Out-of-body experience and arousal
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.