Four years ago, I started my university education and for the first time I was living away from my family. The university is about 650 kilometers from my hometown and I was living at one of the oldest residences on the campus. It was called Sunnyside and was a female only residence.
I made many friends at Res and we stayed up until odd hours of the morning laughing and having fun. Because of this during the day I would often come back to my room and have a nap in-between lectures. On one such afternoon I went back to my room, set my alarm to wake me up before my next lecture and promptly fell asleep.
At some point I felt like I was floating above my body, I could see myself lying in my bed. Suddenly I was back in my body and I heard someone open the door. I could hear my little cousin calling my name. My first thought was that it couldn't be my cousin because she was in my hometown and she was like 5 years olds she wouldn't be at my university by herself. Then I felt hands around my throat trying to choke the life out of me, my eyes were squeezed tightly shut as I kept thinking this is not my little cousin. I could scream or move my hands to stop whatever was choking me.
I opened my eyes but I was turned on my side and all I could see was the wall. I needed to turn my head so that I could see my attacker. I thought to myself "I am not afraid and I am going to look this thing in the eye" but as I turned my head I didn't have the guts to keep my eyes open. I started to chant (I am hindu and it was a prayer I learned when I was little) and after a few seconds the strangling stopped. I opened my eyes and sat bolt upright in bed.
To this day I get chills when I think of it. I have read about REM but the thing is that I was finally able to turn my head. The strange thing was at the same time when I experienced this, both my mother and brother were having strange and frightening nightmares.
If someone could explain / had a similar experience I would appreciate if you would respond.
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It was in the morning, I was sleeping in late and my boyfriend had just left for work so I knew it was aroung 6am. I always insist he closes the door behind him when he leaves because I get really nervous with open doors. Maybe I am just paranoid but passages freaks me out (this is an important piece of detail). SO anyway, I was lying in bed contemplating getting up or going back to sleep and I was actually drifting to sleep when I heard the door open and my friend, loyiso, enter the room. She said hi and came to sit on the bed. I still remember very clearly the weight of someone sitting beside me on the bed. She asked me if I wanted breakfast and I said that's sweet thank you, when it dawned on me that loyiso was in sandton and I was in midrand so, shocked, I tried to sit up to see who this was and as I asked who it was this thing pulled the covers over my face and tried to suffocate me. Now I suffer from sleep paralysis on a regular basis and you tend to feel an attack coming, but this was different. I could smell the smell of decay and I got so P.O'd at this thing I started praying the LOrd's prayer and after a few seconds I felt it get up and walk out the door. Now here is the weird thing. When I sat up, breathless, my bedroom door was slightly ajar and I know for a fact my boyfriend closed it. And I could smell something rotten in the air. Needless to say I no longer sleep on the side closest to the door. No matter where I am I sleep by either the wondow, or the wall.
My point is, sorry for babbling, there might be a truth to the scientist's explanation of sleep paralysis but sometimes there is a deeper more paranormal explanation. I say this because I have suffered from sleep paralysis for years and I know when I am inbetween sleep, and calming down and letting it pass works for me, but there are times when I get really freaked out and therefore have to pray. So be careful because you rarely hurt yourself in this condition because you usually can't move and if you felt something strangling you and had a mark on your neck then there might be more to it.
Hope all is well now, again sorry for gaaning aan but I thought I should share my experience. Maybe it will help.