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Prevalence and Clinical Picture of Sleep Paralysis in a Polish Student Sample

Author

Listed:
  • Paulina Wróbel-Knybel

    (Ist Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Early Intervention, Medical University of Lublin, 20-059 Lublin, Poland)

  • Hanna Karakuła-Juchnowicz

    (Ist Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Early Intervention, Medical University of Lublin, 20-059 Lublin, Poland
    Department of Clinical Neuropsychiatry, Medical University of Lublin, 20-059 Lublin, Poland)

  • Michał Flis

    (Ist Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Early Intervention, Medical University of Lublin, 20-059 Lublin, Poland)

  • Joanna Rog

    (Ist Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Early Intervention, Medical University of Lublin, 20-059 Lublin, Poland)

  • Devon E. Hinton

    (Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St, Boston, MA 02114, USA
    Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA)

  • Piotr Boguta

    (Locum Pharmacy for Well and Lloyds in Berkshire, Devon, Dorset, Hampshire, Oxfordshire, West Sussex, Wilthshire RG30 2BT, UK)

  • Baland Jalal

    (Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute and Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK)

Abstract

Sleep paralysis (SP) is a psychobiological phenomenon caused by temporary desynchrony in the architecture of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. It affects approximately 7.6% of the general population during their lifetime. The aim of this study was to assess (1) the prevalence of SP among Polish students in Lublin ( n = 439) using self-reported online surveys, (2) the frequency of SP-related somatic and psychopathologic symptoms, and (3) the factors potentially affecting the occurrence of symptoms among people experiencing SP. We found that the incidence of SP in the Polish student population was slightly higher (32%) than the average prevalence found in other student populations (28.3%). The SP clinical picture was dominated by somatic symptomatology: 94% of respondents reported somatic symptoms (most commonly tachycardia, 76%), 93% reported fear (most commonly fear of death, 46%), and 66% reported hallucinations (most commonly visual hallucinations, 37%). The number of SP episodes was related to sleep duration and supine position during sleep. The severity of somatic symptoms correlated with lifestyle variables and anxiety symptomatology. Our study shows that a significant proportion of students experience recurrent SP and that this phenomenon is associated with fear and physical discomfort. The scale of the phenomenon requires a deeper analysis.

Suggested Citation

  • Paulina Wróbel-Knybel & Hanna Karakuła-Juchnowicz & Michał Flis & Joanna Rog & Devon E. Hinton & Piotr Boguta & Baland Jalal, 2020. "Prevalence and Clinical Picture of Sleep Paralysis in a Polish Student Sample," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-12, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:10:p:3529-:d:359645
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Paulina Wróbel-Knybel & Michał Flis & Joanna Rog & Baland Jalal & Leszek Wołkowski & Hanna Karakuła-Juchnowicz, 2022. "Characteristics of Sleep Paralysis and Its Association with Anxiety Symptoms, Perceived Stress, PTSD, and Other Variables Related to Lifestyle in Selected High Stress Exposed Professions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-20, June.
    2. Paulina Wróbel-Knybel & Joanna Rog & Baland Jalal & Paweł Szewczyk & Hanna Karakuła-Juchnowicz, 2021. "Sleep Paralysis among Professional Firefighters and a Possible Association with PTSD—Online Survey-Based Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-14, September.

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