Message #14222

[Heba E. Husseyn]

I also don't know anyone in my family having this issue and I myself surely don't up till, thank Allah.  But I know of someone who used to experience it .. not relative but a neighbor's daughter.  About 9 or 10 years ago the girl's mom said her daughter had sleep paralysis quite often, once every 2 or 3 months.  Her description of it was quite alarming, very similar to the description mentioned by Sister Ruhi in this post, and she was convinced that it would happen when she would be fully awake.  However, I don't quite buy that for granted.  As stated by both Sister Ruhi and Br. truthseeker, while in bed one often gets the feeling of being awake when actually one is not fully conscious.  That state of the mind is very common in a condition of sleep.

Anyhow, this lady was 22 years old and she said she had been having it since she was 15 or 16.  Whenever it would happen, she mentioned, it would be after she would fall asleep for a while and then awaken in a paralysed state.  After that, she was convinced that she would be fully awake but couldn't move nor speak because of the paralysed feeling.  During this period she would often get the feeling that someone is in the room, even though she would be sleeping alone in her bedroom with the door locked from inside.  Once she said seeing a few shadows on the walls.  Another time she said she clearly heard someone whispering and calling out her name, even though the door was locked and she was the only one in the room.  Her parents got worried thinking she may have a brain tumor or something similar, so they took her to the doctor for a MRI and few other tests.  But all results came normal.  She also didn't complain of having sleep problems nor any depression or anxiety.  But she did mention that once she saw a strange object on a tree while taking a walk in her neighborhood that brought an eerie feeling within her.  She was convinced it was a UFO or some alien body.  But that happened just once.  We were quite confused when she and her parents recounted this entire story.  It was difficult to confirm whether it was only a physical phenomenon or consisted of some elements of the paranormal (jinn).  The story can actually be interpreted both ways, so only Allah would know best.