Why do we experience sleep paralysis and what causes it?

We experience sleep paralysis when our brain wakes up but our body is still asleep, like being stuck between a dream and the real world.

Imagine you're playing with your favorite toy, you're fully engaged, having so much fun. Then suddenly, someone grabs you by the shoulders and says, “Time for bed!” You blink your eyes, but your body doesn’t move right away because it’s still in play mode. That’s kind of what happens during sleep paralysis.

Sleep paralysis is like being caught between two worlds, one where you're dreaming and another where you're awake. Your brain wakes up, so you can think clearly, but your body is still in "sleep mode," meaning you can’t move or speak easily.

When you sleep, your brain tells your muscles to relax so you don’t act out your dreams. Sometimes, this relaxation happens too quickly, your brain wakes up before your body does. That’s when you might feel like you're trapped in a strange place between sleeping and waking.

It's like trying to shout for help from inside a bubble, you can see and think clearly, but you can’t move or speak easily until your body catches up with your brain.