The Challenge of Nighttime Bathroom Visits
Have you ever felt trapped in your own body, screaming for help but unable to make a sound? In this deeply personal account, I share my harrowing experience with sleep paralysis, revealing the intense fear and helplessness that accompanies this condition.
Drawing strength from faith and spirituality, I offer insights into coping mechanisms and the importance of mental and emotional resilience.
Here’s how you can overcome fear, seek refuge in Allah, and find inner peace amid the chaos of sleep paralysis.
Early Struggles with Sleep
Childhood in Norway
Since childhood, I struggled with sleep, particularly after moving from my homeland in 2005 to Kirkenes, Norway. The drastic change—cold, snowy, dark, and breezy—created an environment that exacerbated my sleep issues. Initially, I slept well, but soon, nightmares became more severe. Although my parents knew about my sleep troubles, I never revealed the full extent to them.
Nighttime Bathroom Visits
A few weeks after moving, I started to visit the bathroom very often during the night, to avoid wetting the bed, I would wake up right before I had to go, navigating the dark house to reach the bathroom. I dreaded these nighttime trips and often woke up my sibling to accompany me. His support made me brave, and I started to sleep more deeply, although new problems soon emerged.
After a while, my nighttime bathroom trips became the least of my worries. My sibling’s support made me brave, and I started to sleep deeply and longer. My parents reduced my liquid intake before bed, decreasing the frequency of my bathroom visits. Now, I faced new problems I didn’t know how to explain to anyone.
Sleep Paralysis During Childhood
I had terrifying experiences as soon as I was about to fall into a deep sleep. I felt someone standing near me, a heavy weight on my back, evil and fearful whispers, and a terrifying presence around me. It kept me up all night. Reflecting on it now, I feel so bad for my younger self, facing so many new challenges after moving from Sudan. Dealing with bad sleep is so daunting and can cause insomnia overtime.
These experiences were worse than my nighttime bathroom trips. It felt as if no one else in the house was targeted but me. I hated the night, darkness, and anything related to sleep. I loved staying up. My bedtime was after children’s TV, which was around 6 pm. I was usually in bed by 6:30 pm after my nighttime routine. My parents knew I had sleep issues, but they never understood how severe it was.
Teenage Years: Visions and Nightmares
By the time I reached puberty, the horror nights faded drastically. I don’t know why, but it stopped for a long period. However, around the age of 10-11, it began again. This time, I didn’t pay too much attention to it, but I was still afraid. I don’t recall details from this period.
However, in my early teenage years, around 14-15, my sleep pattern worsened again. I started to see visions during my sleep. I couldn’t move while this terrifying creature stood in the corner of the room. This happened wherever I slept; I couldn’t escape it.
The visits in my sleep made me scared to go to bed again. This time, I was not consistent with my prayers. I was more focused on hanging out with friends and schoolwork, paying little attention to my faith and religious practices. Reflecting now, I realize that my religious practice played a role in the level of fear I experienced.
During my early teenage years, I should have known how to drive away evil but didn’t. I had no idea which Surah to read before bed, how to navigate the internet for answers, or any act of worship to Allah (SWT).
I used an iPhone 3GS but only for Facebook (I had an account in 2009) and to be able to reach parents and some game apps . I didn’t even know how to navigate a search engine from my phone. So, I just lived through it, trying my best to think of something else before bedtime.
Seeking Help and Understanding
Sleep paralysis is a terrifying experience that has been reported by people around the world for centuries. In Islam, this phenomenon has taken on special significance due to its association with certain supernatural and spiritual entities. It is said that Jinn Al Kaboos is responsible for the sleeping paralysis. Jinn Al Kaboos make you feel suffocated as if someone or something is pushed on you which is not allowing you to breathe and then sudden you wake trying to catch your breathe. This is just one of the one ways the Jinn attacks us during sleep paralysis. The paragraph is from the book written by Dr Salama Bint Omar.
The horror during the night continued on and off throughout my teenage years. I lived alone from around 15-17, so I had to learn to live with it. But by this time, I had managed to find information online and finally had a term for my condition: sleep paralysis.
I had a Muslim friend around this time who helped me reconnect with my religion. We fasted and prayed together, and taught each other valuable lessons about our faith. He was my best friend for years.
In my late teenage years, around 17-19, I stopped focusing on it too much. I rarely told anyone how badly I struggled with it. By then, I embraced it as part of how life can get, and my fears started to fade. I knew that if this creature I kept seeing from my childhood was going to hurt me, then it would have already. This thought kept me safe and sure that nothing will happen to me and that it wasn´t real after all.
This doesn’t mean I wasn’t afraid when it occurred, but I was so used to it that I didn’t fear going to sleep like I did in my early teenage years. No doctor could help me, and I had no choice but to surrender until I reconnected with my religious practices, again.
The latest sleep paralysis episode was on the night of June 20th. Before that, it was a week prior. The difference now is that I have full control. I am suffocating the devil. This is how I overcome sleep paralysis.
A Cry for Help: My Terrifying Experience with Sleep Paralysis
I remember vividly the night I cried out while being attacked in my sleep. I screamed for Allah to help me. At that time, I lived alone, but even if there had been others in the house, they wouldn’t have heard me. When sleep paralysis strikes, no one around you is aware of what you’re going through. It’s as if nothing changes for them; they cannot save you. Having struggled with sleep paralysis almost my entire life, I am fully aware that my surroundings cannot detect anything wrong.
