Sleep paralysis: victims of old witch syndrome. Attack by evil spirits or old witch syndrome

If you wake up at night from a feeling of suffocation, you feel as if someone or something unusual is present in the room, it seems to you that some entity has fallen on you and is squeezing your chest, know: you have sleep paralysis or old witch syndrome.

Old Witch Syndrome - Scientific Explanation

Scientists associate the unpleasant state of sleep paralysis, a lucid dream during which you feel suffocated and immobilized, with specific physiology.

As a rule, people complain that, in the so-called pre-sleep state, or in the stage of falling asleep, they suddenly discover that they cannot move, shout, or open their mouth to say a word. This state lasts only a few seconds, very rarely, a little longer, up to two minutes. Having woken up, the person is frightened and feels panic. The question of how to get out of sleep paralysis usually does not arise, since this condition quickly passes on its own, but if you are aware of what is happening to you, you will not be so scared.

From a physiological point of view, this condition is very similar to that harmless and natural paralysis that occurs during the fast phase and prevents actions and movements. However, if the brain is awakened during this phase, the paralysis of the body may persist for some time.

Sleep paralysis in Orthodoxy and other religions

In Russian folk tradition, which has pagan roots, the old witch syndrome is associated with a brownie who is either playing around or wants to warn about important upcoming events. In Orthodoxy there is a version that demons are to blame for this condition, and in the Muslim tradition this is associated with the tricks of genies. The mythology of some countries has its own special names for entities that supposedly cause this condition.

Treatment for Old Witch Syndrome

Despite the panic that usually grips a person if he cannot move, this phenomenon is physiologically justified and safe. If you realize and accept it as such, panic will not arise. All that is required of you in this state is to relax and calmly wait for the sleepy stupor to pass. You will learn to fall asleep easily or finally wake up from this state if you give yourself this attitude.

In order for this condition to bother you less often, sleep in suitable, comfortable conditions: in the dark, quiet, in clean linen, in a ventilated room, try to go to bed no later than 7-8 hours before the time of getting up. Such simple measures often solve the problem.

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent and the Merciful!

Probably every person at least once woke up from suffocation, horror and in an immobilized state. Others experience this almost every night, which makes them afraid to go to bed. In any case, the phenomenon is quite familiar - according to statistics, it occurs in four out of ten people. So, probably everyone has an idea about it - if not from their own experience, then from the stories of the “victims”.

The stories are usually the same in plot, but may differ in details. For example, one of my relatives told me that he first saw a black spot approaching, and only then experienced paralysis and suffocation, as if the “spot” lay on him and suffocated him. Others note the accompanying auditory and visual hallucinations: “I woke up from a child’s laughter and saw some creepy creature knocking on the window. I screamed like crazy and tried to ask my brother to wake me up, but to no avail. Because I couldn’t open my mouth or move.”

In medicine, this phenomenon is defined as sleep paralysis... or old witch syndrome. “It comes at night, when a person is about to fall into a peaceful sleep, or in the early morning, immediately after waking up. They fear her, she is invisible, but clearly felt, she is silent, but objects and furniture react to her movements by creaking and ringing, almost half of the inhabitants of the Earth are familiar with her. This is an old witch, or rather, old witch syndrome or, in medical terms, sleep paralysis.”

From a medical point of view, sleep paralysis is not a sign of illness; it is a natural biological phenomenon provided by nature for our comfort. When we sleep, our body sleeps with us - we can run, jump, fight in our sleep, but the body remains in place, inactive. Doctors believe that sleep paralysis occurs due to “out of sync awakening.” That is, consciousness has already entered a waking state, and the body is still in a dream. In other words, sleep paralysis occurs when the body “did not have time” to return to reality synchronously with consciousness. This is similar to how a computer sometimes freezes when you give it several different commands at the same time. In this way, for a split second (usually from a few seconds to two minutes, although it seems that it lasts about 10 minutes), our body “freezes,” usually immobilized in the throat, abdomen and chest.

Sleep paralysis is associated with a disorder of REM sleep. This is the phase in which extreme activity of brain cells (dreaming) is accompanied by a lack of muscle tone. That is, motor neurons in the spinal cord are switched off, causing temporary paralysis that prevents movement during sleep. And if a person wakes up at this time, he cannot move or perform any actions.

From an Islamic point of view.

