Nightmares or a crippling reality? A review on sleep paralysis.
Amalesh S Honnekeri
Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care July 1, 2025 DOI: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_212_25 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Dreaming |
| Keywords | Parasomnias Primary care Rapid eye movement Sleep paralysis |
| Key findings | Sleep paralysis is associated with chronic conditions like hypertension and obstructive sleep apnea, as well as with post-traumatic stress disorder. |
Abstract
Sleep Paralysis (SP) is a state that occurs during the hypnagogic or hypnopompic period in which one finds themselves unable to move despite being conscious. During an episode of SP, the individual experiences muscle atonia, as they would during normal sleep, but they remain conscious. SP is also largely associated with three types of hallucinations - the 'intruder', the 'incubus', and an out of body experience. It can induce tremendous fear in the individual experiencing it, and cause significant distress. SP has been found to co-occur with chronic conditions such as hypertension and obstructive sleep apnea, and is also associated with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. SP has also been depicted in folklore for centuries, leading to various superstitions surrounding its occurrence. Given the sense of fear associated with episodes of SP, as well as the role culture and folklore have played over centuries in using superstition to explain this phenomenon, it is imperative for the primary care physician to empathetically address the patient's concerns and scientifically, yet sensitively, help dispel myths pertaining to SP. The fact that SP co-occurs with various comorbid conditions, as well as its association with serious psychiatric conditions such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) warrants ascertaining a history of its episodes during routine clinical interviews and, if needed, liaising with the appropriate specialists to provide the best therapeutic outcome to the patient.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on dreaming, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The cognitive neuroscience of lucid dreaming | 2019 | Review | |
| Sleep and dreaming are for important matters | 2013 | Review | |
| Nightmare Disorder and Isolated Sleep Paralysis | 2020 | Review | |
| My Dream, My Rules: Can Lucid Dreaming Treat Nightmares? | 2019 | Review | |
| Dream Recall: State or Trait Variable? Part I: Model, Theories, Methodology and Trait Factors | 1996 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cites 11
- A systematic review of variables associated with sleep paralysis Sleep Medicine Reviews June 8, 2017
- Nightmare Disorder and Isolated Sleep Paralysis Neurotherapeutics November 23, 2020
- Risk factors of sleep paralysis in a population of Polish students. BMC Psychiatry June 7, 2022
- Experiences and beliefs related to sleep paralysis among the general population of the twin cities: A cross-sectional study. Sleep Medicine December 1, 2024
- Isolated sleep paralysis: Clinical features, perception of aetiology, prevention and disruption strategies in a large international sample. Sleep Medicine April 1, 2023
and 6 more in the library