Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night, fully aware of your surroundings, but unable to move your body or make a sound? Many people describe the experience as terrifying. Some feel a heavy pressure on their chest, others sense a strange presence in the room, and almost everyone who experiences it says the same thing: they tried to scream or move, but their body simply refused to obey.
This mysterious phenomenon has puzzled people for centuries. In the past, different cultures explained it as supernatural encounters, night spirits, or mysterious forces visiting during sleep. Today, science has a name for it: sleep paralysis.
While the experience can feel frightening, understanding why it happens can make it far less mysterious—and much less scary.
