Beyond the Body: Sleep Paralysis Diaries

It's 12'O clock at night, after an exhausted day you have planned to take a good nap, you lied down on your bed, closed your eyes, and after few minutes went to a deep sleep. After few moments you realized that your eyes are wide open, you can see the room you are sleeping in, and then slowly you start to feel as if our soul is leaving your body. You try your best to move your muscles, you know it's a mere nightmare, you know if someone touches you then you will survive, and then within a blink of an eye everything disappears. You wake up to realize it was a dream. Was it just a dream? Is it justified enough to acknowledge 'Sleep Paralysis' only as a 'Nightmare'?

 In spiritual terms this phenomenon is known as "Astral Projection". It refers to a situation when our astral body or our soul starts to function separately from the physical body and starts to travel throughout the astral plane. As if it's a journey of our soul. Still there remains a significant difference between "Astral Projection" and "Sleep Paralysis". Astral Projection is done intentionally or consciously which can be achieved through years of meditation, whereas "Sleep Paralysis" happens in our unconscious mind. There is barely any scientific evidence that can explain us the existence of astral projection phenomenon, whereas sleep paralysis can happen due to various reasons.

Sleep Paralysis

Sleep Paralysis mainly occurs at the transition points between sleep and wakefulness, either when falling asleep or waking up. At times our mind wakes up, but our body does not, this is the reason why the individual is aware of his/her surrounding but is unable to move or speak. Many individuals might also experience hallucination, often involving sensations like dangerous presence or a feeling of being trapped, which would again lead to fear, panic attacks, difficulty in breathing, etc. Sleep Paralysis can also occur due to factors like sleep deprivation, irregular sleep patterns, stress, and excessive consumption of drugs.

During a sleep paralysis episode, the key is to stay calm and try to regain control. First you should try to move small parts of your body, like your fingers or toes, and focus on your breathing. Remind yourself it's temporary and if you experience any kind of hallucination, remember that they are not real and will fade once the paralysis resolves. One would also prevent it by establishing a regular sleep schedule, practicing stress management, or consulting a doctor if suffered frequently.

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