Neurology
April 10, 2006
Kevin R. Nelson, Michelle Mattingly, Sherman A. Lee et al.
120 citations
People who have had a near-death experience (NDE) are more likely to have previously experienced REM sleep intrusion—such as sleep paralysis or sleep-related hallucinations—than those who have not. This supports the hypothesis that REM intrusion, which can occur during wakefulness, contributes to the subjective aspects of NDEs. In a study of 55 individuals with NDEs and matched controls, sleep paralysis and visual or auditory hallucinations during sleep were substantially more common in the NDE group. The findings suggest that under life-threatening circumstances, an NDE is more likely in those predisposed to REM intrusion, possibly involving suppression of the locus ceruleus.
Neurology
March 5, 2007
Kevin R. Nelson, Michelle Mattingly, Frederick A. Schmitt
60 citations
Among 55 people who had a near-death experience (NDE), those who also reported an out-of-body experience (OBE) during the NDE showed more signs of REM sleep intrusion—such as sleep paralysis or hallucinations—during the transition between wakefulness and sleep, compared to matched controls. The findings suggest that OBE in the context of NDE may be linked to a predisposition of the arousal system to allow REM-related phenomena to intrude into waking or sleep-transition states. This connection is supported by similar OBE reports in narcolepsy, a disorder of state boundary control, where OBE diminishes with treatment.
The Oxford Handbook of Psychedelic, Religious, Spiritual, and Mystical Experiences
June 20, 2024
Kevin R. Nelson
Near-death experiences arise from a blend of waking and REM sleep consciousness caused by reduced blood flow to the brain (ischemia). When the brainstem arousal system is disrupted by ischemia, it can produce a hybrid state called REM intrusion, which explains key features of near-death: seeing light, appearing motionless, out-of-body sensations, euphoria, and a rich narrative landscape. REM intrusion also accounts for why diverse conditions, including non-threatening ones, can trigger near-death and why cerebral ischemia most often does so. Evidence shows that people who have near-death experiences are physiologically susceptible to REM intrusion. Near-death experiences share features with mystical experiences but remain distinct, driven by different neurophysiologic processes.