gamma-aminobutyricacid

Dan Watters

Aug 20, 2024 — 1 min read

The Nightmare by Henry Fuseli

Woke from a short spell of sleep paralysis. Dreaming I was in bed with my wife, looked up to see the reflection of two indistinct figures pacing towards us. Before I could turn and see them for real, they were dragging me from the bed, tangled in the sheet so I couldn't move. Woke, still unable to move or yell- and still actually in bed with my wife. It took longer to untangle myself from the dream than it did from the sheet.

It was brief, and there's not much of a story there. Like many dreams, terrible to go through, probably dull to hear about. But today went down a rabbit hole looking at the chemistry behind sleep paralysis. I was already aware of the basic principle- that the body signals our motor neurons to shut down movement, so that when we dream we don't act them out and hurt ourselves.

Back in 2012, researchers at the University of Toronto used a neurotransmitter called gamma-aminobutyric acid and another called glycine to switch off the motor neurons in rats, causing REM sleep paralysis. This apparently has implications for various kinds of sleep disorder. It also means we know how to induce sleep paralysis, which is vaguely horrifying. And now I'm hoping not to dream of rows of rats paralyzed against their will as they watch shadow rats lurch towards them.

I might still be half asleep.

On a related note, also finally ordered a copy of James Hillman's The Dream and the Underworld, which I've wanted to read for a hot minute.

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