Characteristics of Sleep Paralysis and Its Association With PTSD, Stress, and Other Lifestyle Variables Among the Population of Pakistan, a Cross-Sectional Study.
Public health challenges June 1, 2026 Alishba Javaid, Rabi Jan, Afifa Khan et al.
Sleep paralysis—a temporary inability to move while remaining conscious—is linked to stress, PTSD, lifestyle factors, caffeine intake, and smoking. In a cross-sectional study of 412 participants, 48.1% reported experiencing sleep paralysis. The most common symptom was inability to move the body (44.7%). Episodes most often lasted a few seconds (20.9%), occurred upon falling asleep (23.8%), and happened while lying on the back (26.5%). Significant associations were found between frequency of episodes and both PTSD and stress, as well as with caffeine intake (38.1%) and smoking (2.9%). The findings suggest that psychological and lifestyle factors relate to sleep paralysis.