Sleep Paralysis: My recent Experience

I have a rather strange history with sleep paralysis...

Last night, while I was sleeping, I experienced it again. I tend to perceive that dark silhouette in the dim light of my room, not as a supernatural entity, but as someone physical and corporeal, slowly getting closer and closer to me.

So, as always, I tried to move and scream, even open my eyes to make sure there was nothing and no one there. And this time was no exception.

I had been dreaming before the episode happened. Don't ask me what my dream was about because, honestly, I don't remember lol. Suddenly, I saw it. It was at the far end of my room, near my wardrobe, which had once given off a negative vibe. It was the silhouette of someone, like a shadowy man, watching me from that corner. I, on the other hand, was completely paralyzed, obviously lying in my bed, keeping my gaze fixed on it.

I immediately thought the worst and tried to wake up, fully aware that it was just another dream. My eyes felt heavy, and I could only manage to open them in brief moments. The shift between reality and my subconscious was so drastic that it confused me.

I tried to move, and of course, it was impossible. I felt how my body resisted my commands, how anxiety started creeping in. I screamed for help without actually screaming, because my voice wouldn’t make a sound. With some effort, I think I managed to whisper "help," barely a murmur that, in reality, was nothing more than an unintelligible mumble. I repeated the word a couple of times before looking back at the shadow... and realizing how close it had gotten.

I tried to move again, not very successfully, but I noticed how my body was beginning to respond, slowly pulling me out of the "dream" that had taken hold of my senses.

That’s all I remember. I know I "woke up" and managed to move, only to lie back down and rest... I know, a rather incoherent reaction, considering the anxiety that overwhelmed me from feeling completely helpless as that shadow loomed over me

Now, I’d like to list the sensations I’ve experienced during sleep paralysis, just to help you understand that suffocating feeling a bit more:

1. Pressure on my chest that spreads through my limbs

2. Tension in my legs

3. Tingling (it varies in location)

4. Anxiety

5. Desperation

6. Distress

7. Fear, without a doubt

8. Panic

9. Inability to speak

10. Memory loss (such as forgetting words)

I’ve read about sleep paralysis, and I know it’s just a response from the brain, but in the moment, the last thing you think about is science. It feels way too real.