Night hag

thumb|A na-eche na Nightmare, nke Henry Fuseli (1781) bụ otu n'ime ihe ngosi ndị a ma ama nke ahụ mkpọnwụ ụra nke a na-ewere dị ka nleta ndị mmụọ ọjọọ.
N'anyị hag ọ bụ n'iji bụ aha e nyere ihe ụmụaka nke mmadụ, nke a na-akpa ya na nsogbu.  Ọ bụ ihe na-eme mgbe onye na-ehi Ụra na-enwe nchebe nke ihe ụmụaka nke mmadụ, ihe onwunwe nke na-eme ka onye ahụ ịga ịga njem dị ka ọ na-anọdụ ala n'obi ha ma ọ bụ n'ụkwụ ụkwụ ha.  A na-eji okwu ahụ bụ "ụjọ" ma ọ bụ "ụhụ" ihe omume a tupu okwu ahụ ihe ọ mere n'oge a.[1]  Ọdịbendị dị iche iche nwere aha dị iche iche ihe omume a na mbụ nke mmadụ.

## Nkwarụ n'ụra
Samuel Johnson deziri nkọwa izizi nke mkpọnwụ ụra n'akwụkwọ ọkọwa okwu ya bụ A Dictionary of the English Language dị ka nro, okwu malitere na nkọwa nke ọgbara ọhụrụ anyị.  A na-ewerekarị ahụ mkpọnwụ ihi ụra dị otú ahụ dị ka ọrụ ndị mmụọ ọjọọ, na karịsịa incubi, nke e chere na ọ na-anọdụ ala n'obi ndị na-ehi ụra.  Na Old English aha maka ihe ndị a bụ mare ma ọ bụ mære (sitere na proto-Germanic *marōn, cf. Old Norse mara), ya mere akụkụ anụ ọhịa na-abịa na nro.  Okwu a nwere ike bụrụ ihe jikọrọ ya na Greek Marōn (na Odyssey) na Sanskrit Māra..

## Akụkọ ọdịnala

* In Scandinavian folklore, sleep paralysis is caused by a mare, a supernatural creature related to incubi and succubi. The mare is a damned woman, who is cursed and her body is carried mysteriously during sleep and without her noticing. In this state, she visits villagers to sit on their rib cages while they are asleep, causing them to experience nightmares. The Swedish film  examines the folklore surrounding sleep paralysis.
* Folk belief in Newfoundland in Canada and South Carolina and Georgia in the United States describe the negative figure of the hag who leaves her physical body at night, and sits on the chest of her victim. The victim usually wakes with a feeling of terror, has difficulty breathing because of a perceived heavy invisible weight on his or her chest, and is unable to move i.e., experiences sleep paralysis. This nightmare experience is described as being "hag-ridden" in the Gullah lore. The "Old Hag" was a nightmare spirit in British and also Anglophone North American folklore.&#x5B;**'&#x5D;</sup>
* In Fiji, the experience is interpreted as ''kana tevoro'', being "eaten" by a demon. In many cases the demon can be the spirit of a recently dead relative who has come back for some unfinished business, or has come to communicate some important news to the living. Often persons sleeping near the afflicted person say ''kania, kania'', "eat! eat!" in an attempt to prolong the possession for a chance to converse with the dead relative or spirit and seek answers as to why he or she has come back. The person waking up from the experience is often asked to immediately curse or chase the spirit of the dead relative, which sometimes involves literally speaking to the spirit and telling him or her to go away or using expletives.<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">&#x5B;**'&#x5D;
* In Albanian folk beliefs, *Mokthi* is believed to be a male spirit with a golden fez hat who appears to women who are usually tired or suffering and stops them from moving. It is believed that if they can take his golden hat, he will grant them a wish, but then he will visit them frequently although he is harmless. There are talismans that can provide protection from Mokthi and one way is to put one's husband's hat near the pillow while sleeping. *Mokthi* or *Makthi* in Albanian means "Nightmare".
* In Nigeria, "ISP appears to be far more common and recurrent among people of African descent than among whites or Nigerian Africans," and is often referred to within African communities as "the Devil on your back." and is called "Dannau" by the Hausa people
* In Turkey sleep paralysis is called *Karabasan*, and is similar to other stories of demonic visitation during sleep. A supernatural being, commonly known as a *jinn* (*cin* in Turkish), comes to the victim's room, holds him or her down hard enough not to allow any kind of movement, and starts to strangle the person. To get rid of the demonic creature, one needs to pray to Allah by reading Al-Falaq and Al-Nas from the Qur'an. Moreover, in some derivatives of the stories, the jinn has a wide hat and if the person can show the courage and take its hat, the djinn becomes his slave.&#x5B;**'&#x5D;</sup>
* In Thailand it is believed that sleep paralysis and discomfort is caused by a ghost of the Thai folklore known as ''Phi Am'' (). Some people claim that this spirit may even cause bruises. Stories about this spirit are common in Thai comics.
* In the Southern United States, it is sometimes referred to as "witch riding".
* In Eastern Chinese folklore, it is thought that a mouse can steal human breath at night. Human breath strengthens the mouse, allowing it longevity and the ability to briefly become human at night, in a similar fashion to fox spirits. The mouse sits near the person's face or under their nostrils.<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">&#x5B;**'&#x5D;