Sleep paralysis is familiar to most Muslims, but we have our own methods of influencing and getting rid of it. “A smoke-like creature was holding me. I began to say, “I take refuge in Allah from the damned shaitan,” and it let me go.” In Islam, this creature that “strangles, gets angry, whispers something with a disgusting voice and laughs” is known as Al-Jasum. According to Ibn al Manzur, “a qaboos (demon, evil spirit, nightmare) that comes to a person at night and attacks him while he sleeps is called al-Jasum.” He was also mentioned in his medical book “al-Qanon”: “It is also called al-khanik, and in Arabic it is called “al-jasum” and “al-naidalan.” Al-Qaboos is a disease that a person feels in a dream, when he imagines that something heavy is pressing on him, squeezing him and cutting off his breathing, so that the person cannot speak or move, and he is almost suffocating because his respiratory the paths are blocked. When this goes away, the person immediately wakes up. This is a precursor to one of the following: epilepsy, paralysis or mania. This applies if we are talking about physical causes and there are no other non-physical causes.”

Professor Hasan Shamsi Basha divided qaboos into two categories: temporary and recurring. Temporary - one that occurs either due to “fumes rising to the brain through the respiratory tract when you first go to bed, such that the person feels panic,” or due to the use of medications (arazrabine, antidepressants, beta-blocker, Lyphod B, after stopping taking tranquilizers). And recurrent - occurring due to the influence of evil spirits.

In the next part, in shaa Allah1 we will talk about precautions that can be taken to avoid the “visit of al-Jasoom”.

Sleep paralysis or “Old Witch Syndrome”: mysticism or not?

Almost half of the world's population has experienced the phenomenon of sleep paralysis at least once in their lives.

Have you ever experienced panic, be it phobia or anxiety before a skydive? But imagine that the biggest horror of your life could be waiting for you in the comfort of your own bed.

Auditory and visual hallucinations, attacks of suffocation, complete immobility of the body and a clear awareness that you are not sleeping - all these are signs of sleep paralysis, a phenomenon that, by the way, is quite common. In fact, about half of the people on the planet have experienced bouts of sleep stupor at least once in their lives, and many experience this nightmare regularly.

Trying to figure out what it is, I found two points of view, each of which has the right to life. One of them is formed on precise scientific research, on the secrets that the human brain hides; the other is a mystical version of what is happening.

Let's take a closer look at what the scientists' side hides behind them.

Sleep paralysis is a state of complete immobility of the body upon awakening during REM sleep. A situation where your brain is already awake, and your body is in a relaxed state: you cannot even move a finger, you cannot scream or open your eyes (but, despite this, you can see your room). The most terrible thoughts come to mind when this happens for the first time: clinical death, coma. But all fears are, in fact, groundless. After 2 minutes, all signs of paralysis disappear and you actually wake up. According to modern experts, it is harmless, although unpleasant. Therefore, the fear of going crazy, falling into lethargy or dying has no basis.

Sleep paralysis occurs several times more often when sleeping on your back than in other positions. The likelihood of sleep stupor when sleeping on your side, especially the right, is quite low. Personally, this is exactly what happens to me; I absolutely cannot sleep on my back!

The phenomenon of night paralysis and suffocation is popularly called “old witch syndrome.” A person suddenly feels as if something heavy is falling on top of him, suffocating him, preventing him from breathing. This is a condition in which a person lying on his back is in the so-called drowsy state. He suddenly realizes that he cannot move or scream. This state can last for several seconds, very rarely a little longer. Having come to their senses, these people often talk later about the feeling of the presence of something terrible, dangerous, and evil. In such cases, panic and feelings of fear are very common.

Sleep paralysis is possible only with natural awakening. If awakening occurs abruptly (under the influence of factors such as an alarm clock, bright light in the eyes), sleep paralysis does not occur.

But the most unpleasant thing in a state of stupor is still hallucinations. I want to analyze this phenomenon from the side of mysticism and paranormality.

There are opinions that during a sleepy stupor you seem to find yourself in the astral plane (parallel world), where various entities live: ghosts, brownies, spirits and demons. During hallucinations, a person may hear music, noises, stomping, and voices. And what does he see! There is no limit to the variety.

The most common myth is the belief that this condition is the work of a house-elf. They say that he sits on the back or chest and begins to choke, thus he warns of impending trouble or joy.

