Meaning of Dreams: Sleep paralysis - A Dickens of a dream!

By David F. Melbourne

Could Charles Dickens have been a sufferer of a REM sleep phenomenon known as sleep paralysis? It seems likely that he was.

Let us travel back to a cold December night in the year 1843. It is Christmas Eve, and the chilling wind has concealed the familiar pattern of the city streets by fashioning snowdrifts, which are more reminiscent of a scene from the Arctic.

Except for the twinkling stars and a few hardy carol singers for company, the streets remain deserted. Only the smoking chimneys of the rickety dwellings announce the presence of life within. In one particular timber framed building there lives a miserly old man by the name of Ebenezer Scrooge.

Too embittered to consider the miracle of the origin of Christmas, he retires early to bed. Clad in a coarsely woven nightgown, bed socks and nightcap, he places hot embers in a misshapen warming pan, to take the chill from his creaky bed. Unlike most folk who count sheep to speed the onset of sleep, Scrooge counts coins of the realm.

After a few hours dreaming of streets paved with his gold, and levying charges on anyone wishing to set foot on them, he is startled awake. Immediately, the old miser senses a spooky presence in the house, and the sound of rattling chains warn him that whatever it is, it is approaching him.

Fear, like a column of ice creeping up his spine, takes him in its grip. The old man is paralysed. In vain he tries to cry out for help, but no sound leaves his quivering lips. With every tick of the clock, he knows instinctively that the unseen spectre is getting closer. The more desperately he struggles to move, the more exhausted he becomes. Helpless, he resigns himself, reluctantly, to face the oncoming horror.

Every reader knows what happens next - the ghost of Jacob Marley appears.

Nevertheless, when Charles Dickens wrote 'A Christmas Carol', it seems incredible that he could have painted such an accurate picture of the curious REM (rapid eye movement) condition known as sleep paralysis - unless he had experienced the phenomenon himself.

Just like Scrooge, people who encounter this situation are convinced that they have awoken. Nevertheless, sleep laboratory experiments prove that they are in REM sleep. They may be hovering on the very edge of consciousness, but their brain wave patterns prove beyond doubt that the images perceived are created by the dreaming mind.

Similarly, in seventy per cent of cases, individuals imagine that some sort of presence with evil intent is drawing near - a feeling of terror, the sound of footsteps, gnarled fingers curling round the bedroom door and so on. In fact, it is thought that sleep paralysis might be responsible for substantial numbers of ghost sightings - many report seeing ghostly apparitions in the bedroom, perhaps even sensing a phantom sitting on the bed.

However, one thing that everybody shares in common, is the inability to move during an episode of sleep paralysis. The harder they struggle to free themselves from its grip, the more terrified and exhausted they become. It is because the condition occurs during REM sleep that the lack of muscle tone is evident.

It is thought that the incapacity to move during REM sleep is a defence mechanism inherited from our ancestors, to protect us from acting out our dreams. Otherwise, throughout the night, the streets would be alive with people attempting to make love, running from monsters, fighting pitched battles and so on - imagine the consequences.

A number of unfortunate souls who undergo sleep paralysis believe that they have died, are dying, having a stroke, or a heart attack. A few liken the condition to being buried alive!

A minority, however, regard sleep paralysis as an interesting episode, and carry out experiments, among which are attempts to achieve an out of body experience. To the skilled dream enthusiast, sleep paralysis can represent a golden opportunity. Nevertheless, to the majority of the population who have dealings with the condition, it can be a harrowing experience.

There are a small number of people who find sleep paralysis so terrifying that physical manifestations can result. In 1996, during a prolonged bout of sleep paralysis, a woman was convinced that the devil was actually licking her neck. Later, she awoke to discover that her hair had turned white. Therefore there are valid reasons for learning how to cope with these incidents.

There is a very simple method of overcoming the traumatic effects of sleep paralysis. First, recognise it as a REM sleep condition and acknowledge that what you see or experience is the product of the dreaming mind - no matter how convinced you may be that you are wide awake. In other words, 'label' the condition as sleep paralysis. Say to yourself, 'I remember reading all about it on the Internet.'

Knowing that it is a dream will automatically reduce the amount of stress and fear, making the next stage much easier. Consequently, ignore any sensations of smell, change in temperature, or disturbing imagery you might see - again, remind yourself of this article and tell yourself that you are dreaming. Then, make a conscious effort to relax. Remember, if you struggle, you will intensify the experience.

By following this simple technique, you will find that you will drift back into a conventional dream, or awaken the moment the REM period of sleep comes to a natural conclusion - usually very soon afterwards. As far as sleep paralysis is concerned, be aware that there is only one thing to fear, and that is fear itself!

Not all about this mysterious phenomenon is doom and gloom. Some people use the condition for creative inspiration. An artist, for example, might reproduce the very convincing vivid images he or she may witness. And it seems extremely likely that Charles Dickens was also inspired in a similar way. That being the case, we might be indebted to sleep paralysis for perhaps the greatest Christmas story of all time!

DAVID F. MELBOURNE, who lives on a remote Scottish island, has been studying dreams for 25 years and is known all over the world for his accurate dream interpretations. Apart from the general public, he has analysed dreams for celebrities and famous authors, all of whom have admitted a high degree of accuracy.

David was the first person to discover the 'trigger mechanism' in sleep, which identifies message-bearing dreams, thus disproving Freud's idea that dreams are the guardian of sleep. He was also the first to establish a link between neurological visions, caused by trauma, and the subconscious. He has written a fantasy novel, and has had about 40 short stories (nearly all inspired by dreams) published by various imprints.

More about David F. Melbourne can be found at http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/dreamthemes