One in three people has woken up unable to move at least once in their life. Such experiences are especially terrifying when there’s a shadowy figure or demon standing in the corner of the room. This is what sleep paralysis looks like, and according to researchers in Pakistan led by Ahmed Ali Khan, it’s far more common than most people think.
The team surveyed a diverse sample of 336 individuals at a regular shopping mall and found that poor sleep quality, due either to a short duration or fragmentation, significantly increases the likelihood of experiencing sleep paralysis. Stress—even moderate stress—also appears to be a risk factor. Even people with normal sleep and anxiety levels can experience sleep paralysis. Episodes most often begin in adolescence or early adulthood; the average age of onset is 17.9 years.
The nature of sleep paralysis episodes varies across cultures and belief systems, and whether a person perceives it as a spiritual event or a medical issue can influence how distressing it feels. That’s why the authors call for further research to better understand what other factors contribute to sleep paralysis and how negative experiences might be alleviated.
At what age did you first experience sleep paralysis, if you’ve ever had it?
The article was published in July 2025 in the Journal of Clinical Neuroscience.
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