If you've ever had sleep paralysis, you'll know how absolutely terrifying it is. If you've never had it imagine being awake, but your body is completely frozen and you're unable to move and then, what's this? Oh it's just a terrifying spectral figure slowly walking towards you for God knows what awful reason.
I get sleep paralysis every so often and it's no fun at all. Even knowing I'm dreaming doesn't help and the feeling of terror doesn't leave and explaining it to anyone who doesn't have them is difficult, 'So, you had a nightmare, then?'
Twenty-two-year-old Nicolas Bruno, a photographer from the US, has made a collection of photographs to show what it feels like to be in that awful moment.
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He knows what living with sleep paralysis is like, he's had it since he was 15 and to him, well, it's like this:
Credit: Nicolas Bruno
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Credit: Nicolas Bruno
Silhouettes, shadows, being submerged in water and blindfolds all features in the collection, which you can view in full here.
Speaking to Fstoppers.com Nicolas said: "Individuals who have experienced sleep paralysis will be able to pick up on specific symbolism that I implement within my work, but I do not create my artwork specifically for them. I aim to give the viewers who have not experienced these night terrors a visual taste of what lies within the in between realm of sleep and consciousness."
What is sleep paralysis?
Sleep paralysis is the state of being unable to move as you transition from sleeping to wakefulness, that's why most people tend to get it when they're either dropping off or waking up.
As well as being unable to move sleep paralysis often comes with a feeling of dread and a freaky entity that feels very fucking real in the moment.
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People often report seeing demons, ghosts or some, like me, see ordinary people. Sometimes if can feel as though someone, or something, is sitting on your chest and crushing you.
For many people they will have just one episode of sleep
paralysis, for others its more common and some really unlucky bastards it can
be a nightly occurrence.
So, what causes it?
While we're asleep, our bodies go through five 90-minute sleep cycles switching between REM (rapid eye movement) and NREM (non-rapid eye movement).
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Approximately 75 percent of your dozing is spent in the four stages of NREM, which we're better off for (NREM helps you regenerate tissues, build muscle and bone and harden your immune system).
The brain's activity increases during REM sleep, which is when most people experience dreaming. The voluntary muscles become paralysed in response to stop our bodies from acting out our dreams and injuring ourselves or the people around us.
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Sleep paralysis happens when people wake up before the REM stage has run its course, leaving the sleeper conscious of where they are but not being able to act on it in any way until REM has finished.
Due to the vulnerability of the whole situation, panic usually sets in and people make themselves prone to visionary and auditory hallucinations.
Sleep paralysis is sometimes caused by sleep deprivation or insomnia, irregular sleeping patterns, narcolepsy or it may run in your family. It can also be a side-effect of some ADHD medication or a symptom of mental illness, like biopolar.
If you have really bad sleep paralysis, a doctor can prescribe medication, which will alter your REM sleep. However, you may be able to help yourself with medication by keeping good sleeping habits and trying to get into a regular sleep pattern.
Featured Image Credit: Nicolas Bruno