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Poor Sleep Linked To Paranormal Beliefs Around Aliens, Ghosts, And Demons
IFL Science ^

Posted on 01/24/2023 7:01:10 AM PST by BenLurkin

It’s amazing how creepy the nighttime can be, so it’s perhaps no surprise that people tend to experience more paranormal activity after lights out. According to new research, an inability to sleep well could make the night appear even more alive, leading to stronger beliefs in ghosts, demons, aliens, and the afterlife.

A number of previous studies have linked such convictions to specific sleep disorders. These include sleep paralysis, which entails a temporary inability to move upon waking or falling asleep; and exploding head syndrome, characterized by hearing loud bangs while nodding off. Given that both these conditions are associated with hallucinatory phenomena – including the sudden appearance of shadowy figures by one’s bedside – it’s understandable that those who experience such somnolent mischief might be more inclined to believe in the paranormal.

Indeed, such ideas are even encouraged by numerous cultural explanations for these sleep disorders. In Egypt, for instance, sleep paralysis is often said to be caused by nefarious spirits call jinn, while some Italians blame the condition on an evil cat-like witch called Pandafeche.

Taking a more scientific approach, the study authors analyzed the responses of 8,853 people to a survey about sleep quality and paranormal beliefs. In particular, they sought to determine how sleep impacts people’s convictions regarding the existence of ghosts and demons, the continuation of the soul after death, and the possibility of aliens having already visited Earth.

(Excerpt) Read more at iflscience.com ...


TOPICS: Health/Medicine
KEYWORDS: paranormal; sleep
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1 posted on 01/24/2023 7:01:10 AM PST by BenLurkin
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“Exploding Head Syndrome”?


2 posted on 01/24/2023 7:01:31 AM PST by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion, or satire, or both.)
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To: BenLurkin

The night has a thousand eyes...
iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii


3 posted on 01/24/2023 7:04:30 AM PST by tet68 ( " We would not die in that man's company, that fears his fellowship to die with us...." Henry V.)
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To: tet68

Great. Now I’ve got that song stuck in my head.


4 posted on 01/24/2023 7:05:08 AM PST by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion, or satire, or both.)
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To: BenLurkin

You try sleeping with all these things bumping into each other in the night.


5 posted on 01/24/2023 7:05:30 AM PST by discostu (like a dog being shown a card trick)
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To: BenLurkin
Pepe sez "Sleep!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLSRVE3t17E

6 posted on 01/24/2023 7:05:50 AM PST by Sirius Lee (They intend to murder us. Prep if you want to live and live like you are prepping for eternal life)
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To: BenLurkin

Well, not in my case... Just plain old insomnia.


7 posted on 01/24/2023 7:06:31 AM PST by Tacrolimus1mg (Do no harm, but take no sh!t.)
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To: BenLurkin

Maybe demons cause poor sleep. ;-)


8 posted on 01/24/2023 7:09:15 AM PST by Nervous Tick (Truth is not hate speech.)
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To: BenLurkin

I bet practicing christians don’t have that problem.


9 posted on 01/24/2023 7:10:54 AM PST by exPBRrat
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To: BenLurkin

Think Elm Street...and then try not to dream about it.


10 posted on 01/24/2023 7:11:54 AM PST by Sacajaweau ( )
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To: BenLurkin
There really are monsters under the bed?


11 posted on 01/24/2023 7:12:32 AM PST by moovova ("The NEXT election is the most important election of our lifetimes!“ LOL...)
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To: exPBRrat

No but maybe having to worry about the demons in Washington and local cities might…. And news the Earth’s core stop spinning…


12 posted on 01/24/2023 7:14:37 AM PST by dragonblustar (WEF = World Economic Fascists. )
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To: BenLurkin
"According to new research, an inability to sleep well could make the night appear even more alive, leading to stronger beliefs in ghosts, demons, aliens, and the afterlife.

Indeed, such ideas are even encouraged by numerous cultural explanations for these sleep disorders

Which, if true, doesn't prove that these things don't exist (science has no way of measuring or verifying spiritual phenonmena), only that those who experience such things (whether real or not) would tend to believe in them more.

13 posted on 01/24/2023 7:16:06 AM PST by fidelis (👈 Under no obligation to respond to rude, ignorant, abusive, bellicose, and obnoxious posts.)
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To: BenLurkin

Being haunted by ghosts, demons and aliens will keep most people up at night.


14 posted on 01/24/2023 7:16:31 AM PST by DannyTN
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To: BenLurkin

Uh...”cause” or “effect”?


15 posted on 01/24/2023 7:16:47 AM PST by G Larry ( "woke" means 'stupid enough to fall for the promotion of every human weakness into a virtue')
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To: BenLurkin

The demon causing ME to lose sleep is a swollen prostate.


16 posted on 01/24/2023 7:17:06 AM PST by moovova ("The NEXT election is the most important election of our lifetimes!“ LOL...)
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To: DannyTN

To say nothing of underpants gnomes....


17 posted on 01/24/2023 7:22:36 AM PST by gundog (It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. )
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To: BenLurkin

18 posted on 01/24/2023 7:25:34 AM PST by ConservativeInPA (Stupidly is a moral problem, not an intellectual problem. )
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To: BenLurkin

I was plagued by the shadowy bedside figure that you can’t look straight at, always in my peripheral vision from childhood.

Then I got RK eye surgery to correct my near sightedness and astigmatisms.

No more shadow figures.


19 posted on 01/24/2023 7:27:02 AM PST by Valpal1 (Not even the police are safe from the police!!!)
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To: BenLurkin

Mahna Mahna
Do doo be-do-do
Mahna Mahna
Do do-do do.

There. Fixed it.


20 posted on 01/24/2023 7:33:43 AM PST by drSteve78 (Je suis Deplorable STILL )
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