Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat It IsSymptomsCausesFrequencyPreventionCoping
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What It Is
Symptoms
Causes
Frequency
Prevention
Coping
Hallucinations are one of the symptoms of sleep paralysis, a phenomenon where you are temporarily unable to move or speak as you transition from sleep to consciousness.Thesehallucinationsdiffer from dreaming in that dreams typically have storylines with superimposed images, while hallucinations involve things you see, hear, or feel that are not there in the present moment.
The cause of sleep paralysis hallucinations is poorly understood but is regarded as a form ofparasomnia(a group of sleep disorders that involve abnormal movements, behaviors, perceptions, and dreams duringstages of sleep).
Verywell / Brianna Gilmartin
What Are Sleep Paralysis Hallucinations?
With sleep paralysis, these hallucinations occur while you are in aparalytic statewhile transitioning from sleep to wakefulness. The hallucinations can takedifferent forms, some of which can co-occur., including:
Sleep paralysis hallucinations are not related to the types of hallucinations that may occur in people withschizophrenia.
Emotional Effects
During sleep paralysis, a person commonly experiences what is known as a"locked-in syndrome"in which you are conscious but unable to move anything but your eyes.The ability to see, feel, and hear can make the hallucinations seem all the more real.
Words commonly used to describe sleep paralysis hallucinations include “terrifying,” “shocking,” “weird,” “otherworldly,” “helpless,” “angry,” and “disgusting.”
Rarely, some people will describe the experience as comforting.
Other Symptoms
Hallucinations are a common component of sleep paralysis but not the only one. There are others a person will commonly experience, including:
The level of awareness during sleep paralysis varies. Some people claim that they are completely awake and aware of their surroundings. Others describe only partial awareness.
These symptoms can last for several seconds to several minutes before a person spontaneously “snaps out of it” and comes to completion consciousness without any physical impairment.
Can You Snap Out of Sleep Paralysis?Generally, there is no way to stop a sleep paralysis episode when it happens. Some people contend that they can “snap out of it earlier” if they focus on making small movements, such as moving their fingers one at a time until they eventually achieve full consciousness.
Can You Snap Out of Sleep Paralysis?
Generally, there is no way to stop a sleep paralysis episode when it happens. Some people contend that they can “snap out of it earlier” if they focus on making small movements, such as moving their fingers one at a time until they eventually achieve full consciousness.
Normally, people have a smooth transition between different phases of sleep. But when a transition is interrupted, you might experience sleep paralysis. This can happen either when you first fall asleep or when you’re about to wake up.
In people with sleep paralysis, there may be an overlap between REM and non-REM sleep wherein wakefulness is approaching but the brain is “stuck” in a state of low muscle tone. At the same time, brain wave activity may be temporarily “stuck” between a dream-like state and full waking consciousness.
These mechanisms are thought to play a role in other forms of parasomnia, includingnight terrors,sleepwalking, andnarcolepsy.
Other risk factors includesleep deprivationand narcolepsy.
Are Hallucinations Normal in Sleep Paralysis?
Hallucinations are common with sleep paralysis, but not everyone gets them or gets them in the same way. Studies suggest that three out of every four people with sleep paralysis experience some form of hallucination.
By definition, sleep paralysis involveshypnopompic hallucinationsthat occur while you are waking. However, people with sleep paralysis will experiencehypnagogic hallucinationsthat occur as they fall asleep.
The events may be episodic and “once-off,” or they may be recurrent.
Sleep paralysis doesn’t tend to affect people frequently.Once you understand what it is and why it happens, it may not bother you as much.
Practicing goodsleep hygienemay help prevent sleep paralysis episodes. Among some of the more helpful tips:
Can You Die From Sleep Paralysis?
Although some people say that sleep paralysis “practically scares them to death,” there is no evidence of this occurring. While sleep paralysis can cause emotional distress, it usually doesn’t happen frequently enough to pose any significant risk to your health.
If sleep paralysis happens often, you might be able to develop strategies to make it less distressing. For example, focusing on one moving one small part of your body such as a finger may help you come out of the paralysis more quickly. It can also help to remind yourself to stay calm and think about how you are breathing.
Remember that what you’re feeling is normal and try to reassure yourself that any hallucinations you’re having aren’t real.
Summary
During sleep paralysis—a phenomenon in which you are temporarily unable to move as you transition from being asleep to being awake—it is possible to hallucinate and think you’re seeing, hearing, smelling, or feeling something that isn’t actually there. It can be a scary feeling, but it’s usually not a sign of anything serious.
