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Sleep Paralysis Documentary: ‘Old Hag’ Syndrome

Submitted by Javier Ortega on October 8, 2009 – 4:19 PM7 Comments | 1,567 views


Artist's rendition of an "Old Hag"

Artist's rendition of an "Old Hag"


In this remarkable documentary, cases from all over the globe are told on victims of sleep paralysis or “Old Hag” syndrome. I’ve been reading a lot about sleep paralysis lately and have sympathized with the sufferers of sleep paralysis; but watching them tell their own personal stories in this documentary you are left with a different perspective of the whole situation.

In the western world, we assume that the “Old Hag” syndrome can be easily explained by science. Neurological defects combined with motor/reflex defects can produce paralysis. Add the fact that an individual is waking from a deep sleep (R.E.M) and you get hallucinations. All those events combined create a fearful cocktail of demons and entities attacking you.

In other cultures, this is explained simply by evil forces acting out on a sleeping person.

I’m more inclined to believe the scientific explanation about this phenomenon, but some experiences are so detailed and so vastly different that one is left wondering.

This is a really well done documentary. I hope you guys enjoy watching it as much as I did.




Written by Javier Ortega - javier@ghosttheory.com
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7 Comments »

  • Gary says:

    Very interesting phenomena.

    I do have to question how that expert was mentioning the rationale of sleep paralysis. Why is it that people feel entities are in the room, and not some kind of phobic fear (insects, animals for instance). I found that the guy was really stretching for it when he mentions that he can see a connection between terror and sex. I can see rape victims associating this, not otherwise.

  • mitchell kilgour says:

    i experienced sleep paralysis on a few occasions and during one of them i was crawling to a friends room to try to get help, (i thought i was dying, couldnt breath ext.) amd i met a girl crawling just like i was and she said her name was candace. what could this mean?

  • Igor says:

    Yes it happens to me quite often too, but although the “attacks” bother me, nothing bothers me more than there is no one out there who can give a real reason for these experiences. I’ve read hundreds of articles about sleep paralysis, and its always a different story. Some tell you that it is a dream, some say it is supernatural, some say you are hallucinating, and some even denies that this is really happening to people… the ignorance and the stupid guesses out there to what these visions really are, makes it more frightening than the attacks itself. There have to be some expert, doctor etc. etc out there, who knows what this it

  • jess says:

    I havent experienced this myself but someone i know has. the wierd thing is someone was in the the room whilst it was happening to that person and he see the shadow himself standing over him whilst he couldnt move, so sleep paraylsis isnt really making snese to the both of them as the other person wasnt asleep.

  • jbondo says:

    This is the explanation for 95% of all paranormal bedroom phenomena. I’ve been saying it for years. However, it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t have an open mind and allow for a process.

  • Theo Aplin says:

    I have had sleep paralysis my whole life and seen all sorts of hallucinations from crazy insect monsters to strange vibrating entities floating in the air, a strange white light, people touching and attacking me or just doing there own thing. I have also had audio hallucinations of people wispering, screaming, singing, strange high pitch beeping noises and some noises i cant even explain propperly. I have also had out of body experiances and only ever achieved this during sleep paralysis. I dont understand why or how this happens but one thing im sure of is that sleep paralysis is only a frightening experiance if you make it. Ofcourse to the untrained eye sleep paralysis can be horrific and 95% of the time it is. But thats only cos of its symptoms. You are paralized and cant feel your self breathe while being aware lol these three things combined trigger panic and thus your dream like state becomes a nightmare. So try this: concerntrate hard on not being afraid, open your eyes and let the hallucinations happen and just run with it, focus your mind with an overload of positive thoughts and keep telling your self its ok, let go of trying to escape and try your best to relax. I tried these things and a whole new world opened up before my very eyes. The feeling can only be described as pure bliss, I saw no evil entities or monsters attacking me but vibrations of energy blasting off everything in my room, a white light surrounded me that felt pure and good and the feeling of a higher godlike being close by watching over me. Amazing. I just wish I could meet more people who “suffer” from this so I can open their eyes and show them it doesnt have to be scary!!!

  • Theo Aplin says:

    p.s I’m looking for poeple who have regular episodes of SP. I would like to compare experiances and learn as much as I can. Sleep Paralysis is so real,I know its all in your head but the fact that the brain can produce such life like experiances shocks me. Im also looking for anyone out there who has woken up before not in SP but normally and all your furniture and your room it self has changed. Only for a few minutes then fades back to your room, this also happens to me, weird!! PLEASE EVERYONE E-MAIL ME ON ILIKECOLD@LIVE.COM thanks!!

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