Sleep paralysis in medieval Persia – the Hidayat of Akhawayni (?–983 AD)
S. Golzari, Kazem Khodadoust, Farid Alakbarli, K. Ghabili, Z. Islambulchilar, M. Shoja, M. Khalili, Feridoon Abbasnejad, Niloufar Sheikholeslamzadeh, Nasrollah Moghaddam Shahabi, Seyed Fazel Hosseini, K. Ansarin
Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment June 6, 2012 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s28231 (opens in new tab) via Semantic Scholar
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractAkhawayni's 10th-century Persian medical text, Hidayat al-muta'allemin fi al-tibb, includes a chapter on sleep paralysis (night-mare) placed before the description and treatment of epilepsy. This article reviews Akhawayni's teachings on sleep paralysis alongside descriptions and treatments by Greek, medieval, and Renaissance scholars. The authors contend that Akhawayni's descriptions, together with other early writings, offer insight into sleep paralysis during the Middle Ages in general and in Persia in particular.
Study at a glance
Abstract
Among the first three manuscripts written in Persian, Akhawayni’s Hidayat al-muta’allemin fi al-tibb was the most significant work compiled in the 10th century. Along with the hundreds of chapters on hygiene, anatomy, physiology, symptoms and treatments of the diseases of various organs, there is a chapter on sleep paralysis (night-mare) prior to description and treatment of epilepsy. The present article is a review of the Akhawayni’s teachings on sleep paralysis and of descriptions and treatments of sleep paralysis by the Greek, medieval, and Renaissance scholars. Akhawayni’s descriptions along with other early writings provide insight into sleep paralysis during the Middle Ages in general and in Persia in particular.