An international team of researchers have found that people with sleep disorders and insomnia are more likely to believe in supernatural events. In particular, they believe in life after death, ghosts, demons, and UFOs.
In their study, scientists tried to establish a link between several sleep variables and supernatural experiences. Specifically, the scientists examined the correlation between effects such as sleep paralysis and exploding head syndrome on the one hand and spiritual practices and experiences of supernatural events on the other. The study found that people with these disorders often believe in otherworldly phenomena.
A total of 8,853 people took part in the study. However, the researchers did not allow people with mental disorders and illnesses to participate in the study.
The number of participants who reported at least one episode of exploding head syndrome or isolated sleep paralysis was 3,286 and 3,523 respectively.
"For all associations, it was found that a higher level of paranormal belief was associated with a poorer subjective sleep quality, even when controlling for age and gender effects," the authors report.
Among the participants were people who firmly believed in paranormal phenomena:
12.7% believed in life after death;
8.1% believed in the existence of ghosts;
5.6% believed that certain people can have contact with the deceased;
4.7% believed in the existence of demons;
3.4% believed that aliens have visited the Earth or communicated with humans.
The authors state that "one explanation for these associations is therefore that someone experiencing sounds or images associated with sleep could interpret this as evidence that aliens or other supernatural beings exist," adding that further research is required.
The scientists expect that their work will contribute to the treatment of sleep disorders if the study continues.