Monster of the Night: Identifying Pakistani Gender-Based, Religious, and Cultural Influences on Sleep Paralysis Among University Students.
Culture, Medicine and Psychiatry September 1, 2025 Fariya Fatima Khan, Muhammad Salman Ul Haq, Asia Ashfaq et al.
In Pakistani society, folk knowledge about sleep paralysis is shaped by culture, religion, and gender. A qualitative study with male and female participants who have experienced sleep paralysis found that Pakistani culture and religion influence how people understand and experience the phenomenon. Gender is linked to folklore about creatures associated with fairy tales and Islamic teachings. The ethnic diversity of Pakistan creates a range of different experiences of sleep paralysis, which are not merely medical but reflect multicultural facets embedded in individuals. The interactions between culture, religion, and gender are complex and require further investigation to develop culturally appropriate therapies that could improve physical and mental health outcomes.