Member-only story
Staying Relaxed During Sleep Paralysis Isn’t Easy
But it’s the only way I’ve been able to break out of it
There’s nothing quite like getting a death hug from a demon in your sleep. At least that’s what sleep paralysis feels like to me.
It starts with a harmless dream that takes a dark turn. Something grabs me and I wake up paralyzed. Rag doll body, eyes glued shut, voice mute, helpless.
A crushing weight pushes the air out of my lungs, and I hear voices. Sometimes, they whisper, but this most recent time they didn’t.
Whatever had me was screaming something in Japanese at a deafening volume in my ear. Afraid and disoriented, I could do nothing while getting squeezed within (what felt like) inches of my life.
But most of the time, it’s eerily quiet.
I wake up paralyzed and sense a presence lurking in the silence. Without warning, a heavy weight barrels into my chest and I can’t breathe.
After plenty of panic, I let out a terrible groaning sound and my wife wakes me up if I haven’t snapped out of it yet.
If you’ve experienced this, you know what I’m talking about. Also, I’m sorry.
If not, then I wish you never do. It’s awful.
