Sleep Demons
The Nightmare by Johann Heinrich Füssli
You know I have crazy sleep habits, but this isn’t about me. It’s about my son. A number of my family members are plagued with these issues. Many of us wake very early in the morning (3:30 for me this morning). Some of us have terrifying nightmares, and now my son is experiencing some specific problems.
He recently told me about a recurring dream that’s been haunting him. (Forcing you to read about my dreams isn’t enough. Now you must read about his.) When the nightmare (for lack of a better word) begins, he believes he is awake. He’s aware of his breathing, and he can see what’s happening in the room, but he’s paralyzed. He lies there helplessly, peering out of half-lidded eyes, as a giant spider inches his way slowly and malevolently toward him. The spider toys with him, prolonging his agony, as he relishes my son’s fate. This “event” culminates with him in the middle of the bedroom, flailing his arms and legs around in a wild panic and screaming like a madman. Can you blame him?
I literally stumbled across this article about sleep paralysis - Psychologists Chase Down Demons. It’s about a study by psychologists at Penn State and the University of Pennsylvania. I couldn’t resist sending it to my son. What are mothers for?
The general idea is …
Sleep paralysis is defined as “a discrete period of time during which voluntary muscle movement is inhibited, yet ocular and respiratory movements are intact. Hallucinations may also be present in these transitions to or from sleep.”
“Less than 8 percent of the general population experiences sleep paralysis, but it is more frequent in two groups — students and psychiatric patients…” Don’t you know my son loved that? He’s neither a student (any longer) or a psychiatric patient… so far.
Alien abductions and incubi and succubi and other demons attack while people are asleep, or I should say these are sometimes the… um… victim’s… hallucinations during sleep paralysis. Understandably, some people dislike this experience, but others, remarkably, like it.
Anyway, I sent the link to my son, suggesting (only in jest… honestly) that sleep paralysis COULD be the culprit. I don’t think he liked my suggestion, and he offered his own suggestion that if he had another nightmare that night it would be my fault. What’s new? Isn’t that always the case. Mothers are responsible for whatever woes may beset their children. But Alien abductions and incubi and succubi?
Okay. I’ll own it.
Ha – you’re such a good mother! I think I’ve had sleep paralysis recently. I was asleep, but aware that Mike had come into the room. I couldn’t move at all even though I wanted to say something to him. It was the weirdest sensation! But not scary because Mike isn’t all that scary
Bug,
LOL No, I don’t think Mike is all that scary.
I think it is kind of like that though. You’re aware of what’s going on (or in my son’s case, he imagines something is going on that isn’t) but you can’t move. At least I hope it isn’t a real giant spider. That would be too creepy.
I just don’t know what to make of all this. I dreamed once that I couldn’t find Dixie Rose. And I think I remember dreaming that I had to move from one place to another but my moving truck was late.
Yawn.
Gosh, I hope your son doesn’t have any more of THAT!. Now, the question is – will worrying about his condition keep you awake at night?!
Oh, I was going to say – I do listen to Coast to Coast with George Noory from time to time. There are some folks on there who’ve been snatched by aliens. They’re pretty descriptive. I like to out-of-body travelers, too. I think I’d like that – no scans at the airport and you don’t need luggage.
Linda,
Oh, that old moving truck being late and not being able to find Dixie Rose (love that name) are classic stress dreams. Sometimes I’m making an important phone call, and I just can’t get the numbers right. I’ll almost get it and then hit the wrong number over and over again.
Being one who has very detailed and realistic dreams, I can empathize with my son. I doubt he is truly experiencing dream paralysis, but I couldn’t believe it when I stumbled across that article and I couldn’t resist sending it to him. Our brains are interesting.
We don’t fly very often but we’re going out to meet our newest grandchild soon.
I’ll make sure all my bottles of shampoo, conditioner, etc. are under 3 oz., and that H doesn’t have a nail clipper or derringer in his sock. Dad has a metal plate in his head and pins in his shoulder. Wonder if he’d set off any alarms. He can be a pretty alarming guy.
I rarely remember my dreams (I’m sure I have them, right?) but when I do remember them they’re so strange I usually can’t make sense of them anyway. Your son’s dreams would terrify me!
Here’s a little linky for you to check out. I think you’ll get a kick out of this one.
I know. I know. I almost didn’t use “cul-de-sac” for that reason. Who wants to end up in a dead end or be the butt of anything? But it seems to have taken on a different meaning here. I like to think of it more as a place for socializing and safe play for kids, a refuge at the end of a day, a safe haven of sorts.
When I was in Louisiana, I saw one with a sign (homemade) that said “Cul-de-Sac-au-Lait”. What could be better than a bi-lingual pun?
Of course you’re right re: the modern significance. Any place kids can ride bikes and skate is fine by me!
This fascinates me because when my mother was ill, she had the same dream — that she was awake. It was awful, because she always felt tired. Wonder if that was the same thing?