Have you heard of the 'Old Hag' phenomenon?

Question

Could you give me some information about it and have you ever experienced it?

Answer 1

Do you mean a banshee? I'm not sure what you mean.  

Answer 2

I have suffered from sleep paralysis and it is really bloody unnerving. You are aware that you are awake but unable to move. You try to shout or scream but are not able. It feels like there are others in the room holding you down...A truly horrible experience.  

Answer 3

You've got great answers.  I've never heard it called that. I've experienced it. That was when I was young. I haven't done it in years. Thank goodness.

Answer 4

Aliens, witches, trolls, or the Devil himself? What does it mean when we are paralyzed temporarily while falling asleep or waking up?

According to legend, there are a number of malevolent entities who can be responsible for Old Hag Syndrome. In some cases, this condition is thought to be the work of aliens or the Devil. Other cultures speak of the Old Hag as being a deformed elderly woman who lies in wait to sit on the chest of a person who is asleep.

Twilight State

Sleep paralysis occurs when someone who is either falling asleep or awakening from a state of sleep realizes that they are unable to move their limbs or to speak. They are able to open their eyes. This "twilight state" appears to open the door to experiences the person would not have when he or she is fully awake.

In some cases, the person, on recognizing that he or she is paralyzed, becomes fully awake and regains the use of his or her arms and legs. The whole experienced can last anywhere from a few seconds to up to a minute.

In other cases, however, the experience is much more frightening. The person may become aware of another presence in the room, either through sight, sound, or a sixth sense. The paralyzed person may also report feeling a crushing or smothering sensation.

Some people hear voices or a buzzing sound. Out-of-body experiences can occur. Other individuals report a feeling of floating or of "falling" through the bed.

Risk Factors for Sleep Paralysis

When people are under stress, either physical or emotional, they are more likely to experience sleep paralysis. Although sleep paralysis can occur in any sleeping position, it appears more likely to happen to a person sleeping on his or her back.

Sleep Paralysis in Other Cultures

It can be argued that we are at our most vulnerable when we are asleep. It's hardly surprising that stories of devils, witches, trolls, and the like who attack us in our sleep exist all over the world. The evildoer's motive can vary from straight possession to mischief or revenge. People in Japan speak of kanashibara, which means "to tie with an iron rope". Those who make the Arctic their home are familiar with Inupik or Yupik; this is a concept by which a soul tries to enter the body of the paralyzed (and helpless) victim.

Since sleep paralysis appears to be not uncommon among people, is it possible that during this state we are better able to be aware of things that share our existence? Or are the hallucinations the product of a terrified mind?

Answer 5

yeah my dad gets it, basically its sleep paralysis and we dont really know what makes it happen, but the basic theory is that when we sleep our body shuts down to stop us acting out the dreams, but occasionally when we wake up our brain is slow in telling the body that we are awake, so we stay paralysed for a few minutes. The old hag theory comes from the feeling of an old woman sitting on your stomach whilst you are paralysed, and sometimes you see this woman, and sometimes you dont. The other theorys are that "spirits" from another world use sleep as almost a transportation device into our universe, and often feelings experienced in sleep paralysis are heavily sexual, which some believe is "ghosts" using our sleep as a way of fulfilling their own sexual desires. However, the main scientific suggestion is that it is simply a delayed reaction from your brain, despite this, the "old hag" can still not be explained, as the same phenomonon affects people all over the world, despite religious or cultural beliefs, and it is therefore still unknown exactly what creates this feeling. Hope this helped :) i also hope its not hereditory as i dont feel like getting this one morning :) xoxox

Answer 6

Do you mean sleep paralysis? Yes, I've heard of it and even experienced it.

Answer 7

"Old Hag Syndrome" sometimes referred to as "Night Hag" is another commonly used term for SP among many different cultures mainly in the western world. The term Old Hag is probably derived from a couple of sources, one being the word for Nightmare; Night -of course, we know this already, Mare being derived from the old English term Maere meaning demon or incubus (an incubus is believed to be a demon that visits during the night). Other sources as listed by Dr. J. A. Cheyne, University of Waterloo Psych. Dept include German mar/mare, nachtmahr, Hexendrücken (witch pressing), Alpdruck (efl pressure), Czech muera, Polish zmora, Russian Kikimora, French cauchmar (trampling ogre), Greek ephialtes (one who leaps upon) and mora (the night "mare" or monster, ogre, spirit, etc.), Roman incubus (one who presses or crushes) ge, (evil spirit or the night-mare--also hegge, haegtesse, haehtisse, haegte); Old Norse mara, Old Irish mar/more.