What Are Sleep Paralysis Demons? Are They Real?
Written by: Andrea Gombos
Andrea has been writing about self-improvement and personal development for 15 years. Since her partner was diagnosed with insomnia 8 years ago, she has made it her mission to learn everything there is to know about sleep and how to improve it.
Sleep paralysis demons sound like a phenomenon straight out of a nightmare. Are they ghosts? Are they ghouls? Are they real?
If you have ever encountered one, you already know exactly how terrifying and unsettling the experience can be, and how much it can disrupt your night (or day).
Let’s explore what sleep paralysis demons are, what causes them and how you can prevent yourself from seeing one.
Key Takeaways
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Sleep paralysis is a temporary inability to move your body, occurring when you are waking up or falling asleep. It can be accompanied by a feeling of heaviness on the chest.
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When sleep paralysis is accompanied by hallucinations, often taking the form of a menacing presence, we are talking about sleep demons.
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Sleep paralysis demons are not dangerous, but they can feel extremely frightening. They are usually triggered by sleep deprivation, irregular sleep schedules and stress.
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You can shake off a sleep paralysis episode by trying to move parts of your body, trying to relax your limbs or repeating a calming mantra in your head.
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Good sleep hygiene habits can help prevent sleep paralysis and its demons.
Table of Contents
What Is Sleep Paralysis?
Sleep paralysis is a temporary inability to move your body, often accompanied by a feeling of heaviness on your chest. It is described as a malfunction between rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and wakefulness, and is considered a sleep disorder.
When in REM sleep, your body enters a temporary muscle paralysis called muscle atonia. Researchers believe this is the brain’s way of preventing our bodies from acting out our dreams, which most often occur during this sleep stage.
Sleep paralysis occurs when the lines between a REM dream state, when your body can’t move, and waking up become blurred. You become aware of your surroundings and start to wake up, but your body is still stuck in sleep and can’t move.
Sleep paralysis typically lasts for a couple of seconds or minutes. It can be an extremely scary experience, but it is not cause for alarm and very rarely is it a sign of an underlying health issue.
The most likely cause of this temporary paralysis is sleep deprivation and irregular sleep, an underlying sleep disorder or stress.
What Are Sleep Paralysis Demons?
Sleep paralysis demons are hallucinations, often taking the form of a shadowy figure, resembling a witch or demon. You sense, feel or see an evil presence that doesn’t actually exist. You may also feel a weight on your chest or feel like you are being watched.
The experience feels supernatural, but scientists believe it is the brain’s way of coping with being awake and partly asleep at the same time.
Sleep demons may not exist in the physical world, but they feel very real. Your fear is real and completely legitimate. Just because the demon can’t bodily hurt you doesn't make it any less frightening in the moment.
Types of Sleep Paralysis Demons
Sleep demons can take on several forms:
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The Incubus - A feeling of a heavy weight on your chest, accompanied by difficulty breathing and feelings of dread and panic.
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The Witch - A witch-like creature sitting on your chest or standing in the room.
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The Intruder - A menacing, shadowy presence in the room. You may see someone at the edge of your bed or skulking in a corner.
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The Shadow Person - A dark presence moving about the room or watching you. Sometimes people describe it as a supernatural entity.
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Doubles - A version of yourself somewhere in the room. Often accompanied by a feeling of detachment.
As people have been experiencing sleep-related hallucinations for a very long time, they often turned to folklore and local pagan beliefs to explain them. Most of the names used to describe different demon classes have been adapted from there.
For example, medieval Europeans used to believe in the incubus and succubus, a male and female demon who would sit on your chest and suck your energy. The Japanese used the term “kanashibari,” which translates to being “bound by a ghost.” The most common historical depiction is that of the Old Hag, or witch.
Are Sleep Demons Different Than Dreams?
Sleep demons are not the same as dreams. Dreams and nightmares most often occur during REM sleep, but we are still fast asleep while experiencing them.
Sleep demons arrive when the lines between sleep and wakefulness are blurred, and they feel like a physical presence in the bedroom.
What Causes Sleep Paralysis Demons?
Several factors can play a role in the likelihood of experiencing sleep-related paralysis and hallucinations. They include:
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Not getting enough sleep or not getting enough restful sleep
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Irregular sleep schedules, often caused by shift work or jet lag
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Suffering from a sleep disorder, like sleep apnea, insomnia or other sleep issues
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Living with high stress levels that consistently reduce your sleep quality
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Mental health conditions like anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
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Substance abuse
Scientists don’t yet know the exact cause of these sleep-related hallucinations. They believe that they happen when you have vivid REM dreams while you are, in fact, awake.
Here are some of the factors researchers believe can cause sleep demons:
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Serotonin - As you start to wake up, serotonin is secreted to suppress REM sleep and make you more aware and awake. During sleep paralysis, serotonin still gets released, but you remain stuck in the REM phase. This may be the reason you experience hallucinations.
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Breathing changes - During REM sleep, your major muscles are paralyzed, so that you can’t act out your dreams. This makes your breathing become more shallow. Becoming aware of this shallow breathing can induce the feeling of suffocation that accompanies sleep paralysis and account for the demonic hallucination.
