Why people worldwide are reporting the same sleep paralysis creatures

Sleep paralysis is a common thread running through stories from different cultures: the disturbing presence of shadowy figures or ‘beings’ – often called night witches – who immobilize and frighten their victims. These nightmarish entities, described as grotesque figures, demons or shadowy creatures, sit on the chest of the paralyzed individual, making it difficult to breathe and instilling a sense of fear. But why do people from different parts of the world, with different cultural backgrounds, report such eerily similar experiences? Is there a scientific explanation for this phenomenon, or could the stories point to something more paranormal, rooted…