night-hag
Nocturnal suffocating spirit
A night-hag is a demon or evil spirit believed to visit people during sleep, sitting on their chests and causing nightmares or paralysis.
The term comes from folklore explaining the terrifying sensation now attributed to sleep paralysis: She woke unable to move, convinced a night-hag had come for her.
Also called a nightmare in the older sense of that word.
Male demon of sleep
- succubusFemale demon seducing sleepers
- mareFemale adult equine
- maraLarge South American rodent
- bansheeDeath-foretelling Irish spirit
lamia · Lilith · changeling · doppelganger · brownie · kelpie · bogeyman · imp
Ghostly threatening presence
- phantomInsubstantial apparition
- apparitionVisible supernatural manifestation
- poltergeistDisruptive supernatural entity
- wraithSpectral apparition of someone
haunt · demon · shade · spirit · vampire · succubus · incubus · possession
Temporary waking immobility
- chest pressureConstriction felt over ribs
- suffocationFatal lack of air
- hallucinationPerception without external cause
- intruderUnauthorized person present
shadow figure · paralysis · REM sleep · insomnia · dread · terror · panic · darkness
Wizened old woman
- sorceressFemale practitioner of magic
- hexMalevolent incantation
- spellcasterOne who performs magic
- cauldronLarge metal cooking pot
coven · sabbath · familiar · grimoire · incantation · curse · necromancy · henbane
Extreme fear or disgust
- terrorExtreme, overwhelming fear
- fearEmotional response to threat
- chillingCausing fear or cold
- macabreDisturbing, death-obsessed
eerie · creepy · menacing · sinister · unsettling · frightening · ominous · foreboding
incubus
Male demon of sleep
banshee · lamia · Lilith · changeling · doppelganger · brownie · kelpie · bogeyman · imp · ghoul
specter
Ghostly threatening presence
- phantomInsubstantial apparition
- apparitionVisible supernatural manifestation
- poltergeistDisruptive supernatural entity
wraith · haunt · demon · shade · spirit · vampire · succubus · incubus · possession · evil spirit
sleep paralysis
Temporary waking immobility
- chest pressureConstriction felt over ribs
- suffocationFatal lack of air
- hallucinationPerception without external cause
intruder · shadow figure · paralysis · REM sleep · insomnia · dread · terror · panic · darkness · bedroom
crone
Wizened old woman
- sorceressFemale practitioner of magic
- hexMalevolent incantation
- spellcasterOne who performs magic
cauldron · coven · sabbath · familiar · grimoire · incantation · curse · necromancy · henbane · belladonna
horror
Extreme fear or disgust
macabre · eerie · creepy · menacing · sinister · unsettling · frightening · ominous · foreboding · shadowy
night-hagguardian angel
Protective spirit assigned individually
fairy godmother · sandman · good fairy · protective spirit · muse
night-haggood witch
Benevolent magical practitioner
angel · guardian angel · fairy · fairy godmother · white lady
night, nights, nightly, nighttime, nightmare, nightmarish, overnight, midnight, fortnight