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Bangungot
Tagalog people use bangungot for sudden death in sleep, often of a young man. Folk belief blamed a spirit, such as the batibat, that sits on the sleeper's chest. Doctors link some such deaths to a heart rhythm condition.
Folklore is retold; versions differ.
Sources: Wikipedia: Sudden arrhythmic death syndrome (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Wikidata (CC0)
The story
Bangungot is the Tagalog word for a sudden death that happens in sleep. It often struck young, healthy men. The word also names a nightmare, and in many stories it is the batibat, an old, heavy hag, who sits on the sleeper's chest and holds the body still. Doctors say the frightening feeling of being unable to move often comes from sleep paralysis.
Modern medicine links many of these deaths to a heart rhythm problem. Wikipedia says the article on sudden arrhythmic death syndrome ties bangungot mainly to Brugada syndrome. The condition is rare, about 1 to 3 cases in 100,000 people. It can be found only after death, once other causes are ruled out. A 2003 study found that an implanted defibrillator was the only proven protection.
Early reports reached other countries. In 1948, 81 sudden deaths of Filipino men were recorded in Oahu, Hawaii, but no one saw a pattern then. In 1977, similar deaths were noted among Hmong refugees in North America. Folk belief and medical science describe the same event in different ways.