Hypnagogic hallucinations occur on the border between sleep and wakefulness and can include visual, auditory, tactile, and kinetic sensations. Recurring intense hallucinations may indicate an underlying medical condition. They can be frightening and are more common in people with sleep disorders or on prescription drugs. Seeing a doctor or psychologist can help cope with the experiences.
Hypnagogic hallucinations are hallucinations that occur on the border between sleep and wakefulness. They can occur when people fall asleep or when they start waking up and tend to be extremely vivid, feeling like a Technicolor Oz after the black and white Kansas of everyday life. Many people experience hypnagogic hallucinations at some point in their lives, but recurring intense hallucinations can be a sign of an underlying medical condition that may require treatment.
Visual, auditory, tactile, and kinetic sensations can all be experienced during hypnagogic hallucinations, and everyone experiences slightly different forms. Some people, for example, may feel like they are falling and wake up jerkily to avoid hitting the ground. Others may hear voices as they try to fall asleep or have a vivid feeling that someone or something is in the room. Sensory experiences such as the sensation of being immersed in a pool of water are also not uncommon.
In some cases, hypnagogic hallucinations can be frightening to the people who experience them. They can include vivid and frightening images, including images that are out of scale, which can make the hallucinations even more disturbing; people may see giant spiders on walls, for example, or feel like they’ve shrunk to a tiny size in bed. Vivid experiences can also be brought to mind throughout the day, causing unexplained images or sensations to seep through someone’s consciousness at an unexpected time.
The cause of hypnagogic hallucinations is not fully understood. These hallucinations tend to be more common in people with sleep disorders, especially narcolepsy, but they can also appear as a side effect related to prescription drugs, and drug addicts often experience them as well. Hypnagogic hallucinations tend to be more common in young people, particularly children, which may be because their minds are still developing and forming pathways, which can occasionally lead to some crossed wires.
If someone experiences numerous hypnagogic hallucinations, repetitive or not, it’s a good idea to see a doctor to check for health issues that may be related to the experiences. If no cause is evident, a psychologist or similar mental health professional may be able to explore the unconscious causes and help the patient cope with the hallucinations. Seeing a psychologist can also provide helpful advice for people who are shaken or disturbed by hypnagogic hallucinations, even if the hallucinations continue to occur.
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