Night Demons

[luvmysuper]

This is a discussion that originated in the "short story reading group" and as it is off topic for the purposes of discussing the short story by H.G. Wells "The Red Room", I thought a separate thread was in order.

I consider myself to be a rational, intelligent individual. I do not believe in ghosts, hobgoblins, witches or the other supernatural nonsense that some folks do believe in to even some minor extent.
I have had a few instances of what is in the Philippines is called "Bangungot" (Bahng-oong-oot).
When one sleeps, the brain turns the body off during dreams, so that one doesn't sleep walk, or thrash about and injure themselves.
In Bangungot, one begins to wake up, but the body, for some reason does not wake up at the same time. What you have in that case is an odd waking period where you slowly become aware of no longer sleeping, that you can see the room about you, but you cannot move.
For whatever reason, as has been documented with some brain function electromagnetic experiments, the mind becomes aware that there is some "entity" near you. It may be as mild as just feeling like someone is there, it may be more pronounced and your mind interprets shadows or objects in the room as the thing that is there with you, or you may even feel as though you are being touched in some way, perhaps because the body begins very initial return to wakefulness state.
Now, I can tell you - though I am a rational, non-superstitious man - that waking up, being paralyzed, having the sense that something is near you, and then feeling that something put its arm around you induces fear.
It is a non-rational fear. It is an unlimited and uncontrolled fear. It is primeval and ingrained in us.
In each case, I was able to, with effort, begin to vocalize. Eventually sufficiently enough that my wife wakes up, and shakes me, and gets my body to get back into sync with my brain.
Immediately I am back to normal. I have no problem going right back to sleep, and I realize the scientific phenomenon that has occurred.
But... I can tell you that the fear for those seconds is the most terrifying thing you can possibly imagine.
The condition has been studied and is associated with Sudden arrhythmic death syndrome, where individuals have died in their sleep.
In the three times in my life that it has happened to me, if the fear had for some reason gone on for a longer period - I can understand how one might die from cardiac arrest.
I explain this because the story we read makes me think of that raging, uncontrollable, visceral fear and how the young man in the story felt.

 

[Alum Ladd]

I have had a few instances of what is in the Philippines is called "Bangungot" (Bahng-oong-oot).
When one sleeps, the brain turns the body off during dreams, so that one doesn't sleep walk, or thrash about and injure themselves.
In Bangungot, one begins to wake up, but the body, for some reason does not wake up at the same time. What you have in that case is an odd waking period where you slowly become aware of no longer sleeping, that you can see the room about you, but you cannot move.
For whatever reason, as has been documented with some brain function electromagnetic experiments, the mind becomes aware that there is some "entity" near you. It may be as mild as just feeling like someone is there, it may be more pronounced and your mind interprets shadows or objects in the room as the thing that is there with you, or you may even feel as though you are being touched in some way, perhaps because the body begins very initial return to wakefulness state.

Oh yes I have experienced that!

Not for over 2 decades thankfully, as I found them greatly disturbing and fearful experiences. I recall having the most intense episodes when I was in my 30's. Oddly they seemed to subside into my 40's.

I was aware of the room and ambient light. My eyes were evidently open. I was paralysed and despite a great urge to cry out or articulate I could not. I also felt a physical 'something' next to me in bed which was pushing me, with some force.

I also sometimes 'saw' an object which I perceived to be a figure at the side of the bed while these episodes occured.

These 'attacks' seemed to last for several hours. I had a sense of time.

Deeply unpleasant and unsettling episodes which rank among the worst of my life.

I am somewhat familiar with "The Red Room" having read and still possessing complete short story collection of Wells' a couple of decades back.

I will re-read it and give my current impressions here.

 

[luvmysuper]

Oh yes I have experienced that!

Not for over 2 decades thankfully, as I found them greatly disturbing and fearful experiences. I recall having the most intense episodes when I was in my 30's. Oddly they seemed to subside into my 40's.

I was aware of the room and ambient light. My eyes were evidently open. I was paralysed and despite a great urge to cry out or articulate I could not. I also felt a physical 'something' next to me in bed which was pushing me, with some force.

I also sometimes 'saw' an object which I perceived to be a figure at the side of the bed while these episodes occured.

These 'attacks' seemed to last for several hours. I had a sense of time.

Deeply unpleasant and unsettling episodes which rank among the worst of my life.

I am somewhat familiar with "The Red Room" having read and still possessing complete short story collection of Wells' a couple of decades back.

I will re-read it and give my current impressions here.

