, sometimes she believed the devil lay upon her and held her down, sometimes that she was choked by a great dog or thief lying upon her breast, so that she could hardly speak or breath and when she endeavored to throw off the burthen, she was not able to stir her members.’

– Citation literal from Van Diemerbroeck, 1689” (Culture and

For example, in Korean folk tales, sleep paralysis is described as “getting pressed by a big scissor” (수면마비). In the Korean culture sleep paralysis is often associated with ghosts that are “popular” or more often portrayed in the Asian area. In Korean folk remedies to sleep paralysis, people suggest that one should try to move the parts of the body that is the easiest to move, quite similar to that of western remedies where people suggest in trying to wiggle one’s toes. A suggestion in Korean folk remedies for people having multiple sleep paralyses a night is to sleep with your head where your feet normally go (This can be effective because by changing positions can remove the different things that can cause sleep paralysis, refer to later section, Causes of Sleep Paralysis) (수면마비).

Additionally, the most famous non-written example of sleep paralysis is an artwork, “The Nightmare” (Fuseli). The artwork was made in 1781 by an Anglo-Swiss artist named, Henry Fuseli. The artwork depicts an apelike demon sitting on top of a woman who seems to be deep in her sleep. The apelike demon represented in the painting is a demon from legends known as incubus, who is suggested to engage in sexual activities with the person they are tormenting (Hurd). The position of the demon would explain the chest pains that are often associated with sleep