Prisoners of the Body: The Link Between Interoception and Sleep Paralysis.
Journal of Sleep Research June 12, 2026 Giuseppe Forte, Danilo Giaccari, Francesca Favieri et al.
Sleep paralysis, a REM sleep phenomenon where motor paralysis persists into wakefulness, is reported by one in four adults in a sample of 210 from the Italian population. The experience commonly includes inability to move or speak, tingling, sealed eyelids, vivid cognitive scenes, the felt presence of another being, and overpowering fear of death. Contrary to earlier findings, sleep paralysis was not linked to poorer sleep quality or chronic anxiety but was associated with insomnia symptoms and hyper-attuned body awareness. Individuals experiencing sleep paralysis showed greater interoceptive sensitivity, noticing subtle bodily cues and regulating attention and emotion through them. This suggests sleep paralysis may emerge where boundaries among body, sleep, and consciousness become blurred.