Associations between sleep variables and ostensibly paranormal experiences and paranormal beliefs: A scoping review.
British journal of psychology (London, England : 1953) November 1, 2023 Betul Rauf, Rotem Perach, Juan J Madrid-Valero et al. 5 citations
Sleep disturbances such as sleep paralysis, lucid dreams, nightmares, and hypnagogic hallucinations are positively associated with reports of paranormal experiences and beliefs, including those involving ghosts, spirits, and near-death experiences. A scoping review of 44 cross-sectional studies found consistent links between these sleep variables and ostensibly paranormal phenomena. The findings suggest that nighttime experiences many people interpret as supernatural may stem from common sleep disruptions. This has clinical implications, such as reducing misdiagnosis and guiding treatment for sleep-related experiences.