The Myth Behind Sleep Paralysis

Hello steem fitness hub community, my name is Esu, Saviour Uduakobong, a native of Akwa Ibom state, Nigeria.
Today, I want to enlighten us about the phenomenon called sleep paralysis, and while at it, also debunk the myths behind the phenomenon as a whole.

In ancient times and even till date, in ignorance many people have had lots of myths and fears about the disorder of sleep paralysis. They usually attribute it as being a form of an attack by the evil spirits of the dark, and other unfriendly spiritual entities. But thanks to the ever evolving nature of science, researchers have been able to actually attribute this disorder to actual naturally occurring conditions and factors.

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I must confess, I myself have been a victim of this disorder in my teenage years, I was 14, I think. It was, what I described to my folks as a haunting experience. I got so scared and was unable to sleep for a night or two, in my defense, I had absolutely zero knowledge of what it truly was.

What is sleep paralysis?
Sleep paralysis is a temporary loss of muscle control, a short time frame in which you can barely breathe, speak nor move and it could happen when a person is either falling asleep or getting awake.
Episodes of sleep paralysis usually would last for a few seconds or minutes even. Basically it could happen to persons of all ages, tho, it is more common to occur in teenage years and young adulthood.

During these episodes of sleep paralysis, it's victims usually:

• Have a hard time breathing, can barely move or speak
• Would have hallucinations, as if something else indescribable were there present with them
• Have a panic attack and increased heart beating rates

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Although sleep paralysis is not a harmful condition and usually wouldn't require any treatment, it is advisable to see a doctor if it happens often, or you get anxiety going to sleep.

Why does sleep paralysis occur?
Sleep paralysis occurs when Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep sets in when a person is awake. REM sleep is a stage of sleep during which most of our brain activity and dreams occur, and it is characterized by rapid eye movement (REM).

REM sleep would occur because of:

• Irregularities in sleeping pattern
• Insufficient amount of sleep
• Heredity

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causes of sleep paralysis

Treatment for sleep paralysis

• Having a healthy sleep schedule
• Getting sufficient amounts of sleep
• Sleeping in a comfortable environment
• Avoiding overfeeding before going to sleep
• Regular and healthy exercising

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I hope I have been able to enlighten some of us out there today a little bit on the phenomenon of sleep paralysis.

Thanks for reading my post. Love y'all 😘💕

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