What is the main cause of sleep paralysis? One of the major causes of sleep paralysis is sleep deprivation, or a lack of sleep. A change in your sleep schedule, stress, and other sleep-related problems might also play a role. Other factors could be involved, including: Mental health conditions, such as PTSD or bipolar disorder.
Is sleep paralysis harmful? For most people, sleep paralysis is not a serious problem. It is classified as a benign condition and usually does not happen frequently enough to cause significant health problems. However, an estimated 10% of people have more recurrent or bothersome episodes that make sleep paralysis especially distressing.
How do you get out of sleep paralysis? There is no specific treatment for sleep paralysis, but stress management, maintaining a regular sleep schedule, and observing good sleep habits can reduce the likelihood of sleep paralysis.
Is sleep paralysis caused by stress? Stress and anxiety may also be linked with a person’s likelihood to experience sleep paralysis, the review found. Patients who had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) showed significantly higher rates of sleep paralysis across multiple studies compared with patients without PTSD.