Medical experts from the Philippine Heart Association (PHA) have clarified that “bangungot”—a term for sudden, unexplained death during sleep—is not caused by nightmares or evil spirits, but by a heart condition called arrhythmia.
Speaking during the May 9 episode of Usapang Puso sa Puso, electrophysiologist Dr. Giselle Gervacio and PHA Director Dr. Luigi Pierre Segundo explained that arrhythmia, an irregular heartbeat, can trigger sudden cardiac arrest, especially during sleep. This condition, also known as Sudden Unexplained Nocturnal Death Syndrome (SUNDS), typically affects healthy young adults, especially men, across Asia.
The term “bangungot” comes from the Visayan words “bangun” (wake up) and “ungol” (moan), describing the moaning sounds often heard before victims die in their sleep—leading to myths about evil spirits or bad dreams.
Gervacio shared findings from a 2014 UP-PGH study that ruled out pancreatitis as a cause of SUNDS. The study concluded that fatal arrhythmias are to blame, and roughly 20–30% of cases are hereditary.
The doctors also dismissed other common beliefs, including links to fish sauce, heavy meals, alcohol, or spirits. While these may act as triggers, they are not the root cause.
They highlighted Brugada Syndrome—a detectable and treatable condition with symptoms such as fainting, seizures, and palpitations—as a potential cause of bangungot-like deaths. Brugada can be identified using an ECG and treated with an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD), a device that delivers life-saving shocks when dangerous arrhythmias are detected.
In response, the Philippine Bangungot Program was launched in 2023 to research genetic causes and create Filipino-specific test kits for early screening and prevention. Families of victims could be tested for Brugada and treated before symptoms become fatal.
Segundo encouraged more collaboration between government and communities to turn the research into lifesaving action.
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