Hypnopompic hallucinations are a very common occurence when experiencing sleep paralysis.
That is, the hallucination during sleep paralysis that can be a feeling of physical contact (most common), to seeing lights or things that are not there, hearing noises, and to smelling something (least common).
It was first documented in the mid 1600's, and much artwork has been created regarding the effect.
Oddly enough, the occurrence in population differs widely based on the cultural significance of the phenomenon.
In Egypt, where belief in "Sleep Demons" is high, it occurs much more frequently than in Scandinavia where the belief is very low.
Percentage of the population affected ranges from 10 to 50%. Global average is around 30% of the population.

 

[Darth Scandalous]

and to smelling something

I've had the sleep paralysis thing a few times, yes...it's terrifying. I had completely forgotten about the one time I experienced a smell, although I don't recall being paralyzed like the other experiences. I remember being aware of a strong scent of incense, like it was coming through the floorboards, and having an overwhelming feeling of sadness. I think I wept for about twenty minutes. Even as a rational person it's hard not to ascribe some sort of superstitious or supernatural cause, when the experience is so intensely real.

And, there was no incense of any kind in the house as my roommate at the time was allergic to just about anything with a scent.

 

[Eric_75]

I've had the sleep paralysis thing a few times

Same here, Matt. It was quite disturbing.

 

[Goblin]

I have experienced sleep paralysis once. And once was enough.

Having a passing interest in folklore, I employed the traditional English folk remedy to being "hag-ridden". I took an "adder stone" (i.e. a stone with a natural hole in it), strung it on a piece of red thread and hung it on the end of the bed.

I can confirm that this was effective, as thankfully, I have not had another instance of sleep paralysis since.

It also does a great job of keeping elephants out of the bedroom.

 

[WThomas0814]

As a recovering alcoholic (9 years 5 months 14 days sober), I can fully attest to Stephen King's quote from Doctor Sleep:

"But time changed. That was something only drunks and junkies understood. When you couldn't sleep, when you were afraid to look around because of what you might see, time elongated and grew sharp teeth."

Many, many nights like that resulted in me waking in an unexplainable state of absolute terror, unable to breathe, on the verge of weeping. I would have no recollection of dreaming, or the passage of time, or even being asleep.

Thankfully, that has passed. For the most part.

​

 

[luvmysuper]

As I said, I've had it three times, the first in around 2001 or so, and it was just a sense of "something" there, but I felt that the "something" was very very bad, and was approaching the bed.
The second time was around 2016, and I was absolutely convinced that a hooded Grim Reaper type figue was standing right beside the bed looking at me.
The latest one was just a month or so ago. I felt as though I woke up because my wife had put her arm over me. I was initially confused, because I felt the arm come over and across me from the right. I felt that I had woken up because I was confused how we had somehow switched positions in bed, as I always sleep to her right. Then my wife turned over and put her leg over mine from the left and I realized that it wasn't my wife's arm I was feeling over me from the right.
It took some concerted effort and time to begin to make any noise loud enough to wake her so she could wake me.

I've never experienced any sounds or smells.

 

[Toothpick]

So that's what it's called. It has happened to me a few times. I hate it. One time I truly felt like I was possessed. I wish I had a camera on me that night so I could watch the video of me sleeping. I honestly 1000% felt like my body was possessed by a demon, and I was trembling and shaking and terrified and felt like I couldn't breathe and kept telling myself to WAKE UP, WAKE UP but I couldn't. I'm not a religious man at all but in the dream (or possession) I was thinking or saying "God is stronger than you!". Finally woke up and yelled "ALEXA TURN THE LIGHTS ON!". Looked around, felt fine, breathing was normal, just went back to bed. Weird as hell!

Other times I've had a dream that I was falling and telling myself it's just a dream to wake up and can't. I've woken myself up by banging my arm against the wall a few times. At least I think I did it. No marks on me, nothing hurt, but I've heard it and felt it and it's woken me up. Either hitting the wall with my arm or kicking it with my leg. Who knows if I actually did.

 

[Jay21]

I experienced this once in my life back in my late teens. This was over 30 years ago. Like you, I don’t believe in ghosts, but that night when it happened, I could have been convinced they were real. I was staying at a camp where an old chapel was converted into a bunk hall. When I experienced this event, I could have sworn a ghost was trying to possess me or otherwise enter my body. Completely terrifying. I started talking to other folks the next morning about “the weird dream” I had the night before, and they passed on to me the legend that the chapel was haunted by the ghost of a dead priest. I didn’t care to further explain what happened to me because that would have just been too crazy at the time. I didn’t believe in ghosts then, and I still don’t now, but that experience taught me why some people do.