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Fight-or-flight - When you wake up and realize you can’t move, you will naturally become afraid. This can send you into fight-or-flight, making the fear worse, and potentially causing the frightening hallucination.
How to End a Sleep Paralysis Episode
Sleep paralysis will resolve on its own, without you doing anything to end it. However, if you want to escape the trapped feeling faster, you can try the following:
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Remind yourself it’s temporary and that the demons are not real. While you may feel very afraid, remembering that what you are experiencing only feels scary but is really harmless can help you calm down, and the paralysis will wear off faster.
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Take slow, deep breaths. Focusing on your breathing can help you center yourself, show you that you are in fact able to breathe, and drive the demon away.
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Try to move your fingers or toes. Moving larger muscles may be more difficult, but small movements can wake your body up quicker.
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Make a sound. You can try to hum, grunt or clear your throat or nose. You likely won’t be able to speak immediately, so don’t try. A small noise can get your body to become fully awake quicker.
Being touched by someone or your alarm clock going off are also likely to break you out of paralysis prison.
The key is to try to remember to stay calm. Remind yourself what is happening and that while the inability to move naturally feels very scary, it’s not really dangerous, and will go away very soon.
How to Prevent Sleep Paralysis Demons
To prevent sleep demons, you can improve your sleep hygiene and train yourself to consider them a normal, non-threatening occurrence:
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Understand what sleep paralysis is - Once you understand what is going on in your body and mind, you will feel less afraid when an episode does happen. The hallucinations will stop being as frightening and become harmless.
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Speak to a professional about anxiety - If you suffer from anxiety or panic disorder, you may find you experience sleep paralysis more often, as your sleep patterns are disrupted. Since sleep paralysis can also trigger anxiety, you might find yourself in a vicious circle. Speaking to a professional can help you manage your fearful thoughts, teach you some relaxation techniques, and reduce the chance of a demon appearing.
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Avoid screens before bed - Especially refrain from watching or reading something upsetting or action-packed, as it can disrupt your sleep patterns, making you fall into REM sleep too fast. Instead, do something relaxing before bed, preferably something analog, like reading or drawing.
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Improve your sleep habits - When you train your brain and body to sleep better, you are less likely to experience sleep paralysis. By maintaining a consistent sleep schedule (even on the weekend), avoiding coffee or alcohol before bed and establishing a relaxing evening routine, you can improve the quality of your sleep. Make sure to get regular exercise and don't go to bed with a full stomach. Eat a balanced diet and try not to go to bed with dozens of thoughts zooming around your brain.
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Keep a dream and sleep diary - By tracking how well you sleep, you can pinpoint the routines that help and those that disrupt. For example, you may find that you have the best sleep when you go to bed slightly later than recommended, or that you sleep poorly if you read in bed.
If you often experience sleep paralysis or sleep demons, speak to a healthcare provider. They can help you uncover the causes of your poor sleep and find a way to ensure you get the rest you need.
Conclusion
While a very disturbing and frightening experience, sleep demons can’t hurt you. When I encounter them, I like to occupy my mind by thinking up an origin story for them, until they go away and I can move my body again.
Have you ever seen a sleep demon? Tell us in the comments below!
Frequently Asked Questions About Sleep Paralysis Demons
Are Sleep Paralysis Demons Real?
Sleep paralysis demons are not real in the physical sense, but they are a very real experience that can feel frightening.
Can Sleep Paralysis Demons Physically Hurt You?
Sleep paralysis demons can’t hurt you physically, as they are only sleep hallucinations. The weight you may feel on your chest is caused by sleep paralysis and will ease as your body wakes up. You also can’t hurt yourself when seeing a sleep demon, as your body is still unable to move, locked in the state between sleep and wakefulness.
Is Sleep Paralysis Dangerous?
While it can be very scary, sleep paralysis is not inherently dangerous. It can feel extremely uncomfortable and frightening, but it is temporary and perfectly normal.
How Long Does Sleep Paralysis Last?
Sleep paralysis usually lasts between a few seconds and a couple of minutes. Very rarely does it last longer.
How Common Is Sleep Paralysis?
There is no precise data to indicate how many people experience sleep paralysis. According to an article published in the International Journal of Applied and Basic Medical Research, it’s estimated to affect between 1.7% and 40% of the population. Most people only have one or two isolated sleep paralysis episodes in their lives.(1)
Can Naps Cause Sleep Paralysis?
Yes, naps can also cause sleep paralysis, especially if you are very tired and your brain enters REM sleep too quickly.
Are Sleep Paralysis Demons a Sign of a Mental Health Disorder?
Sleep paralysis demons are not typically a sign of a mental health disorder, but rather a glitch in waking up or falling asleep.
However, they can also be linked with PTSD and anxiety, so if you suffer from either of these conditions, you may find yourself experiencing sleep paralysis more often, as your body has trouble sleeping.
Are Sleep Demons and Sleep Paralysis Demons the Same Thing?
Yes, sleep demons and sleep paralysis demons are the same thing. Both terms refer to the same hallucinations you experience during episodes of sleep paralysis.
Sources:
(1) "Sleep Paralysis, a Medical Condition with a Diverse Cultural Interpretation.” International Journal of Applied and Basic Medical Research, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6082011. Accessed 25 February 2026.
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