According to legend, there are a number of malevolent entities who can be responsible for Old Hag Syndrome. In some cases, this condition is thought to be the work of aliens or the Devil. Other cultures speak of the Old Hag as being a deformed elderly woman who lies in wait to sit on the chest of a person who is asleep.
Twilight State
Sleep paralysis occurs when someone who is either falling asleep or awakening from a state of sleep realizes that they are unable to move their limbs or to speak. They are able to open their eyes. This "twilight state" appears to open the door to experiences the person would not have when he or she is fully awake.
In some cases, the person, on recognizing that he or she is paralyzed, becomes fully awake and regains the use of his or her arms and legs. The whole experienced can last anywhere from a few seconds to up to a minute.
In other cases, however, the experience is much more frightening. The person may become aware of another presence in the room, either through sight, sound, or a sixth sense. The paralyzed person may also report feeling a crushing or smothering sensation.
Some people hear voices or a buzzing sound. Out-of-body experiences can occur. Other individuals report a feeling of floating or of "falling" through the bed.
Risk Factors for Sleep Paralysis
When people are under stress, either physical or emotional, they are more likely to experience sleep paralysis. Although sleep paralysis can occur in any sleeping position, it appears more likely to happen to a person sleeping on his or her back.
Sleep Paralysis in Other Cultures
It can be argued that we are at our most vulnerable when we are asleep. It's hardly surprising that stories of devils, witches, trolls, and the like who attack us in our sleep exist all over the world. The evildoer's motive can vary from straight possession to mischief or revenge. People in Japan speak of kanashibara, which means "to tie with an iron rope". Those who make the Arctic their home are familiar with Inupik or Yupik; this is a concept by which a soul tries to enter the body of the paralyzed (and helpless) victim.
Since sleep paralysis appears to be not uncommon among people, is it possible that during this state we are better able to be aware of things that share our existence? Or are the hallucinations the product of a terrified mind?
