Why You Wake Up but Can't Move

Sleep paralysis can leave you awake in a familiar bedroom, unable to move, and certain that someone else is there. What is happening in the brain during those frightening seconds? This short documentary follows the overlap between REM sleep and waking awareness. We look at why muscles remain still, why a presence can feel real, and what researchers can—and cannot—explain about the experience. Chapters 0:00 Awake but unable to move 0:32 Why REM sleep holds the body still 0:51 Awareness returns first 1:13 The sensed presence 1:43 Chest pressure and breathing 2:18 Different cultural interpretations 2:38 How common is sleep paralysis? 3:12 What the experience reveals Research REM atonia and sleep paralysis: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles... Sensed presence in isolated sleep paralysis: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31141... Review of prevalence estimates: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles... The Wider Question makes short educational documentaries about the systems and experiences that shape our world. Footage and graphics are illustrative; they do not depict research participants. Stock footage: Pexels under its license. Graphics: original production. #SleepParalysis #SleepScience