Science explains why you see... ghosts!

According to Sciencing, ghosts, goblins, and vampires don't really exist. So, your ghost sightings may just be due to fear.

Let's face it, there is no scientific evidence to support the existence of ghosts. However, that hasn't stopped people from believing in the existence of these supernatural forces. In a 2013 Huffington Post/YouGov poll, about 45% of Americans believe in ghosts. Additionally, according to a 2009 Pew survey, 18% of respondents reported seeing a ghost.

So why do people believe that ghosts really exist? Scientists believe that this is a cultural issue , similar to the belief that life after death really exists.

Seeing ghosts is because of fear.

According to Sciencing, many people believe that seeing ghosts is a side effect of the natural stress response . When they are too scared and stressed, for example when walking alone at night, many people will think that there are footsteps behind them.

At that time, your heart will start to beat faster and your awareness of your surroundings will also be much more sensitive. This makes it so that if you hear something or see something moving, you immediately attribute it to a ghost.

Many people believe that seeing ghosts is a side effect of the natural stress response.

This theory has been scientifically proven. Researchers in the UK tested the mental state of people who thought they had seen ghosts. They found that those people were more likely to see ghosts (or other paranormal creatures) when they were stressed.

In other words, when stressed, our bodies are hypersensitive to everything around us and imagine anything that moves could be a ghost .

Belief in talking to the dead

The belief that it is possible to actually talk to the dead is even more common than the belief that ghosts exist. When you go through a very traumatic experience, such as the loss of a loved one, it is natural to feel hopeless and seek comfort.

" If the brain cannot be controlled objectively, we will perceive more structures around us, even when they do not exist," a British cognitive expert named Jennifer Whitson told the BBC.

This means that the belief that you can actually talk to the dead may come from the fact that it will bring you comfort or the belief that they are actually watching over you. Of course, this means that having a loved one appear in your dreams is also part of the grieving process and missing them.

Most people believe that there is life after death . This makes it no surprise that many people believe that the dead can also appear or communicate with us. Being aware of contact with a ghost can be part of the normal grieving process and can even give you an idea of ​​how your brain functions in a stressful situation.

The brain makes you see things that should not be possible

Ghostly phenomena may be the result of larger problems in our brains, specifically gray matter .

The mystery of sleep paralysis remains unsolved (Photo: Sleepcycle).

For some people, hearing voices or experiencing strange visions can be an early sign of medical conditions such as schizophrenia.

For people who have experienced the pain of losing a loved one, missing their shadow can cause the brain to "summon" spirits as a way to cope with the trauma.

This creates vivid "encounters" between the living and the spirit, which psychologists call "after-death communication" .

It has long been among the most popular types of paranormal experiences, affecting both skeptics and believers.

Even in people without mental illness, temporary changes in brain activity can lead to what feels like "encountering a ghost."

Scientists have spent decades but still cannot decipher the phenomenon of "sleep paralysis" , when you still retain the feeling of consciousness but cannot move.

Some believe it occurs when the brain crosses between conscious awareness and REM (rapid eye movement) sleep.

Different cultures have different names for this strange phenomenon. For example, in Cambodia, some people say it is the 'ghost that pushes the victim down'. While in Nigeria, locals call it by another name: 'the demon that sits on your back' .