Fact:
- The Terror That Comes in the Night: An Experience-Centered Study of Supernatural Assault Traditions by David Hufford - looks at sleep paralysis folklore and the wide range of people’s experiences, with a New Foundland focus but generally applicable too.
- Abducted: How People Come to Believe They Were Kidnapped by Aliens by Susan Clancy - examines at sleep paralysis’ role in alien abduction cases (as well as other explanations)
Academic papers:
- Cheyne, J.A., Rueffer, S.D. & Newby-Clark, I.R. (1999) “Hypnagogic and Hypnopompic Hallucinations during Sleep Paralysis: Neurological and Cultural Construction of the Night-Mare”. Consciousness and Cognition 8, 319-337.
- de Sá, J.F.R. & Mota-Rolim, S.A. (2016) “Sleep Paralysis in Brazilian Folklore and Other Cultures: A Brief Review”. Frontiers in Psychology 7, 49-56.
You must log in or # to comment.
I used to laugh at superstitious beliefs. While I understand that sleep paralysis is a natural phenomenon, it is SO REAL in a way that is horrible to confront while it’s happening, and certainly after it you don’t have an explanation for it. An uneducated sufferer might rationally come to the conclusion that evil spirits do exist.
Oh indeed - I’ve had SP experiences that could easily be interpreted as demonic attacks, alien abductions or some kind of weird Satanic ritual. Without the context to interpret them it would be very easy to take them on face value.
They’re the main ones I’ve read - any other recommendations?
