When going to sleep the brain causes the muscles to relax throughout the body. However, this can happen while you are still awake. This phenomenon is called sleep paralysis. Sleep paralysis has affected around sixty-five percent of people at least once in their lifetime, but for some it can be much more than that. Sleep paralysis has been used as an explanation for alien abductions and encounters, ghosts, demons, the night hag, and many more strange occurrences or beliefs. It has even inspired artwork such as Le Cauchemar by Eugène Thivier (1894) and Füssli 's The Nightmare (1781). Sleep paralysis has been around for centuries, and probably will not go away anytime soon. It will continue to inspire horror novels and movies for many years to come. Sleep paralysis is misunderstood by people. Throughout history, in movies, and in books it was seen as the work of a supernatural entity, but now, we know that that is not true. There are many things that can …show more content…
The first step is to see a doctor. They might have an overnight or daytime sleep study to see if there is an underlying condition. These tests are also used to test how you fall asleep and how your body falls asleep. This includes heart rate, breathing, and brain waves. You may also be tested for narcolepsy. Something that may help both you and the doctor is a dream journal. All you would have to do is record when you have the paralysis and what happens during it. The doctor can then analyze the given information and be able to help you out much more. Another treatment method is to improve your sleep cycle. This means going to bed and waking up at reasonable times, even on the weekends. You should eat healthy, exercise regularly, keep a good mental health, and avoid stimulants such as alcohol. By doing all of these things, or at least some, you can help to prevent sleep paralysis from