Your brother's experience sounds a lot like a "night hag":
The night hag or old hag is the name given to a supernatural creature, commonly associated with the phenomenon of sleep paralysis. It is a phenomenon during which a person feels a presence of a supernatural malevolent being which immobilizes the person as if sitting on their chest or the foot of their bed.
Sleep paralysis is a state, during waking up or falling asleep, in which a person is aware but unable to move or speak.[1][2] During an episode, one may hallucinate (hear, feel, or see things that are not there), which often results in fear.[1] Episodes generally last less than a couple of minutes.[2] It may recur or occur as a single episode.[1]
The condition may occur in those who are otherwise healthy or those with narcolepsy, or it may run in families as a result of specific genetic changes.[2] The condition can be triggered by sleep deprivation, psychological stress, or abnormal sleep cycles.[2] The underlying mechanism is believed to involve a dysfunction in REM sleep.[2] Sleep paralysis is commonly experienced by lucid dreamers; some lucid dreamers use this as a method of having a lucid dream.[3] Diagnosis is based on a person's description.[2] Other conditions that can present similarly include narcolepsy, atonic seizure, and hypokalemic periodic paralysis.[2]
I had experienced sleep paralysis years ago when I was pregnant with my first child. I would hear ACDC music blaring really loud and the sound of someone coming up the stairs to our apartment. I could hear the floors creaking as the foot steps came into our bedroom and stopped next to the bed. I would be completely paralysed - unable to move or wake up. I remember this scenerio happening several times.
I've had it happen twice myself. It can be pretty scary. When it happened to me, I was in bed and woke up. I thought I was awake, as I could see the window across from me in the room, but I couldn't move or breathe. I could see a shadowy form on my chest, that was weighting me down. I had this feeling of dread come over me, like this thing was evil. The really scary part was not being able to breathe. In my mind I commanded the thing to leave me in the name of Jesus. Instantly, I was able to breathe again.
The funny thing is, many years after this happened to me, I was diagnosed with sleep apnea. I have to wonder now whether this was a beginning sign of it that I didn't recognize at the time.
I wonder if that was a soul that previously lived there? The music is interesting, do you remember the particular song? Pregnancy is already so crazy with a human growing and hormones on high. Did that entity visit you or your unborn child you think?
This is the classic sleep paralysis I've experienced, only the sounds I hear tend to be more of a crowd of voices so thick that I can't make out anything they are saying and the music I hear sounds old, like an old jazz bar from the 40's or something. And it all sounds like it's far away and the sound is drifting on the wind to me. Such a weird thing. I've had this happen only when I was sleeping on my side, not my back. So I think it's something to do with my ear pressing against the pillow, muffling sounds from the room fan, and my sleep paralysis brain filling in the rest. I hate the footsteps one though, and the actual feeling of being paralyzed. It's so terrifying.
I've read the same thing, as well. Your brain shuts down your movements while you sleep, otherwise you'd attempt to act out your dreams in real life. When this mechanism fails, you end up with sleep-walkers or sleep paralysis.
I’ve (luckily) never experienced hallucinations like that in any of my sleep paralysis episodes, but damn if being unable to move or say anything is terrifying.
I think you hit the nail on the head with sleep paralysis. I cant run from people in dreams and im also usually naked and sometimes have the teeth dream where my teeth fall out!
Your brother's experience sounds a lot like a "night hag":
The night hag or old hag is the name given to a supernatural creature, commonly associated with the phenomenon of sleep paralysis. It is a phenomenon during which a person feels a presence of a supernatural malevolent being which immobilizes the person as if sitting on their chest or the foot of their bed.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_hag
Sleep paralysis is a state, during waking up or falling asleep, in which a person is aware but unable to move or speak.[1][2] During an episode, one may hallucinate (hear, feel, or see things that are not there), which often results in fear.[1] Episodes generally last less than a couple of minutes.[2] It may recur or occur as a single episode.[1]
The condition may occur in those who are otherwise healthy or those with narcolepsy, or it may run in families as a result of specific genetic changes.[2] The condition can be triggered by sleep deprivation, psychological stress, or abnormal sleep cycles.[2] The underlying mechanism is believed to involve a dysfunction in REM sleep.[2] Sleep paralysis is commonly experienced by lucid dreamers; some lucid dreamers use this as a method of having a lucid dream.[3] Diagnosis is based on a person's description.[2] Other conditions that can present similarly include narcolepsy, atonic seizure, and hypokalemic periodic paralysis.[2]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_paralysis
Ah yes thats right, lucid dreaming! Thank you for the info I have to share with him
You're welcome, fren!
I had experienced sleep paralysis years ago when I was pregnant with my first child. I would hear ACDC music blaring really loud and the sound of someone coming up the stairs to our apartment. I could hear the floors creaking as the foot steps came into our bedroom and stopped next to the bed. I would be completely paralysed - unable to move or wake up. I remember this scenerio happening several times.
I've had it happen twice myself. It can be pretty scary. When it happened to me, I was in bed and woke up. I thought I was awake, as I could see the window across from me in the room, but I couldn't move or breathe. I could see a shadowy form on my chest, that was weighting me down. I had this feeling of dread come over me, like this thing was evil. The really scary part was not being able to breathe. In my mind I commanded the thing to leave me in the name of Jesus. Instantly, I was able to breathe again.
The funny thing is, many years after this happened to me, I was diagnosed with sleep apnea. I have to wonder now whether this was a beginning sign of it that I didn't recognize at the time.
I wonder if that was a soul that previously lived there? The music is interesting, do you remember the particular song? Pregnancy is already so crazy with a human growing and hormones on high. Did that entity visit you or your unborn child you think?
Thanks for sharing.
This is the classic sleep paralysis I've experienced, only the sounds I hear tend to be more of a crowd of voices so thick that I can't make out anything they are saying and the music I hear sounds old, like an old jazz bar from the 40's or something. And it all sounds like it's far away and the sound is drifting on the wind to me. Such a weird thing. I've had this happen only when I was sleeping on my side, not my back. So I think it's something to do with my ear pressing against the pillow, muffling sounds from the room fan, and my sleep paralysis brain filling in the rest. I hate the footsteps one though, and the actual feeling of being paralyzed. It's so terrifying.
I've read the same thing, as well. Your brain shuts down your movements while you sleep, otherwise you'd attempt to act out your dreams in real life. When this mechanism fails, you end up with sleep-walkers or sleep paralysis.
I’ve (luckily) never experienced hallucinations like that in any of my sleep paralysis episodes, but damn if being unable to move or say anything is terrifying.
I think you hit the nail on the head with sleep paralysis. I cant run from people in dreams and im also usually naked and sometimes have the teeth dream where my teeth fall out!