Belief in paranormal phenomena can impair sleep.

This was found out with the help of an experiment in which 8,853 people took part. All of them answered a series of questions regarding their sleep and their relationship to supernatural forces. They noted that such subjects had low sleep duration and increased symptoms of insomnia. In addition, some people have experienced sleep paralysis, in which the person is self-aware and awake but unable to move. Researchers suggest that belief in the paranormal causes anxiety that interferes with sleep. Fear of encountering ghosts can interfere with a night's rest, and this does not only apply to children.