by New research involving participants from 35 countries has highlighted the surprising prevalence of NDEs.
Presented on June 29th at the European Academy of Neurology Congress in Oslo, Norway, the study sought to determine the connection between near-death experiences and REM sleep disorders.
A total of 1,034 people from 35 countries took part in the research, with 289 participants reporting a near-death experience at some point in their lives. Out of those, 106 were deemed to have had a genuine near-death experience based on their responses to additional survey questions.
Such experiences often centered around the sensation of being separated from one's body but also often included an abnormal perception of time, racing thoughts and heightened senses.
Around half of those with near-death experiences reported having them during a life-threatening situation, while others had the experience during a stressful event such as child birth.
Crucially, in relation to the study's goals, 47% of experiencers also reported REM sleep intrusions such as sleep paralysis, suggesting that there could in fact be a connection between the two.
"Identifying the physiological mechanisms behind REM sleep intrusion into wakefulness might advance our understanding of near-death experiences," said study lead author Dr. Daniel Kondziella.
Source
