Sleep Paralysis: An Overlooked Phenomenon

Abstract

Dear Sir, ‘There is a time for many words, and there is also a time for sleep’ Homer, the Odyssey. A recent systemic review of an aggregated data from 35 empirical studies (N=36,533 subjects) found that 7.6% of the general population experienced at least one Sleep paralysis episode over the course of their life. Higher lifetime prevalence rates were found in students (28.3%) and psychiatric patients (31.9%)1. Sleep paralysis is a commonly attributed state characterized by the inability to move either at the onset of sleep or upon awakening accompanied by hypnagogic experiences which are visual, auditory and sensory hallucinations2. It can occur as an isolated, familial or tetrad of narcolepsy. If it occurs while you are falling asleep, it is called hypnagogic or predormital sleep paralysis. If it happens as you are waking up, its called hypnopompic or postdormital sleep paralysis. Sleep paralysis has been estimated to effect approximately 1.7% to 40% of general population with victims predominantly students3. It typically peaks at the thirties and appears to be associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), narcolepsy and panic attacks. Other major contributing factors include sleep deprivation, fatigue and stress. Alarming symptoms of Sleep Paralysis include feeling paralyzed, hear deafening buzzing sounds, feel electrical sensations shooting throughout the body.