9 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Stanford Medicine.Sleep paralysis.Waters F, Blom JD, Dang-Vu TT, et al.What is the link between hallucinations, dreams, and hypnagogic–hypnopompic experiences?Schizophr Bull. 2016;42(5):1098-1109. doi:10.1093/schbul/sbw076MedlinePlus.Hallucinations.Sharpless BA.A clinician’s guide to recurrent isolated sleep paralysis.Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2016;12:1761–67. doi:10.2147/NDT.S100307Kazaglis L, Bornemann MAC.Classification of parasomnias.Curr Sleep Medicine Rep. 2016;2(2):45-52.Ohayon MM, Pakpour AH.Prevalence, incidence, evolution and associated factors of sleep paralysis in a longitudinal study of the US general population.Sleep Med. 2022:98:62-67. doi:10.1016/j.sleep.2022.06.003Ableidinger S, Holzinger B.Sleep paralysis and lucid dreaming—between waking and dreaming: a review about two extraordinary states.J Clin Med. 2023 May 12;12(10):3437. doi:10.3390/jcm12103437American Academy of Sleep Medicine.Healthy sleep habits.Harvard Health.Sleep paralysis: causes, symptoms, and treatments.
9 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Stanford Medicine.Sleep paralysis.Waters F, Blom JD, Dang-Vu TT, et al.What is the link between hallucinations, dreams, and hypnagogic–hypnopompic experiences?Schizophr Bull. 2016;42(5):1098-1109. doi:10.1093/schbul/sbw076MedlinePlus.Hallucinations.Sharpless BA.A clinician’s guide to recurrent isolated sleep paralysis.Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2016;12:1761–67. doi:10.2147/NDT.S100307Kazaglis L, Bornemann MAC.Classification of parasomnias.Curr Sleep Medicine Rep. 2016;2(2):45-52.Ohayon MM, Pakpour AH.Prevalence, incidence, evolution and associated factors of sleep paralysis in a longitudinal study of the US general population.Sleep Med. 2022:98:62-67. doi:10.1016/j.sleep.2022.06.003Ableidinger S, Holzinger B.Sleep paralysis and lucid dreaming—between waking and dreaming: a review about two extraordinary states.J Clin Med. 2023 May 12;12(10):3437. doi:10.3390/jcm12103437American Academy of Sleep Medicine.Healthy sleep habits.Harvard Health.Sleep paralysis: causes, symptoms, and treatments.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Stanford Medicine.Sleep paralysis.Waters F, Blom JD, Dang-Vu TT, et al.What is the link between hallucinations, dreams, and hypnagogic–hypnopompic experiences?Schizophr Bull. 2016;42(5):1098-1109. doi:10.1093/schbul/sbw076MedlinePlus.Hallucinations.Sharpless BA.A clinician’s guide to recurrent isolated sleep paralysis.Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2016;12:1761–67. doi:10.2147/NDT.S100307Kazaglis L, Bornemann MAC.Classification of parasomnias.Curr Sleep Medicine Rep. 2016;2(2):45-52.Ohayon MM, Pakpour AH.Prevalence, incidence, evolution and associated factors of sleep paralysis in a longitudinal study of the US general population.Sleep Med. 2022:98:62-67. doi:10.1016/j.sleep.2022.06.003Ableidinger S, Holzinger B.Sleep paralysis and lucid dreaming—between waking and dreaming: a review about two extraordinary states.J Clin Med. 2023 May 12;12(10):3437. doi:10.3390/jcm12103437American Academy of Sleep Medicine.Healthy sleep habits.Harvard Health.Sleep paralysis: causes, symptoms, and treatments.
Stanford Medicine.Sleep paralysis.
Waters F, Blom JD, Dang-Vu TT, et al.What is the link between hallucinations, dreams, and hypnagogic–hypnopompic experiences?Schizophr Bull. 2016;42(5):1098-1109. doi:10.1093/schbul/sbw076
MedlinePlus.Hallucinations.
Sharpless BA.A clinician’s guide to recurrent isolated sleep paralysis.Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2016;12:1761–67. doi:10.2147/NDT.S100307
Kazaglis L, Bornemann MAC.Classification of parasomnias.Curr Sleep Medicine Rep. 2016;2(2):45-52.
Ohayon MM, Pakpour AH.Prevalence, incidence, evolution and associated factors of sleep paralysis in a longitudinal study of the US general population.Sleep Med. 2022:98:62-67. doi:10.1016/j.sleep.2022.06.003
Ableidinger S, Holzinger B.Sleep paralysis and lucid dreaming—between waking and dreaming: a review about two extraordinary states.J Clin Med. 2023 May 12;12(10):3437. doi:10.3390/jcm12103437
American Academy of Sleep Medicine.Healthy sleep habits.
Harvard Health.Sleep paralysis: causes, symptoms, and treatments.
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