10 Terrifying Things That Can Happen To You Whilst Sleeping

10. Sleep Paralysis

The most terrifying experience to happen to you whilst still asleep is the commonly named form of sleep paralysis. This is exactly what it sounds like - during their sleep cycle, the sufferer's brain will wake up but their body will stay asleep, causing the feeling that they cannot move.

Often, the sleeper will feel an intense pressure on their chest as they attempt to move and breathe at a normal pace. The sensation of paralysis can feel endless, sometimes accompanied by visions around the room or on top of them.

Many sufferers of sleep paralysis witness a demon or dark figure pushing down on to them. Some conspiracy theorists believe that the visions are real, and are creatures of the afterlife attempting to take you down to Hell.

This image of sleep paralysis can be traced back 1781, with Henry Fuseli's painting 'The Nightmare', in which a small devil figure sits on a sleeping woman's chest. The meaning of the painting shows obsession and control over the innocent, as they cannot move and are forced to see the demon above them.