Sleep paralysis in college students.

About 35% of college students at a large southwestern US university had experienced sleep paralysis at some point, and those who had reported higher stress and poorer sleep than those who had not. The differences were larger when comparing students who had experienced sleep paralysis within the past year. The sample was predominantly Hispanic (94%) and female (70%). The findings suggest that sleep paralysis is common among undergraduates and is linked to both stress and sleep problems, leading to a recommendation that college health services include assessment and education about the condition.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Objective: We examined the prevalence of sleep paralysis (SP), its association with stress and sleep, and associated subjective experiences and beliefs. Participants: 1,115 college students from a large university in the southwestern United States. The sample was predominantly Hispanic (94%) and female (70%). Methods: Validated measures of life-events stress, self-perceived stress, sleep quality and insomnia were administered to participants online. Results: 35% of students had previously experienced SP and reported greater stress and poorer sleep than those who had never experienced it. Effect sizes were larger when comparing those who had/had not experienced SP within the prior year. Conclusions: Based on our predominantly Hispanic and majority female sample, we found that SP is experienced by approximately one-third of undergraduate students and associated with both higher stress and poorer sleep. We therefore recommend that college health practitioners seek ways to integrate relevant assessment and education into campus health practices.