Sleep paralysis: A brief clinical review
Avinash De Sousa, Pragya Lodha
Telangana Journal of Psychiatry 2019 DOI: 10.18231/j.tjp.2019.002 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Sleep paralysis Narcolepsy Sleep system call Psychological intervention Cataplexy Neurology |
| Key findings | Sleep paralysis is underdetected in clinical practice due to its unusual nature and lack of clinician training, and management requires more empirical support and larger randomized controlled trials. |
Abstract
This brief clinical review summarizes the literature on sleep paralysis most relevant to clinicians. Sleep paralysis is a condition where the sufferer awakens to rapid eye movement sleep based atonia, combined with conscious awareness. This is a frightening event accompanied by vivid, waking dreams and hallucinations. Sleep paralysis occurring independent of narcolepsy and other medical conditions is termed isolated sleep paralysis. Though rare in clinical practice, the unusual nature of the condition and a lack of training during medical residency and graduate education leads to fewer cases being detected. This paper looks at the prevalence, risk factors, diagnosis and management of sleep paralysis. The management consists of both pharmacological and psychotherapeutic interventions that need clear guidelines, empirical support and larger randomized controlled trials. Keywords: Sleep, Sleep paralysis, Isolated sleep paralysis.