Sleep paralysis is a curious thing. As you might know, during an episode of sleep paralysis a person is unable to move or speak, all the while being totally aware of that. If that wasn't enough, there's also an eerie twist - while being paralyzed, one might also see hallucinations, which, when seen for the first couple of times might be intensely scary. And to make it just a little bit more fun, visual hallucinations are never pleasant, merely the level of terror felt might vary. Of course, there are a couple of theories why these things happen to usually otherwise healthy people, but nobody knows for sure.
Unlike with dreams, people with sleep paralysis always remember their hallucinations easily, since they weren't dreamed of, but seen during a period of awakening. And that makes these visions a perfect inspiration for horror-themed art. Mostly, the sleep paralysis hallucinations include dark figures watching, supernatural creatures suffocating or terrifying the sleeper, often accompanied with and out-of-the-body feeling and loud buzzing, humming noises. Though it is quite hard to describe what exactly this grim experience feels like, these artists have managed to impart their episodes perfectly, giving us a glimpse of these nightly terrors in their dark drawings.
If you also suffer from this mind disturbance, try following a healthy sleeping regime as it decreases the chances of sleep paralysis phenomena occurrence. On the other hand, these deep drawings might consolidate you in knowing that you are not alone and these hallucinations haunt other people, too.
#2 I'm A Little Bit Panicked That I May Find Myself In Sleep Paralysis Again
Sleep paralysis hallucinations often include visions of incubus and succubus - demonic entities who lie atop sleeping people, harboring evil intentions.
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114points
#3 Sleep Paralysis
"Why can't I wake up? I have had this before, and it is undoubtedly one of the most frightening experiences ever. Who else here has had sleep paralysis? Once I woke up but I was not really awake it just felt so real, I looked at my room door to see why it was open. I close it every night, all I see is what seems to be an old woman silhouette standing there then all of a sudden she runs to the side of my bed, I can't move, can't talk, can't shout."
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100points
#4 Intruder
Another common theme in sleep paralysis hallucinations - terrifying intruders.
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93points
#5 Had Another One An Hour Ago. Decided To Photoshop An Example
I've had sleep paralysis for a few years, and each time is just as terrifying as the last. I always wake with a feeling of being in a void, alongside a sense like the void is rumbling deeply, like an airplane engine is above my house, combined with a weight on my chest
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85points
#6 Ever Since That Day, I Pray I Never Wake To It Again
Dark and eerie monsters are what accompanies sleep paralysis most often. And when the ability to move and speak is lost, it is incredibly hard to snap out of it.
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82points
#8 Sleep Paralysis Self Portrait. I'm A Long Time Sufferer
It started in my teen years and has continued into adulthood. It was always hard to explain to people without thinking I was crazy. I wanted to create something that conveyed how scary the experience is when your body is paralyzed, and you lay there while you feel things in the room or see dark shadows or demons staring at you
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79points
#9 The Feeling Of Sleep Paralysis
Feeling of sleep paralysis is probably the best described by using such words as terror, helplessness and threat.
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74points
#12 Here's A Painted Storyboard Shot For My New Horror Film Called Tickle About Sleep Paralysis And Domestic Abuse
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71points
#13 Illustration I Did A While Ago Based On A Sleep Paralysis Experience I Had
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70points
#14 A Drawing Of One Of My Sleep Paralysis Experiences
I feel it's definitely a manifestation of my inner issues and fears. Although I used to get sleep paralysis all the time when I would drink heavily and that seemed pretty straight up demonic at times - like I was in hell. Which felt like I was in a lot of the time. But this drawing was from the tail end of my excessive drinking days and a bad relationship. That was two years ago. A lot has changed. I'm healthy. I am feeling better than ever. I don't have sleep paralysis anymore. Not often anyway. It's happened once in the last two years, but after dealing with it nightly for years, I'm no longer afraid
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69points
#15 The Best Picture To Depict Sleep Paralysis
unknown
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#17 I Can Tell You That Sleep Paralysis Is Not Fun
For me, I know for sure that it was a sleep paralysis since I couldn't move at all. It felt like all nerve connections were cut, and even though I ordered my legs and arms to move, they didn't respond in any way. It was a terrifying moment. Also, I saw all kinds of stuff, but after the thing was over I realized I had kept my eyes closed all the time
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62points
#18 Drawing For My Illustration Class. The Assignment Was To Pick An Article And Do An Illustration For It. I Chose An Article On Sleep Paralysis
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61points
#19 A Girl From Some Of My Sleep Paralysis Episodes. I Am Not An Artist By Any Means But She Is Kind Of Creepy
She comes from the doorway and kind of just floats in the corner of my room staring at me. She has no legs that I can see as her dirty white dress covers them. One of her arms is cut off above the elbow and bleeding onto her dress. There is always a breeze blowing her hair and dress around. She doesn't do anything but float and look very sad. Never tries to approach me. Sometimes she has a lantern in her intact arm. I used to be very afraid of her but now that I am used to having sleep paralysis - I know she is not real and nothing to be scared of
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60points
#20 This Is A Painting About Sleep Paralysis. If You've Ever Had It, You'll Understand
After a sleep paralysis hallucination episode one might feels totally helpless and out of control of their own body.
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58points