Open AccessSleep paralysis, a medical condition with a diverse cultural interpretation
Author(s) -
Esther Olunu,
Ruth Kimo,
Esther Olufunmbi Onigbinde,
Mary-Amadeus Uduak Akpanobong,
Inyene Ezekiel Enang,
Mariam Osanakpo,
Ifure Tom Monday,
David Adeiza Otohinoyi,
Adegbenro Omotuyi John Fakoya
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
international journal of applied and basic medical research/international journal of applied and basic medical research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2248-9606
pISSN - 2229-516X
DOI - 10.4103/ijabmr.ijabmr_19_18
Subject(s) - etiology , ethnic group , sleep paralysis , sleep (system call) , psychiatry , psychology , interpretation (philosophy) , value (mathematics) , population , medicine , paralysis , clinical psychology , sleep disorder , computer science , insomnia , law , political science , programming language , environmental health , excessive daytime sleepiness , machine learning , operating system
Sleep paralysis (SP) is a state associated with the inability to move that occurs when an individual is about sleeping or just waking. It could occur in healthy individuals as isolated SP. It has also been linked with other underlying psychiatry, familial, and sleep disorders. Statistics show that 8% of the general population suffers from SP. Although this value has been described inaccurately, there is no standard definition or etiology to diagnose SP. There are several speculations describing SP in the current literature. These descriptions can be viewed as either cultural-based or medical-based. The disparity among cultural or ethnic groups and medical professionals in identifying SP has led to the various approaches to managing the condition. This review aims to medically describe SP and how it is interpreted and managed among various cultural groups.