2. A sensation of being “pressed down” by an unseen force
People who experience sleep paralysis frequently describe the sensation as a heavy, invisible weight pressing down on them, as if a heavy person were lying on their chest and restricting their ability to move or breathe.
In reality, there is nothing there, but the brain misinterprets the signals it receives from attempting to fall asleep as something else. This results in a combination of being awake and asleep at the same time, which can make it difficult to distinguish between the two states.
Sleep paralysis frequently begins with the sensation of tingling or numbness in the limbs; however, the sensation of “weight” on top of the limbs is the most common symptom encountered afterwards (or sometimes simultaneously).
Numerous classic works of art depict this invisible force as demons or other creatures: Even though there is nothing tangibly present, these paintings accurately depict how this symptom can feel.
