I have some form of insomnia lately. I can't help it, it's something that comes and goes. Anyway, when I can't sleep I tend to surf the internet to read about stuff or..watch stuff. I started reading about sleep disorders. It's very interesting. I was especially into reading about different parasomnias, like the sexsomnia disorder. Also, night terrors and sleep paralysis. Has anyone of you ever experienced sleep paralysis. This paralysis occurs during the REM sleep, either while falling asleep or waking up. It's either that the person is aware of the fact that his/her body shuts down when falling asleep, or the awareness occurs when waking up, while the REM cycle is not yet complete. This can be incredibly frightening, because you start seeing hallucinations that belong in your dreams, but you see them in "your world". Apparently this happens to most people at least once or twice in their lives. It's happened to me, and it's really scary, and very vivid.
This painting, "The Nightmare" by Henry Fuseli (1781) is said to be inspired by the sleep paralysis disorder. It shows an incubus sitting on her chest, glaring at the viewer. Also, the horse in the background kinda freaks me out a little, but it looks really cool. Folklore on sleep paralysis claims that the reason the person becomes possessed or mounted by a demon or an evil spirit. I'm very fond of folklore. It has a way of making things a lot more fascinating xD
I don't know who the artist of this picture is. If anyone knows, let me know? I think it's freakishly awesome~
I love creepy pictures. LOVE THEM. I started browsing around for some and I found a fair few I really like.
Sleep paralysis over here. It's a major symptom of narcolepsy, which I have.
ReplyDeleteIncredibly creepy pictures, btw.
I have also had sleep paralysis with hallucinations many times. It has been all from feeling a snake biting me and then feel the poison working its way into my system, to seeing someone i know standing by my bed and knowing they are there to kill me. The worst part is that every time I have it, I have problems breathing, like my lungs are paralysed too. But I have heard it helps to break the paralysis by wiggling your finger or toe to convince your body that what is happening is not real. I just try not to freak out.
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