Near-Death Experiences and Sleep Disturbance: An Exploratory Study Using Wrist Actigraphy.
Nicole Lindsay, Laura O'Sullivan, Rosemary Gibson, Clare Ladyman, Natasha Tassell-Matamua
The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease November 1, 2023 DOI: 10.1097/NMD.0000000000001710 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Exploratory observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 57 |
| Population | Adults who have had an NDE, a near-death event without NDE, or no near-death experience |
| Duration | 14-day actigraphy study |
| Topics | Near-death experience |
| Key findings | No significant objective sleep differences were found between groups, but the NDE group showed significant discrepancies between subjective and objective sleep measures, indicating sleep state misperception. |
Abstract
Near-death experiences (NDEs) are nonordinary states of consciousness typically occurring on the brink of death. Sleep changes after NDEs have been described, including shorter sleep duration, longer sleep latency, and more sleep disturbances; however, objective verification is lacking. In this exploratory research, 57 participants took part in a 14-day actigraphy study and were assigned to three groups: those who have had an NDE ( n = 26); those who experienced a near-death event but without NDE ( n = 12); and those who had never come close to death ( n = 19). No significant differences were found between groups for actigraphy data. Paired samples t tests indicated significant differences between subjective and objective measures of sleep onset latency, sleep duration, and sleep efficiency, notably among the NDE group. Findings are indicative of the phenomenon known as sleep state misperception (SSM), which may have clinical implications for the study of NDEs and SSM.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on near-death experience, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Near-death experience in survivors of cardiac arrest: a prospective study in the Netherlands Cardiac patients successfully resuscitated after cardiac arrest in ten Dutch hospitals | 2001 | Prospective cohort study | n = 344 |
| Incidence and correlates of near-death experiences in a cardiac care unit Cardiac inpatients at a tertiary care center | 2003 | Observational cohort | n = 1,595 |
| Features of "near-death experience" in relation to whether or not patients were near death Patients who believed they were near death during an illness or after an injury and... | 1990 | Observational cohort | n = 58 |
| The phenomenology of near-death experiences Subjects who reported near-death experiences | 1980 | Retrospective study | n = 78 |
| Near-Death Experiences and the Temporal Lobe Individuals who reported having had a near-death experience during a life-threatening... | 2004 | Observational cohort |
Citations in the library
Cites 19
- Near-death experience in survivors of cardiac arrest: a prospective study in the Netherlands The Lancet December 1, 2001
- The Near-Death Experience Scale The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease June 1, 1983
- State and Training Effects of Mindfulness Meditation on Brain Networks Reflect Neuronal Mechanisms of Its Antidepressant Effect Neural Plasticity 2016
- Incidence and correlates of near-death experiences in a cardiac care unit General Hospital Psychiatry July 1, 2003
- Near-Death Experiences and the Temporal Lobe Psychological Science March 24, 2004
and 14 more in the library