The prevalence of sleep paralysis in medical students in Buenos Aires, Argentina
J. Duarte, Gisela Roxana Lisi, B. Carroll, M. Garro, F. Appiani
Journal of Neurosciences in Rural Practice March 3, 2023 DOI: 10.25259/jnrp_16_2022 (opens in new tab) via Semantic Scholar
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractSleep paralysis occurs in 40.7% of medical students at the University of Buenos Aires, with most experiencing anxiety related to the episodes. Poor self-perceived sleep quality is associated with higher incidence. Hypnopompic (upon waking) sleep paralysis is most common, and most students first experience symptoms after age 18, with symptoms worsening during college. The Incubus phenomenon—a feeling of pressure on the chest—affects 14.5%. Most students do not link sleep paralysis to religious or paranormal beliefs. Clinicians should recognize this condition to avoid misdiagnosing it as psychosis.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Cross-sectional survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 145 |
| Population | Medical students at the University of Buenos Aires |
| Keywords | Medicine |
| Key finding | Sleep paralysis prevalence is 40.7% among medical students and is associated with poor sleep quality. |
Abstract
Objectives: The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of sleep paralysis (SP) in medical students from the University of Buenos Aires (UBA). Materials and Methods: An ad hoc questionnaire based on the diagnosis of SP and a demographic survey was electronically presented to students of Internal Medicine at the School of Medicine of the UBA. The respondents answered both questionnaires using Google Forms®. Results: The prevalence of SP was 40.7% (95% CI 33.5–47.8). A higher percentage of the respondents (76%) reported experiencing SP-related anxiety. An association between self-perceived quality of sleep and the incidence of SP was found (χ2: 12.712, P = 0.002). The highest frequency was hypnopompic SP (55.55%), and the highest percentage (55.4%) suffered from SP less than once every 6 months. Most respondents (59.5%) reported having started with SP symptoms after 18 years of age, and the highest percentage (66.2%) had exacerbated their symptoms at college. The frequency of the Incubus phenomenon was 14.5% (95% CI 6.2–23). Most respondents (70.8%) denied the association of SP with religious or paranormal beliefs. Conclusion: SP is highly prevalent in medical students and is associated with poor sleep habits and perceived poor sleep quality. Clinicians should be aware of this parasomnia to avoid a misdiagnosis of psychosis and inform sufferers of the nature of SP.