### Ebe Ọwụwa Anyanwụ Eshia

* In Chinese culture, sleep paralysis is widely known as "鬼壓身/鬼压身" (pinyin: guǐ yā shēn) or "鬼壓床/鬼压床" (pinyin: guǐ yā chuáng), which literally translates into "ghost pressing on body" or "ghost pressing on bed." A more modern term is "夢魘/梦魇" (pinyin: mèng yǎn).
* In Japanese culture, sleep paralysis is referred to as *kanashibari* (金縛り), literally "bound or fastened in metal", from "kane" (metal) and "shibaru" (to bind, to tie, to fasten). This term is occasionally used by English speaking authors to refer to the phenomenon both in academic papers and in pop psych literature.
* In Korean culture, sleep paralysis is called *gawi nulim* (), literally, "being pressed down by something scary in a dream." It is often associated with a belief that a ghost or spirit is lying on top of or pressing down on the sufferer.
* In Mongolian culture, nightmares in general as well as sleep paralysis is referred to by the verb-phrase *khar darakh* (written kara darahu), meaning "to be pressed by the Black" or "when the Dark presses." *Kara* means black, and may refer to the dark side personified. *Kharin buu* means "shaman of the black" (shamans of the dark side only survive in far-northern Mongolia), while *tsaghaan zugiin buu* means "shaman of the white direction" (referring to shamans who only invoke benevolent spirits). Compare 'karabasan' (the dark presser) in Turkish, which may date from pre-Islamic times when the Turks had the same religion and mythology as the Mongols. See Mythology of the Turkic and Mongolian peoples and Tengriism.
* In Tibetan culture, sleep paralysis is often known as *dip-non* (གྲིབ་གནོན་ - Kham) or *dip-phok* (གྲིབ་ཕོག་ - Ladakh), which translates roughly as "oppressed/struck by *dip*"; *dip*, literally meaning shadow, refers to a kind of spiritual pollution.

