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[Shzar]

Incidentally, some believe that these hypnagogic states are responsible for all the alien abduction stories you hear. People hallucinate malignant presences and take it to mean nasty, probe-wielding aliens.

[Aqizzar]

I believe it.  The mind does weird things when it's trying to sleep

My dad tells a story about a time when he was living in an apartment with several other people.  They liked to party a lot, which was a problem for Aq Sr. because he worded late.  One night he came home dead tired after the partying had already ended, and while he was laying there, a bunch of people burst into the room and tried to drag him out of bed.  He fought them off, then again and again for a few minutes.  Finally he jumped up and started searching for them, only to find his roommates asleep and the apartment empty.  Completely alone, just really tired, and he knew he could feel himself being pulled and jostled by party people.

There was also the time I nearly knocked myself out when I woke up, and I could swear for all the world there were things standing around my bedroom.  I ran after them as they escaped and melded into the shadows, and I crashed into the wall.  I had to stand there groping the wall for a minute to convince myself it was really solid.

[Hawkfrost]

I have experienced Sleep Paralysis many, many times, and it is VERY annoying.
You can't move or speak, and you feel intense fear and helplessness.

Plus, you know, that thing in the corner coming closer and closer.
Or tugging on your leg from the bottom of you bed with the big evil grin.
Or hovering over your face.

Damn them.

[Cthulhu]

I once woke up in a room I had never seen before, there was a chair in the middle of the room.  I almost walked into it.  When I turned the light on, of course, it was my room again.  Things are weird at night.

[SHAD0Wdump]

I have experienced this feeling before,though I had a strange yet similar experience lately.

I was in bed(a typical place to be and get this feeling) and looked out the window,I saw what looked like a eye,now for a moment I froze up,but I was in one of my weird moods,shortly after I did a unusual thing,I actually acknowledged the eye,greeting it in a charming whacky/sarcastic way.

I guess the moral is just acknowledge the fear and hope it doesn't respond,if it does,call the cops or RUN.

[Reasonableman]

Definitely grues. Keep a lantern nearby at all times, from now on. Of course, if they were grues, you're dead, so this is the afterlife.
Is the opposite of the afterlife beforelife?

[Danaru]

One time I was in a state of half sleep and half awake, and for some reason, my entire room had an economic structure, and the bed's dollar was dropping compared to the TV stand, especially with the PS3's business

I managed to get up, use the washroom, and go back to bed without waking up, but I couldn't get back to sleep until I managed to wake myself up fully, convince myself that I DIDN'T need to rush production before my bed went bankrupt, and clear my mind again.

then my alarm went off.

[Hawkfrost]

One time I was in a state of half sleep and half awake, and for some reason, my entire room had an economic structure, and the bed's dollar was dropping compared to the TV stand, especially with the PS3's business

I managed to get up, use the washroom, and go back to bed without waking up, but I couldn't get back to sleep until I managed to wake myself up fully, convince myself that I DIDN'T need to rush production before my bed went bankrupt, and clear my mind again.

then my alarm went off.

That sir, is awesome.

And in regards to sleep paralysis, to break free move your eyes back and forth as fast as possible.
It works.

[Psyco Jelly]

Sleep paralysis has happened to me a lot, but it inspired more of a "this is goddamn annoying!" than a feeling of malevolent presence.

[Golgath]

It was dark. An uneasy feeling crept up on me, not a sudden shock, but a mounting sense of dread. I looked around the room, I felt as though something was there, moving just outside my sight. My heart was pounding silently. The silence! It was though I was cast out of reality and in again at the realization that... Not a sound from my heart! My heart was beating intensely. It hurt my chest. I did not make a noise, the silence was oppressive. I felt like a single sound would be unanswered. I'd rather believe myself deaf than know that nothing else would respond. There it was, around three meters tall! A great shadow cast by nothing! Darker than the blackness around it! I dared not move, I knew it was watching me, it and it's obsidian black presence. Why wouldn't I move! I felt I could, but I wouldn't. It has my will! It has me! With a blink, it's gone, I quietly walk to the switch, flip it and let light exist once more. The binding silence was gone, My heart was slowing. Though I suffered no physical harm, I felt as though I had nearly lost my life. I will not let this darkness surround me again. I cannot! It will be there, the black avatar of malice and darkness. I will not wait for it. If I show a moment's vulnerability, it could return.

This actually happened to me. Discuss.

Well..

Not entirely sure what this would be.  I'm tempted to call it a 'Night Terror', which is essentially a nightmare that involves hallucinations and partial or full awareness.  Its a bit similar to sleepwalking in the way it occurs, though I'm not extremely knowledgeable in this sort of thing.  As for the 'Shadow', I see stuff like that all the time.  Just staring into the darkness, monstrosities leer at me from the corners.  I see jeering faces, fanged maws, and eyes floating in the darkness.  Fun stuff.  It used to freak me out when I was younger, but since the darkness hasn't murdered me yet I like to think it's my brain screwing around.

I have experienced this feeling before,though I had a strange yet similar experience lately.

I was in bed(a typical place to be and get this feeling) and looked out the window,I saw what looked like a eye,now for a moment I froze up,but I was in one of my weird moods,shortly after I did a unusual thing,I actually acknowledged the eye,greeting it in a charming whacky/sarcastic way.

I guess the moral is just acknowledge the fear and hope it doesn't respond,if it does,call the cops or RUN.

This sort of thing happens every so often to me, as well.  Best thing you can do is grin at it.  Why?  Well, in all reasonable lines of thought, its just your mind playing tricks with you, trying to make something of limited visual information.  Or, if it really is an unspeakable horror lurking around your window, watching you, leering at you in the dark...  Better to go mad with a smile on your face.

[Cthulhu]

I'm pretty sure night terrors aren't associated with distinct images, just intense fear.  Also, the person almost never remembers them, if I remember correctly.

[Golgath]

I'm pretty sure night terrors aren't associated with distinct images, just intense fear.  Also, the person almost never remembers them, if I remember correctly.

They're similar to nightmares in whether your remember them or not, though they are generally far more acute, as far as fear is involved.  I'm not entirely sure on that factor.  However, night terrors often involve hallucinations, and I think I'll pull out my book real quick..

Here's what I got: "Less common, but more frightening, are night terrors.  These parasomnias occur earlier in the cycle, during stage 3 or 4 of NREM Sleep.  The sleeper experiences panic, may hallucinate, sit bolt upright, scream in terror, walk around, talk incoherently, and still be almost impossible to awaken."

This is pulled from my introduction to psychology book, so I am sure of its validity.

You might be right about the hallucinations, as they are not a guaranteed factor, it doesn't mention how often they are remembered, though if I knew more about N(on)R(apid)E(ye)M(ovement) sleep, I could tell you more.

[Jude]

Sleep paralysis sounds really crazy I'm glad I don't have it'

Incidentally the excellent album "El Cielo" by Dredg is a concept album about sleep paralysis