Nightmares & Dream Terrors | dream studies portal

Sleep Paralysis Makes Great Art

Posted by Ryan Hurd on February 22, 2012 | 4 Comments

Awareness during sleep paralysis often includes the terrifying and realistic sensation of being held down while waking up or going to sleep. Sometimes, it’s accompanied by grotesque visions that seem to threaten our most prized possession: our sanity. But I have found for myself that sleep paralysis can lead to creative states of mind (such [...]

Filed Under: Dreams & Media, sleep paralysis

The Doppelgänger: facing the otherworldly mirror

Posted by Ryan Hurd on November 9, 2011 | 4 Comments

At night, the veil is thin. The spirits are marching. Cold air blankets their arrival. Through the mists, a figure emerges. He is a stranger, cloaked in dark spun wool, his face obscured. He stands next to your bed and you strain for recognition.
The light shifts, shadows warble, and then you see his face.

Filed Under: Nightmares & Dream Terrors, Theories of Dreaming

Halloween Infographic: the Vampires and Werewolves of Sleep Paralysis

Posted by Ryan Hurd on October 31, 2011 | 2 Comments

Why do millions of sane and rational people believe in ghosts? Because they actually see them, hovering over the bed and holding them down.
Over the centuries, spooky stories have warned us of the creatures of the night. But these tales don’t just come from dusty fairytales: they are panicked stories of real experience transmitted down [...]

Filed Under: Nightmares & Dream Terrors, sleep paralysis

Shadows within us: Dreaming of Osama bin Laden

Posted by Kevin Kovelant on May 3, 2011 | 4 Comments

This is a guest post by Kevin Kovelant.
The world is a-buzz over the death of Osama bin Laden. The thing is… I feel absolutely nothing. Other than a twinge of sadness. Sadness that it has gone on this long. Has it really been almost 10 years?! I guess it has. At times [...]

10 Ways to Prevent Sleep Paralysis

Posted by Ryan Hurd on April 12, 2011 | 18 Comments

If you’ve ever woke up and realized you can’t move, or you find yourself sat upon by some foul hag or monster with bad teeth and worse breath, you’ve experienced sleep paralysis. Many sufferers stay up all night to prevent another terrifying episode. Some also find themselves eating a midnight meal, or having a night [...]

Filed Under: sleep paralysis

3 Techniques for Transforming Sleep Paralysis into a Lucid Dream

Posted by Ryan Hurd on February 8, 2011 | 13 Comments

Many readers have asked me about specific tactics for turning a sleep paralysis attack into a lucid dream. Because isolated sleep paralysis happens during REM at sleep onset, we’re only a hair’s breadth away from losing the paralysis sensations and moving deeper into the dreamworld with our self-awareness intact. As such, sleep paralysis is a [...]