The associations between paranormal beliefs and sleep variables

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Sleep Science
• Paranormal Studies

Background:

• Previous research indicates a link between paranormal beliefs and sleep, but studies were small-scale and limited in scope.
• A significant gap exists in understanding the relationship between a broad spectrum of paranormal beliefs and diverse sleep variables.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate paranormal beliefs in relation to a wide range of sleep variables using a large sample.
• To identify specific paranormal beliefs associated with various sleep disturbances and subjective sleep quality.

Main Methods:

• A large-scale survey (N=8853) collected data on demographics, sleep disturbances, and paranormal beliefs.
• Participants reported on beliefs including life after death, ghosts, demons, communication with the dead, near-death experiences, and alien visitation.
• Sleep variables assessed included subjective sleep quality, sleep efficiency, sleep latency, sleep duration, insomnia symptoms, exploding head syndrome, and isolated sleep paralysis.

Main Results:

• Poorer subjective sleep quality (lower efficiency, longer latency, shorter duration, increased insomnia) correlated with beliefs in the soul's survival, ghosts, demons, mediumship, near-death experiences, and alien visitation.
• Exploding head syndrome and isolated sleep paralysis were linked to belief in alien visitation.
• Isolated sleep paralysis was also associated with the belief that near-death experiences indicate life after death.

Conclusions:

• Significant associations exist between paranormal beliefs and various sleep variables.
• Understanding these links may inform psychoeducational approaches to sleep support.
• The complex underlying mechanisms require further exploration to explain phenomena like "things that go bump in the night".