Frequency and Factors of Sleep Paralysis Among Medical Students of Karachi.
Cureus July 1, 2023 Muhammad Ali Muzammil, Abdul-Rehman Syed, Muhammad Haris Farooq et al.
Sleep paralysis is a common experience involving temporary inability to move or speak while falling asleep or waking up, often accompanied by hallucinations and a sense of suffocation. A cross-sectional survey of 297 medical students aged 18 to 30 in Karachi found that a significant majority of females (70.3%) reported experiencing sleep paralysis. The overall mean age was 20 years. The study found no significant relationship between sleep paralysis and depression or mental anxiety, nor between sleep paralysis and its occurrence. However, there was a notable link between sleep paralysis and its impact on academics. The findings highlight the frequency of sleep paralysis among medical students, especially females, and the diverse beliefs people hold about these episodes, underscoring the need for awareness sessions.