An international group of scientists led by Mahmoud Hefnawy reviewed existing studies on sleep paralysis. A total of 76 papers from 25 countries were analyzed, covering over 26,000 patients. The conclusions, however, were fairly standard.
A third of the population experiences sleep paralysis, with psychiatric patients and students being its most common victims. This is due to a combination of risk factors like stress, sleep deprivation, alcohol abuse, and the use of various substances. All of these factors make individuals more vulnerable to sleep paralysis and disrupt their sleep. Therefore, the author’s key conclusion is that sleep paralysis is a psychosocial disorder that is related to stress and is prevalent in psychologically vulnerable and traumatized groups.
Sleep paralysis has also been associated with the phenomenon of encountering demons or incubi. However, as scientists have found out, in most cases, hallucinations are absent from such cases. But, when present, both visual and auditory perceptions are usually reported. Very rarely do individuals experience solely visual or auditory hallucinations.
Do you think there is a connection between sleep paralysis and stress?
The article was published in January 2024 in Cureus.
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