You wake up, but you can’t move. You try to scream, but no sound comes out. You feel like something is pressing down on your chest, and a shadowy figure lurks in the corner of your eye. It feels terrifyingly real — like a waking nightmare you can’t escape.
This phenomenon is called sleep paralysis, and it’s one of the most frightening and misunderstood sleep experiences. The image above captures that feeling perfectly: a dark, shadowy figure crouching over a helpless sleeper.
But what causes it? Is it dangerous? And why
