Throughout history, different cultures have had their own beliefs about sleep paralysis (SP). Canadian Inuit believed in shaman spells that could paralyze a person and cause hallucinations. The Japanese believed that SP occurs because of a vengeful spirit that strangles its enemies during sleep. Nigerians have stories about a female demon who inhabits a sleeping person and paralyzes their body.
Today, such hypotheses occupy an insignificant place, although some people still hold similar views, even in the scientific medical environment. For example, in a study conducted by a group of scientists led by Muhammad Ali Muzammil, almost half of the 297 surveyed medical students in colleges in Karachi (Pakistan) considered witchcraft and paranormal phenomena to be secondary causes of SP.
Surveys on the topic of SP are often conducted among students. It is believed that stress (a constant part of student life) is an important factor in SP. Many scientists have confirmed this hypothesis – it has been confirmed even now: stress, anxiety, and depression remain one of the main causes of SP. Also, sleeping in the supine position affects SP, and women and adolescents have a higher chance of experiencing this condition.
But the answer to the question of when an episode of SP usually occurs has become an interesting novelty: most often, researchers have noted that SP happens when falling asleep or waking up. However, according to a group of Pakistani scientists, most of their respondents experienced SP in the middle of the night.
Interestingly, the students themselves considered dying dreams to be the most likely cause of SP, followed by hypnopompic and hypnogogic hallucinations, as well as drug abuse.
Does your experience of SP confirm or refute these data?
The article was published in July 2023 in Cureus.
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