Approximately every third student experiences sleep paralysis (SP). The reasons for the high prevalence of SP specifically among students are not entirely clear. A group of scientists from Poland (Wróbel-Knybel, Flis, Rog, and Karakuła-Juchnowicz), with the participation of the well-known Harvard researcher Baland Jalal, conducted a survey of more than two thousand Polish students to identify some patterns.
Possible influencing factors include increased anxiety, as well as the consumption of psychoactive substances (caffeine, alcohol, nicotine) and poor sleep hygiene. According to the authors, it is also necessary to take into account less than ideal eating habits, problems in the family and relationships, financial problems, and difficulties in dealing with stress, which often accompany the lives of young people.
At the same time, paradoxically, the results also point to the influence of physical activity: survey participants who experienced at least one episode of SP were more physically active than those who had never encountered this phenomenon. People who exercise more often experienced more episodes of SP; however, these individuals also reported suffering from disorders or taking antidepressants. The authors also add that, before coming to conclusions, it is necessary to take into account many factors: gender, age, the duration and intensity of physical activity, etc. Therefore, the topic requires further detailed study.
Those participants who had an increased level of anxiety also experienced SP more often. This concerned mainly men; there were no significant differences in the level of anxiety among women. Men who had experienced at least one episode of SP in their lives had significantly higher anxiety levels compared to those who were not familiar with SP.
Have you noticed the influence of these factors on your experience of sleep paralysis?
The article was published in February 2022 on the Research Square website.
