Julian Dorey Podcast #349 - Harvard Neuroscientist on “GHOST” Receptor, Spiritual Realm & Dream Illusions | Baland Jalal
Oct 28, 2025
Baland Jalal, a Harvard neuroscientist of Kurdish-Iraqi descent, dives into the intriguing science of dreams and the brain. He shares his personal encounter with sleep paralysis that shaped his career. Discover the role of REM sleep in emotional healing and how dreams might serve as rehearsals for stressful situations. Baland also explores the cultural interpretations of sleep phenomena and the connections between dreaming and psychedelics, adding layers of complexity to our understanding of consciousness and empathy.
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Sleep Paralysis Sparked A Career
- Baland described his first sleep paralysis at age 18, waking aware but fully paralyzed while a creature pressed on his chest.
- That episode drove him to research cultural and neuroscientific explanations for sleep paralysis.
Belief Amplifies Sleep Paralysis
- Cultural beliefs shape frequency, fear and vividness of sleep paralysis experiences.
- Jalal found Egyptians report it twice as often and far more likely to think it can kill them than Danes.
Mentor Moment With Ramachandran
- While in California, Jalal met V.S. Ramachandran, took his class, and became close friends and mentee for years.
- Ramachandran heavily influenced Jalal's scientific trajectory and opened many career doors.
