October 15, 2026

Tabi-Tabi Po: What Is Bangungot? The Batibat Legend and What Doctors Know About Death in Sleep

by Mika Soriano

In Ilocano folklore, a giant old woman from a felled tree sits on a sleeper’s chest. In medicine, bangungot refers to sudden, unexplained deaths during sleep, often involving young, seemingly healthy Filipino men. Here’s how the legend differs from the medical explanation. Read more »