Phenomenology and Interpretations of Sleep Paralysis with an Aotearoa New Zealand Sample: Cultural Nuances and Clinical Implications
Kōtuitui New Zealand Journal of Social Sciences Online March 29, 2026 Francesca Sullivan, Nicole Lindsay
Isolated sleep paralysis (ISP) is a temporary state of immobility that occurs during the transition between wakefulness and sleep. Although described as hallucinations within biomedical discourse, frightening multisensory perceptions can often accompany muscle atonia, giving rise to numerous cultural, spiritual, and supernatural explanatory models. Presently, no studies have investigated the...