If You Believe in Paranormal Activity or Aliens, Your Sleep Quality Might Not Be as Strong as Others

A new study sheds light on why some people may be more predisposed to believe in the paranormal.

Transcript

00:00There's really no scientific evidence for ghosts, but that doesn't mean that after

00:07the lights have gone out, many of us don't still believe we've experienced something

00:11paranormal.

00:12But now a new study might have finally found a link between spooky occurrences and the

00:16thing most of us do when all the lights go out.

00:19Sleep.

00:20Researchers found that among the more than 8,850 participants, those who reported poor

00:24sleep quality were more likely to believe in ghosts, demons, and life after death.

00:29They were also more likely to believe in near-death experiences as evidence of an afterlife

00:33and aliens coming to our planet.

00:35In fact, those who believed in aliens visiting Earth were more likely to report having experienced

00:39sleep paralysis or exploding head syndrome, a disorder where a mysterious loud noise or

00:44the sound of a crash is heard within one's head.

00:46With the researchers writing in their paper, quote, one explanation for these associations

00:51is therefore that someone experiencing sounds or images associated with sleep could interpret

00:55this as evidence that aliens or other supernatural beings exist, though they also suggest that

01:00it could be the other way around, explaining that one's belief in these paranormal entities

01:04might cause anxiety that reduces their sleep quality.

01:07Still, these results could shine a light on not only who is more predisposed to certain

01:11sleep disorders, but it may also illuminate new ways to treat them.