### Ndịda Ọwụwa Anyanwụ Eshia

* N'omenala Cambodia, Lao, na Thai, a na-akpọ ahụ mkpọnwụ ụra *phǐ am* ( [phǐi.ʔam],  [phǐni.ʔàm]) na *Khmout sukkhot*. A na-akọwa ya dị ka ihe omume ebe onye ahụ na-ehi ụra ma na-arọ nrọ na otu ma ọ bụ karịa ndị mmụọ nọ nso ma ọ bụ ọbụna na-ejide ya. Onye na-arịa ọrịa ahụ enweghị ike ịkwaga ma ọ bụ mee mkpọtụ ọ bụla. Nke a ekwesịghị ịgbagwoju anya na *Pee khao* na khmout jool, onyinyo mmụọ.
* N'omenala Hmong, a na-aghọta na ọ bụ mmụọ na-eme n'abalị, *dab tsog*, na-akpata ahụ mkpọnwụ ụra. *Dab tsog* na-awakpo "ndị na-ehi ụra" site n'ịnọdụ ala n'obi ha, mgbe ụfọdụ na-anwa igbu ha. Ụfọdụ kwenyere na *dab tsog* bụ ihe kpatara Ọrịa ọnwụ mberede (SANDS). 
* N'Omenala Vietnamese, a na-akpọ ahụ mkpọnwụ ụra ma đè, nke pụtara "mmụọ na-ejide" ma ọ bụ Tong, nke pụtara 'onyinyo na-ejere".
* N'Omenala ndị Philippines, a na-ekwu na *bangungot* bụ nrọ ọjọọ. E kwenyere na Batibat ma ọ bụ *bangungot* na-ewere ụdị nwanyị buru oke ibu, nke buru oke ibu nke na-anọdụ n'obi onye ọ na-egbu. Ndị na-azọrọ na ha lanarịrị nrọ ọjọọ dị otú ahụ na-akọ mgbaàmà nke ahụ mkpọnwụ ụra.   &#x5B;**'&#x5D;</sup>
* Na Malay nke Malay Peninsula, a maara ọrịa ụra dị ka ''kena tindih'' (ma ọ bụ ''ketindihan'' na Indonesia), nke pụtara "ịbụ onye a na-agbanye n'ike. "  A na-ewere ihe omume dị ka ọrụ nke ụlọ ọrụ ọjọọ; na-eme n'ihe a kọwara dị ka ebe ndị ìsì n'ọhịa ọhụụ, a na-akọwa ha dị ka ndị mmụọ ọjọọ.

=== Ndịda Eshia ===

=== Ebe Ọwụwa Anyanwụ, Ebe Ọdịda Anyanwụ na Ebe Etiti Eshia ===

* In Arab Culture, sleep paralysis is often referred to as ''Ja-thoom'' (), literally "What sits heavily on something". In folklore across Arab countries, the ''Ja-thoom'' is believed to be a ''shayṭān'' or an ''<nowiki/>'ifrīt'' sitting on top of the person or is also choking them. It is said that it can be prevented by sleeping on your right side and reading the Throne Verse of the Quran.
* In [[Turkéy|Turkish]] culture, sleep paralysis is often referred to as ''karabasan'' ("the dark presser/assailer"). It is believed to be a creature that attacks people in their sleep, pressing on their chest and stealing their breath. However, folk legends do not provide a reason why the devil or ifrit does that.
* In Persian culture it is known as ''bakhtak'' (Persian: بختک), which is a ghost-like creature that sits on the dreamer's chest, making breathing hard for them. ''Bakhtak'' means ''small fortune'', and it is believed if the dreamer reaches out and holds his nose, he would tell him/her where the treasure is.
* In Kurdish culture, sleep paralysis is often referred to as ''motakka''. It is believed to be a demon that attacks people in their sleep, and particularly children of young age, and steals their breath away as they breathe heavily and keeps it out of reach.
* In Pashtun culture, it is known as "Khapasa". It is believed that it is a ghost without thumb fingers. The ghost tries to suffocate you by pressing your throat and sitting on your chest. However, since the ghost has no thumbs finger that is why it cannot suffocate effectively by using just the index and middle fingers of both hands.