During this particular episode, I kept screaming in my mind for Allah to save me. It felt like I had been in this realm for days. At one point, I felt something dragging me out of my misery. It’s hard to explain, but think of it like you’re drowning, and someone pulls you out of the ocean. I regained consciousness to find my bed wet, my body drenched in sweat, and my hair so wet it was dripping. I was breathing heavily and grabbed my phone to text my friend, only to find out I had been asleep for less than two hours. What felt like days of torment had, in fact, only lasted a couple of hours.
I don’t believe the paralysis started until I had gone into a very deep sleep, from which it was hard to wake up. In the past, I had been in such realms during sleep paralysis for many hours, but this particular event felt incredibly real and remains my most terrifying experience with sleep paralysis to this day. This happened in 2022.
Sleep paralysis is a phenomenon that blurs the lines between the dream world and reality. Understanding its nature and finding ways to cope with it can be a crucial step toward regaining control over one’s sleep and overall well-being.
Effective Methods to Combat Sleep Paralysis
The Power of Ayatul Kursi
Sleep paralysis usually occurs at one of two times. If it occurs while you are falling asleep, it’s called hypnagogic or predormital sleep paralysis. If it happens as you are waking up, it’s called hypnopompic or postdormital sleep paralysis.
Firstly, identify the type of sleep paralysis you struggle with with most. It can occur while you are awake, right before falling into a deep sleep, during deep sleep, or while falling into a light sleep. I have never experienced it during a daytime nap for example, in my case it has only taken place at night. Satan bothers us at night, and no one is safe. Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) was advised by the devil to recite Ayatul Kursi as protection.
“…and he [the devil] said to me [Abu Hurayrah], ‘Whenever you go to bed, recite Ayatul-Kursi from the beginning to the end, ‘Allaahu laa ilaaha illa huwa-l-Hayy-ul Qayyum.” He further said to me, ‘(If you do so), Allah will appoint a guard for you who will stay with you [and protect you], and no devil will come near you till morning.” The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said, ‘He has spoken the truth, although he is an absolute liar. Do you know whom you were talking to, those three nights, O Abu Hurayrah?’ He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said, ‘No.’ He [the Prophet] said, ‘It was the devil.’” [Al-Bukhaari]
Abu Hurayrah, Al-Bukhaari
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said in ash-Sharh al-Mumti’, “This hadeeth is evidence that the liar may say the truth and that the enemy may give advice, but the advice of the devil in this case is not (given with the intention of) real advice, but, rather, out of fear of being handed over to the Prophet .”
To my fellow Muslims, read Ayatul Kursi if you struggle with any kind of sleep paralysis. The Prophet (SAW) confirmed that this Ayat will protect us from the devil.
Fighting Sleep Paralysis with Dhikr
Additionally, I started fighting the devil during his nightly attacks right before Covid. I could feel the terrifying tension as soon as I started to fall into a deep sleep.
By this time, I stopped seeing reflections, figures, or any indications of someone being with me while I was supposed to be alone. I just felt a presence, an evil spirit. I had many nightmares while I was married, but that’s a different story. These nightmares were connected to the sleep paralysis, but it had everything to do with my situation with the spouse rather than satan bothering me this time around.
The whispers were bad and nonsensical, filled with fear. I fought these by doing Dhikir during my light sleep as soon as I sensed the devil trying to scare me. Dhikir is a lifesaver. I remember Allah and start talking to Him, repeating “Allahu Akbar” in my head.
As soon as I start doing Dhikir, satan disappears. Defeating the devil from within my mind is a great and incredible reward from Allah (SWT). It shows the power of Allah’s name and Dhikir. I haven’t experienced severe sleep paralysis in many years because of this method. Conditioned with lots of Islamic practices.
The Impact of Playing the Quran at Night
Another method I adopted during Covid is playing any Surah from the Quran at night from my phone or laptop. I search for a specific Surah or a playlist with different Surahs to keep the environment peaceful and blessed.
This has a significant impact on the atmosphere around me. The devil does not enter where the Quran is played. He flees instantly. It’s worth a try, trust me. This method allows me to enjoy a restful night, feeling protected by the holy Quran. I get to sleep so fast, and all evil spirits evaporate instantly.
The Importance of Not Claiming Sleep Paralysis
Lastly, this one is very important. Do not claim sleep paralysis. Notice how I don’t write “my sleep paralysis”? Engaging with the paralysis is damaging for our minds as it will allow your brain to think that it’s of your nature and that it later becomes part of who you are.
I refrain from giving this paralysis any attention. I can count on one finger the people I’ve mentioned this issue to. And I can bet you that it was so vague when I brought it up that they have forgotten about it already.
Allowing sleep paralysis to have access to your life and your mind is the last thing you want. Taking back control is the first thing you should focus on when discovering it.
Taking back Control and Seeking Refuge in Allah
As Muslims, we are not to allow negativity in any shape or form to dictate or distract us. We have Al-Quran, the teachings of the Prophet (SAW), Du’a, Dhikr, and so much more to help us navigate this life better. My best tip of the day is to forget it.
Forget the devil, forget the negativity he brings into our lives. Forget that he exists, but with precautions. Shaitan is not important; he is insignificant with nothing to offer but to cause disruption within our minds and our ummah. He is not intelligent, nor is he a reliable source.
So, when he whispers to you, ignore it and seek refuge in Allah (SWT) from him. Shaitan is the least desired creature among Muslims, yet he clings onto us like a rat clings onto garbage.
References: Islamweb Fatwa, webmb
Suggested reading: How Unwarranted Manifesting Changed My Life: A Journey of Breaking Free from the Law of Jante
