Study Information

We are researchers from Northumbria University who are interested in sleep paralysis. Sleep paralysis is when people wake up and are unable to move and often see vivid experiences. We would particularly like to hear from people who are over 18 years old and have paranormal experiences during sleep paralysis. We would like to know about your sleep paralysis experiences and other paranormal experiences from other areas of your life. Paranormal experiences can be seeing or hearing ghosts or spirits, seeing a person who has died, feeling a presence or overwhelming atmosphere in a location, being able to read someone’s mind, or them being able to read your mind, living or working in a haunted location. Also, vivid sleep experiences such as out of body experiences or lucid dreaming which you think may have paranormal origins.

If you click “I agree” at the bottom of the page it will take you through to some questions which ask about yourself and your circumstances. We will ask questions about checking out or day dreaming experiences you have had. We would also like to understand the relationship you have with your own thoughts. Since we are interested in paranormal experiences, some scenarios are described and we would like to know if you have experienced them and how you explained them. We ask how sleepy you feel day to day. Finally, we will ask about your sleep paralysis. Most of these questions are structured with options for you to select. However, we would like to hear more about your most recent sleep paralysis experience. You have the option to either write a description of this experience in free text or you can record yourself describing it and we will give you the option to upload the audio file.

If you have any questions please feel free to get in touch with us, the researchers:

  • Emma Barkus emma.barkus@northumbria.ac.uk and
  • Nick Neave nick.neave@northumbria.ac.uk

We would like to interview people about sleep paralysis, so at the end of the questions there will be an opportunity for you to provide your email address to organise this. You do not have to take part in the interviews – this is an option for those who are interested. At no time will your name or your email address be linked to your responses to the questions so you will remain anonymous.

We will make sure that no one will recognise that you have taken part in the study. We may present our findings to other people, but no one will be able to recognise any one individual. If you would like to receive a copy of what we find out, please get in touch with the researchers on the emails given above.
For a more detailed and formal explanation of the study please click here:

Full Information Sheet

Question Title

* If you are happy to take part, please select “I agree” and move on to the questions.

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