=== Afrịka ===

* ''Ogun Oru'' bụ nkọwa ọdịnala maka nsogbu abalị n'etiti ndị Yoruba nke Southwest Nigeria; ogun oru ("agha abalị") na-agụnye nsogbu abalị siri ike nke a na-ekwu na ọ bụ mmụọ ọjọọ na-abanye n'ahụ na uche n'oge nrọ. A na-akọwa ''Ogun oru'' site na ọbịbịa ya, nwanyị kachasị, nghọta nke esemokwu dị n'etiti di na nwunye nke onye na-ata ahụhụ na di na nwunye "mmụọ", na ihe omume nke ịgba afa site na iri nri mgbe ọ na-arọ nrọ. E kwenyere na ọnọdụ ahụ nwere ike ịgwọ site na ekpere Ndị Kraịst ma ọ bụ ememe ọdịnala dị iche iche e mere iji chụpụ ndị mmụọ ọjọọ a ṅụrụ.
* N'Ijipt, a na-akpọ ya Kaboos (كابوس) "Compressor" na ya yiri Jathoom na ọdịbendị ndị ọzọ gbara ya gburugburu. A na-ekwu na ọ bụ ndị djinn nwere ike ime ya n'ihi omume ọjọọ, omume ọjọọ, ma ọ bụ na mberede.
* N'omenala ndị Shona nke Zimbabwe, a na-eji okwu ''Madzikirira'' eme ihe iji zoo aka n'ihe na-agbanye mmadụ n'ike. Nke a na-ezo aka n'ụwa ime mmụọ nke mmụọ ụfọdụ - ọkachasị nke ọjọọ - na-anwa iji onye ọ na-egbu maka ebumnuche ọjọọ. Ndị mmadụ kwenyere na ndị amoosu nwere ike ịbụ naanị ndị nwere mmekọrịta chiri anya iji dị irè, ya mere ndị amoosu na-agbalịkarị iji mmụọ mmadụ mee ka ndị ikwu mmadụ bụrụ ndị amoosu.   <sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">&#x5B;**'&#x5D;
* N'omenala ndị Etiopia, a na-eji okwu *dukak* (ዱካክ, "ịda mbà n'obi"), nke a kwenyere na ọ bụ mmụọ ọjọọ nke na-achịkwa ndị mmadụ n'oge ha na-ehi ụra. Ụfọdụ ndị mmadụ kwenyere na ahụmịhe a bụ ihe mgbaàmà nke ịkwụsị khat na-akpali akpali. Mmụọ ọjọọ *dukak* bụ onye na-eme ka mmadụ nwee ịda mbà n'obi nke na-esikarị n'omume nke ịhapụ ịta khat. 'Dukak' na-apụta mgbe mgbe n'ọhụụ nke ndị na-ahapụ ma na-enye ntaramahụhụ maka ndị ọ na-egbu maka ịkpasu ya iwe site n'ịhapụ. ntaramahụhụ na-abụkarị n'ụdị ntaramahụjụ anụ ahụ na-enweghị isi (dịka, *dukak* na-etinye onye ahụ n'ime karama ma na-ama jijiji karama ahụ n'ụzọ siri ike) ma ọ bụ ọrụ jọgburu onwe ya onye ahụ ga-eme (dịka ilo akpa gravel). 
* N'ebe ndị na-Asụsụ Swahili n'ebe Ndịda Ọwụwa Anyanwụ Afrịka, a maara ya dị ka *jinamizi* ("nke jinn kwụgburu"), nke na-ezo aka n'ihe e kere eke nke nọ n'obi mmadụ na-eme ka o sie ya ike iku ume. A na-ekwu na ọ bụ n'ihi na mmadụ na-ehi ụra n'azụ ya. Ọtụtụ ndị mmadụ na-echetakwa na 'ihe e kere eke' ahụ kwụgburu ha.
* N'omenala Moroccan, a maara ọrịa ụra dị ka bou rattat, nke pụtara mmụọ ọjọọ nke na-agbanye ma na-ekpuchi ahụ onye na-ehi ụra ka ha wee ghara ịkwaga ma ọ bụ kwuo okwu.

