Sleep paralysis is a condition in which an individual experiences transient immobility or verbal inhibition during the process of initiating or terminating slumber. The individual may additionally undergo vivid hallucinations and perceive a weight or pressure on the thorax while experiencing sleep paralysis. Although it only lasts from a few seconds to a few minutes, it is capable of inducing fear. The transition between stages of sleep is accompanied by numerous physiological and neurological alterations. The majority of dreaming takes place during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, during which the brain transmits signals to inhibit muscle activity, thereby preventing dream-related actions. Sleep paralysis is characterized by the temporary persistence of this inhibition during a period of conscious awareness.