Slumbered Sleep

When there is no movement or muscular activity
during the REM period of sleep, the dream phenomena
occur. REM sleep is when we typically
experience the most emotional dreams, and
the brain temporarily paralyzes us to prevent us
from acting on these dreams. The dangerous
condition known as SP occurs when individuals
begin to intellectually awaken and become
conscious while still experiencing REM paralysis.
Upon dozing off or waking up, the victim is
left "feeling confined," unable to move or speak,
although they can still breathe and is fully conscious
of their surroundings. Since SP can last
anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes
and includes vivid hallucination episodes as well
as sensations of suffocation or pressure in the
chest, earlier researchers have referred to it as
nightmares.
People who have experienced SP have reported
feeling paralyzed, unable to communicate, powerless,
and terrified. These spells usually come
to an end when the patients abruptly regain use
of a body part, roll out of bed, or are roused by
an intruder. According to estimates, SP affects
anywhere between 1.7% and 40% of the general
public, with students making up most of the sufferers.
It appears to be linked to PTSD, narcolepsy,
and panic episodes and often peaks around
the age of 30. (Olunu et al., 2018)
Figure 50
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