Muslim folk tradition associates this phenomenon with jinn.

But seriously speaking, many people often experience a state of sleep paralysis, some even specifically strive to cause it, experiencing irrepressible interest. By the way, the practice of this phenomenon is called nothing less than “lucid dreaming,” and it is considered to be another completely unexplored ability of the human brain.

Ways to combat this disease vary from person to person. The general method is, first of all, to maintain a good sleep schedule. Many people are helped to cope with an attack by moving their eyes, the thumb of the right hand (for right-handed people) or the tongue. Others, on the contrary, are helped by calmness and the most complete relaxation of muscles, thus weakening negative emotions and experiencing a gentle exit from the state of sleepy stupor. Some begin to think about something or count, actively developing brain activity (I begin to read a prayer). You can also try to make a moo from the nasopharynx, since it is impossible to open your mouth. For others, it helps to sort of raise their head up (the angle between the plane of the back and the back of the head decreases).

Often, attacks of sleep stupor go away with age.

At-risk groups:

1. People with suggestible, non-standard or weak psyches.

2. Introverts (inward-oriented people).

3. People with a strong nervous system who are in a state of extreme fatigue.

Fate often brings two lonely souls together and, as they sometimes say, the chemistry of love can arise between them. And if mutual attraction does not pass, then the logical conclusion of a romantic relationship is often a wedding. After all, a wedding or simply registering a union is the beginning of a new stage in a relationship. But I really want this relationship to be long and successful. I just want to be happy, so many representatives of the fair sex take wedding preparations very seriously. And it all starts with choosing a wedding date.

What is a favorable day for a wedding? And is the wedding date so important? What has more influence on a favorable day for a wedding: numbers or stars?

Auspicious day for a wedding - numerology

special dates

Every year on some special dates there is a real wedding boom. There is a belief (I don’t know who came up with it) that family life will be long and happy if a favorable day for a wedding has three identical numbers.
The wedding date can be considered as the birth date of the family. So, let’s briefly analyze two options for analysis: let’s reduce the date to one number, that is, we’ll determine the number of the couple’s life path and build a so-called Vedic numerical horoscope.

The first horizontal row is subject or mental level.
The second horizontal row is subject to the energy of rajas (passion) or material level
The third horizontal row is subject to the energy of tamas (ignorance) or the lowest level.
So, let's start 2018.
Let's consider one of the popular dates: 08/08/2018 as a favorable day for a wedding.
8+8+2+1+8=27=9
pairs will be ruled by the planet Mars. In astrology, Mars is a malefic planet and yet Mars can give both negative and positive results. If partners give each other warmth and care, without demanding or expecting anything in return, then if the need arises, any of the partners will become a protector and support for the other. If at least one of the partners decides that he is the “navel of the earth,” then a war zone in the family is guaranteed.
Now consider the Vedic square for the same date

And so, what happened. Three identical date numbers appeared in the line with the energy of tamas or ignorance, and only one number fell into satva or goodness. Number 1 is ruled by the royal Sun and, manifesting itself through the energy of goodness, will give the couple devotion, generosity and prosperity.
The material level (second row) has no numbers. This means that in material terms the three planets will not exert their influence on the couple, but this does not mean that the couple will not earn money. There will simply be no support from Mercury, Venus and Ketu.
The lowest level (third row) is rich in numbers: three eights and a two. Two is ruled by the Moon, but in this case, it will manifest itself through the energy of tamas or ignorance. The energy of the Moon can manifest itself through both tension in relationships and the presence of unhealthy habits.
The number eight, ruled by Saturn, will also manifest itself through the energy of tamas, but with triple strength. Saturn is a planet that gives us life lessons, teaches us patience, forethought, and directs our gaze to spiritual quests. So, is 08/08/2018 a favorable day for a wedding or not? What will it be like

Favorable day for a wedding - influence of nakshatras and day of the week

When choosing a favorable day for a wedding, it is advisable to pay attention to the nature of the nakshatra (constellation). For example, on August 8, 2018, the Ardra nakshatra had its influence. This star is good for active actions and has a sharp character. In general, the couple will not be bored, and if they are ready to conquer heights and do not stop there, and do not lose love, then they will live a decent life together.
Wednesday is a wonderful day to get married.
So, from the above it is clear that each of the date analysis options adds its own flavor to the forecast.
Oleg Torsunov in his book “On the astrological compatibility of spouses” concludes that

“In accordance with our karma, we have a tendency to love that person who is the personification of either predominantly bad karma or predominantly good karma.”

