Sleep paralysis can be a scary experience, but this video is here to help clear some of the fear and confusion surrounding the strange phenomenon. The video explores what sleep paralysis really is, its biological cause, and also presents some tips to help prevent sleep paralysis.

This video was created by McMaster students Minahil Jabeen, Dhruvika Joshi, Prabhjot Khabra and Vanessa Lombardo in collaboration with the McMaster Demystifying Medicine Program.

Subscribe to the McMaster Demystifying Medicine YouTube channel:    / demystifyingmedicine  

This video is provided for general and educational information only. Please consult your health care provider for Information about your health.

Copyright McMaster University 2017

References:

Denis, D., French, C., & Gregory, A. (2017). A systematic review of variables associated with sleep paralysis. Sleep Medicine Reviews. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2017...

Denis, D., French, C. C., Rowe, R., Zavos, H., Nolan, P. M., Parsons, M. J., & Gregory, A. M. (2015). A twin and molecular genetics study of sleep paralysis and associated factors. Journal of sleep research, 24(4), 438-446.

Fukuda, K. (2005). Emotions during sleep paralysis and dreaming. Sleep And Biological Rhythms, 3(3), 166-168. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1479-8425...

Golzari, S., Khodadoust, K., Alakbarli, F., Ghabili, K., Islambulchilar, Z., & Shoja, M. et al. (2012). Sleep paralysis in medieval Persia - the Hidayat of Akhawayni (?-983 AD). Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment, 229-234. http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/ndt.s28231

Guilleminault C., and Fromherz S.: Narcolepsy: diagnosis and management. In Kryger M.H., Roth T., and Dement W.C. (eds): Principles and practice of sleep medicine, 4th edition. Philadelphia (PA): Elsevier Saunders, 2005. pp. 780-790

Kompanje, E. (2008). ‘The devil lay upon her and held her down’Hypnagogic hallucinations and sleep paralysis described by the Dutch physician Isbrand van Diemerbroeck (1609-1674) in 1664. Journal of Sleep Research, 17(4), 464-467. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2869...

Lu, J., Sherman, D., Devor, M., & Saper, C. (2006). A putative flip–flop switch for control of REM sleep. Nature, 441(7093), 589-594. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature04767

National Institutes of Health. (2017). What is REM sleep?. Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Retrieved 7 November 2017, from https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topi...

Ohayon, M., Priest, R., Caulet, M., & Guilleminault, C. (1996). Hypnagogic and hypnopompic hallucinations: pathological phenomena?. The British Journal Of Psychiatry, 169(4), 459-467. http://dx.doi.org/10.1192/bjp.169.4.459

Ohayon M.M., Zulley J., Guilleminault C., et al: Prevalence and pathologic associations of sleep paralysis in the general population. Neurology 1999; 52: pp. 1194-1200

Plante, D. T., & Winkelman, J. W. (2008). Parasomnias: psychiatric considerations. Sleep Medicine Clinics, 3(2), 217-229.

Sharpless, B., & Barber, J. (2011). Lifetime prevalence rates of sleep paralysis: A systematic review. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 15(5), 311-315. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2011...

Sharpless, B. A., & Grom, J. L. (2014). Isolated Sleep Paralysis: Fear, Prevention, and Disruption. Behavioral Sleep Medicine, 1–6. doi:10.1080/15402002.2014.963583

Solomonova, E. (2017). Sleep Paralysis: phenomenology, neurophysiology and treatment. In The Oxford Handbook of Spontaneous Thought: Mind-Wandering, Creativity, Dreaming, and Clinical Conditions. Oxford University Press. Editors: Kieran Fox, Kalina Christoff