Paranormal Activity & Tiredness Upon Waking
While paranormal phenomenon can occur at any hour, when it happens at night it can interrupt sleep patterns and leave you feeling tired upon waking. The term paranormal is widely defined as an extrasensory experience deemed to exist or occur outside normal sensory channels. Paranormal activity can manifest in a myriad of ways during sleep, and may leave you feeling physically drained and frightened when you wake up.
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Types of Activity
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Paranormal activity is typically separated into specific categories such as intelligent, residual, demonic or poltergeist. Intelligent hauntings are thought to be the manifestation of spirits who are aware of your presence. Residual hauntings can be described as energy imprints. They are believed to be long gone with only their energy signatures remaining, but they may continue a set pattern like walking up and down a flight of stairs at the same time every day. These entities are not aware of the living or their current surroundings. Poltergeists are defined as playful spirits or pranksters who seem to favor the manipulation of objects. These entities are believed to be attracted to the energy of young children and adolescents.
Timing
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While many people believe paranormal activity primarily occurs at night, research conducted by the Wisconsin based Heartland Paranormal Investigations has shown that EVPs (electronic voice phenomenon) and other forms of haunting activity can be captured and witnessed during daylight hours. However, as night falls, the internal and external landscape tends to quiet down with a drop in noise from traffic and people. Pair this dark and quiet atmosphere with the feeling of vulnerability often associated with lying in bed, and you can quickly become hyper-sensitive to your surroundings, making any odd occurrences more noticeable.
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Old Hag Syndrome
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If you find yourself in a state of semi-consciousness and unable to move, with perhaps the added discomfort of a hostile presence in your room or on top of you, you may have been visited by the "Old Hag." Folklore suggests that, the hag leaves her body at night to sit on the chests of her victims. However, Standford University states that what you are really experiencing is a normal phenomenon called Sleep Paralysis. During sleep, the brain renders the body paralyzed to prevent you from physically acting out your dreams. Sometimes, the sleeping process is interrupted just enough to wake the mind while the body remains paralyzed and often, hallucinations or even dreaming can occur. Many feel that this phenomenon is paranormal in nature, but scientists disagree. Regardless of what you believe, the experience can leave you feeling terrified, and exhausted. Some suggest that sleep paralysis is more common among the sleep deprived which can cause a reoccuring cycle of these episodes.
Effects of Fear and Exhaustion
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Exhaustion can not only affect perception and judgment, but severe exhaustion can even cause hallucinations. The "Psychiatric Times" even likens sleep deprivation to the physical and mental effects of psychosis. From a paranormal perspective, demonologists suggest that demonic entities pray on the weak, specifically those who are experiencing emotional, mental or physical turmoil. Sleep depravity can quickly spiral out of control, leaving you vulnerable to these sorts of manifestations. Fear is probably one of the biggest factors in the loss of sleep where paranormal activity is involved. Due to the vulnerability associated with lying in bed at night, waiting for something to appear can take its toll, robbing you of precious hours of sleep.
Solutions
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If you believe that you experiencing a haunting, you may get some peace by confronting the spirits. Inform the entity that they are in your home and must abide by your rules, which includes leaving you alone when you are sleeping. If you are afraid to confront the entity, enlist the services of a paranormal investigation group. They can not only attempt to provide validity to and gather evidence of the activity you have been witnessing, but an experienced group can often provide assistance or resources for blessing your home or in asking the spirits to vacate. If perhaps the reason for your exhaustion does not seem paranormal in nature, consult a physician to rule out a potential sleep disorder.
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References
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