你有沒有睡覺的時候突然有了知覺但是身體不能動的時候？也就是民間所謂的“鬼壓床”？鬼壓床在午休和晚間睡眠時都可能發生。其實，這種情形跟鬼怪根本無關，在醫學上有一個正規的學名：睡眠癱瘓癥。所幸這種情形多半在幾分鐘內會自己慢慢地或突然地恢復肢體的動作。

Sleep paralysis episodes typically occur either early in the night, as someone is falling asleep, or towards the end of the night, as someone is waking up. Stressful life events, anxiety, sleep quality and genetics are all linked to it.

?睡眠癱瘓癥通常發生在晚間剛入睡時，或者凌晨正要蘇醒時。生活壓力、焦慮情緒、睡眠質量、以及基因遺傳都與之相關。

In a recent UK study, nearly 30 per cent of respondents said that they had experienced at least one episode of sleep paralysis in their lifetime.

在英國最近的一次調查中，近30%的受訪者稱曾經經歷過至少一次睡眠癱瘓癥。

While sleep paralysis can be a terrifying ordeal to go through, those who do experience it should try to remember that it is a temporary and harmless event.

?盡管睡眠癱瘓癥是一種令人恐懼的經歷，但曾發作過的人們應該記住，睡眠癱瘓癥是暫時性的，而且對身體無害。

（中國日報網英語點津 Julie）