AUGUSTA -- Have you ever awaken in the middle of the night and found you couldn't move or speak?

A documentary made by Andrew Barnes, of Augusta, and Paul Taitt, of Canton, explores the phenomena and is gaining international attention.

Since its release in October 2008, "Your Worst Nightmare: Supernatural Assault" was discussed on more than 20 radio stations and its creators will be featured on the Rachel Ray Morning Show. The segment's air date has not yet been released, but it will be part of an episode featuring little-known medical problems.

The documentary features sleep paralysis and uses interviews from victims and experts on what sleep paralysis entails and how people live with it.

Sleep paralysis occurs when a person awakens from a deep sleep called REM, or rapid eye movement, but their body remains paralyzed. The length of time a person is paralyzed varies from seconds to minutes.

The paralysis aspect of the condition is understood in medical circles. The terror that can accompany the experience, though, is not.

Some people featured in the documentary report that when they awake paralyzed, they see or hear a shadowy or shrouded humanoid presence entering their room and approaching their bed. Victims say they are overcome with a feeling of dread, but cannot scream for help. They experience choking or chest squeezing sensations to the point where they believe they are going to die.

"I've always had a keen interest in the paranormal, but my interest in sleep paralysis started when it happened to me," Taitt said. "I was 22 years old. To find out it happened to other people and how many people it happens to was a relief. I knew then I wasn't crazy."

Barnes said he heard of sleep paralysis years ago when someone close to him experienced it.

In 1984, he met Dr. David J. Hufford, Professor Emeritus at Penn State and author of "The Terror That Comes In The Night." Hufford came to Barnes' high school in New Jersey and spoke about sleep paralysis. He asked members of the audience if they'd ever experienced anything similar. Barnes said he was astounded by the number of people who raised their hands.

"One out of five people in the room have had this happen to them," Barnes said. "They go 'I've never told anybody. I've never mentioned it. How do you know that happened to me?' But it's normal. It happens to one in five people."

What seems to be prevalent in each of the cases is that people who experience sleep paralysis are often under the age of 25 and were usually sleep deprived.

There also appears to be a connection between sleep paralysis and post-traumatic stress. This is evident by the vast number of Cambodians who suffer from sleep paralysis regularly. As a nation, Cambodians witnessed the horrors of Pol Pot's genocide in the 1970s -- a reign, led by the Khmer Rouge, that led to the extermination of millions and has left deep emotional and physical wounds on the populace.

From their research, Barnes said he and Taitt discovered sleep paralysis is not a taboo subject outside the Western world, though traditionally, Western doctors whose patients report the paralysis and the presence of shadowy figures usually brand the patients as having a schizophrenic or psychotic episode.

The fear of being branded crazy or unbelievable keeps most people from talking about it, he said. Not talking about the fearful experience leads to even more fear, which can result in more sleep paralysis.

No matter what someone's background, talking about their experiences, though, does seem to help eliminate reoccurring sleep paralysis. And for whatever reason, prayer and positively seem to help also.

"The more scared you are, the more likely you are to have sleep paralysis," Barnes said. "Be happy. Be positive. Christianity says to have a pure relationship with God; don't sully yourself with bad thoughts. It's quite profound how consistently practical that philosophy is."

Barnes and Taitt hope the exposure will help inform the public and medical field of just how real -- and commonplace -- this terrifying experience can be, as well as generate research funding.

More about Taitt and Barnes and their documentary is available at www.soulsmack.com.

"As scary as the situation may be, and alien to your normal life it may be, try not to be afraid," Taitt said. "If it has happened to you, I'd advice to talk to a close friend about it. Look on the Internet; it's full of people talking about these experiences. You can find people immediately who have had this. That can always help."

Sada Reed -- 621-5732

sreed@centralmaine.com