### Europe

* N'omenala ndị Finland, a na-akpọ nkwarụ ụra *unihalvaus* (nkwarụ nrọ), mana okwu Finnish maka nrọ ọjọọ, **'painaja**', kwenyere na mbụ pụtara nkwarụ ihi ụra, ebe ọ bụ na e sitere na okwu painaja, nke na-asụgharị ka ọ bụrụ *onye na-akwagharị* ma ọ bụ onye na-ebipụta, na obere nsonaazụ *-nen*.
* N'omenala ndị Hungary, a na-akpọ nkwarụ ụra lidérc kuwid n'anya (ịpịgharị lidérc) ma nwee ike ịkọwa ya na ọtụtụ ihe karịrị nke mmadụ dịka lidérc (ụmụ mmụọ), *boszorkány* (onye amoosu), *tündér* (onye fada) ma ọ bụ *ördögszerető* (onye mmụọ ọjọọ hụrụ n'anya).  Okwu *boszorkány* n'onwe ya sitere na mgbọrọgwụ Turkish bas-, nke pụtara "ịpị".
* N'omenala ọdịnala Iceland, a na-akpọkarị nkwarụ ụra inwe *Mara*. A goblin ma ọ bụ Sucubus (ebe ọ bụ na ọ bụ nwanyị n'ozuzu ya) kwenyere na ọ na-akpata nrọ ọjọọ (mmalite nke okwu 'Nightmare' n'onwe ya sitere na aha Bekee nke aha ya). Ọdịbendị ndị ọzọ dị na Europe nwere otu ọdịbendị ahụ, na-akpọ ya n'okpuru aha dị iche iche; Proto-German: *marōn*; Old English: **'mora**'; German: *Mahr*; Dutch: nachtmerrie; Icelandic, Old Norse, Faroese, na Swedish: **'mara**'; Danish: mare; Norwegian: mare; Old Irish: *Morrigain*; Croatian, Bosnian, Serbian, Slovene: môra; Bulgarian, Polish: mara: cauchemar; Romanian: moroi; Czech: *Tommyra*. Mmalite nke nkwenye ahụ n'onwe ya dị nnọọ ochie, laghachi na mgbọrọgwụ Proto Indo-European e wughachiri, incubus, site na mgbọrọ ndụ mer- "ịsacha" ma ọ bụ "ịmerụ ahụ".
* Na Malta, ọdịbendị ọdịnala na-ekwu na ọ bụ mwakpo nke *Haddiela,* onye lụrụ Hares, otu ihe dị na ọdịbendị ndị Malta nke na-enye onye ahụ nsogbu n'ụzọ yiri nke poltergeist.   &#x5B;**'&#x5D;</sup> Dị ka e kwenyere na omenala ọdịnala, iji kpochapụ Haddiela, mmadụ ga-etinye iberibe ọlaọcha ma ọ bụ mma n'okpuru akwa tupu ụra.
* Na [[Greece|Gris]] na Saịprọs, a kwenyere na ahụ mkpọnwụ ụra na-eme mgbe ihe dị ka mmụọ ma ọ bụ mmụọ ọjọọ aha ya bụ Mora, Vrahnas ma ọ bụ V критиnas (Grik: Μόρα, Βραχνάς, Βαρυπνάς) na-anwa izuru okwu onye ahụ ma ọ bụ na-anọdụ ala n'obi onye ahụ na-eme ka ọ ghara iku ume.   <sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">&#x5B;**'&#x5D;
* N'akụkọ ifo na omenala a ma ama nke Catalonia, *Pesanta* bụ nnukwu nkịta (ma ọ bụ mgbe ụfọdụ nwamba) nke na-abanye n'ụlọ ndị mmadụ n'abalị ma tinye onwe ya n'obi ha na-eme ka o sie ha ike iku ume ma na-eme ha nrọ kachasị egwu. Pesanta bụ oji ma nwee ntutu, nwere ụkwụ ígwè, mana o nwere oghere ka o wee ghara iwe ihe ọ bụla.
* Na Sardinia, otu n'ime agwaetiti ndị Ịtali, e nwere nkwenye ochie nke na-akọwa ihe kpatara ahụ mkpọnwụ ụra na mmụọ ọjọọ a na-akpọ "Ammuttadori". Ihe a na-eme ihe ike na-anọdụ n'obi onye ahụ na-ehi ụra, na-eme ka ọ ghara iku ume ma, mgbe ụfọdụ, na-eji mbọ ya adọwa akpụkpọ ahụ. E kwekwaara, n'akụkụ ụfọdụ nke agwaetiti ahụ, na mmụọ ọjọọ a na-eyi okpu uhie asaa n'isi ya: ọ bụrụ na onye ahụ e gburu eguzogide ihe mgbu ahụ ma nwee ike izuru otu n'ime okpu ahụ, ọ ga-ahụ akụ zoro ezo n'oge na-adịghị anya dị ka ụgwọ ọrụ.
* N'omenala Scottish Gaelic, a na-akpọ ahụ mkpọnwụ ụra trom-laidhe (ịgha ụgha siri ike) na okwu a aghọwo okwu n'ozuzu maka 'ihe egwu' n'asụsụ nke oge a.
* N'omenala ọdịnala Latvian, a na-akpọ nkwarụ ụra ịta ahụhụ ma ọ bụ ịkwụgbu ya site na *Lietuvēns*. A na-eche na ọ bụ *mkpụrụ obi* nke onye e gburu egbu (nke mmiri kwụgburu, nke mmiri kwụgbọrọ, nke a kwụgburu) ma na-awakpo ma ndị mmadụ ma anụ ụlọ. Mgbe a na-awakpo ya, mmadụ ga-ebugharị mkpịsị ụkwụ ụkwụ aka ekpe iji kpochapụ onye mwakpo ahụ.