 

[mr_houston]

I looked up the explanation here at the Cleveland Clinic: Link

What I don’t read is a decent explanation of the cause of fear. Why can’t the hallucinations be a cute fluffy bunny sitting on your chest? My dream go wierd that way sometimes.

But most of your shared stories include a great sense of evil or an evil presence. Why would that be?

 

[AshleyC]

But gentleman, why would you experience this? I am not doubting that you did, but asking why. What do you think?

I draw 60% from the VA, of which %50 is PTSD. I despise fireworks in my neighborhood. My brain expects me to become Rambo whenever those damn things go off. I have the knife for it...but we won't go into that. [Okay...it's the Boker Aparro]

I often have dreams that I'm still in. I don't like those dreams and I am relieved when I wake up.

 

[luvmysuper]

I looked up the explanation here at the Cleveland Clinic: Link

What I don’t read is a decent explanation of the cause of fear. Why can’t the hallucinations be a cute fluffy bunny sitting on your chest? My dream go wierd that way sometimes.

But most of your shared stories include a great sense of evil or an evil presence. Why would that be?

There's a psychologist who says that people prone to this can, if they are able to control their fear, turn it into a fun lucid dreaming adventure.
He says that he is able to do that about half the time.
The concept that evil is present is likely associated with the idea that someone in your room, uninvited, while you are sleeping, is an intruder. It's second nature to think such an intruder has bad intent.
Combined with the paralysis, it tends to instill fear more than any other emotion.

 

[luvmysuper]

But gentleman, why would you experience this? I am not doubting that you did, but asking why. What do you think?

I draw 60% from the VA, of which %50 is PTSD. I despise fireworks in my neighborhood. My brain expects me to become Rambo whenever those damn things go off. I have the knife for it...but we won't go into that. [Okay...it's the Boker Aparro]

I often have dreams that I'm still in. I don't like those dreams and I am relieved when I wake up.

Medical studies list several possible causes. From sleep apnea, disturbed sleep cycles such as shift work or wildly varying sleep periods, sleeping on ones back (which tends to worsen the effect of soft tissue in the throat closing by gravity) and insufficient sleep.
It's currently unknown why some experience it more frequently than others, and the supposition is that there may be a genetic factor or even a dietary factor involved.

 

[Jay21]

What I don’t read is a decent explanation of the cause of fear. Why can’t the hallucinations be a cute fluffy bunny sitting on your chest? My dream go wierd that way sometimes.

We’re hardwired to default to fear because fear keeps us alive. Imagine we’re ancient people living in a small community in the wilderness. We hear a bump in the night. It might be a rabbit. Or it might be a tiger. In fact, 99 out of 100 times it probably is a rabbit. But, we better somehow protect ourselves 100 out of 100 times because we’re dead 100% of the time it’s actually a tiger and we assume it’s a rabbit.

 

[Nonspecific]

Demons and evil spirits lurk within the imagination of men….the imagination is the architect of all that haunts us. No rest for the weary.

 

[Frito Ray]

I’ve had sleep paralysis a few times, but already knew about the condition prior to my first experience. Luckily it wasn’t accompanied by any otherworldly presence. I just remember laying there thinking I was screwed if there were to be an emergency.


I’m knocking on wood as I type this.

 

[luvmysuper]

I’ve had sleep paralysis a few times, but already knew about the condition prior to my first experience. Luckily it wasn’t accompanied by any otherworldly presence. I just remember laying there thinking I was screwed if there were to be an emergency.


I’m knocking on wood as I type this.

I've read that the paralysis and the hallucinations are two distinctly different things, and that the hallucinations do not always occur during paralysis.

 

[ctr]

Yes, I have experienced this with different and distinct circumstances. My interpretation differs from yours as my life is a faith based life. From this perspective the experience can be good or bad. Most of these experiences were bad and quickly resolved with the appropriate prayer.

One experience stands out without explanation and makes no sense if examined from a scientific perspective. From a faith based perspective though the experience was an extraordinary gift. I awoke in the state you describe with someone sitting in the bedroom rocker, rocking. The chair was moving, the person was Jesus. Can't explain it, the description does no justice to the experience.

So I offer a different perspective in case it is of benefit to others. That we are always in the company of others.

 

[Mojo88]

I was having trouble sleeping a few years ago and my sister who was an RN recommended melatonin. I know it works for many people, but not at all for me. My wife said I was screaming at 3am that he captured me. I vividly remember being unable to move and was being dragged by a Satanic figure down a dark space . That was the end of the melatonin experiment.