They call her the Old Hag — a shadow that crawls into your room at night, sits on your chest, and steals your breath. For centuries, people across the world have described the same haunting experience: waking in the dark, unable to move, while a presence presses down from the edge of the bed. But is it a demon, a dream, or something in between?

In this episode, I dive into the folklore and science behind sleep paralysis — from ancient Newfoundland tales of the Hag to Japanese legends of the kanashibari. You’ll hear how fear itself can turn our own minds into the perfect stage for a nightmare.