### Amerịka

* In Haiti, the Tonton Macoute or *Uncle Gunnysack* is a Haitian bogeyman who kidnaps naughty and misbehaving children who is out late at night, puts children into his gunnysack and disappeared overnight.
* During the Salem witch trials several people reported night-attacks by various alleged witches, including Bridget Bishop, that may have been caused by sleep paralysis.
* In Mexico, it is believed that this is caused by the spirit of a dead person. This ghost lies down upon the body of the sleeper, rendering them unable to move. People refer to this as "subirse el muerto" (dead person on you).
* In many parts of the Southern United States, the phenomenon is known as a *[[hag]]*, and the event is said to portend an approaching tragedy or accident.&#x5B;**'&#x5D;</sup>
* In Newfoundland, it is known as the 'Old Hag'. In island folklore, the Hag can be summoned to attack a third party, like a curse. In his 1982 book, ''The Terror that Comes in the Night'', David J. Hufford writes that in local culture the way to call the Hag is to recite the Lord's Prayer backwards.
* In contemporary western culture the phenomenon of supernatural assault are thought to be the work of what are known as [[shadow people]]. Victims report primarily three different entities, a man with a hat, the old hag noted above, and a hooded figure. Sleep paralysis is known to involve a component of hallucination in 20% of the cases, which may explain these sightings. Sleep paralysis in combination with hallucinations has long been suggested as a possible explanation for reported alien abduction.
* Several studies show that African-Americans may be predisposed to isolated sleep paralysis—known in folklore as "the witch is riding your back" "the witch is riding you" or "the haint is riding you." Other studies show that African-Americans who experience frequent episodes of isolated sleep paralysis, i.e., reporting having one or more sleep paralysis episodes per month coined as "sleep paralysis disorder," were predisposed to panic attacks. This finding has been replicated by other independent researchers.
* In [[Brazil]], there is a legend about a mythological being called the ''pisadeira'' ("she who steps"). She is described as a tall, skinny old woman, with long dirty nails in dried toes, white tangled hair, a long nose, staring red eyes, and greenish teeth on her evil laugh. She lives over the roofs, waiting to step on the chest of those who sleep with a full stomach.<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">&#x5B;**'&#x5D;

## Hụkwa

* Egwu abalị

## Ihe odide