Indeed, we ourselves make a choice in favor of one partner or another. How we live as a couple will depend only on ourselves, on our ability to love, understand, forgive, etc. Will planets influence marriage? Yes, but whether this influence will be good or bad will depend not only on the personal horoscopes of the couple, but also on the guna of material nature in which the couple will live their life together.
In principle, any day can be considered a favorable day for a wedding, because your choice of day will still not be random.

Many people do not know what sleep paralysis or “old witch syndrome” is, although quite a few people have at least once experienced this state between sleep and wakefulness.

Often, sleep paralysis (sleep stupor) is accompanied by terrible hallucinations, but the person is unable to do anything due to atony (weakness) of the muscles, which can lead to panic.

Because, due to the ignorance and fears of people, due to auditory and visual frightening hallucinations, sleep paralysis was associated with mysticism (brownie, kikimora, witch...), hence the name “old witch syndrome”.

Sleep paralysis - causes

Sleep paralysis of the muscles occurs during paradoxical sleep (REM phase, rapid eye movement sleep), lasts a short time (usually a few seconds) and manifests itself in two forms: 1) at the moment of falling asleep and 2) at the moment of awakening

Muscle paralysis during sleep is a normal physiological phenomenon that prevents a person from making unnecessary body movements during sleep (for example, walking, as in somnambulism (“sleepwalking”). When a person falls asleep normally, he usually does not remember the very moment of falling asleep and, accordingly, is not aware normal, natural muscle paralysis, because the brain turns off vigilance before this happens.

During sleep paralysis (old witch syndrome), at the moment of entering the REM sleep phase (in this phase the brain is alert, almost more than when awake), a person is still somewhat aware of falling into a paradoxical sleep and understands that he cannot make any movements - hence the fear.

When waking up - and this is the most common moment when sleep paralysis occurs - auditory and visual hallucinations occur, with the inability to move, leading the person into horror and panic.

The main causes of sleep paralysis or old witch syndrome:

• Irregular sleep and lack of sleep;
• Frequent stress, increased anxiety, emotional and physical stress;
• Neuroses and personality disorders (Panic attacks, post-traumatic stress syndrome, VSD, etc.
• Alcohol and drug intoxication;
• Lack of potassium in the blood (hypokalemia)
• Narcolepsy (attacks of stupor, irresistible daytime sleepiness, sudden loss of muscle tone with clear consciousness...).

Symptoms and signs of sleep paralysis

Old witch syndrome or sleep paralysis (stupor) has the following signs and symptoms:

• Pressure on the chest;
• Feeling as if someone is nearby, visual and auditory hallucinations, fear, even horror;
• “Strange” bodily sensations may arise - the perception of oneself as if out of one’s own body (a feeling of soaring, flying, a feeling of being abducted, for example, by alien creatures)…;
• Choking and lack of air;
• Heartbeat

Should sleep paralysis be treated?

Sleep paralysis is not included in the ICD-10 (International Classification of Diseases) and is considered harmless in most cases. Some people, for example, shamans, sorcerers, can deliberately induce the old witch syndrome in themselves, in order to feel themselves outside the body, floating and as if seeing, through hallucinations, some mystical sacraments.

There is no special treatment for old witch syndrome (concomitant and provoking psychiatric diseases and emotional and psychological personality disorders are treated), but in order to get rid of sleep paralysis and strengthen overall physical and mental health, you just need to start a healthy lifestyle.

What you need to do to get rid of sleep paralysis first:

• Proper nutrition;
• Normal and healthy sleep;
• Do not abuse alcohol and medications (psychotropics and narcotic substances);
• Avoid stressful situations;
• Do not overload yourself emotionally, mentally and physically
• Walking in the fresh air before bed, breathing exercises and the ability to quickly relieve stress are very helpful.
• For many people suffering from sleep paralysis, Silva’s evening (before bedtime) relaxing psychotraining helps them get rid of it.

Those people who have emotional and personality disorders that provoke sleep paralysis or old witch syndrome should seek help from a psychologist online (or in person, whichever is more convenient)