This week's edition is dedicated to the little understood phenomenon of "sleep paralysis": the experience of waking from sleep (or waking at the point of entering sleep) and being unable to move. It can be accompanied by hallucinations, fear, the sense of a "presence" in the room and the feeling of crushing pressure on the chest. People who have an episode of sleep paralysis will sometimes attribute it to something paranormal, such as attempted alien abduction.
Christopher French, professor of psychology at Goldsmiths College London, and film maker Carla MacKinnon came into the studio to discuss The Sleep Paralysis Project where artistic and scientific perspectives on the condition come together to shine a light on this neurological glitch in our normal waking pattern.
Inspired by her own struggle with sleep paralysis, Carla was funded by the Wellcome Trust to work with Chris on a dark and disturbing film titled Devil in the Room. We will be posting a longer version of the film on the site, but here is a teaser of Devil in the Room.
The project also led to an online resource for those who experience the condition, their families and GPs.
In the past, Chris has written about sleep paralysis for the Guardian.
Subscribe for free via iTunes to ensure every episode gets delivered. (Here is the non-iTunes URL feed).
Follow the podcast on our Science Weekly Twitter feed and receive updates on all breaking science news stories from Guardian Science.
Email scienceweeklypodcast@gmail.com.
Guardian Science is now on Facebook. You can also join our Science Weekly Facebook group.
We're always here when you need us. Listen back through our archive.
