5. A catastrophe or an apocalypse
We’ve all had dreams about natural or man-made disasters that make us afraid for our own lives and the lives of those close to us. These dreams could mean that personal problems have gotten out of hand or that you feel like you are in danger. Of course, the constant news about disasters and terrorist attacks makes things worse. Because of this, we start to feel weak in the modern world.
When we’re having a nightmare, we sometimes try to scream but feel like we’ve lost our voice. This makes us even more scared. Sleep paralysis is what psychologists call it. During the last part of sleep, when we have dreams, our brain paralyzes our bodies on purpose so that we can stay still and not run, jump, etc., in our dreams. People who have sleep paralysis often wake up before the last phase is over and spend a short time in a state between sleep and reality. This can make it hard to move, talk, or, in some cases, even breathe.