The night hag or old hag is the name given to a supernatural creature, commonly associated with the phenomenon of sleep paralysis. It is a phenomenon in which the sleeper feels the presence of a supernatural, malevolent being which immobilizes the person as if sitting on their chest or the foot of their bed.

In Scotland, the Cailleachan (lit. 'old women') are also known as the Storm Hags, and seen as personifications of the elemental powers of nature, especially in a destructive aspect. They are said to be particularly active in raising the windstorms of spring, during the period known as A' Chailleach. [17] [18]

Jul 20, 2020 · Sleep paralysis (or “old hag” syndrome), happens when your brain wakes up but your body doesn’t. We explore the causes, symptoms, treatment, and more.

Oct 8, 2024 · Who Is The Old Hag? The old hag, also known as the night hag, is described as a wrinkled and withered old woman, “witch-like” with her long hair and drawn countenance.

Feb 24, 2023 · These nightmarish, murderous, and often cannibalistic women have been cropping up in folklore for thousands of years. While some of these witches, like the Greek Circe, were always just the stuff of legend, many entries on this list were once believed to be real.

Jan 21, 2020 · But the Night Hag is not just a witch from dreamland, she is a pervasive cultural figure, well-documented throughout history. She is mostly known as Lilith - a seductress, a hero, a slayer, and the embodiment of all female wiles and secrets.

Oct 28, 2015 · Disney's Snow White has a scene in which the beautiful queen/stepmother turns into an old hag. Scholar Maria Tatar says it's "probably more frightening for adults than children because it...

Jul 5, 2020 · Not everyone experiences sleep paralysis as an evil old hag. There are many variations of experience, and these fall into three main categories. First is the experience of an intruder, a malevolent felt presence that is sometimes visible and/or audible, but not always.

Hag, in European folklore, an ugly and malicious old woman who practices witchcraft, with or without supernatural powers; hags are often said to be aligned with the devil or the dead. Sometimes appearing in the form of a beautiful woman, a succubus is a hag believed to engage in sexual intercourse

Mar 14, 2019 · The Cailleach, which translates as ‘old woman’, ‘hag’, and ‘veiled one’, exists in both Irish and Scottish Gaelic, and is an expression of the hag or crone archetype found throughout world cultures.