I have begun to notice that many people on this site are concerned about Sleep Paralysis (hereto after SP). Considering this, it seems like a condition worth exploring. I have anecdotal evidence that becoming lucid and meditating within SP can cause the episode to almost instantly and spontaneously terminate. This makes meditation a possible treatment for SP.
My hypothesis is that the struggle against SP anchors us within it. When we cease to struggle, as in through meditation, there is little else to anchor us in the SP. In support of this hypothesis, I have successfully been pulled out of SP by loud noises like alarms, or the sound of a door slamming. Any external stimuli of sufficient strength seems to allow me to anchor to the waking world and out of the SP. If this anchoring hypothesis is correct, I should expect to see similar results in others afflicted by SP.
Participant requirements:
History of SP.
General Procedure:
0) Attempt to cause SP. Sleep on your back, drink caffeinated beverages, observe the common triggers for SP in an attempt to increase their chances of occurring during the experimental period. For those with very frequent SP events, this may not be necessary.
1) Record instances of SP. How frequent are they? What was going on in these episodes? How did it feel? What were the external stimuli, as best as you could tell?
2) Take note of what caused the resolution of the event. Was it external stimuli? Did it simply end naturally? Did you get into a normal dream first?
3) Practice meditation during the day to seed your mind with the concept. Ten minutes is probably enough. You only need to get your mind used to the idea of meditation so that you can recall it when you're in SP.
4) In SP attempt to become lucid and meditate. Cease your struggle, close your eyes, relax your breathing, clear your mind. Record the results.
If you are not as confident in your lucid dreaming abilities, and do not believe you can become lucid during an SP event, yet you still want to participate, I could still use your data. Simply flip a coin. If it lands heads, then perform the general procedure without numbers 3 and 4. If it lands tails, then perform the general procedure without 4. That is, if it lands tails, then meditate ten minutes a day, but do not attempt to become lucid and meditate within SP. If you already practice daily meditation, go ahead and consider yourself a member of the tails group. These two groups will act as a control for the rest of the study.
Before we get started, does anyone have any criticisms and/or suggestions for the procedure?
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