{"id":289527,"date":"2025-07-25T03:10:09","date_gmt":"2025-07-25T03:10:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/289527\/"},"modified":"2025-07-25T03:10:09","modified_gmt":"2025-07-25T03:10:09","slug":"joe-marler-diagnosed-with-terrifying-condition-i-am-paralysed-and-screaming","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/289527\/","title":{"rendered":"Joe Marler diagnosed with terrifying condition, \u2018I am paralysed and screaming\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Former England prop\u00a0Joe Marler\u00a0has lifted the lid on a terrifying condition that leaves him frozen in fear \u2014 and it\u2019s something that\u2019s plagued him for years.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The\u00a0Harlequins<\/strong>\u00a0hardman made the chilling admission during an episode of his\u00a0Things People Do\u00a0podcast, where he was joined by\u00a0BBC Uncanny\u00a0host and paranormal investigator\u00a0Danny Robins<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

RUCK\u2019s Lions content is\u00a0powered by\u00a0ISUZU<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

Robins, 49, has made his career by delving into real-life encounters with the supernatural. And while Marler, 34, has long labelled himself a sceptic when it comes to ghosts, he revealed one recurring and unnerving experience that has shaken him to his core.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cI am intrigued to know if some of the stuff I have experienced is due to a ghost or if there is an explanation,\u201d Marler said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n

\u201cI always have this recurring moment that there is this figure in my doorway and it is not me or one of the four kids.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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\u201cIt is bigger, a figure in the doorway. It is like I can feel him staring at me and I am s***ing myself and I can\u2019t move.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n

\u201cI am paralysed and screaming at the top of my voice \u2018f*** off get out of here what do you want\u2019.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n

\u201cI want to reach for my baseball bat but I can\u2019t and then that happens so many times but there is this perverse thing in me that kind of enjoys it.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

It\u2019s a terrifying ordeal for anyone \u2014 let alone a 6ft international rugby veteran \u2014 but Robins was quick to offer an explanation that didn\u2019t involve ghosts or demons.<\/p>\n

He told Marler he was likely experiencing\u00a0sleep paralysis<\/strong>, a phenomenon that affects thousands of people and has long been mistaken for supernatural encounters.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cI can tell you what is happening here, it is called sleep paralysis and many people who think they have seen a ghost have just experienced this,\u201d Robins explained.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n

\u201cBasically your body locks you down so you don\u2019t act out your dreams.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n

\u201cIt paralyses you so you don\u2019t get up and jump out of a window.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n

\u201cBut sometimes it goes wrong and you are stuck in a state when you are awake and your body is locking you down and you are seeing sleep imagery in front of you.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n

\u201cThe classic is seeing a dark shadowy figure in your room and sometimes you hear people calling your name.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n

\u201cBut it is a weird state and it can be terrifying. Often you can feel this pressure on your chest and people often speak about feeling a demon or witch sitting on your chest.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Chilling stuff \u2014 but thankfully for Marler, there\u2019s a scientific explanation behind the night-time horror.<\/p>\n

EDITORS PICKS:<\/p>\n

\u201cGoodbye Caterpillar ruck\u201d \u2013 Three more rugby law changes for 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n

Rugby has always balanced tradition with evolution, but some of its laws may no longer serve the game as well as they once did. <\/strong><\/p>\n

As the sport becomes faster and more physical, a few rules stand out as needing change\u2014not to disrupt the game\u2019s spirit, but to enhance fairness and flow.<\/p>\n

We highlight three specific laws that we believe could benefit from an update. These suggestions come from a place of respect for the game and a desire to see it continue to thrive. <\/p>\n

World Rugby has made plenty of changes in recent years, and these ideas could be next.<\/p>\n

1. Fewer Substitutions<\/p>\n

Rugby has changed significantly over the years, and one of the biggest shifts is how the bench is used. These days, teams often bring on almost an entirely new forward pack late in the game. Big, fresh players crash into tired defenders, making the final 20 minutes less about skill and endurance, and more about brute force. Many fans and former players feel this has turned rugby into a collision sport rather than a contest of stamina and intelligence.<\/p>\n

Reducing the number of substitutions would encourage players to pace themselves. Space would open up in the second half, creating more opportunities for creative play rather than endless phases of pick-and-go. It would reward fitness, smart decision-making, and those capable of performing for the full 80 minutes.<\/p>\n

Fewer substitutions wouldn\u2019t just make the game more exciting\u2014it would make it fairer, safer, and more in line with the spirit of what rugby has always been about.<\/p>\n

With the rise of 6\u20132 and even 7\u20131 bench splits, pioneered by Rassie Erasmus, the trend seems to be heading in the opposite direction. That\u2019s all the more reason to act now.<\/p>\n

CONTINUES ON PAGE TWO<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

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