Check this out. I found some info a while ago about SP, because i experienced it for the first time, not knowing what it was. I felt like there was a presence in the room, and i was terrified. So i read up on it, and it happens to more people than just you and I...
In Chinese folk culture, sleep paralysis is referred as "gǔi yà chúang" (鬼压床), literally: "Ghost press bed": 鬼: ghost, 压: press, 床: bed. The belief is that a spirit or ghost is sitting or lying on top of the individual while they were sleeping, causing the sleep paralysis. This is thought to be a minor body possession by the forces from the dead, and usually doesn't cause any harm to the victim.
In India, there are two thoughts about sleep paralysis. One of the signs of approaching enlightenment is "witnessing sleep," that is to say, being lucid in sleep — such as with sleep paralysis. It was also believed within the movement that rakshasas (Hindu demons) may assail those making strides towards their own enlightenment and the good of all mankind. The other thought is a female entity, called Mohini (a demoness from the underworld), comes into the night-time world by means of ascending through a deep well. She is enchantingly beautiful, yet simultaneously horrific, unearthly, and deadly. Like her British Isles counterparts, she also seeks a male lover and human genetic material, presumably for the purpose of bearing a hybrid demon/human child.
In Japan, sleep paralysis is referred to as kanashibari (金縛り, literally: "bound or fastened in metal": kana: metal, shibaru: to bind, tie, fasten")
In Newfoundland, as a visit from the "old hag" (Irish: Ag Rog)
In Mexico, as subida del muerto (the dead climbing on top)
In Greek, as mora (in Greek: μώρα), the name cames has a Slavic root.
In German as Hexendrücken (witch pressing)
In Turkish, as karabasan (literally: "dark presser": kara: "dark/black":, basan: "pusher, presser". Most Turkish people believe that it's a metaphysical incident, and especially religious people believe that it's a jinn that causes the uncomfort; so generally some kind of prayer is advised)
In Hazaragi, as Syahi Zer Kado (pressing ink)
In the Southern United States, people have described it as "The witch riding your back"
In Korea, it is referred as Gawinullim, (가위눌림) literally in English: "To be pressed by Gawi." The meaning of Gawi is unclear but generally known to mean "spirits" or "demons." Another word in Korean "Gawi" is a homonym that means "scissors", which creates confusion for the accurate meaning of the word.
In Indonesia, Javanese people call it "tindhihen" (To be seated upon)
In the Philippines, Sleep paralysis is often associated with Bangungot.
In Vietnam, sleep paralysis is known as "ma đè", meaning a ghost or spirit lying on top of or pressing down on the person.
In the West Indies, being "ridden by a duppy"
In medieval times of Europe, attacks of sufferers of sleep paralysis may have given rise to the belief in mara, incubi, succubi, other demons and witchcraft. People in England believed that witches or hags rode on men's chests as they slept, and the feeling of being unable to breathe was attributed to a hag. This is why people who have had very little sleep may be described as looking "hag-ridden".
In traditional Russian belief symptoms reminiscent of sleep paralysis were attributed to the anger of domovoi, the home spirit, punishing people for bad husbandship or betrayal.
According to traditional Hmong beliefs, various states of sleep paralysis are thought to be the processes in which an evil spirit or demon sits down on a person usually in retaliation to wrongdoings. Some Hmong have deemed it as the process of getting 'squashed'.
Some scientists believe that many supposed occurrences of alien abduction, out-of-body travel, and other seemingly paranormal events may actually be due to misinterpreting the sensory effects of sleep paralysis.
Others have argued that sleep paralysis might be the point of separation of the "dream body" from the physical body and out-of-body travel then begins.
Traditional Islamic cultures would usually interpret this as an encounter with a Jinn (or "djinn"); a race of beings, similar to humans which inhabit the earth. The word "jinn" literally means anything which has the connotation of concealment, invisibility, seclusion and remoteness, and is one of the two beings (the other being Human) addressed directly in the Quran. In Islamic text, and scholarship, Jinns are considered beings, which like humans are accountable for their deeds and thus have free will. They are considered to have life and death, society, culture and religion.
In Laotian culture, it is called "pee um" translated as "ghost silencing you". The ghost or spirit is thought to visit you in the night, hold your arms and legs down, and even cover your mouth up so that no sound would come out when you scream.
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