Dont worry, sleep paralysis is normal. Its assumed that 25% of people have had similar experiences.The experience you are describing is called many things in many cultures including "the hag","the crushing demon", "Mara", "Suk Ninmyo", and many others. Sleep paralysis occurs during REM sleep, thus preventing the body from manifesting movements made in the subject's dreams. Some reports read that various factors increase the likelihood of both paralysis and hallucinations. These include: * Sleeping in a face upwards or supine position * Irregular sleeping schedules; naps, sleeping in, sleep deprivation * Increased stress * Sudden environmental/lifestyle changes * A lucid dream that immediately precedes the episode. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_paralysis

Listen- it's just a dream. Trust me on this. If it happens again dont worry about it. OK?

This is my experience in depth, and I don't think it was a dream. Yesterday, I experienced what I think was sleep paralysis for the first time. I have heard about it many times. What I experienced was unlike anything that I have ever heard of except for the fact that I was paralyzed. I was completely awake, I swear to you. But I could not move. It was in the afternoon. I went to school in the morning to take a final, and came back home to go back to sleep because I was so exhausted. I closed my blinds, my closet door, and my bedroom door in my room so I could make it as dark as possible in my room. I slept for about 3 hours and then I woke to a strange sound. The sound that woke me was the sound of water being pored onto the carpet. The sound was coming from near my bedroom door. I tried to sit up to see what the sound was realized that I couldn't move. I tried with all of my might to move my arms and my legs and I couldn't. But my eyes were opened. I was asleep on the left side of the bed and I heard heavy footsteps approaching on the right side of the room, opposite of the side of the bed I was sleeping on. I knew I was home alone because my husband was at work but I tried to say his name. I couldn't turn my head so I couldn't see if there was anyone there. Then I knew whatever it was that was in the room with me was not a physical being because it was then standing where my headboard is. A person couldn't have stood there like that. Then I felt REAL (I promise you I was not dreaming) hands were put on my shoulders. Not hurting me but pushing my shoulders down into the bed. It was as if a person was standing behind me and pushing my shoulders into the bed. It happened slowly and four times. It wasn't a jerking motion. It was as if someone was trying to gently wake me up. I wanted to ask who the entity was, because my older brother committed suicide 2 years ago and hasn't tried to contact me since he died. I wondered if maybe he was paying me a visit, although I doubted it because whatever or whoever was in the room with me had a sort of evil presence. So, with ALL of the strength I had in my body I forced the words out of my mouth "Who..... Are..... You?" And in a creepy, low, scratchy, man's voice (which made me know it was NOT my brother) the voice said, mockingly, "Who are [I]YOU?[/I]" What happened next was the strangest part of all. The entity, entered into my body. I knew this because my body suddenly jerked and instantly I felt like I was on fire inside. Literally, my whole body (only inside) felt like it was a million degrees. Now I knew that since it was inside, I didn't have to use verbal words to communicate with it because it would be able to hear my thoughts. My leg (which I didn't move on my own) elevated up into the air, like the entity was trying me out or something. So I said to it, "I am not for sale. You cannot have me." And a moment later I could move again and the heat left my body. I laid there when it was over, just kind of in shock. I was not afraid, my pulse was not elevated, I didn't experience adrenaline. I just laid there and wondered what that thing was and why it came to visit me, and even more curiously, why it asked me who I was. What do you think? Am I crazy or did I get a visit from a supernatural being?