Mindfulness, a state of non-judgmental awareness often cultivated through meditation, is increasingly used to treat chronic pain despite mixed research results and study quality issues. This report describes a rural hospital patient in New South Wales whose quality of life was severely affected by chronic pain.
Meditation practitioners scored higher on psychological well-being, sub-consciousness, and super-consciousness than non-practitioners. Among 405 practitioners of Heartfulness, Vipassana, Heart-based Dhyan, Raj Yog, Transcendental Meditation, and Osho meditation, those practicing Heartfulness, Vipassana, and Heart-based Dhyan showed the best outcomes. Non-practitioners reported the lowest levels across all measures.
Sleep paralysis occurs in 40.7% of medical students at the University of Buenos Aires, with most experiencing anxiety related to the episodes. Poor self-perceived sleep quality is associated with higher incidence. Hypnopompic (upon waking) sleep paralysis is most common, and most students first experience symptoms after age 18, with symptoms worsening during college. The Incubus phenomenon—a feeling of pressure on the chest—affects 14.5%. Most students do not link sleep paralysis to religious or paranormal beliefs. Clinicians should recognize this condition to avoid misdiagnosing it as psychosis.